Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 2

Written Answers - School Staffing.

Richard Bruton

Question:

481 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of the revised primary pupil-teacher ratios for the coming school year; and if he will review the position of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [13947/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule and is finalised for a particular year following discussions with the education partners. The enrolment at the school in question has decreased from 413 pupils on 30 September 1999 to 371 pupils on 30 September 2000. This latter enrolment will entitle the school to a staffing of a principal and 13 mainstream class teachers for the 2001-02 school year. In addition, the school has a learning support teacher.

The only deviation from the agreed schedule to which I referred is in the case of schools that are experiencing a large increase in enrolments. In such cases an additional staffing post may be sanctioned by my Department if the schools meet the defined criteria. Unfortunately, at this time, it is not possible to sanction the retention of the fourteenth mainstream teaching post for the school year 2001-02 as the school's September 2000 enrolment does not meet the retention requirement of 390 pupils. I have asked officials of my Department to forward a copy of the staffing schedule for the 2001-02 school year direct to the Deputy's office.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I understand that the Deputy is referring to the new programme, Giving Children an Even Break, to tackle educational disadvantage which was launched by me in January of this year. The programme involves expenditure of £26 million over a three year period, including the immediate allocation of over 200 new teacher posts and supplementary funding to primary schools with concentrations of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Schools invited to participate in the new programme were identified through a survey of educational disadvantage in primary schools carried out by the Educational Research Centre for my Department last year.

The new programme has both an urban and rural dimension. Under the urban dimension of the programme, I am committed to supporting schools, with the highest concentrations of disadvantaged pupils, in the maintenance of maximum class sizes of 20:1 in junior classes, infants through second class, and 29:1 in senior classes, third through sixth class, over the three year period. In addition, all participating schools will receive additional funding to be used in the provision of a range of in school and out-of-school supports for the pupils concerned.

The school in question is included in the urban dimension of the programme and is eligible to receive supplementary grant aid of £5,220 towards the provision of suitable educational supports for the pupils concerned. The school was not considered for additional teaching staff based on the level of concentration of at-risk pupils in the school as reflected in its return to the Educational Research Centre.

Where schools expressed concern about the outcome of the survey in respect of their school, they were advised to make representations to my Department outlining their circumstances. Schools were informed that these representations would then be referred to the Educational Research Centre for consideration and my Department would then consider further the position of these schools. In accordance with the approach outlined, representations from the school in question have been forwarded to the Educational Research Centre. When the ERC has analysed their content, my Department will then be in a position to consider the matter further.