Private school report highlights staff strife

Tensions between management and a small number of staff need to be addressed urgently at one of Dublin's best known fee-paying…

Tensions between management and a small number of staff need to be addressed urgently at one of Dublin's best known fee-paying schools, according to Department of Education inspectors.

Inspectors say poor relationships among some teachers with senior management - and among some staff members - at the Catholic University School (CUS) in Leeson Street is having "a negative impact on many areas of school life".

The report underlines how the inspection assessments have become more robust in tone,since they were first published in February 2006.

The report on CUS recommends that "the board, together with the trustees, takes a proactive role in developing professional working relationships across the school in order to progress and develop the school for the future and to create a positive working environment.".

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The tensions within the school, it says, "need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. . . It is strongly recommended that the board of management and the trustees source an outside agency that would . . . enable management and staff to explore more effective communicative channels and ways of working together."

Other reports highlight underfunding at primary level. New reports on 94 schools are on the Department of Education website education.gov.ie

Seán Flynn

Seán Flynn

The late Seán Flynn was education editor of The Irish Times