COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 14, 2012

MOTION NO.1

MOTION: Councillor C. Jones

Mayors Business

That this council supports the introduction of a charter that will state principles of co-operation and community among schools and associated personnel operating within South Dublin and that this council will actively seek relevant bodies as signatories to the charter.

REPORT:

South Dublin County Council fully supports the introduction of a charter that will state principles of co-operation and community among schools and associated personnel operating within South Dublin.   Even in the absence of such a charter, existing structures within the Council underpin proactive and highly successful collaboration and co-operation with relevant bodies. 

South Dublin Children’s Services Committee

Education representatives currently engaged in the South Dublin Children’s Services Committee are drawn from the Co Dublin VEC and from the National Educational Welfare Board. 

South Dublin Children’s Services Committee has recently re-established its Education sub-group under the Chairmanship of County Manager Philomena Poole. The sub-group is currently working on its workplan and is engaged in an audit of education supports/programmes across the county.  

Interschool collaboration

Cooperation between schools and community would be welcomed in South Dublin. In looking at a paper on inter-school collaboration the following points are made:

 Organisation

• The need for organisational structures and resources  to specifically support collaboration
•  Energy and commitment at senior level, head teachers, senior managers or specifically appointed coordinators  required to successfully  implement collaboration
• Schools needed to be approached sensitively and given the opportunity to discuss the potential difficulties associated with collaboration

 Collaborative activities

There are many forms of collaborative activity:

•  Sharing practice
•  Professional development and information sharing
•  Staff exchange visits, sharing advanced teaching skills and staff being loaned to the partner school
•  Sharing sports facilities
•  Creating joint facilities
•  Joint purchasing of equipment
•  Pupils accessing courses in partner schools

Benefits  

Literature research has found the main gains for schools in inter-school collaboration were:

• Economic advantages
• Improvements in pupil attainment
• Forging of relationships and understanding
• Expanded avenues for training, information and expertise exchange for staff
• Gains in staff confidence, motivation and morale

Pupils enjoyed:

• Enhanced educational experience
• Better choice of subjects
• Access to specialist teaching and improved attainment

Importantly it was also found that where partnerships existed between primary and secondary schools increased contact is reported as making the transition much easier for pupils moving onto secondary schools. 

Making collaboration work 

• Existing relationships are a primary factor in implementing a inter-school collaborations
• Collaborating schools need to develop shared aims and values
• Effective leadership and staff qualities and skills important in facilitating the process
• Availability of funding and resources in terms of staff time are crucial
• The inclusion of a large number of schools inhibit the extent and nature of collaboration

The following are some other examples where there is no formal arrangement in place but where positive and meaningful collaboration is taking place:

Library Service

South Dublin County Libraries are actively engaged in ongoing work and co-operation with schools and their teachers across the county.  

Our libraries serve pre-school and primary school services across the County as part of a literacy development programme developed in response to the 2011 National Strategy for Literacy and Numeracy.   As part of this strategy, two capsule libraries were opened in 2011 at the Citywise Centre in Jobstown and at Lynch’s Park in Lucan with funding secured from the Public Library Research Programme.

A programme to deliver "whole school library registration" was completed earlier this year with all pupils from Adamstown Community College receiving membership of Lucan Library. This pilot initiative will be replicated in schools across the County in 2012.

The Children’s Service librarian offers a wealth of information and resources to the primary schools in South Dublin County. 

Currently, there are over 30,000 children attending 100 primary schools in the County and teachers from all schools can contact the Children’s Services Librarians for advice and support on all library, literacy and book related issues. Services provided include:

• Advice and assistance on establishing and managing a school library.
• The Classroom Novels Collection. - Over 50 titles to choose from.
  Thirty copies of each title are available for borrowing for a three-month period
• Advice and demonstrations to teachers and children on online resources available on our website
• Workshops and presentations for parents on reading with their children.
• Story time and information sessions for pupils. 
• Bed-time Reading Clubs.
• Homework Help offered on our website
• Access to the Teachers Resource Collection.  
• Information on Block Loan facilities available to teachers through their local library. 
• Healthy Reading/Childrens's Issues Booklist

Green Schools Programme

The Green Schools Programme is an internationally recognised standard. Schools which have received the Green Flag understand the level of environmental commitment and the dedication of the pupils, teachers and parents in achieving the award. 

The Environmental Awareness Section works on a continual basis with the registerd schools and will continue to do so. Currently 90% of Primary Schools and 89% of Secondary schools are registered for the green schools programme, some of which have already received their 1^st Green Flag and some of which are working towards achieving their ffith Green Flag. In this school year 42 schools will be renewing their Green Flags. There are 100 Primary Schools in the County 63 of which have been awarded the Green Flag from An Taisce. There are 35 Secondary Schools in the County and 13 have the Green Flag Award.

In addition since October 2007 the Green Times Newsletter has been posted to all schools twice a year. It provides up to date information on environmental education and awareness supports offered to schools. All the newsletters are also available to download from South Dublin County Councils website. The Environmental Awareness Section also organises a Green schools network seminar in conjunction with An Taisce. This is an information session for schools on the different themes of the Green Flag programme, this occasion allows for peer to peer learning with teachers sharing their experiences of what has worked for them.

Connect Education Community of Practice, (CoP)

Growing out of the Connect School Project, the Connect Education Community of Practice, (CoP), provide training for teachers in the development of digital resources for use in the classroom.

The Community of Practice has been running for 3 years now and there are over 200 teachers signed up.

A 6 week training programme has been delivered twice through the Dublin West Education Centre. This training is set to run again from next September.

While there is no formal charter signed up to by members of the CoP, an agreement is in place that all teaching materials developed will be licensed through a Creative Commons License and shared openly with other practitioners. In this way the CoP strives to provide both training and classroom content for its members.