Children’s School Lives – A National Cohort Study of Primary Schooling in Ireland

Abstract: Children’s School Lives (CSL) is a mixed methods national cohort study of primary schooling in Ireland. This study aims to provide information on children’s learning, engagement, and wellbeing, in the context of primary school curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, with a focus on social equality and inclusion. CSL has an accelerated cohort design involving two age cohorts of children across 269 classrooms in 185 schools, their classroom teachers, school principals, and parents. A subsample of 15 schools were selected as case studies for longitudinal qualitative data collection. Cohort A ( N = 1,675, girls = 49%) was first studied in the first year of primary school at age 4/5 years (2019/2020). Cohort B ( N = 2,113, boys = 49%) was first studied in their fourth year of primary school at age 8/9 years (2018/2019). Cohort A was followed up for 4 years in primary school and Cohort B was followed up for 5 years in primary school. Annual surveys have been administered to both cohorts of children ( N = 3,788) in classrooms by trained teacher-fieldworkers, and approximately 700 parents, 120 classroom teachers, and 180 school principals using online methods. The case study fieldworkers visit schools annually to collect data with children using focus group and individual interviews, and participatory methods including photovoice. Fieldworkers interview case study classroom teachers, principals, parents, and grandparents. Children and teachers are observed in all classrooms using the Observational Research and Classroom Learning Evaluation (ORACLE) systematic tool, and in case study classrooms using the Classroom Assessment Learning System (CLASS).