Education Minister launches new online resource for schools

Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has officially launched a new online resource that will help schools to raise standards, share best practice and celebrate success.
~ Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Every School a Good School television (ESaGS.tv) has been developed by the Education and Library Boards in support of the Department’s school improvement policy. A key area of work, by the team based in Antrim, has been the production of video case studies involving schools evaluated by the Education and Training Inspectorate as having outstanding or very good provision.

The Minister said: “I welcome the opportunity to launch this exciting new resource. I have already had first-hand experience of ESaGS.tv as the crew has filmed some of my visits to schools and facilitated my live video-conference with pupils across the north back in November. It really is an impressive facility.

“I want to emphasise that ESaGS.tv is not some flashy toy; it has been set up with a clear strategic aim of supporting schools in raising standards. I often talk about the need to raise standards and tackle underachievement in our system. But I also want to do more to recognise, celebrate and share the excellent practice and provision that we have in many of our schools.

“ESaGS.tv gives us an exciting, cost-effective way of doing that. It showcases the work of schools found by the Education and Training Inspectorate to have outstanding and very good provision. More importantly, it gives the practitioners involved the chance to tell their story – the successes, the challenges, the learning points identified.

“It takes the words of an inspection report and brings them to life, providing a deeper insight for those seeking to learn from best practice. The website already has almost 30 programmes available and they make for really interesting viewing.”

The Minister continued: “With video case-studies we are only scratching the surface – ESaGS.tv offers so many possibilities in supporting schools to raise standards. Technology is an increasingly normal part of our lives. More of us download onto our laptops, tablets and smartphones at home. Technology also offers enormous potential in education; we really have to “up our game” in making the best use of the ICT infrastructure we have in place if we are to be a world class system.

“I also want to encourage schools to come forward with their own ideas for using ESaGS.tv – whether it’s to facilitate collaboration, sharing of best practice, professional development or work on school improvement. The facility is here, let’s use it.”

In conclusion the Minister said: “I want to congratulate everyone involved in bringing ESaGS.tv to life and to wish the team well in its work. I would like to thank the schools that have been involved in making programmes already on the website and congratulate them on their achievements. I hope that schools will continue to invest their time in making video case-studies if they are approached by the ESaGS.tv team.

"I would encourage everyone to make use of ESaGS.tv and I look forward to the exciting possibilities it offers to support our schools in raising standards for all our pupils.”

Notes to editors:

1. Every School a Good School TV can be accessed on the ESaGS.tv website.
2. Media queries, contact the Department of Education’s Communications Team on Tel No: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.