Vol. 518 No. 4
117 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science when it is expected that each school will have a school plan in view of the com mitment given in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness; the assistance, if any, which will be available to schools to draw up these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11743/00]
School development planning is specifically mentioned in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness as a measure to improve the quality of education and the Education Act, 1998, requires each school to have a school plan.
The process of school development planning is, by its nature, ongoing. Many schools at primary and second level have been engaged in school development planning for some time and are at various stages in the developmental process. A considerable number of schools have a plan in place or are in the process of refining-revising various elements of their plan. There has been a strong tradition of school development planning in the primary sector for over twenty years and experience of school evaluations indicates that the vast majority of schools have documented various aspects of curriculum and school policies as part of a school plan.
My Department published comprehensive development planning guidelines for primary schools last summer in order to provide a uniform template for drawing up a school plan. These guidelines were developed in close consultation with the education partners and circulated to all primary schools.
"School Development Planning – An Introduction for Second Level Schools" was also prepared by my Department, in consultation with the partners in education and circulated to all second level schools in September 1999. More detailed guidelines for second level schools will be issued by September 2001 following a school planning development project being undertaken at present by 130 schools.
I have allocated £5 million as part of a school development planning initiative between 1999-2002 to assist schools in the school development planning, SDP, process. A key element of the initiative is the availability of SDP facilitators, 44 at primary level and 78 at second level, to work with schools in formulating aspects of their school plans.
All schools serving disadvantaged areas at both primary and second level have been targeted for help initially as part of the school development planning initiative.
At primary level 442 such schools received grants from £300 to £750 to assist them in the process and up to two days facilitation for school planning were available to these schools.
