Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 May 2023
98. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if there is funding available for a sports-related workshop in a primary school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23552/23]
View answerMy Department provides funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.
The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of educational services in our schools and various related functions. This includes salaries of teaching and non-teaching school staff, development of school infrastructure, capitation funding, grant payments to Education and Training Boards and a range of programmes and initiatives.
The standard capitation funding allocations are not related to specific subjects, schools have the flexibility to decide at local level how such funding is used.
Physical education (PE) is a core part of the curriculum at primary level which seeks to satisfy the physical needs of the child through a consistent and comprehensive experience of movement and play that challenges the child to realise his or her individual physical potential. The current PE curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999). The new Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF) published on 9 March 2023, provides increased time for wellbeing which includes physical education. The PCF will guide the development of the specifications for each of the curriculum areas. The development of the wellbeing specification has commenced. The development process will include research, consultation, working with the education partners and a network of schools. The new specification will be completed in the 2025/2026 school year.
Primary school teachers are qualified to teach the range of primary school subjects which includes PE. Schools may choose to bring an external facilitator or use an external programme to support the delivery of the curriculum. In so doing a school must follow the DE guidelines in this regard (circular 0042/2018).
