John Dennehy
Question:95 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of children in Cork city in classes of more than 35; if she plans to reduce same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4883/07]
View answerTuesday, 13 February 2007
Questions (25)
Written answers
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the number of children in classes of 35 or more in Cork city has been slashed by this Government from nearly 3,000 in 1997 to less than 300 in the last school year. It should be noted that where there are large classes in a school, this is usually because a decision has been made at local level to have small numbers in other classes. For example, one school in Cork city had a class of 36 and a class of 11, while another had a class of 36 and a class of 14.
Since we came into office, this Government has hired 770 extra teachers in Cork as a whole. Huge progress has also been made in school staffing around the country. There are now no less than 4000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002 and approximately 7,000 more than there were in 1997. 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 September this will reduce to 27 children per classroom teacher.
School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible, taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment). In particular, school authorities should ensure that there is an equitable distribution of pupils in mainstream classes and that the differential between the largest and smallest classes is kept to a minimum.
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.
The improvements we have made in school staffing in recent years are absolutely unparalleled. But we are determined to go even further, and so the 2007 Estimates include provision for another 800 primary teachers. About 500 of these will be classroom teachers, which includes our commitment to reduce class sizes.
I assure the Deputy that we will continue to prioritise further improvements in school staffing going forward. We will also continue our focus on measures to improve the quality of education in our primary schools to ensure that increased resources lead to better outcomes for our children.
|
County |
1997 |
2002 |
2006 |
Increase since 1997 |
% increase since 1997 |
Increase since 2002 |
% Increase since 2002 |
|
Cork |
2350 |
2746 |
3122 |
772 |
33% |
376 |
14% |
|
1996/97 |
2005/06 |
|
|
Average class size |
27.6 |
22.8 |
|
Number of pupils in classes 30+ |
8,075 |
3,040 |
|
% Pupils in classes 30+ |
49.4% |
22.4% |
|
Number of pupils in classes 35+ |
2,934 |
286 |
|
% Pupils in classes 35+ |
17.9% |
2.1% |
Note: The average class nationally was 27 in 1996/97 and 24 in 2005/06. Not only was the average class size in Cork city well below the national average class size in 2005/06, it was also the seventh lowest of all the counties in the country.
|
1996/97 |
2005/06 |
|
|
Average class size |
26 |
25 |
|
Number of pupils in classes 30+ |
13,995 |
11,428 |
|
% Pupils in classes 30+ |
39% |
30.9% |
|
Number of pupils in classes 35+ |
3,887 |
1,836 |
|
% Pupils in classes 35+ |
10.8% |
5% |
Note: The average class nationally was 27 in 1996/97 and 24 in 2005/06. While the average class size in Cork County was higher than the national average in 2005/06, nonetheless significant progress has been made in recent years and the number of children in classes of 35+ has been halved.
Class sizes in Cork City 2005/06
There were six schools in Cork City with classes of 35 pupils or more in the school year 2005/06. Details of the classes in each of these schools are as follows:
SN Naomh Antaine, Ballinlough (RN 12203G)
4 classes of 25
1 class of 26
1 class of 27
6 classes of 28
6 classes of 29
5 classes of 30
2 classes of 33
2 classes of 34
2 classes of 35
Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál Boys, Glasheen (RN 17993R)
1 class of 14
1 class of 15
1 class of 16
1 class of 18
1 class of 19
1 class of 21
1 class of 22
1 class of 23
1 class of 29
1 class of 31
1 class of 36
SN Padraig Naofa Girls, Dillon's Cross
1 class of 11
1 class of 16
1 class of 17
1 class of 18
2 classes of 19
1 class of 21
1 class of 23
1 class of 24
2 classes of 25
1 class of 36
Scoil Moamh Caitriona, Model Farm Road (RN 18253F)
1 class of 16
1 class of 18
1 class of 19
1 class of 21
1 class of 24
1 class of 26
1 class of 30
1 class of 32
1 class of 33
1 class of 34
1 class of 36
SN Barra Naofa Girls, Beaumont
2 classes of 22
1 class of 23
2 classes of 24
1 class of 28
1 class of 29
1 class of 30
1 class of 34
1 class of 37
Scoil an Spioraid Naomh Boys, Bishopstown (RN 20077A)
1 class of 19
1 class of 20
1 class of 24
1 class of 25
1 class of 26
3 classes of 27
1 class of 28
1 class of 29
2 classes of 32
1 class of 35
1 class of 36
Question No. 96 answered with QuestionNo. 94.