The General Allocation Model (GAM) was introduced in 2005 as a standardised method for the allocation of teaching resources to schools for the provision of learning support to pupils with high incidence special needs. The initial allocations of teaching resources to schools under the GAM was based on the enrolments in the schools as at 30 September 2003. Notwithstanding the changes in demographics, the GAM allocations for individual schools remained largely unchanged over the years until the process was reformed and streamlined for the 2012/13 school year. The changes that were made were not designed as a savings measure but instead to facilitate the updating of the GAM allocations for individual schools which had not been done, in many cases, for nearly a decade and also to facilitate the operation of the teacher allocation and redeployment process.
Resource hours are allocated by the NCSE as support for pupils with low incidence special needs. This is typically done in June of each year with allocations also being made later in the year. In order to facilitate the operation of the teacher allocation and redeployment process a network of permanent resource posts were allocated to base primary schools. In the 2012/13 school year, 85% of all NCSE approved resource teaching hours were allocated to schools that had resource base posts. Primary schools that were allocated resource hours and did not have a base post could enter sharing arrangements with local schools that had such a post or, if none was available, apply to the Department for part-time posts.
When the allocation and redeployment process has transacted, schools have flexibility to operate, where possible, their own temporary local arrangements in relation to the day to day work arrangements of teachers in full-time shared posts. The detail on such matters is set out in the Department's Staffing Circular 0013/13. The Deputy will also be aware that the NCSE has recently published a policy advice paper that recommends some changes on how resources are allocated to schools to support pupils with special educational needs.
