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St. Brendan’s
National School
School Self Evaluation Plan
Strengths
• St. Brendan’s National School has a highly motivated conscientious staff.
• Staff are supported by a wide range of curricular resources to provide a print rich environment.
• High standard of pupil attendance averaging at 90% or above monthly.
• Supportive parents playing an active role in a wide range of curricular areas.
• On average over 80% of our students are scoring above the 51st percentile in National Standardised Tests.
• Most children read with understanding and fluency.
• The cornerstone of our highly successful paired reading programme is parent involvement and support.
• Pupils communicate clearly and confidently orally.
• Most use an expansive vocabulary and are fluent and explicit in communicating ideas and experiences.
• Responses from a survey of parents show that parents are positive about their child’s performance in literacy, especially reading.
• We have a very active Parents’ Council who support all school activities.
• Most children’s homework is of a high standard.
Areas to Prioritise
The following areas are prioritized for improvement:
• Transfer of vocabulary from descriptive vocabulary orally to the writing process.
• Grammar and punctuation
• Specific targeting of the writing process over a 2 year period with emphasis on teacher modelling.
Actions
• To improve the Writing Process the staff have devised a 3 year action plan covering the various writing genres.
• To build confidence and competence in pupil’s application of oral language skills to their writing.
• To sustain and continue to develop the whole school approach to paired reading programme with parental support.
• Introduce a writing checklist to each class level.
• Provide learning activities for pupils to sustain and improve their grammar and punctuation in accordance with curricular objectives
Infants to 1st
1. Model writing yourself – shopping lists/letters/cards, etc
2. Provide a special place for your child to write/scribble. Provide a variety of materials – crayons, markers, pencils (box)
3. Display your child’s name as often as possible i.e. Sean’s Room.
4. Teach your child the letters in his own name.
5. Provide alphabet books/friezes.
6. Write messages/reminders to your child.
7. Encourage child to write his/her own messages. Computer.
8. Praise your child’s efforts.
9. Ask child to read their own messages.
10. Respond to the messages and not to grammar and spelling
2nd to 4th Class
1. Praise your child’s efforts – respond to the message and not spelling/handwriting/grammar.
2. Look for opportunities for purposeful writing activities at home – writing greeting cards, notes, telephone messages.
3. Encourage your child to use a word processor/computer.
4. Provide a quiet writing/study area for your child well equipped with pencils/paper.
5. Encourage your child to keep a diary.
6. Support your child’s spelling attempts.
7. Encourage him to have a go at spelling difficult words.
8. Use scrapbooks to support the child’s hobby/special interests. Presents that support writing.
9. Make sure your child has a dictionary to help with writing.
10. Help child fill in personal details on forms, etc.
5th to 6th Class
1. Encourage your child to keep a diary.
2. Encourage your child to write for real purposes everyday – shopping lists/phone messages, etc.
3. Praise the effort and respond to the message and not the handwriting, grammar, etc.
4. Make sure that your child has access to a dictionary, thesaurus to help with writing.
5. Allow your child work on a word processor.
6. Try crossword puzzles and ‘Find the Word’ puzzles.
7. Provide a range of attractive writing materials – coloured pens, fancy paper.
8. Encourage your child to write greeting cards/thank you notes, etc.
9. Encourage your child to take part in writing competitions/community projects.
10. Show your child that you value writing by writing yourself.