Written Answers Nos. 281-300
281. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that children or teachers with low immune systems will be nervous returning to school; and if provision has been put in place to address these concerns. [12625/20]
View answerOn 12 June, my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” https://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/framework-for-reopening-and-operating-schools.html.
The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to fully reopen schools at the start of the next school year in late August/September in line with normal timeframes.
The report also sets out in brief the contingencies that must be considered during the coming period in the context of Covid-19. The Department is engaging with the Department of Health and the HPSC to develop Guidance on Infection Prevention and Control for school settings.
These contingencies and guidance will be worked through in detail in the coming weeks with education partners and stakeholders to ensure that the return to school is safe for children and staff.
282. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers and schools that have signed up to the July provision scheme to date; and the number of teachers that will be required to meet the needs of the 20,000 children he has committed to providing summer tuition for. [12626/20]
View answerMy Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Registration remains ongoing and details of the number of schools registered will be confirmed shortly.
Information on the number of teachers and SNAs to be engaged by schools to deliver the programme is not available.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher / SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Full information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
283. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the capacity planning done in advance of the July provision scheme being announced; and the way in which social distancing, handwashing practices and the use of PPE will be implemented during the July provision scheme. [12627/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that decisions in relation to schools re-opening and operating for the summer programme will be underpinned by the ongoing Public Health advice.
Engagement is underway with stakeholders in the education sector to develop contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools.
On 12th June, 2020, my Department published a plan for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business.
The Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business describes how the COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted. Phase 4 of the Roadmap sets out that educational institutions can open on a phased basis at the beginning of the academic year 2020/21 with a limited reopening provided for from Phase 2 on 8th June 2020. This report sets out the risks and impacts on children and society where access to education is significantly reduced. The Department considers that fully reopening schools for children is a clear objective for the end August/September.
This report is available at: https://www.education.ie/en/covid-19/planning-for-reopening-schools.pdf
Detailed public health guidance is being compiled at present and will be made available before the schemes commence, to enable appropriate planning to take place.
My Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher/SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
284. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional funding will be provided to ensure that schools are deep cleaned before children return for the July provision and that staff are properly equipped with PPE. [12628/20]
View answerMy Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher/SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
The programmes will focus on children with complex needs, within defined categories. All programmes will run in line with public health guidance.
Detailed public health guidance is being compiled at present and will be made available before the schemes commence, to enable appropriate planning to take place. Funding will also be provided under the programme.
285. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional staff will be employed to provide support in view of the social distancing and hygiene measures required; and if staff will be provided with training on the way in which to properly use PPE. [12629/20]
View answerOn 12 June, my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” https://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/framework-for-reopening-and-operating-schools.html.
The report sets out In line with the Return to Work Safely Protocol that each school will agree with staff, a worker representative who will carry out the role of ensuring that COVID-19 measures are adhered to within the school. Training for this role will be developed and provided centrally.
The report also sets out in brief the contingencies that must be considered during the coming period in the context of Covid-19. These contingencies and guidance which involve the development of templates for use in schools in addition to training, will be worked through in detail in the coming weeks with education partners and stakeholders to ensure that the return to school is safe for children and staff.
286. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that teachers and SNAs who sign up to deliver the July provision will not be paid for their work until November 2020; if he will rectify the current payment system to incentivise teachers to take on this role; and if substitute teachers who are delivering the July provision can receive the pandemic payment at the same time. [12621/20]
View answerMy Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher / SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
Newly Qualified Teachers, once registered and vetted with the Teaching Council of Ireland are eligible to provide tuition under the scheme. The scheme is not open to unregistered teachers.
Unfortunately, given the volume of payments to be processed annually, approximately 9,500 of which issued in 2019, it is not possible to have all payments processed so as to have them issued earlier than the end of October or early November each year. A common pay date was introduced a number of years ago in order to increase efficiency so that staff can channel their efforts into processing payments rather than dealing with numerous queries on payment dates. This decision was made after consideration of available staffing resources within my Department and there are no plans to change from this arrangement at the current time. The common pay date is advertised prior to the start of the Summer Programme.
It is my understanding that where a person is returning to work and is currently in receipt of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, they must stop the payment on the first day back at work. Any further queries in this regard should be addressed to my colleague in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Full information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
287. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions made through the July provision programme to reintroduce children to social activities and the school environment in view of the fact that many have been isolating at home since March 2020. [12622/20]
View answerMy Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
Care needs to be exercised that schools do not, in this initial reconnection period, overly focus on academic catch up and dealing with regression. Students with additional needs require targeted interventions over a sustained period, but this very much should emphasise connection, belonging and wellbeing as a key driver and enabler of learning and participation. A summer education programme will serve as a stepping stone in rebuilding the connection with school before schools reopen in the autumn. Extensive guidance on programme content has been provided to schools and parents.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher / SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Guidance documents on programme content have been made available as follows:
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/summerprovision/home-based-guidance-summer-programme.pdf
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/summerprovision/summer-camp-programme-teachers-handbook.pdf
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/summerprovision/reconnecting-with-school-guidance-on-summer-programme.pdf
Information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
288. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount that will be allocated on school transport grants for students taking part in the July provision; the provision put in place to ensure social distancing is maintained on the transport; and if additional funding will be allocated to ensure that buses and so on will be cleaned each day. [12623/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In the current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
With regard to transport arrangements for the July Programme my Department will provide grant funding to support parents with the cost of transport arrangements for those children who are eligible for school transport and who have been approved to participate in the school based July Programme.
Schools are required to identify children who are on a School Transport service or who are in receipt of a grant. School Transport Section will be in contact with schools and families in regard to the arrangements for payment.
289. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider allowing retired teachers and student teachers to provide the July provision. [12630/20]
View answerMy Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher/SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
Similar to July Provision schemes of previous years, under this scheme it is also open to retired teachers who are register teachers to provide tuition to an eligible child. Newly Qualified Teachers, once registered and vetted with the Teaching Council of Ireland are also eligible to provide tuition under the scheme. The scheme is not open to unregistered teachers.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Full information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
290. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the situation in a school (details supplied) that will soon lose a teacher, leaving three classes to be taught in one classroom; and if he will consider maintaining the current number of teachers in the school in view of the pressures that will be on schools when they return and the need to maintain social distancing within classrooms. [12632/20]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. Details of the staffing appeal process are set out in Circular 18/2020, available on the Department website.
291. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools experiencing accommodation issues for the new school year in September 2020; the number experiencing issues by primary and post-primary; the patronage of each school; and his plans to resolve this accommodation crisis. [12641/20]
View answerMy Department’s Planning and Building Unit is working closely with school authorities and patron bodies to ensure that contingencies arrangements are in place where necessary if a school building project is not completed in time for the start of new school year as a result of delays caused by Covid. This work is on-going and it is envisaged that all issues will be addressed prior to the start of the new school year.
292. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools currently in or partially in temporary accommodation by primary and post-primary. [12642/20]
View answerOf the 3,963 schools (3,240 primary and 723 post-primary) in the State, 405 schools (280 primary and 125 post-primary) are currently using or partially using rented accommodation.
I wish to advise the Deputy that, within the context of a rapidly increasing school population, my Department's priority is to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place. In this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of rented temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
Furthermore, it may also be necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation when an immediate or short term need arises. For example, a school may require a temporary building in circumstances where a major school construction project is planned. Such temporary accommodation is removed when the major project concerned is completed. The length of time it is necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation will vary from project to project.
My Department is taking an integrated approach with the Prefab Replacement Programme through the replacement of prefabricated units as part of large-scale and devolved projects, or as part of new projects approved under the Additional School Accommodation scheme.
293. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to meet the diverse and complex needs of students with disabilities and at risk of educational disadvantage with the one programme as they return from three months of schooling from home (details supplied). [12643/20]
View answerMy Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
Care needs to be exercised that schools do not, in this initial reconnection period, overly focus on academic catch up and dealing with regression. Students with additional needs require targeted interventions over a sustained period, but this very much should emphasise connection, belonging and wellbeing as a key driver and enabler of learning and participation. A summer education programme will serve as a stepping stone in rebuilding the connection with school before schools reopen in the autumn.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher / SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
Guidance documents on programme content have been made available as follows:
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/summerprovision/home-based-guidance-summer-programme.pdf
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/summerprovision/summer-camp-programme-teachers-handbook.pdf
https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/summerprovision/reconnecting-with-school-guidance-on-summer-programme.pdf
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Full information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
294. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of emotional and well-being supports for students in addition to teachers dealing with complex emotional and behavioural issues when schools return. [12644/20]
View answerThe wellbeing and mental health of our school communities is a fundamental element of the Department’s overall plan to ensure a successful return to school as we continue to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. It is crucial that we support the wellbeing of our students and school management and staff in order to support successful re-engagement with teaching and learning.
Guidance will issue to schools on logistical, curricular arrangements and wellbeing supports to be put in place to facilitate the phased re-opening of schools. All decisions taken in relation to re-opening schools are based on public health advice.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department is leading on supporting the wellbeing of schools communities. The response to support the wellbeing of all within school communities on the return to school requires a structured, psychosocial response which is compassionate and largely preventative and proactive. This requires a whole-school team approach to planning in order to ensure that staff, students and parents feel safe and secure. This response will be aligned with the HSE guidance on such responses, and based on the five key principles of promoting a sense of safety, calm, connectedness, self- and community-efficacy and hope. My Department will work in partnership with the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to ensure that the wellbeing needs of all members of the school community are met.
295. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide training for students who have been provided with new digital devices in view of the fact they were previously working off their phones. [12645/20]
View answerThe experience of using a particular digital platform or tool is quite similar whether accessed on a phone, tablet or laptop device and on that basis students are unlikely to encounter difficulty with such transitions.
My Department, through its teacher support services, provides professional development opportunities for teachers to support them to embed and effectively use digital technologies in their teaching and learning practices. Teachers are supported to develop their understanding and proficiency and to model and develop similar competencies with their students.
In general terms, schools are best placed to determine the most appropriate solution to adopt in terms of supporting the learning needs of their students based on their own context and circumstances. Central to this is the role of the teacher in ensuring that continuity of engagement, regardless of the mechanisms chosen for that purpose, and support of school management in addressing issues around engagement and participation of students.
296. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funds will be made available to enhance students learning as part of the summer programme (details supplied). [12646/20]
View answer297. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the changes made to the July provision scheme in 2020 to tackle the disadvantage faced by special needs students in view of the pandemic; and the provisions put in place in 2020 to enable more students avail of the programme. [12647/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together.
My Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.
Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex special educational needs which aims to re-establish the child’s relationships and connection with school and their peers as a basis for learning and participation and to help the child to re-engage in learning and social activities and help them adapt to new routines and changes. The programme aims to ensure, in so far as possible, that the child can reintegrate/transition into their planned education setting for the next school year with their peers. In-school or home-based supports by teachers and SNAs will help to prevent regression among children with special needs.
The eligibility criteria has been widened to include the following categories of children:
1. Pupils with a diagnosis of Autism
2. Pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties
3. Any child in a special class or special school
4. Children transitioning into a special class or special school from early year’s settings
5. Pupils in primary school mainstream classes who present with the following disabilities:
- Children with Down syndrome
- Children who are Deaf or most severe hard of hearing
- Children who are blind or have a most severe visual impairment
- Children who have a moderate general learning disability
- Children with severe emotional behavioural difficulties
All special schools and primary schools with special classes are invited to provide the school based summer provision for their students. This programme will run for a minimum of two weeks and can extend up to four weeks where the schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants are willing to participate.
Home-based provision will be available where a child’s local school is not providing a programme or does not have the capacity to accommodate a child in a planned programme this year. In this situation my Department will provide grant funding towards the engagement by Parents of a registered teacher / SNA to provide home based support for 10 hours a week for 4 weeks.
The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.
A dedicated online registration system for families of children with special needs to access Summer Provision is now available on Gov.ie/summerprovision.
Parents are asked to register their participation online, providing some outline information of the extent of their participation in the programme e.g. number of weeks.
Once registered, the parent is then free to plan and organise the programme for their child by consulting with the child’s school and securing the services of a teacher or SNA.
I also announced a programme for DEIS schools for this Summer.
Full information on summer provision and its various strands, including guidance information for parents, is available at Gov.ie/summerprovision.
298. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education and Skills if exceptional payments will be provided for schools to purchase laptops and-or tablets to enable students learning online in anticipation of restrictions on attendance in the 2020/2021 school year. [12656/20]
View answerAs part of the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 - Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Assessment, €210m of a commitment for funding for ICT Infrastructure has been made by my Department. This is being distributed annually to primary and second level schools over the five years of the Strategy. €160m has issued to date including funding of €50m for the current school year., A final instalment of €50m from the €210m funding commitment is due to issue in respect of the 2020-2021 school, subject to availability of exchequer funding. This funding can be used for schools to provide for ICT infrastructure in accordance with the school's Digital Learning Plan and can also be used for the provision of devices to support the continuity of teaching and learning,as required.
The €50m grant for 2019/20 included €10m ICT top-up funding to assist schools to support students at risk of educational disadvantage due to school closures under the Covid-19 public health emergency. Schools have been asked to use this funding to address situations where students are disadvantaged in their engagement with the schools remote teaching and learning due to lack of access to digital devices. Schools are best placed to determine how best to address the requirements of their pupil/student cohort and will have autonomy to do so, within the criteria applying to this funding.
Resources to support the transition to distant learning have been developed by the Department's support service, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and are available at https://www.pdst.ie/DistanceLearning. Scoilnet the Department’s educational portal has open access to a wide variety of resources and information developed by various services including: the PDST, Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT), the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the National Council for Special Education. These resources can all be accessed at https://www.scoilnet.ie/support/. Scoilnet also provides open access to extensive educational resources including Worldbook Online, at www.scoilnet.ie.
The Department is continuing to engage with the education partners on planning arrangements for the reopening of schools in accordance with the measures included in the national roadmap for reopening society and all decisions on how schools are to reopen will be informed by relevant public health advice.
299. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if all of the concerns documented in the report dated 20 June 2019 regarding a school (details supplied) and outlined in correspondence to the school dated 26 June 2019, have now been fully addressed; if not, when they will be fully resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12679/20]
View answer300. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a separate second report prepared by the NCSE in November 2019 regarding a school (details supplied) has not been provided to parents despite requests; if he will direct the NCSE to release the report to parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12680/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 300 together.
With regard to the school referred to by the Deputy, a member of my Department's Inspectorate visited the school in June 2019, the purpose of which was to gather information in relation to the operation of the vocational skills programme within school time.
Since then, my Department has engaged with the Board of Management and other stakeholders involved with the school, including the NCSE, HSE, patron and trustees, to ensure appropriate educational provision is in place for the students in the school. This engagement is ongoing.
The report referred to by the deputy is a report on staffing in the school. I understand that this report has been released by the NCSE to a parent who requested it.
