School Improvement Plan: Presentation National School, Millstreet, Co.

Cork:
(Sept2014-June 2017)

Strengths

Reasonably well stocked school library in

each classroom.
Collaborative approach to the planning and
teaching of literacy amongst teachers.
Paired reading in 5th & 6th Class
The children take home a library book per
day/ per week across all classes. (PM+ /
Folens Reading Pack/ Library)
Children/ parents keep reading records of
books read/ book reports.
Support from special education team in
school.
A variety of writing genres are taught
throughout the school.
Children given opportunities to write and
display writing from different genres
including poetry, letter writing, stories etc.
Draft, edit, redrafting are at the heart of the
writing process.
A variety of different teaching approaches
used to cater for different learning styles.
Results of assessments are used to inform
teacher planning.
Print rich environment
Child friendly environment.
World Book Day Celebrations throughout the

Concerns

The effect of EAL students on teaching time in

class.
Jolly Phonics provides good foundation for phonics
programme in the junior classes but this
programme is not continued in the middle and
senior classes.
Reading fluency and reading for social interaction
and fun is not explored to the full potential in our
school.
Greater focus needed on speaking and listening
skills in each class.
The process of writing could be further fostered,
focusing on different writing genres.
Need for an agreed source of content for spellings
and a variety of methods to be used.
Decline of teaching resources and SNA support.
Regression of EAL children during holiday time.
PM+ Library books working well in the infant
classes but this literacy resource is not available
at present to the older classes.
All above impacting on oral language
attainment levels.

school.
Senior classes take part in writing and
poetry competition.
Displaying of childrens work in class and
hallways.
High levels of parental involvement at
home.
Drama production in various classes
throughout the year.
Basic English Language classes for the EAL.

Baseline Data:

From our staff reflection sheets it was revealed that comprehension and writing were areas for development.

Actions:

Year 1: 2014- 2015

D.E.A.R (DROP EVERYTHING AND
READ)/ Free Reading Time twothree times per week.
Free Writing sessions two-three
times per week in the senior
classes.
Publish the top oral language tips
for parents on our school website.
Encourage parents and children
to use the Oxford Owl E-readers
at home- Oxford Owl user-name
and password published on our
school website.
Whole School approach to the
development of speaking and
listening skills with specific focus

Year 2: 2015- 2016

Introduction of elements of
Aistear in Junior Infants.
Continue D.E.A.R (DROP
EVERYTHING AND READ)/ Free
Reading Time two- three times
per week.
Continue Free Writing sessions
two-three times per week in the
senior classes.
Introduce Buddy Reading system
from Easter June Bank Holiday
Weekend. (TERM 3)
Easter- June Bank Holiday:
Purchase the PM+ library books
for 1st 3rd Class

Year 3: 2016- 2017

Continue D.E.A.R (DROP
EVERYTHING AND READ)/ Free
Reading Time two- three times
per week.
Continue Free Writing sessions
two-three times per week in the
senior and middle classes.
Continue from last year the
Drumcondra Oral Language
Indicators for each pupil and use
these results to inform oral
language planning.
Pupils will continue to be given
the opportunity to write reports
for the school website and will
see their work published.

on questioning.

Individualised class plan for

speaking and listening.
Home/ School Link English Sheets
sent home regularly in Junior
Infants.
Whole school drama production
for parents and the general public
at Christmas.
Some classes perform drama
productions throughout the year.
e.g. Halloween/ St. Patrick etc.

Monitoring/ Evaluation:
When?
Termly
Yearly
Yearly
Monthly

Pupils will be given the

opportunity to write reports for
the school website and will see
their work published.
Avail more often of the activities
provided by the local library e.g.
attending visits by authors and
encourage our pupils to become
involved in the after school book
club.
Set up a 'Book Swap Club' in 5th &
6th Class where children can bring
in their old books from home and
swap them with other children.
This will be overseen by senior
students.
Complete Drumcondra Oral
Language Indicators for each
pupil and use these results to
inform oral language planning.
Individualised class plan for
speaking and listening
Some classes perform drama
productions throughout the year.
e.g. Halloween/ St. Patrick etc.

Who?
Whole staff
Class teacher
Class teacher
Principal

Drama production for parents and

the general public at Christmas.
Extend elements of Aistear to
include the senior infant classes
also.
Continue a 'Book Swap Club' in 5th
& 6th Class and extend this to
include 3rd & 4th Class where
children can bring in their old
books from home and swap them
with other children. This will be
overseen by senior students.
Extend the graded reading library
books scheme to 3rd- 6th Class for
the pupils who struggle with
reading books from their class
library.

How?
Croke Park/ staff meeting
First steps continuum
Micra T
Informal monitoring