Pupil-Teacher Ratio.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 November 2006

Thursday, 9 November 2006

Questions (216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254)

Joan Burton

Question:

216 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37145/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

217 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37146/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

218 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37147/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

219 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37148/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

220 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37149/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

221 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37150/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

222 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37151/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

223 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37152/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

224 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37153/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

225 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37154/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

226 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37155/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

227 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37156/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

228 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classes in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which have 30 or more children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37157/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

229 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37158/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

230 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37159/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

231 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37160/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

232 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37161/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

233 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37162/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

234 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37163/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

235 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37164/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

236 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37165/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

237 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37166/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

238 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37167/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

239 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37168/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

240 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37169/06]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 to 240, inclusive, together.

Information in relation to classes is provided in the annual census of primary schools. The reference date for the provision by schools of this information is the 30th September of the school year in question and the date for return by the schools is 31 October. Consequently, the details for the current school year (2006/2007) are not yet available.

As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary in recent years. There are now 4000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc..

Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are getting more support than ever before to help them to make the most of their time at school. Indeed, with the thousands of extra primary teachers hired by this Government, recent years have seen the largest expansion in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. Furthermore, the Government is committed to providing even more primary teachers next year to reduce class sizes.

As you know all primary schools are staffed on a general rule of at least one classroom teacher for every 28 children. Of course, schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios than that – with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on — but the general rule is that there is at least one classroom teacher for every 28 children in the school. Next year (2007/2008 school year) this is being reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher.

A further initiative that has been of direct benefit to primary schools has been the change in the criteria for developing schools. For the current school year the threshold for getting a developing school post was reduced specifically to help schools that are seeing large increases in enrolments each year. Over 280 such posts were sanctioned in the 2006/07 school year, compared to 170 in 2005/06.

This Government has shown a clear determination to improve the staffing in our schools and we will continue to prioritise this issue going forward.

Joan Burton

Question:

241 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37170/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

246 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37183/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

247 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37184/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

248 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37185/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

249 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37186/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

250 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37187/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

251 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37188/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

252 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37189/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

253 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37190/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

254 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37191/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

255 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37192/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

256 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37193/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

257 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37194/06]

Joan Burton

Question:

258 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children of nine years of age and under in classes of more than 20 at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37195/06]

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 246 to 258, inclusive, together.

The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department and would take an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile.

As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now 4000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. The average class size in our primary schools is 24 and there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc..

Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are getting more support than ever before to help them to make the most of their time at school. Indeed, with the thousands of extra primary teachers hired by this Government, recent years have seen the largest expansion in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. Furthermore, the Government is committed to providing even more primary teachers next year to reduce class sizes.

As you know all primary schools are staffed on a general rule of at least one classroom teacher for every 28 children. Of course, schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios than that – with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on — but the general rule is that there is at least one classroom teacher for every 28 children in the school. Next year (2007/2008 school year) this is being reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher.

A further initiative that has been of direct benefit to primary schools has been the change in the criteria for developing schools. For the current school year the threshold for getting a developing school post was reduced specifically to help schools that are seeing large increases in enrolments each year. Over 280 such posts were sanctioned in the 2006/07 school year, compared to 170 in 2005/06.

This Government has shown a clear determination to improve the staffing in our schools and we will continue to prioritise this issue going forward.