Quality Assuring the Ethos of Jesuit Schools in Ireland
The Centre for Evaluation Quality and Inspection (EQI) was commissioned to develop a quality framework for ethos across the national network of Jesuit schools in Ireland. EQI was selected for this work as it has recently led the way on similar developments for a number of other school networks in Ireland.
In September 2021, the Jesuit Education Desk commissioned Dr. Shivaun O’Brien, EQI to develop an Ignatian Review Process in order to support schools to evaluate how they live the Jesuit ethos. In order to review ethos, it was firstly necessary to first tease out what the 10 Jesuit Global Identifiers mean in practice for schools. This involved a consultation process involving all Jesuit schools in Ireland leading to the development of ethos quality standards and statements of effective practice for Jesuit schools in Ireland. This was followed by the development of guidelines for an Ignatian Review process which provides schools with a systematic approach to evaluating how they live their ethos. This process aligns with school self-evaluation but has a particular Ignatian flavour in how it is carried out in schools. In addition to the guidelines, Dr O’Brien developed tools that schools can use in order to gather data for the review process from students, parents, staff, school leadership and the Board of Management.
In order to support schools through the Ignatian Review process, EQI will be providing training for schools which will take place in DCU Institute of Education over the course of the 22/23 school year. The training is specifically geared for the staff member who will be leading the Ignatian Review Team in their school, as well as the school self-evaluation coordinator.
The first training session took place on the 29th September ’22 and follows a very successful, evidence-based approach for the provision of professional learning for teachers leading school improvement processes. This model of professional learning was developed been tested by EQI over the past decade, with almost 200 primary and post-primary schools. It aims to provide a simplified, step-by-step approach to school self-evaluation, which addresses the realities and practicalities of real school contexts. By Easter 2023, it is expected that all Jesuit schools will have completed an Ignatian Review process and will have developed plans for the enhancement of ethos over the coming years.