News and occasional blogs on educational and school matters in Ireland http://www.schooldays.ie/articles/education-news http://www.schooldays.ie/schooldays.nsf/SD_ad_150x75.gif http://www.schooldays.ie/articles/education-news Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Next-years-school-books-now-available-as-e-books-801371438Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newsteachers for more than 50 days work a year. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Rehiring-of-retired-primary-school-teachers-to-be-examined-801370405Wed, 23 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentingparents their excessive use of smartphones and iPads could be damaging their children's long-term health. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Excessive-use-of-technology-damaging-for-mental-development-801369404Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School NewsSecond level students from across Ireland are being asked to think beyond mainstream professions when it comes to looking for work experiences as the number of industries where jobs need to be filled are crying out for suitable candidates. The call came from Ciaran Cannon, the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills. “Students that undertake work experience learn valuable skills that are[end intro] applicable across a range of industries, and learning those skills at an early stage is a vital component in making them more attractive for employers in the future. I would encourage students to take a broad view on where future opportunities for employment lie, because the skills learned now in the workplace will stand you in good stead for your future employment prospects.” Minister Cannon was speaking at the 2012 National Career Skills Awards, which took place in the Department of Education today (May 22nd). The Awards, which were created to recognise students who show clear progress in the identification of suitable career skills, are run by www.careersportal.ie The competition has now been running for four years, with over 1,000 students from 223 schools across the country taking part this year. Data from previous years has shown a small percentage of students taking up work placements in the STEM sector but CareersPortal recently announced that the ICT sector is committed to providing over 100 work experience placements through the WorkXperience programme on the CareersPortal website from September onwards. 114 schools made their entries online this year and there were 102 entries ‘as gaeilge’ as students eyed up the special prize for the best winning entry in Irish. Most encouragingly for all those involved the entries covered 480 career titles, given this year’s competition the widest scope for possible career paths seen to date. The National Career Skills Awards are run by CareersPortal which equip students and career guidance counsellors with information to assist in making informed career choices and the competition is sponsored exclusively by McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland. Eimear Sinnott of www.careersportal.ie said “The announcement by the ICT sector that it will be offering 100 work placements is a timely boost as we look to direct more and more students towards professions where jobs are currently available. The numbers looking to gain experience in this area is on the rise, and while the popularity of established careers like teaching and medicine still holds, I am heartened to see more and more students thinking ‘outside the box’ when it comes to gaining work experience. This will stand to them in the future.” She also commended the work of Guidance Counsellors at 2nd level schools and higlighted their particular importance in these difficult economic times. She said that "the support, focus and direction they give to our students, helping them make the best educational and career decisions, while still being mindful and understanding of their individual needs, can not be underestimated." Details of winners can be viewed on CareersPortal's news story ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/CarrerSkills-winners-announcedTue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Cheese-adverts-important-as-children-need-calcium-801368337Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchool Run Mum dn@schooldays.ieSchool Run MumSo, the weather may not have been the, erm, best just recently but are we really surprised? Nah! But aside from the fact that the grey skies and howling wind don't make for the best of moods, it's no joke trying to keep the kids entertained when they can't get outside to run off some of that energy (I have two boys and they have a LOT of energy to get rid of!) For some parents, a rainy day means retreating quickly to the nearest indoor play centre. And while there is a lot to be said for a well run, clean, organised [end intro]play centre with plenty to keep the kids occupied and ensure they come home absolutely exhausted, they don't come cheap. For many parents, hot-footing it to a play centre every rainy day just isn't feasible - or desirable (personally, I think it's nice to leave the play centres as something special for birthday parties etc.) Then again, for many parents, the thought of getting out the paint, glue and scissors fills them with dread. We've all done this, with the best of intentions to create something wonderful with our kids, only for it to degenerate into a mess and arguments after about five minutes. So, when I recently received a craft activity to review, I was more than happy to try it out with the boys. The product was Mosaic Masterpieces by Galt Toys and it is excellent. The set comes with 13 mosaic pictures and 7500 tiny, self adhesive, coloured foam 'tiles'! The idea is to create the mosaic pictures by 'tiling by numbers'. My 4 and 6 year olds sat for ages, totally immersed in this. It is an activity they can easily do unsupervised, although I will admit to enjoying doing the pictures myself too! The end result is really lovely mosaic pictures so, unlike most of my other art and craft efforts, there is something to be shown for your work at the end! The activity retails at £10.99. Galt toys are available at most of the toy stores in Ireland (Smyths, Art & Hobby etc) or can be ordered online at http://www.galttoys.com. There really is a fantastic range of activities and for less than the cost of admission for 2 children into a play centre (never mind the extra costs of drinks and snacks) this is great value and will last us for many more rainy days to come. Highly recommended and a range of toys I will definitely be looking out for again.  ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/blogs/Rainy-Days-Go-AwayMon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Academic-claims-bright-kids-should-start-school-aged-6-801367318Fri, 18 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentingparents, with a third claiming they were unhappy with how the school handled the issue. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Half-of-all-parents-have-raised-concerns-about-bullying,-study-finds-801366230Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School NewsFacebook about teachers at a school in Dublin have led to four pupils being expelled. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/School-expels-4-pupils-for-disparaging-Facebook-comments-801365067Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Measles-outbreak-sparks-vaccination-warning-801364159Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieTeachersThe Department of Education and Science has issued new Circular Letter 0018/2012 to schools setting out the reporting processes for the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy announced by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD, last year. The circular sets out the background to standardised testing and details the NCCA report card templates and the reporting processing along with the grants available. The INTO has issued a statement that they have had discussions with the DES re the provisions and have clarified the following [end intro] points. *Where schools carried out assessments last October, it is not necessary to re-administer the tests this May/June although the DES would encourage schools to do so. *From the academic year 2012/2013 all tests under Circular 56/2011 must be carried out in May/June of the academic year. *Schools should use the NCCA report card templates, details of which were covered in the May issue of InTouch and are also available on the NCCA Website. However, where schools have already purchased commercial report books, they can be used for the current school year provided they include the requirements covered under Circular 56/2011 on standardised testing. *Schools will be able to use the data from the electronic processing tools developed by the ERC to populate the DES form for returning the results of standardised testing. *Schools will have to forward data to post primary schools this year. The post primary principal will be responsible for informing the primary school principal of the confirmed enrolment in their school while the responsibility for transferring the data will rest with the primary school principal. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Implementation-of-new-literacy-strategyTue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newsbullying in schools increased by 12 per cent across the country last year, with a new initiative launched in a bid to tackle the problem. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Anti-bullying-week-initiative-planned-for-Limerick-schools-801363111Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Disability-funding-cuts-will-leave-school-leavers-stranded-801362095Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Sex-education-improving,-study-finds-801361035Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Schools-to-hold-1-minute-silence-in-memory-of-the-Great-Famine-801360041Wed, 9 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieTeachers Newsteachers. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Vetting-of-over-42,000-teachers-expected-to-be-delayed-801358986Wed, 9 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchool Run Mum dn@schooldays.ieSchool Run MumIt is that time of year when parents like me, whose child will start school in September, have lots of conversations about this significant milestone. We can’t believe our ‘baby’ is going to school. We can’t believe they have grown up so quickly and we can’t believe that they are ever going to be able to put their straw into their juice box ‘all by themself’ without spilling it everywhere. Starting school is a big deal – for parent and child. And even if this is your [end intro]second, third or fourth child starting school, it is as significant a milestone each time. Of course, we hope that we have done our best to prepare them for their school years ahead and for many parents, the introduction of the pre-school year scheme in recent years has helped significantly in preparing for school. But to what extent are parents expected to prepare their child? What skills should we be sending them to school with already, or does the responsibility of education lie entirely with the teacher and the school? Interestingly, a recent comment by the Schools Commissioner in the UK (as reported in The Telegraph), suggests that parents are not doing enough to prepare their children for school.  Speaking to the Forum of Independent Day Schools in central London, Dr Elizabeth Sidwell said: ‘Even the outstanding primaries tell me children, at five, are coming in with lower and lower ability. It is not a good situation that we are in.’ She goes on to say that parents needed a “five-a-day” guide – modelled on the push to get people to eat five pieces of fruit or vegetables – to help them to get children ready for school. ‘Mothers and fathers should be told to “get up in the morning, give your child breakfast, get them to school on time, read with them every day and talk to them”.’ For some, this may seem like a case of preaching to the converted, or simply a case of stating the obvious. But perhaps there is - unfortunately -  a real need to keep reminding parents of the vital role we play in preparing our children for school and in ensuring that they, quite simply, get there every day. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/blogs/Preparing-for-school-whose-job-is-it-anywayTue, 8 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/PE-lessons-putting-girls-off-exercise-for-life,-research-reveals-801358003Fri, 4 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And Politicshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Inspections-highlight-failing-schools-801356832Thu, 3 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School NewsTransition Year module is to be rolled out in Irish secondary schools today (May 3rd), as part of a plan to introduce a short course in Chinese for Junior Cert students. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/New-Chinese-module-launched-in-secondary-schools-801355875Wed, 2 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchool Run Mum dn@schooldays.ieSchool Run MumWith the May Bank Holiday looming, and then the long summer holidays, the prospect of long car journeys with the children may not fill you with joy! We've all been there - setting out full of good intentions for a calm, harmonious journey, only to end up threatening to stop the car, or turn around and go straight back home after 20 minutes. So, what can you do to ease their boredom and ensure you don’t have a [end intro]nervous breakdown en route?! Rather than resorting to the DS or a back-of-the-seat DVD player, how about trying some old favourites? They're much more fun than listening to the Chipmunks squeaking into the back of your head and can help the journey time pass quicker for you, as well as for the kids. Back-seat bingo Make up bingo sheets with pictures of things you might see on the journey. Each child should have a slightly different set of images. The first person to spot all the things on their bingo sheet is the winner. The alphabet game Pick a theme (e.g. animals, countries, food) and, starting with ‘a’, take it in turns to think of a word starting with the next letter of the alphabet. Animal, mineral, vegetable Think of an animal, mineral or vegetable then let everyone take it in turns to guess what it is by asking you questions – you may only answer "yes" or "no". Car colours Pick a colour and then try to spot a car of that colour. Once you’ve spotted seven you can look for a black car to win the game. This game can also work using the rules of snooker. Registration plate games Work your way through the alphabet spotting plates with the relevant letters. Alternatively, see who can add up the plate numbers quickest. Audio books are also a great way to keep the children entertained and most libraries stock a good range. If all else fails, there’s always I-Spy! Happy travelling. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/blogs/Are-we-nearly-there-yetWed, 2 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Breast-feeding-helps-fight-obesity-in-children-801354783Tue, 1 May 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Schools-urged-to-join-global-anti-bullying-event-801353754Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchool Run Mum dn@schooldays.ieSchool Run MumI've blogged here before about how shocked I am to read reports and statistics showing that a high percentage of children don't get a bedtime story. I really believe that it is never too early to introduce children to books and to create an interest in books and reading. I grew up on the stories of Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter, with the adventures of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck and Mrs Tiggywinkle all becoming firm, childhood favourites. The Tale of Peter Rabbit is Potter's best-loved story and Peter is, arguably, one of the most enduring characters in children's literature. To celebrate the 110th anniversary of the first printed publication of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, a [end intro]special edition of the story has been published by Frederick Warne publishers. Published in 1902, this was Beatrix Potter’s first book, expanded from an illustrated letter she had sent to a young friend who was ill. The classic tale of naughty Peter Rabbit’s escape from Mr. McGregor’s garden still brings to children all over the world the pleasure that it gave to its very first reader. The small, hardback books are a perfect size to sit and read with younger children - or just to look at the gorgeous illustrations with them is a real treat. There are also some lovely accompanying Anniversary books. Dear Peter - Miniature Letters by Beatrix Potter is a collection of correspondence between Beatrix Potter and fans of her stories around the world, which continue the tales of her much-loved characters. The World of Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter is another lovely little book which shows how Miss Potter's unique talent transformed Peter Rabbit from a few sketches into an international bestseller. These books would all make lovely gifts and keepsakes for any child and are priced £7.99. These, and other Anniversary editions of Beatrix Potter's books are available in all good bookshops and via the Peter Rabbit website bookshop Discover more about the world of Peter Rabbit at http://www.peterrabbit.com/en ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/blogs/Very-Special-BooksMon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Church-run-schools-favoured-by-less-than-a-third-of-parents-801352223Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Many-Irish-children-hit-by-deprivation-801351017Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Children-should-avoid-excessive-use-of-mobile-phones-801349837Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newsbackpacks full of heavy books, as a new range of eBooks designed for students has been launched. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/School-eBooks-launch-heralds-digital-learning-801348662Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchooldays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And Politics177 schools around the country have been given the green light to replace rented prefabs with permanent classrooms. The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., announced the first round of approvals for schools in an initiative to replace rented prefabs with permanent accommodation. The 77 schools can now proceed with construction of the new buildings.  This round of funding will result in a total of [end intro]94 mainstream classrooms and 57 resource teaching/learning support rooms being built. Today’s announcement is valued at more than €14 million, and is part of a €35 million initiative aimed at replacing one third of all rented prefabs in 2012. Alongside the 77 schools who have been approved, the Department of Education & Skills is considering a further 110 schools in this scheme to replace prefabs.  Those schools are expected to be approved in coming weeks in the biggest ever initiative to replace rented prefabs in schools.  Minister Quinn said, “Too many of our children and young people spend their school days in rented prefabs.  I am delighted that we are now making progress on our Programme for Government commitment to phase out the inefficient renting of prefabs.” “As a result of this €35 million programme approximately 6,000 pupils will move from prefabs into permanent classrooms and resource rooms. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Quinn-announces-funding-of-14m-to-replace-prefabsTue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchooldays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentingDo you struggle to fit your child’s car seat and then worry that your child isn’t travelling safely? Are you unsure if the child car seat you’re using is the right one for your child? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, many parents have problems with fitting their child’s car seat and up to 3 out of 4 parents get it wrong. For the past seven years, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has offered a free expert checking service to parents, guardians and grandparents through their ‘Check it Fits’ Roadshow to give them the peace of mind that their child or grandchild is travelling safely in the car. And in a couple of weeks, the RSA ‘Check it Fits’ Roadshow will be on the road again from Wednesday 9 May to Sunday 13 May to provide [end intro]assistance and practical demonstrations to parents on how to fit their child’s car seats correctly. Mr Noel Brett, Chief Executive, Road Safety Authority said: “The biggest worry a parent has is that their child might be injured or harmed, so we do everything we can to prevent this from happening. However, as a parent myself, I know how difficult it can be to fit child car seats and I commend all the retailers who offer practical assistance to parents who are unsure if they are doing it correctly. Ensuring a child is properly restrained in an appropriate child car seat can reduce injuries by up to 90-95% for rear facing seats and 60% for forward facing seats in the event of a crash* so it’s vitally important to do it right.” “Our Roadshow experts have checked more than 5,000 child car seats over the past few years and the problems range from those that can be easily fixed, such as rerouting a seatbelt, to major problems such as using the wrong child car seat for the child. Worryingly, in some cases, the child car seat was condemned which means that not only would it not have protected the child in the event of a crash, it could have caused serious injury or worse. So please avail of this service if you can. It will only take 10 minutes for the experts to check your child’s car seat and give you the peace of mind that your child is travelling safely.” At each venue, the RSA will have a purpose built marquee where experts will check your child’s car seat, provide a practical demonstration on how to fit it, and answer any queries you might have. As an additional service at some of the venues, Advance Pitstop will check that your car is running smoothly by performing their 5 point check for cars, free of charge. The ‘Check it Fits’ Roadshow is a free service and will be provided at the following locations: Wednesday 9 May , Lidl, M1 Retail Park, Co. Louth - 10am to 5pm Thursday 10 May, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 - 10am to 5pm Friday 11 May, Lidl and Heatons, Dublin Road, Wicklow - 10am to 5pm Saturday 12 May, Tesco, Distillery Road, Wexford - 10am to 5pm Sunday 13 May, Tesco Extra, Ardkeen, Waterford - 12pm to 6pm The RSA will be running a Facebook competition in the run up to ‘Check it Fits’ where parents who attend the ‘Check it Fits’ Roadshow will be in with a chance of winning a voucher for a new child car seat or restraint. For further details, visit the RSA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RSAIreland Further information on ‘Child Safety in Cars’ is available at www.rsa.ie/childsafetyincars where a ‘Child Safety in Cars’ booklet and DVD are also available FREE to order online or by phone at LoCall 1890 50 60 80 Read RSA's Top Tips for Parents on Child Safety in Cars ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/RSA-Check-it-Fits-Roadshows-2012Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchool Run Mum dn@schooldays.ieSchool Run MumYoung school children – that’s who. But according to recent research, over two-thirds of school children are not getting enough sleep and the average six-year-old doesn’t go to sleep until after 9.30pm. Reading the article, these two facts alone were enough to shock me into an open-mouthed stare. We usually start making ‘bedtime’ noises at 7.30pm and try to have everyone in bed by 8-8.30pm at the latest (my children are 4 and 6). But perhaps the more shocking piece of information to arise from this recent article in the Irish Independent, is the following [end intro]statement: ‘Traditionally younger children went through the ritual of having a bedtime story before going to sleep. Now they are much more likely to nod off to the sound of a TV show, a computer game or a DVD.’ Although I would love someone to shake me and tell me that this isn’t true, I’m afraid that it is. Really? Do parents really let the TV send their child to sleep? If so, I just cannot understand this. Surely, we all know that over-stimulation through electronic gadgets is not the ideal way for a child to wind down and get ready for sleep. Surely, we want to read them a bedtime story – don’t we? I may not always have the patience to deal with the kids not getting into the PJs and brushing their teeth properly, but that half an hour of calm (after the getting ready for bed storm), when we sit and read, is one of my favourite parts of the day. Clearly, one of the problems of our children not getting enough sleep, is that they find it hard to concentrate at school. Surely, we owe it to our children – no matter how exhausted we might be, and how tempting that sofa looks – to encourage a bedtime routine and a bed time which is best for them. Maybe I’m out of touch. Maybe my old-fashioned principles of a glass of milk, a story and a good night’s sleep are becoming something of a parenting myth. I really, really hope this is not the case. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/blogs/Sleep,-who-needs-itTue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newsbullying or know someone who has, according to new research. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Study-finds-25-per-cent-of-teens-bullied-801347442Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And Politicshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Govt-looking-to-use-schools-for-cheap-childcare-801346252Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Paralympic-Ireland-launches-campaign-to-educate-kids-801344970Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Former-athletes-to-discuss-tackling-childhood-obesity-801343774Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentingFirst Communion is expected to increase by €75 this year, despite many people facing financial pressures. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Financial-pressures-fail-to-reduce-Communion-spending-801342576Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Survey-reveals-1-in-5-kids-go-to-school-hungry-801341436Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And PoliticsLast week, Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Ruairí Quinn T.D., published the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. 247 submissions were received from interest groups, parents and members of the public and were considered by the Advisory group. Primary and post-primary pupils also participated in the consultation process. The report notes that while 96% of education provision at primary level is denominational arising from the historical development of Irish primary education, there is clearly increased demand for [end intro]new forms of multi-denominational and non-denominational schooling, as well as increased demand for Irish language schooling.  Minister Quinn has asked that the Education Partners and interested parties examine the report and take time to reflect on and digest the recommendations.  The Minister is considering the report's findings and recommendations and he plans to outline his official response in May.  A White Paper on pluralism and patronage in the primary sector  will follow.  The recommendations of the Advisory Group can be broadly divided into three key areas: Divesting patronage where there is a stable population and demand for diversity of schools dealing with Irish medium primary schools promoting more inclusiveness in all schools, including 'Stand Alone' schools where divesting patronage to another body is not an option The report recommends achieving diversity of patronage by using the existing stock of schools in areas where the population is stable. Where there is a cluster of denominational schools but also parental demand for alternative school patronage, the report recommends that transfer of patronage be achieved with assistance from the Department.  The Advisory Group cautions against a 'big bang' approach and advises that change of patronage should happen in a phased way, through the adoption of a catchment approach, taking account of the preferences of parents.  The report recommends that phase one of this work would involve examining school patronage in  43 towns and 4 Dublin areas identified by the Department in 2010, arising from a request by  the Catholic Church, as likely to have substantial demand for diversity. This will involve 18 dioceses and scrutiny of approximately 250 schools, out of which approximately 50 may be divested. A three stage process is recommended, whereby the DES would gather information on the demand for divestment through parental surveys. This would be followed by a report on the options for patronage and finally patrons would be required to respond within a definite timeframe.  This would occur alongside a programme of provision of new schools in areas of population growth, the patronage of which would be based on parental demand. The report makes a number of recommendations concerning the  provision of Irish medium schools, including the piloting of the concept of a "satellite" school, which would be linked to a well established 'parent' Irish medium school. For communities served by one 'Stand Alone' school, where transfer of patronage is not  an option, the report makes recommendations aimed at ensuring such schools are as inclusive as possible and  accommodate pupils of various belief systems. There are approximately 1700 of these schools, which are at least 3km from their nearest neighbour. The report suggests the development of a protocol which would facilitate all  schools in developing clear policies accessible to parents on how they manage diversity and ensure an inclusive and respectful environment for all their pupils. "The Forum on Patronage is a key commitment in the programme for Government and is another indication of our drive to reform and ensure fairness in our schools.  However, I am very conscious of the need to balance making real progress in divesting patronage in the short-term and the longer term aim of ensuring commitment by all concerned to more inclusiveness and diversity in schools," said Minister Quinn.  Given the demands on the resources available at primary level, the Minister is also mindful that such changes should, wherever possible, be cost neutral. The Advisory Group report is available from the Forum webpage of the Department website: ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Report-of-the-Advisory-Group-to-the-Forum-on-Patronage-and-PluralismMon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Kids-to-be-weighed-on-first-day-of-primary-school-801340305Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And PoliticsThe Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today announced details of a forum to explore ways to tackle the problem of bullying in schools. The Anti-Bullying Forum is due to take place on the 17th of May 2012 and will bring together a range of experts, support groups and representatives of the schools sector including parents and students. The Forum will consider what changes to existing practices and policies in schools may be [end intro]needed in order to effectively tackle bullying. It will identify practical steps and recommendations that could be taken in the short term to improve how schools approach and tackle bullying. Minister Quinn said, "Bullying in school can ruin a young person's enjoyment of some of the most important years of their life. In extreme situations it can also, tragically, lead to a young person taking their own life." "It is a problem I take very seriously and I hope that the Forum will provide an opportunity to set out a roadmap on how best to tackle all forms of bullying in our schools." Alongside the Forum, Minister Quinn is establishing a Working Group on tackling bullying, including homophobic bullying, cyber bullying and racist bullying.  The outcomes and recommendations from the Forum will assist the working group in its deliberations.   The first phase to be addressed by the Working Group will be homophobic bullying. Both initiatives are in line with the Programme for Government's commitment on encouraging schools to develop anti-bullying policies and, in particular strategies to combat homophobic bullying, to support students.  A range of speakers are being invited to attend the Forum, including experts in the field of bullying, NGOs such as the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, BeLong To, the National Anti-Bullying Coalition and others from the school sector, such as students, principals, teachers, and parents.  Minister Quinn added, "A key element in dealing with this problem is the ongoing development of a school culture of awareness of the seriousness of the issue and having in place a whole school approach to dealing with it." The Anti-Bullying Forum is scheduled to take place in the Clock Tower conference room, in the Department of Education and Skills on May 17th which coincides with the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The theme of this year’s International Day is homophobic bullying.  Written by Donal Walsh ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Minister-announces-Anti-Bullying-forumFri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Fee-paying-students-lead-the-way-in-reading-skills-801339089Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieParentinghttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Study-finds-1-in-5-secondary-school-kids-hear-voices-801338619Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Cuts-to-guidance-support-will-lead-to-more-school-dropouts-801338003Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchool Run Mum dn@schooldays.ieSchool Run MumFor years now, I’ve been warning my kids about ‘The Man’. You know, the one who watches them and will come and arrest them (or something like that) if they throw food in restaurants or climb up, instead of down, the slide in the playground. ‘The Man is watching,’ I whisper, pointing to a Security Guard or someone similarly officially-attired. ‘I’d behave myself, if I were you, or he’ll be coming over to have words.’ The threat of ‘The Man’ generally works. I have also used the ‘eyes in the back of my head’ trick which always seems to impress. However, a recent report in The Independent, suggests that an extra [end intro]pair of eyes, or ‘The Man’ may not just be a thing of parents’ imaginations anymore, as it is reported that spy-technology is being used by the more tech-savvy parents to keep an eye on their children, remotely. The report comments that CIA style ‘spy’ devices are being slipped into schoolbags, ‘Teddy cams’ can be used to keep an eye on the child-minder and GPS style tracking devices can even be used to monitor the child’s journey home from school. For some parents, this is simply about having peace of mind when their children start to ask for a greater degree of independence. ‘I use it with my six-year-old Aaron, for peace of mind, not as Big Brother,’ comments one parent. ‘It helps us to relax. If he goes over the wall at the end of the road it will send a message to my phone and I can track where he is on my laptop or phone. I have my phone set up to a loud siren. ‘ For others, it is simply about retaining control with applications available for tracking teen drivers. ‘It protects the car and you can track the speed. On Saturday night when the son or daughter is gone off with the car, all the speeds are tracked. So on a Sunday you can sit down and go through exactly where they've been and what speed they were driving at.’ Sound far-fetched? Perhaps – but this is not just the stuff of Hollywood’s imaginings: this is really happening. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/blogs/Big-MotherWed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And Politicshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Teachers-union-slams-Quinns-claims-austerity-gravity-overlooked-801336966Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.iePrimary School Newsprimary and secondary schools is not directly linked to the size of the institution. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/School-performance-not-linked-to-size-801335859Thu, 5 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And Politicshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Quinn-raises-concerns-over-religious-education-801334633Wed, 4 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieEducation And PoliticsSixty-four per cent of second-level schools are considering dropping one or more subjects from their Leaving Cert programme as a result of Budget 2012 education cuts, a study commissioned by the ASTI has found. The Leaving Cert subjects most likely to be dropped by schools in September 2012 are accounting, chemistry, physics, and economics. Amalgamation of higher, ordinary and foundation level classes is another likely response to Budget cuts. Fifty-seven per cent of schools indicated that they are likely to [end intro]amalgamate some classes at Leaving Cert level. Thirty-two per cent said they are considering amalgamating some 5th and 6th year classes. As part of Budget 2012 it was announced that second-level schools will no longer receive an ex-quota teacher allocation for guidance counselling. This equates to an increase in the pupil-teacher ratio of approximately .8. It means there will be approximately 700 less second-level teachers in September 2012.   The research, carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne for the ASTI, found that schools are also considering reducing students’ access to guidance counselling services as a result of Budget 2012. Seven in 10 schools are likely to reduce guidance provision by an average 7.8 hours per week. The 2% reduction in the school capitation grant in September, also announced as part of Budget 2012, will result in many schools dropping school events such as tours and trips and postponing school building maintenance work. Most schools have already implemented these and other measures as a result of previous cuts to the capitation grant. Impact of previous education cuts The study found that that 47% of schools surveyed have already dropped one or more subjects at Leaving Cert level as a result of education cutbacks implemented since 2009. Of the schools that have dropped subjects from their Leaving Cert programme, 23% dropped accountancy, 23% dropped economics and 21% dropped physics. Second-level schools have lost an average of 1.6 fulltime teaching posts as a result of cuts to teacher numbers, according to the survey. This is despite the fact that pupil numbers increased by almost 15,000 between 2009 and 2011.  Schools ranked pastoral care and administration as the areas most affected by the moratorium on posts of responsibility introduced in March 2009. “The research demonstrates that education cutbacks are affecting all aspects of young people’s education,” said ASTI General Secretary Pat King. “Young people are attending schools where over the past three years class sizes have increased, subject choice has narrowed, more classes contain higher and ordinary level students together, pastoral care services have been eroded, and out-of-class activities have been curtailed. Schools are clearly under stress, but the real losers are the students.” Mr King said the ASTI is most concerned that subjects such as physics and chemistry are at risk in some schools and that maths classes are becoming more overcrowded. “Parents need to know that the subject choices that they and their children are taking for granted may not be available very soon and that this will have an impact on young people’s entry to third-level courses and on career choice. The Government should be very concerned that the very subjects that are vital to our economic recovery are amongst those most at risk. There can be no smart economy if these subjects don’t thrive.” He also warned that most second-level students will have less access to one-to-one counselling in their schools from September. “The one big criticism of guidance provision in our second-level schools –  which has come from parents, students and teachers – is that there is not enough of it, and not enough one-to-one counselling in particular. Instead of addressing this weakness, Budget 2012 is exacerbating it. It is a poor indictment of the value placed on the wellbeing of young people.” One school principal who participated in the survey described the challenges facing second-level schools as: “Like trying to hold back a tide that threatens to wipe out the community that we have worked so hard to build up”. 151 second-level schools participated in the survey. ]]>http://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/schools-may-drop-leaving-cert-subjects-in-2012Wed, 4 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Pupils-perform-better-if-pre-school-learning-is-encouraged-801333562Tue, 3 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMTSchoolDays Newshound dn@schooldays.ieSecondary School Newshttp://www.schooldays.ie/education-news-item/Exam-fatigue-blamed-for-poor-test-results-801332495