Inspectorate publications

1. Early Years
2. Primary
3. Post Primary
4. Special Educational Needs
5. Social Inclusion

6. Chief Inspector Reports
7. Others
8. Corporate reports
9. Archived Publications

Early Years

A Review Of Early Years Education Focused Inspection: April 2016 – June 2017

This Review of the first year of Implementation of Early Years Education-focused Inspection provides the first detailed, composite evaluation of the nature and quality of early childhood education provision and practice under the ECCE Programme.

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Primary

Resumption of Schooling Autumn 2020: Report on analysis of data from principals

This report presents an analysis of data from the Inspectorate’s advisory sessions with principals and other school leaders during the period 01 September 2020 to 25 September 2020.

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Post Primary

What subject inspections tell us about Junior Cycle implementation - December 2023

Key messages for students are outlined in this abridged version of What subject inspections tell us about Junior Cycle Implementation: A composite report on findings from subject inspections with a focus on Junior Cycle. The report describes what is going well in Junior Cycle, what could be going better and what schools can do to further improve Junior Cycle

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What subject inspections tell us about Junior Cycle implementation: A composite report on findings from subject inspections with a focus on Junior Cycle - September 2023

The purpose of this report is to: provide evaluative commentary on the effectiveness of the implementation of the redeveloped Junior Cycle · identify what further steps are necessary to support effective implementation in schools · inform decision-making in the Department in relation to Junior Cycle implementation and the redevelopment of Senior Cycle.

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Resumption of Schooling Autumn 2020: Report on analysis of data from principals

This report presents an analysis of data from the Inspectorate’s advisory sessions with principals and other school leaders during the period 01 September 2020 to 25 September 2020.

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Modern Foreign Languages: A Report on the Quality of Practice in Post-Primary Schools

This report is designed primarily to provide a picture of the quality of teaching and learning of modern foreign languages in post-primary schools and to help schools and/or individual teachers bring about improvement in modern foreign languages (MFL) teaching and learning.

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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Guidelines for Evaluators

These guidelines form part of a suite of evaluation instruments developed as part of the Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) project.

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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Record of Evidence Booklet

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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Record of Evidence Booklet 2

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Report of the Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level(EFLUSL) Project

This report describes the development of the EFLUSL project, and provides an analysis of the findings of the evaluation reports in the schools that participated in trials of the instruments. The report is a rich source of information on the national contexts for language teaching in the seven participating countries.

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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Quality of Teaching and Learning in [Target Language]

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Evaluation of Foreign Languages at Upper Secondary Level (EFLUSL) Student Questionnaire

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Looking at Materials Technology (Wood) and Construction Studies

Looking at Materials Technology (Wood) and Construction Studies is a composite report based on the subject inspection reports issued to schools following inspections.

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Special Educational Needs

Towards High-Quality Learning Experiences for All: Provision for children and young people with special educational needs in primary and post-primary schools

This report presents the findings on provision for children and young people with special educational needs from twenty-nine inspections in 2023: seventeen mainstream primary and twelve post-primary schools.

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Educational provision for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder: Special Classes attached to Mainstream Primary Schools in Ireland

Published April 2021

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Letter to schools on the Evaluation of Provision for Students with Additional and Special Educational Needs in Post Primary Schools

Letter to schools on the Evaluation of Provision for Students with Additional and Special Educational Needs in Post Primary Schools 5 February 2019

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Review of the Pilot of a New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Pupils with Special Educational Needs (2016)

Review of the Pilot of a New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Pupils with Special Educational Needs

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Report of an Inspection of Middletown Centre for Autism (2012)

This report sets out the findings of an evaluation of the services provided by the Middletown Centre for Autism. It examines the quality and extent of the provision, its impact and outcomes, parental appreciation, schools’ and professionals’ views and the overall effectiveness of the provision and their relation to autism service providers.

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Social Inclusion

Improving Outcomes and Experiences for Children and Young People - Evaluation of Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) in Primary and Post-Primary Schools

This report presents the findings of thirty evaluations of Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) conducted in fifteen primary schools and fifteen post-primary schools between February and May 2024.

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Summer Programme 2022

Perspectives of children and young people, their parents and programme managers

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The impact of the Covid Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) - December 2022

Perspectives of children and young people, parents, principals and teachers

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Evaluation of the Support Teacher Project - December 2020

This report presents the findings and recommendations of an evaluation of the Support Teacher Project following a series of Special Educational Needs (SEN) inspections in DEIS primary schools.

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Findings of Joint Inspectorate and NEPS Visits to Education Settings in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROCs)

Findings of Joint Inspectorate and NEPS Visits to Education Settings in Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROCs) June 2018

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Chief Inspector Reports

The Department of Education Inspectorate Report (2021-2023) and Thematic Review provides a comprehensive analysis of the quality of education provision in Irish primary schools, special schools and post-primary schools, early learning and care settings and other educational contexts between January 2021 and December 2023. The report can be accessed here

Chief Inspector’s Report September 2016 – December 2020

This Chief Inspector’s Report from the Inspectorate of the Department of Education, covers the period from September 2016 to December 2020. It summarises the key findings from inspection, advisory and research work carried out in a range of education contexts, including schools, the early childhood care and education (ECCE) programme, centres for education and other types of education provision over this period.

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Chief Inspector’s Report January 2013 – July 2016 (Executive Summary)

The Chief Inspector’s Report 2013-2016 reports on quality and standards in the primary and post-primary schools and centres for education that were inspected by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills between January 2013 and July 2016.

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Chief Inspector’s Report January 2013 – July 2016

This Chief Inspector’s Report from the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, covers the three-and-a-half year period from January 2013 to July 2016. It summarises the key findings that inspectors have made as they have conducted inspections in schools and centres for education, and in the latter part of the period, in early years settings.

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A Co-professional Approach to Inspection for Accountability and Improvement

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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Briefing note

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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Main Report

This report covers the work undertaken by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. It presents an account of many of the major aspects of our work over the three-year period and some key findings about standards in schools attended by primary and post-primary students.

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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Minister Quinn’s speech at launch

Speaking Notes of Minister Ruairí Quinn, TD, Minister for Education and Skills at the launch of The Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-12 at the Department of Education and Skills Monday, 4 November 2013, 11.00AM

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Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Presentation

Chief Inspector’s Report 2010 - 2012: Presentation Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector Department of Education and Skills

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Chief Inspector's Report 2001-2004

This Chief Inspector’s Report describes the work of the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science during the period January 2001 to December 2004.

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A Report of a Customer Survey by MORI Ireland on behalf of the Inspectorate of the Department of Education & Science

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Others

A Review of Educational Provision for Children Attending Hospital Schools ( 2022)

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Review of education provision in schools attached to CAMHS units ( July 2020)

Child and Young Person Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

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STEM Education 2020: Reporting on Practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts

This report presents the findings of an Inspectorate evaluation of the implementation of the first phase of the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026 in a sample of Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings, and primary and post-primary schools during the period January 2019 to December 2019.

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Digital Learning 2020: Reporting on practice in Early Learning and Care, Primary and Post-Primary Contexts

This report presents the findings of an evaluation of digital learning, conducted by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, in a sample of early learning and care (ELC) settings, primary schools and post-primary schools, during the period January to December 2019.

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Corporate reports

Young People on Alternative Educational and Training Pathways: Evaluation of Youthreach Provision

Young People on Alternative Educational and Training Pathways presents the findings of the evaluations of Youthreach provision in Centres for Education and Community Training Centres conducted in 2023.

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Unlocking Creativity

This report presents insights into the effective support and promotion of creativity in early learning and care settings and primary and post-primary schools.

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Living today for a better tomorrow

This report presents insights into effective support and promotion of education for sustainable development (ESD) in early learning and care (ELC) settings and schools

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Perspectives on Bullying Behaviour (2023)

The Cineáltas Action Plan commits the Department’s Inspectorate to publishing an annual report gathering feedback from various stakeholders. The 2023 report summarises insights from students, parents, teachers, and principals on the effectiveness of anti-bullying strategies in Irish schools.

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Early Intervention Classes for Children with Autism

This report presents the findings of inspections of fifteen early intervention classes for pre-school children with autism conducted between September and December 2023.

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Summer Programme 2023: Building Confidence and Connections

This report presents the findings from inspection and follow-up visits to schools that offered the summer programme in 2023. The summer programme is primarily designed for children and young people with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.

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Meeting Additional Language Needs: Whole-school and Classroom Approaches for Inclusive Language Learning

This report provides an analysis of and reflection on findings from school inspections of English as an additional language (EAL) undertaken in the latter half of 2023.

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Quality of education for children and young people from Ukraine

This report provides an analysis of and reflection on findings from school inspections undertaken in the latter half of 2023. It reports on ‘The Quality of Education for Children and Young People from Ukraine’.

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Quality of education for children and young people from Ukraine (Ukrainian)

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Quality of education for children and young people from Ukraine (Russian)

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Archived Publications

To view archived publications, please click Here

Inspectorate publications

Early Years

Primary

Post Primary

Special Educational Needs

Social Inclusion

Chief Inspector Reports

Others

Corporate reports

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