The call came as she launched the Chief Inspector’s Report 2004-2006, which covers inspections from pre-school settings up to Further and Higher Education Institutions.
Outlining her findings to representatives of the education, youth and training sectors at the Culloden Hotel, Miss Matchett highlighted that most learners are continuing to outperform their counterparts in England and Wales, as shown in GCSE and A-Level results.
The Chief Inspector cautioned, however, that these good results hid less positive trends and said: “Too many young people still leave school after 12 years with inadequate literacy and numeracy skills and will often find difficulty in getting work or succeeding in training.
“Often these children have pressures which may have been unknown to a previous generation, such as the emerging concern of mental health problems in young people and the increasing numbers of students for whom English is not their first language.”
Miss Matchett highlighted that there were many changes currently taking place within the education, training and youth sectors to improve their performance and called for more joined-up thinking and collaboration to ensure learners would reap the benefits.
She continued: “Many of these developments require much better connections to be established and maintained across sectoral and professional boundaries, and within and among Government Departments if their aims are to be fulfilled.
“Increased collaboration between schools, colleges and training providers, for example, can improve the employment prospects for young people by better equipping them with the skills they will need to succeed in the world of work.”
Miss Matchett praised the excellent collaborative work being done by many stakeholders, including the teachers, trainers and youth workers whose work is dedicated to the advancement of the young person. She also stated that the continued development of government policy, strategy and delivery to support joined–up initiatives would maximise the effectiveness of this work for the learner.
In conclusion, Miss Matchett reminded those present of what their main focus should always be and said: “All of us who are concerned with the quality of education, training and youth work need to join forces more effectively to meet the challenges of the future.
“We must all strive to ensure that all learners, however faltering, experience the success of which they are capable.”
Notes to Editors:
1. Media queries: contact the Department of Education Press Office on 028 9127 9701.
2. The findings are derived from some 651 inspections and 839 visits and through surveys of almost 5,000 organisations for which ETI has inspection responsibility.
3. The ETI inspects across the work of the Department of Education, the Department for Employment and Learning and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
4. The report provides an overview of the present position, the progress made over the past two years and the areas requiring improvement on the six key recurring themes identified in the previous report of 2002-2004. These recurring themes are:
- - Diversity and Mutual Understanding;
- - Special Educational Needs;
- - Improving Achievement-Closing the Gap;
- - Improving Teaching - Improving Learning;
- - Improving Leadership and Management; and
- - Information and Communication Technology.
5. The report identifies a number of challenges facing the education system in Northern Ireland. These include:
- · Pastoral Care and Child Protection;
- · Improving Education and Training;
- · Governance;
- · Demographics and Sustainability;
- · 14-19 provision; and
- · Careers education, Information, Advice and Guidance.
6. In the presentation of the report, three key themes are highlighted which cut across all of the above areas:
- · Helping young people to reach their full potential;
- · Connecting better for learners; and
- · Leading at a time of change.
