Vol. 570 No. 2
251 Mr. S. Power asked the Minister for Education and Science when Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Athy, County Kildare, will be designated disadvantaged, in view of the fact that the other primary school in the town has this status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18272/03]
The new disadvantage programme, Giving Children an Even Break subsumes the previous process of designation of primary schools that serve areas of educational disadvantage and my Department's approach is now refined to ensure that the individual "at risk" pupils are targeted. 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. Scoil Phadraig Naofa is included in the urban dimension of this programme and is benefiting from the allocation of supplementary grant aid towards providing additional educational supports for the children concerned.
252 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will examine the case of St. Canice's girl's school, Dublin 11, which is facing serious staffing difficulties in September 2003; the pupil teacher ratio which applies to schools under the Giving Children an Even Break scheme; the reason this ratio does not apply to this school; and if he will deal with this issue as a matter of urgency. [18280/03]
Giving Children An Even Break was launched to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The schools targeted under the programme were identified through 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. Giving Children an Even Break subsumes the previous process of designation of schools that serve areas of educational disadvantage. My Department's approach is now refined to ensure that the individual "at risk" pupils are targeted. Rather than 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.
There are separate urban and rural dimensions to the programme. Schools categorised as urban 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.
Schools participating in Giving Children An Even Break are eligible to receive a range of additional supports including teacher posts and financial 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.
The school referred to by the Deputy is included in the urban dimension of Giving Children An Even Break. The school is benefiting from supplementary funding to provide additional educational supports for the children concerned. 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.
