Latest news with #DeliveringEqualityofOpportunityinSchools
The Journal
16-06-2025
- General
- The Journal
Eight-year-old schoolchildren in disadvantaged areas more than twice as likely to have a smartphone
CHILDREN ATTENDING DEIS schools are more likely to be exposed to harm online than their peers in non-Deis schools. According to newly-published research from online safety charity CyberSafeKids, children from disadvantaged areas are more likely to own a smartphone at a younger age and have less rules about online activity. The Government-funded Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (Deis) programme provides resources to schools in disadvantaged areas around the country. The research was conducted between September 2023 and February 2024, and involved 816 children aged 8-12 in 13 Deis schools, and 3,826 students in 45 non-Deis schools. It found that 53% of eight-year-olds attending Deis schools own a smartphone. For children the same age in non-Deis schools, only 22% had a smartphone. Some 46% of children in Deis schools could go online whenever they wanted compared with 31% in non-Deis schools. When looking at social media use, some 93% of eight-year-olds in Deis schools have already created a social media account, with 34% having friends and followers that they do not know. For children in non-Deis schools, these figures were 69% and 19%, respectively. Almost a third (29%) of children aged eight to 12 in Deis schools have posted videos of themselves online, in contrast to 16% of their peers who don't attend a Deis school. Advertisement Speaking on Newstalk's Pat Kenny Show this morning, CyberSafeKids CEO Alex Cooney said they were not surprised by the findings. 'We've been monitoring this over the last ten years, and we've seen that, generally speaking, there are higher levels of access in more disadvantaged communities if you compare to the general population,' Cooney said. She said that children are growing up in a digital age where society has 'established norms that children will have quite high levels of access from a young age'. 'They may have more access in those communities just because there's lower levels of parental awareness around risks, and I think we need to do a lot more to upskill all parents and make sure that there is awareness about risks that children can be exposed to in these online environments.' She also called for greater accountability from social media and tech companies 'that provide these online environments that children are going into'. 'It's not about banning children from the online world because there's lots of good things that they can be doing online, but it is about putting age appropriate access in place, putting accountability, where it needs to be upskilling parents and educating children.' Speaking to The Journal earlier this year , the Minister for Children Norma Foley said the State would not have a role in implementing any sort of smartphone ban, but she urged parents to consider it for their own homes. Last week, the Government confirmed that a tender for schools to have access to lockable phone pouches has been replaced with plans for schools to provide whatever 'phone storage solution works best for them'. The €9 million spend was among the most contentious measures announced in Budget 2025 last October . Tánaiste Simon Harris told the Dáil that this was a 'pragmatic and sensible way to proceed' and that schools would still be able to seek funding for lockable pouches or an alternative solution later this year. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Times
29-04-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Middle-class students may benefit most from Leaving Cert reform, say principals
Many school leaders believe students in middle-class schools will benefit most from Leaving Cert reforms, while disadvantaged schools may struggle, according to a new survey. The findings are contained in a poll of principals and deputies across almost 100 secondary schools represented by the Joint Managerial Body (JMB), whose annual conference takes place later this week. Under Leaving Cert changes to roll out for fifth-year students from next September , all subjects will eventually have a minimum of 40 per cent awarded for project work, practicals or research. The remaining marks will go towards the traditional written exam. The reforms are aimed at easing the stress facing students and providing a broader assessment of students' skills and competencies. READ MORE The JMB poll indicates that, while there is strong support for the aim of the reforms, there are concerns over the equity of changes across schools, fairness of assessments and the administrative burden for school leaders. In addition, many school leaders worry about the capacity of the current model of teacher allocation and say far more resources are needed to support changes to teaching and learning. The vast majority of school principals and deputies (88 per cent) said they would need additional senior leadership capacity. In many cases they said they were already burdened with a range of responsibilities, from pastoral care to curriculum delivery, and were finding it increasingly difficult to devote the necessary time and attention to driving change. As one respondent said: 'Our school of 650 students, with a team of one deputy principal and one principal, cannot possibly realise these ambitions.' [ 'It's impossible': Will teachers be able to stop cheating for new Leaving Cert coursework? Opens in new window ] Respondents advocated for additional senior leadership posts, such as a second deputy principal, to ensure schools have the capacity to manage academic and pastoral demands. Concerns over equity and fairness also emerged as a key theme in the poll. There were fears the reforms could exacerbate existing disparities , particularly in areas like access to technology and support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Deis (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme was mentioned as insufficient to support schools in less affluent areas. One school leader said: 'I worry that schools not designated as Deis, but still serving students with significant needs, will continue to be overlooked in terms of support and funding, creating a two-tier system of implementation.' The challenge of ensuring all students are fairly recognised for their achievements was a key concern, especially in light of equity concerns. [ First look: Sample Leaving Cert exam papers for brand new subjects Opens in new window ] Another school leader told pollsters: 'In any reform process, the well-resourced middle-class schools will have the resources to provide high-quality senior cycle programmes. More disadvantaged schools risk being left behind. ' There were also calls for an improved pupil-teacher ratio to enable schools to meet the diverse needs of senior cycle students. Respondents highlighted that larger class sizes and the challenge of offering a broad curriculum, especially in smaller schools, hinder the ability to effectively implement the new senior cycle. A broad range of professional development opportunities was also seen as necessary for teachers to adapt to the new senior cycle model.
