Review of Island's schools finds strengths and areas for growth

Etio publishes second annual overview

An independent review into the Island's education system has highlighted strengths and 'areas for growth'.

It's been carried out by the independent educational consultants Etio and it's the second annual overview to be published as part of a three-year deal.

Etio carried out external validation visits to 14 schools and three education services between January and October 2025.

Strengths

It says a notable strength was the quality of relationships and partnerships with the sense of belonging promoted within School and Education Service communities, and that staff created 'calm, supportive environments where learners felt known, valued and safe'.

It also highlights inclusion and personalised support. 

Especially in primary schools it found they demonstrated a 'careful understanding of learners’ needs and purposeful steps being taken to support meaningful participation'. 

Personal development and enrichment opportunities were also a strong feature of provision, it says, with students benefitting from taking part in community activities and learning experiences beyond the classroom.

In terms of leadership, it says leaders and staff engaged in reflective dialogue, worked together to shape provision and demonstrated a shared commitment to improvement.

Areas for growth

On the curriculum, Etio says continued refinement of curriculum structure and coherence will support settings in identifying and sequencing the knowledge, skills and understandings that learners need. 

It adds ensuring that curriculum design reflects local context and responds to diverse needs will help make learning personalised, purposeful and accessible. 

It also says 'responsive teaching' is a key priority, adding evidence emphasises the importance of approaches that enable practitioners to check understanding, respond to learners’ needs and address misconceptions as they arise. 

Continued attention to adaptive practice will help ensure that learners are well supported in their learning and that teaching aligns closely with curriculum aims, it says.

Assessment is an area for further refinement, it's suggested. 

Strengthening the use of assessment information to inform planning, guide teaching and help learners understand their progress will 'support ongoing development'.

On leadership, though it's already highlighted as a strength, it says further development will help settings respond to their contexts and sustain improvement across Schools and Education Services.

Education Minister Daphne Caine said: "This second overview reflects our ongoing commitment to improving education in the Isle of Man. 

"We are pleased to see the progress made over the last 12 months and remain focused on building on these strengths by working closely with schools, leaders and staff to ensure every child is supported to thrive."

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture says it will discuss the findings with school leaders, staff and key partners and agree next steps

You can find a link to the Etio report HERE.