Thursday, 19 Jun 2014

Written Answers Nos. 61-65

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (61)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

61. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports that are available in situations where teachers and parents at a mainstream school wish to facilitate the continued education of children with moderate learning disabilities due to, for example, Down's syndrome, where they believe this would be beneficial to the children in question, either within a mainstream classroom or in a dedicated class within the school; the way an assessment is done to determine where this arrangement may be viable; if he will consider such an approach for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare if sufficient demand could be demonstrated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26423/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, in order to ensure that as many children as possible can be educated with their peers within their own community.

Many pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with Moderate General Learning Disability in conjunction with Down Syndrome, will be able to attend a local mainstream school. Some children may be supported in a special class, with reduced pupil teacher ratios, attached to a mainstream school. These students have the option, where appropriate, of full/partial integration and interaction with other pupils.

Pupils with Moderate General Learning Disabilities (GLD) attending mainstream schools, including those with Down Syndrome with Moderate GLD, may receive additional teaching support through an allocation of individual additional resource teaching hours which are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05.

Reports of assessments, carried out by relevant professionals, are provided by schools to NCSE Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) as part of the application process for support. The consideration of these reports is an integral part of determining the extent of supports to be provided for pupils with special educational needs.

Applications to establish special classes are also considered by the school's assigned SENO and those meeting the criteria for establishment are approved by the NCSE. Special classes may be discontinued by the NCSE where the need no longer exists.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. The school to which the Deputy refers should contact their local SENO to discuss further.

Teaching Qualifications

Questions (62)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

62. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if teaching qualifications gained in Moldova are recognised for teaching purposes in Irish secondary schools; and if not, the options available to convert such into a recognisable teaching degree in the State. [26440/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Teaching Council welcomes applications from teachers who qualified outside the EU and are deemed fully qualified and recognised in their home country. Each application is assessed individually to determine if the applicant meets the Council's registration requirements (as set out in the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009) and the evidence of character requirements which includes Garda Vetting and/or police clearance from his/her home country or other countries in which the applicant has resided. The Teaching Council has recognised Moldovan teacher education qualifications for the purposes of registration in the past. An applicant who qualified outside the EU/EEA (and is deemed fully qualified and recognised in their home country) having completed initial teacher education qualification(s) that is/are generally comparable to those awarded in Ireland is afforded the same compensation measure options (i.e. Aptitude Test and Adaptation Period) as set out in EU Directive 2005/36/EC to allow him/her to become fully recognised as a teacher in Ireland.

School Accommodation

Questions (63)

Niall Collins

Question:

63. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding providing new school accommodation for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 at the announced site in Tallaght, Dublin 24; if he will have his officials deal with the concerns of the local community as conveyed to the school board in respect of traffic management and access issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26461/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that the school project for the school to which the Deputy has referred, is proceeding through Architectural Planning.

As part of the planning preparation and application for planning permission my Department's design team will be liaising with the local authority and the school in relation to all traffic management and access issues.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (64)

Dara Calleary

Question:

64. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a proposed school building project (details supplied) in County Mayo; the reason the project has been delayed; the projected timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26477/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The major school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The Stage 2(b) submission (Detailed Design) has been approved by the Department, however, as the project was not included in the Department's Five Year Building Programme, the project was not authorised to proceed to tender.

Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements, it was not possible to include the project referred to by the Deputy in the five year construction programme.

School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which have been initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme continue to be progressed to final planning stages of architectural planning in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future.

State Examinations

Questions (65)

Heather Humphreys

Question:

65. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reform the leaving certificate points system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26501/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Following a conference in 2011 by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to explore issues relating to the transition between second level and higher education, a Transitions Reform Steering Group was established to include representatives from my Department, the Higher Education Authority (HEA), National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) the Irish Universities Association (IUA), Institutes of Technology Ireland (IoTI), the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). A shared report of this Group Supporting a Better Transition from Second-Level to Higher Education was published in March 2013.The report contains three key commitments to:

- Reduce the number of level 8 degree programmes in higher education and make them more broadly-based;

- Reduce the number of grading bands (A1, A2, B1, B2 etc);

- Address problematic predictability in the Leaving Certificate exams.

The full report is published on the Department's website Supporting a Better Transition from Second Level to Higher Education: Key Directions and next Steps". Since the report was published the SEC and the NCCA have been looking at the extent of problematic predictability in the Leaving Certificate examinations. These key state agencies also agreed to reduce the number of grading bands used in the Leaving Certificate Examinations, acknowledging that the very large number of grades was contributing to a culture of teaching to the test and rote learning. Following discussions at 2 major consultation events of practitioners, students and other stakeholders as well as intensive discussion and analysis by the NCCA and the SEC, a new model for grading of the Leaving Certificate Examinations is emerging with eight grading bands (to replace 14 bands currently) based on 10% grading bands. Further information is available on the Department's website Key Directions Update – Easter 2014.

I am aware that in light of the high stakes nature of the Leaving Certificate examination system and the associated transition into higher education, major changes will not occur without adequate notice being given to schools, students and parents. The intention, therefore, is that any new arrangements will begin to be implemented on a phased basis with the first stages for those entering fifth year of second level in September 2015.