Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 December 2015
48. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills why, under the current staffing schedule, mainstream schools with 15 to 27 teachers require 37 extra pupils to gain or retain a teacher, while schools with more than 27 or fewer than 15 teachers only require an extra 26 pupils to gain or retain a teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43882/15]
View answerThe staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils. More favourable ratios operate in DEIS Band 1 schools.
Under an agreement reached with the Education Partners for the 2010/11 school year my Department provided 50 additional posts to the primary sector and 100 additional posts to the post-primary sector. At primary level, as these posts were additional to those required to cater for demographic growth, some improvements were made to the staffing schedule for the 2010/11 school year. These improvements were targeted at medium-to-larger schools typically under the greatest pressure in relation to class sizes. At post-primary level, additional supports were targeted at co-educational schools in single post-primary catchment areas and at schools that join together with other local post primary schools to increase subject choice in a town.
The application of these additional posts to the primary staffing schedule resulted in the schedule operating on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 27 pupils between the bands of 8 classroom teachers and 16 classroom teachers. The 37 pupil difference arises only at the point between 16 and 17 classroom teachers. However given that the standard size of a school is 16 classrooms this issue does not typically arise. An average of 28 to 1 applies for the bands of 18 classroom teachers upwards.
The Deputy will be aware that I have announced a 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule in the context of Budget 2016. The improved staffing schedule which is available on the Department website will be implemented for the 2016/17 school year.
The application of this 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule will result in the schedule operating on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 26 pupils between the bands of 8 classroom teachers and 16 classroom teachers.
The staffing arrangements for all schools for the 2016/17 school year will be published early in 2016.
