EARLY YEARS/PRIMARY

INTRODUCTION
The work of the General Primary Team is concerned with whole-school matters and relates to school improvement in its widest context. It complements, supports and strengthens the activities of other units within CASS and the Board and ensures a holistic, common, coherent and agreed quality of approach across the curriculum and a cumulative progression throughout the pre-school and primary years.

OPERATIONAL POLICY
To provide a good quality service to principals, teachers and governors for the benefit of the children in the area; To provide a range of support models for schools as a result of consultation and evaluation; To work in close co-operation with colleagues in CASS, other Business Units in the Board and external agencies to develop high quality education; To foster the development of nursery and primary education in the South Eastern Education and Library Board area, and to promote a holistic view of the curriculum; To emphasise learning to learn and to support the teacher's and school's ability to facilitate the holistic development of the children; To develop and disseminate good practice; To promote and support self-evaluation as good practice; To develop and support the school development planning process; To support the introduction of the NI Revised Primary Curriculum.

CORE FUNCTIONS
Advice and support for schools with specific management, curriculum and/or whole school issues.

• Co-ordination of support to primary and nursery schools.
• Management and support of staff development - beginning teachers, early professional development and Performance Review Staff Development.
• Contribution to the Board programme of induction for new principals.
• Contribution to the inset programme for principals in collaboration with other units within the Board.
• Support of principals, Boards of Governors and teachers throughout the inspection process.
• Advice, support and inset for nursery school principals and teachers.
• Advice, support and inset for the development of whole school issues in nursery and primary schools.
• Continuing support of Reading Recovery Teachers.
• Advice and support of schools contemplating transformation to integrated status.
• The support of schools in the management of government initiatives.
• Support of management issues in liaison with the CASS Senior Management Team and R.T.U.
• Development of a culture of innovation and research.
• Support of the quality of teaching and learning, e.g. issues following inspection.