Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Apr 2002

Vol. 552 No. 1

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

613 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will award disadvantaged status to Assumption Senior Girl's School, Walkinstown, Dublin 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12251/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 613 and 802 together.

Deputies may be aware that I launched the new disadvantage programme "Giving Children An Even Break" last year to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The programme will run over a three-year period and will cost some €33 million. "Giving Children An Even Break" involves the creation of over 200 new primary teaching posts and the allocation of cash grants to 2,143 primary schools in respect of disadvantaged pupils.

"Giving Children an Even Break" subsumes the previous process by which schools that serve areas of educational disadvantage were designated. My Department's approach is now refined to ensure that the individual "at risk" pupils are targeted. Rather than employ the old method of designating additional schools, my Department now provides support that is commensurate with the levels of concentration in schools of pupils with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage and early school leaving. These levels of disadvantage were established as a result of a comprehensive and objective survey of all primary schools, carried out in March-April 2000 by the Educational Research Centre, Drumcondra, on my Department's behalf.

There are separate urban and rural dimensions to "Giving Children An Even Break" and the school referred to by the Deputies has been included in the urban dimension. Urban schools with the highest concentrations of "at risk" pupils are being 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 27:1 in senior classes, third through sixth classes. The school referred to by the Deputies was not considered eligible for additional teaching staff, based on the level of concentration of at risk pupils in the schools as reflected in the Educational Research Centre survey outcome.

All participating primary schools under "Giving Children An Even Break" are receiving additional funding to be used in the provision of a range of in-school and out-of-school supports for the pupils concerned over the three year period. The school referred to by the Deputies has been allocated €6,628 in respect of the 2000-2001 school year and is eligible to receive €5,879 in respect of the current school year.

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 and my Department would then consider the position of these schools.

In accordance with the approach outlined, representations from the school referred to by the Deputies were forwarded to the Educational Research Centre. My Department has now received a report from the centre and the situation of this school and other such schools is currently under consideration. The school in question will be informed of the outcome in the near future.