The Significant Impact of the DCU Centre for Evaluation Quality and Inspection on Irish Education Landscape

On the 23rd November ’22 the Education and Training Board Ireland (ETBI) launched a historic
document the ETBI Patrons’ Framework on Ethos, at an event in the Killashee Hotel, Naas, which was
written by Dr. Shivaun O’Brien, Director of Research at the DCU Centre for Evaluation, Quality and
Inspection based in the DCU Institute of Education. Her work has now become national policy across
all 279 primary and post-primary schools in the ETBI sector, impacting directly on the educational
experience of 117,368 students and thousands of teachers and school leaders.

Dr. O Brien was commissioned by ETBI to develop the Patron’s Framework from 2020-2022 along
with a systematic approach for ETB schools to quality assure their ethos. Through a yearlong
development and consultation process with key stakeholders across the ETB sector, Dr. O’Brien
developed a set of detailed ETB ethos standards and statements of effective practice based on the
EBTI stated core values (multidenominational, coeducational, excellence in education, care, equality,
community and respect). Although ETB schools were set up as Vocational Education Committee
(VEC) schools almost 100 years ago, this was the first time in their history, that the Ethos of ETB
schools was agreed and documented. Following the development of the Patrons’ Framework on
Ethos, Dr. O’Brien also developed national guidelines for the self-evaluation of ethos by all ETB
schools, ETB-specific self-evaluation instruments, and during 21/22 she led 20 ETB schools through a
pilot initiative where ETB evaluated their ethos for the first time in their history. Going forward, all
ETB schools will be expected to use the tools, and process she developed for Ethos Evaluation, in
order to systematically evaluate how effectively schools are living the ETB Ethos.

Dr Seamus Conboy, Director of Schools in ETBI stated,

"Dr O;Brien played a central role in supporting the ETB sector in articulating the ethos of our schools. We engaged Dr O;Brienat a point where we needed someone with the relevant expertise to bring together in one coherent document all the various strands of work that the sector had done over that 10 year period. As many people across the sector have commented to me, this work has translated the nebulous concept of ethos into something tangible, quantifiable, and achievable. The response from the 20 schools involved in the piloting of the SSE on Ethos process, in particular, has been incredibly positive. Many have described the work as "transformative" for their school communities. We hope to roll this transformative process out across all ETB schools over the coming years". 

At the launch of the ETBI Patrons Framework on Ethos, Executive Dean of Dublin City University’s
Institute of Education, Professor Anne Looney, said the historical importance of the framework
launch cannot be underestimated. Carl O’Brien, Education Editor at the Irish Times, moderated a
panel discussion on the theme ‘Ethos in Action’, featuring staff, learners and parents from across the
ETB sector with all participants testifying to the significance and positive impact of this work on the
school community, not only now but for many years to come.

Dr. O’Brien is widely recognised as the national expert in the area of school self-evaluation and
school ethos. As a researcher within the DCU Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection, has been
commissioned by other school Patron Bodies including Educate Together and Jesuit schools
networks to engage in the development of similar Ethos Quality Frameworks specific to the values of
each Patron Body. To date her work on school ethos and self-evaluation has been adopted as
national policy by three Parton Bodies and will directly positively impact on the lived experience of
155,359 primary and post-primary students as well as the staff in 404 schools where values and
ethos has now moved to centre stage in the priorities of Patron Bodies and schools.