Vol. 536 No. 5
398 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children repeating a year at primary school in a given year, or any related statistical information which his Department may have on this issue; his views on recent proposals to withdraw this entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15120/01]
In the 1999-2000 school year 6,941 children repeated a year in their own school and 566 repeated a year in another primary school. This information is based on data submitted by boards of management of primary schools to my Department. In recent years, my Department has allocated considerable support for pupils with learning difficulties. Learning support teachers, resource teachers, special needs assistants and a wide range of resources under the various schemes for schools in areas designated as disadvantaged are among the forms of provision allocated to schools for these pupils. I am confident that the level of provision available should enable pupils to make progress in keeping with their needs and abilities and to move consecutively through the different class levels in the school in keeping with their peers.
I am aware that there may be individual cases where a principal teacher, following consultation with the learning support teacher and class teacher and parents of the pupil, concludes that a pupil would benefit educationally by being held back for a second year. In such cases my Department would support the retention provided there is an educational basis for it and a clear programme for the pupils to follow. In this regard my Department recently issued a circular to schools outlining the policy in relation to the retention and promotion of pupils. This policy was already outlined in rule 64 of the rules for national schools and in a previous departmental circular, 10/67. The recently issued circular, primary circular, 11/01, reaffirms the policy in relation to the retention and promotion of pupils.
