Vol. 569 No. 3
273 Mr. Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Science the role and operation of the Educational Research Centre; and the actual research carried out by the Educational Research Centre into the needs of Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Athy, County Kildare, in view of its inclusion in the Giving Children an Even Break programme. [17773/03]
Primary schools participating in Giving Children an Even Break are in receipt of a range of additional supports, including teacher posts and other non-teaching supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils. The additional supports to be provided reflect the level of concentration of pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in each school invited to participate in the programme. These levels of disadvantage were established as a result of a comprehensive survey of primary schools carried out by the Educational Research Centre, ERC, in March-April 2000 at the request of my Department. A total of 2,351 primary schools identified as having pupils enrolled with characteristics of disadvantage have been invited to participate in Giving Children an Even Break.
Giving Children an Even Break has both an urban and rural dimension as previous research has shown that educational disadvantage manifests itself differently in urban and rural settings. Scoil Phadraig Naofa is included in the urban dimension and is benefiting from the allocation of supplementary grant aid towards providing additional educational supports for the children concerned.
Schools categorised as urban in Giving Children an Even Break with the highest concentrations of at-risk pupils are supported, where necessary, through staff allocations to implement reduced pupil/teacher ratios of 20:1 in junior classes – infants through second class – and 27:1 in senior classes – third through sixth class. The school was not considered eligible for additional teaching staff, based on the level of concentration of at risk pupils in the school as reflected in the Educational Research Centre survey outcome. Representations from schools in relation to the outcome of the survey carried out in 2000, including the school referred to by the Deputy, were considered by my Department in consultation with the Educational Research Centre. Following this process, the school involved was informed in October 2002 that there would be no alteration in the existing level of support provided under Giving Children An Even Break.
My Department has received a further submission from the school in question but unfortunately the appeals process is now complete. However, the points raised in the school's new submission will be considered in the context of any future disadvantage programmes.
