Preventing drop-out: how can post-primary schools best support students at risk of early school leaving?

The aim o f my study is to evaluate the programmes in place in two post-primary schools to combat early school leaving. In order to do this I plan • To explore the reasons students in these schools leave formal education early. • To ascertain what programmes are in place in the two schools to combat early school leaving and to describe their operation, focusing in particular at the level o f collaboration between the school, community and support agencies. • To evaluate the programmes focusing on the perspective of key partners as to whether these initiatives are successful and whether future initiatives could further combat early school leaving: - How do the participating students evaluate the programmes? - How do school personnel evaluate the programmes? - How do parents and members of the community evaluate the programmes? - How do support agency personnel evaluate the programmes? Interview participants include Principals, School Completion Co-ordinators, an Education Support Worker, a partnership representative, a Community Worker, parents, early school leavers and students at risk o f early school leaving