Columba College, Westmeath, was awarded €5,000 to collaborate with six schools*, to enhance teachers’ understanding of DEIS planning, aiding implementation, and expanding action planning for improvement.
Through creating a Community of Practice, the planned events allowed school leaders, DEIS Coordinators, and classroom teachers to share best practice and practical examples of DEIS planning, renewing a focus on planning for DEIS in teaching and learning across the schools involved.
*List of collaborating schools:
- Templemichael College
- Ardscoil Phádraig
- Castlepollard Community College
- Mullingar Community College
- Lanesboro Community College
- Ballymahon Vocational College
School’s reflection
The aim of this project was to enhance school’s understanding of DEIS Action Planning and to aid schools to implement and improve upon their action planning for improvement through collaboration. Seven post-primary schools across the LWETB participated in three Communities of Practice. These events provided the space for School Senior Leaders, DEIS Coordinators and teachers across the LWETB to share best practice and practical examples of DEIS Planning.
Community of Practice 1:
Focused on DEIS Action Planning from improvement and focused on a four-strand approach of prioritising students, gathering data in our schools, target setting and actions and tracking student outcomes.
Community of Practice 2:
Focused on gathering data to aid with DEIS Action Planning in our schools including Baseline Data, Qualitative Data, Quantitative Data and Observational Data. The group worked collaboratively regarding using data to set informed targets and actions to ensure the best outcomes for our students.
Community of Practice 3:
Focused on monitoring DEIS Planning and the three various types of evaluation, continuous monitoring, end of year evaluation and the end of cycle evaluation and reporting to the community and the Board of Management.
Our community of practice fostered collaboration, shared learning, and professional growth by bringing people together to explore and examine DEIS planning in our schools. It created a supportive environment where members exchanged ideas, shared expertise, and reflected on effective practice. The diversity of perspectives and experiences within the group enriched professional dialogue and deepened understanding, leading to more informed and effective practice. The group worked in collaboration to design templates and a DEIS Calendar to support DEIS Coordinators in planning for the next academic year.