STAFF, parents and pupils at St Joseph's NS got a boost this week when the school was praised in a Department of Education report.

The report by the Department's Inspectorate looked at Deis schools serving areas of considerable socio-economic disadvantage.

It looked at how these schools taught literacy and numeracy to pupils with inspectors visiting the schools to see how this was put into practice.

St Joseph's launched their literacy project 'Finding A Voice, Sharing a Vision' in 2005. Led by staff members Dr Roz Brady, Alison Kennedy, Paul McGee and Avril Woods, the project aims at raising standards of reading and writing among pupils.

Funded largely by the parents, it has proven very successful and has received high praise from the pupils, parents, visiting academics, inspectors, principals and teachers.

The inspectorate report followed on from a three-day inspection of teaching practices in the school.

It focused on one of the initiatives of the project which involves the use of literacy workstations in every class in the school.

These special spaces in the class rooms are used as a means of optimising independent learning and effective teaching in a fun child-centred environment.

The work is carefully planned by the class teacher and supported by the literacy team.

Dr Roz Brady said that the success of the project is entirely due to the enjoyment of pupils and teachers in creating a truly safe and fun learning environment where pupils want to learn, know what and why there are learning, and where teachers are prepared to change and develop to assure high standards of excellence.

'Inclusion in the inspectorate's good practice guide is a wonderful endorsement of the very great effort the school has made to give its pupils their god-given right to the very best education possible.'