NI education system 'not yet world class' warns schools inspector
- Published
Noelle Buick said she wants an inspection system that is more transparent
Northern Ireland's chief inspector of schools has said there is not yet a world class education system in place for children.
Noelle Buick said Northern Ireland is still some way behind the leading countries in terms of education.
"Our challenge is to make sure it is good for everyone," she said.
Ms Buick highlighted changes to the inspection process in the first of a series of talks.
The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) observes teaching in Northern Ireland education bodies.
High-performing
Schools, for instance, are given a full inspection almost every seven years.
Ms Buick said that while they were vital for raising standards, she wanted to make the system more transparent.
Noelle Buick said Northern Ireland is still some way behind the leading countries in terms of education
Changes include reducing the notice a school gets for an inspection to two weeks and more oral feedback for teachers.
There are also plans for follow-up visits for all high-performing schools three years after a full inspection, in order to sustain improvement.
Schools that are judged to need urgent or important improvement get a quicker follow-up inspection, within 12 to 18 months.
Leadership
Over the past five years, only 4% of schools in Northern Ireland have been placed in formal intervention following an inspection.
In a 2013 Programme for International Student Assessment ranking in international education, the UK, including Northern Ireland, was well behind countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Germany and Vietnam.
The tests measure how 15-year-olds around the world perform in maths, English and science tests.
Ms Buick highlighted the need for improvements in those areas, and also said good leadership and management were essential to deliver high-quality learning.