Bernard Allen
Question:359 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science when an extra teacher will be appointed to St. Patrick's infants national school, Gardiners Hill, Cork, under the even break scheme. [9033/01]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
The new programme, Giving Children an Even Break, that I announced on 4 January last, will run over a three year period and will cost some £26 million. The programme involves the creation of more than 200 new primary teaching posts and the allocation of cash grants to more than 2,300 primary schools in respect of disadvantaged pupils.
There are separate urban and rural dimensions to the programme. St. Patrick's infants national school is included in the urban dimension of the programme and is eligible to receive supplementary grant aid of £1,665 towards the provision of suitable educational supports for the pupils concerned.
Schools categorised as urban with the highest concentrations of at-risk pupils, including St. Patrick's infants national school, will also be supported where necessary over the three year period through staff allocations to implement a pupil teacher ratio of 20:1 in the junior classes – infants through second class – and a pupil teacher ratio of 29:1 in senior classes – third through sixth classes. Under the new programme, the school will benefit from the appointment of two additional teaching posts in respect of the current school year.
The staffing of a primary school for a particular year is determined by reference to the number of pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September of the previous year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule. The staffing schedule is determined for a particular year following discussions with the managerial authorities and the INTO. The staffing schedule for primary schools in the 2001-02 school year has not yet been finalised. As soon as the schedule is finalised, a circular will issue to all boards of management. This staffing schedule will apply to all primary schools, including schools participating in the new programme.
The position with regard to urban schools, eligible for additional teaching posts under the programme, is that the allocation of new posts is subject to existing enrolment levels being maintained over the three-year period and the implementation of the maximum class sizes. The staffing allocation for these schools for the 2001-02 school year will be based on the enrolment in the school at 30 September 2000 and will be examined in the context of any changes to the staffing schedule for national schools.