Written Answers Nos. 471-476
471. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of whole school evaluations carried out to date of voluntary second level schools, community schools, fee paying second level schools, other, for example faith based; and if she will indicate the proportionality of those evaluations regarding the total number of schools in each category. [45243/14]
View answerThe Inspectorate of my Department has conducted 428 whole-school evaluations (WSEs) in post-primary schools in the period 01 January 2009 to 21 November 2014. This represents 58% of all post-primary schools. The number of WSEs and the proportion conducted in each category of schools are as follows:
- Community Schools: 43 WSEs (53%)
- Comprehensive Schools: 9 WSEs (64%)
- Community Colleges: 32 WSEs (45%)
- Secondary Schools: 202 WSEs (63%)
- Fee paying Secondary schools: 40 WSEs (77%)
- ETB Schools: 102 WSEs (53%); When planning the programme of evaluations in schools and centres for education, the Inspectorate seeks to ensure that there is balanced inspection coverage across school types. In addition to WSEs inspectors also conducted a wide range of other inspection and evaluation activities in post-primary schools in the same period.
472. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the concerns of school principals on the questionnaire sent out by her Department on social profile of schools; and her further views that a more efficient system should be in place to identify schools in need of further essential assistance. [45244/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently considering potential revisions to the system of allocating Resource Teaching and Learning Support to schools. This is on foot of recommendations set out in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Policy Advice on "Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools (May 2013) and the recommendations of the NCSE Working Group Report "A Proposed New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Students with Special Educational Needs".
Following the publication of these reports, my Department advised that it would commence the process of gathering information which would be required to develop the proposed new model, to allow its impact to be assessed, and to assess if, and from when, the model could be implemented. Part of this process involves the collection of information in relation to the social context of schools.
The working group report recommended that a school's social context should be used because it can contribute strongly to the level of learning needs that students have. The report considered that, on the basis of available research evidence, the use of a school's social context is valid in developing an educational profile, as socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with the incidence of certain types of special educational needs, including low achievement in academic learning and emotional or behavioural disorders.
The report also noted that a school within a disadvantaged social context may have a higher share of students presenting with emotional or behavioural disorders. While some of these needs are likely to be reflected in low test scores, others may not, as students with relatively high levels of educational achievement can have emotional and behavioural disorders.
Accordingly, it was recommended that consideration of a schools social context should form part of any proposed new resource allocation model.
Pending the availability of a more objective source of information, the working group stated that it was confident that survey reporting by school principals could produce robust up to date data on school context in a similar manner to DEIS and earlier initiatives.
The Department therefore, in conjunction with the NCSE, asked the Educational Research Centre (ERC) to conduct a survey of schools to assist the development of an educational profile.
Though recognising that all schools would not be able to have specific detail regarding all of the questions asked in relation to their pupil populations, schools were asked to provide their best possible estimates in relation to the questions being asked in the survey, in order to ensure that as accurate as possible a social context allocation component of any revised allocation model could be developed for each school.
At all stages of the development of the advice and in particular in the work of the working group there was comprehensive consultation with education partners and stakeholders and through this consultation there was awareness and broad support for the proposed approach including the deployment of a survey.
The data which schools were requested to return as part of the survey were non-personal, anonymised data. Schools were not asked to return data in relation to the social circumstances of individual pupils. Schools were also advised that the ERC had put in place a dedicated phone help line in order to provide assistance and support to schools in completing the questionnaire. I understand that many schools used this help line to gain assistance in completing the questionnaire.
Whereas I understand that the return of this survey has caused extra work and some difficulties for some schools, I am confident that having up to date social context data will be highly beneficial to the Department and the NCSE in developing proposals for a new profiled allocation model for schools.
473. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a guarantee that a school (details supplied) in County Cork will be completed and ready for students by September 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45258/14]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's 5 year plan to go to construction in 2015/16.
The disposal of the lands concerned to facilitate the new school building has recently been approved by Cork County Council. The conveyancing process in relation to the site concerned is currently underway, and due diligence must be performed in this regard. Once the acquisition of the site is finalised, the project will be progressed into the architectural planning process with a view to having accommodation in place, subject to no issues arising, for the academic year commencing September 2016. My Department will continue to keep the school authority appraised of developments.
474. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding provided to a school (details supplied) in County Clare through a devolved grant for an extension, the tender for which was awarded in 2013. [45276/14]
View answerI can confirm that my Department approved an application for temporary additional accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy. Similar to other schools, the school was approved associated costs for the delivery and installation of the temporary accommodation unit concerned and to meet with the statutory planning requirements.
A total of €46,574.19 (including VAT) costs was paid out by the Department to the school authorities, in question, for prefab delivery and installation, civil works and consultancy fees. The school was also approved devolved funding of €25,940.87 (including VAT) in 2013 for a sewage treatment system.
475. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school development project in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if a site has been purchased; if a planning application has been made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45302/14]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers is to be delivered as part of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP project. This bundle comprises one primary school, four post primary schools and one Institute of Further Education.
The site acquisition process for the school in question is underway, however, due to commercial sensitivities associated with property acquisitions generally, I am unable to provide further information at this time. The planning documentation is almost complete and this will be lodged as soon as my Department is in a position to do so.
476. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Student Universal Support Ireland will not accept Department of Social Protection documentation as proof of address in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45331/14]
View answerAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service complements the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
My Department has confirmed that, following an appeal to SUSI, the appeals section were in contact with the applicant referred to by the Deputy and that a decision of the appeal officer has yet to be made in this case.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
