Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 461: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the results of the whole school evaluation of the physical education programme. [33406/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Inspectorate conducts whole-school evaluations in primary and post-primary schools. During these evaluations, a range of subjects is examined, in addition to issues such as the quality of school management, school planning, teaching and learning, and supports for students. The evaluation of teaching and learning focuses on a range of subjects which may vary from school to school. Physical Education is included in the possible range of subjects that is evaluated. In addition, at post-primary level, separate subject inspections of Physical Education are carried out. A number of WSE inspection reports at both primary and post-primary level in which Physical Education was reported upon may be viewed on the website of my Department, together with a number of Subject Inspection reports on Physical Education in various post-primary schools.

The Inspectorate also conducts specialised or thematic evaluations of different aspects of the educational system from time to time. These evaluations, which draw on evidence collected during whole-school and other school inspections at primary and post-primary level, lead to national reports on standards and quality in the educational system. Recent examples have included reports on Irish in primary and post-primary schools (entitled "Irish in the Primary School" and "Looking at Irish at Junior Cycle"), the teaching of Geography in post-primary schools ("Looking at Geography") and on ICT in schools generally ("ICT in Schools"). To date, the Inspectorate has not prepared such a report on Physical Education.