This report assessing the implementation strategy of the review of senior cycle in Ireland is informed by international experience and relevant practices from other OECD countries. The assessment process involved three country visits and has benefited from feedback and opinions from a large number of Irish education stakeholders, including: students, teachers, school leaders, parents, representatives from teacher unions, school board representatives, universities and further education institutions, officials from the Directorate of Education and Skills (DES), researchers from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), and officials from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The OECD review team, authors of the report, are grateful for their time and contributions.
The OECD review team is indebted to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), partner and national co-ordinator in this implementation support project, and with the Department of Education and Skills (DES) that also offered invaluable support to the exercise. Special thanks to John Hammond, Chief Executive, and Barry Slattery, Deputy Chief Executive, from the NCCA and to their team for their co-ordination role: Norman Emerson, Louise O’Reilly, Ben Murray, and Evelyn O’Connor. Special thanks to the rest of the steering committee of this project: Ruth Carmody, Assistant Secretary (DES), Harold Hislop, Chief Inspector, and Eamonn Moran, Principal Officer, Curriculum and Assessment Unit (DES).
This report was prepared as part of the OECD’s Implementing Education Policies programme undertaken by the Policy Advice and Implementation Division within the Directorate for Education and Skills. The authors of the report are José-Luis Álvarez-Galván (project manager), Romane Viennet (policy consultant, OECD), and Beatriz Pont (leader of the Implementing Education Policies team).
Within the OECD, the team acknowledges the support and feedback received from Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills, and Paulo Santiago, Head of the Policy Advice and Implementation Division. Analysts Marco Kools and Pierre Gouëdard provided in-depth feedback and advice during the review process.
Our thanks also go to Marta Rilling and Mernie Graziotin who provided administrative and logistical support for this project, and to Jacqueline Frazer and Rachel Linden who prepared the final version of this report.