Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 473: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of inspectors employed by his Department in carrying out whole school evaluations at primary and secondary level; the number of schools covered on average by each inspector; the number of whole school evaluations carried out on average per year at primary and second level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33479/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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On 1 September 2008 there were 110 primary and post-primary inspectors assigned to school evaluation activities including the conduct of whole-school evaluations. There were 59 primary inspectors and 51 post-primary inspectors.

At primary level whole-school evaluations can be conducted by individual inspectors or by teams of up to 4 inspectors, depending on the size of the school. In post-primary schools, whole-school evaluation teams generally range from 5 to 7 inspectors. Because of the team approach to whole-school evaluation the number of evaluations an inspector may be scheduled to participate in normally ranges from 7 to 14 whole-school evaluations each year.

A total of 300 whole-school evaluations were conducted during 2007. These included 241 whole-school evaluations in primary schools and 59 post-primary whole-school evaluations. These figures can be taken as representative of the average annual output for whole-school evaluations.

During 2007, in addition to whole-school evaluations, primary inspectors conducted inspections in respect of more than 2,300 primary teachers on probation. During the same period, post-primary inspectors conducted in the region of 550 stand-alone subject or programme inspections. Inspectors, therefore, visit a significant proportion of the schools in the country each year in the context of their inspection work and this is beneficial in terms of engaging with school principals and teachers and providing advice.