Richard Bruton
Ceist:637 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils at primary level in classes of over 30; and the number in classes of 31, 32 and so on. [8191/99]
Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.
Richard Bruton
Ceist:638 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils in schools designated as disadvantaged in classes of over 30; and the number in classes of 31, 32 and so on. [8192/99]
Richard Bruton
Ceist:639 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of teachers needed to eliminate classes of over 30 in all primary schools and in disadvantaged schools without increasing the average class size elsewhere. [8193/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 637, 638 and 639 together.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to class sizes both nationally and in schools designated as disadvantaged is as follows and is compiled from data collected in the 1997-98 annual census of national schools. The 1998-99 census is still being processed and the information is not yet available.
All Ordinary National Schools
|
Class Size(Pupils) |
No. of Classes |
No. of Pupils |
|
30 |
986 |
29,580 |
|
31 |
886 |
27,466 |
|
32 |
864 |
27,648 |
|
33 |
766 |
25,278 |
|
34 |
625 |
21,250 |
|
35 |
581 |
20,335 |
|
36 |
328 |
11,808 |
|
37 |
173 |
6,401 |
|
38 |
96 |
3,648 |
|
39 |
58 |
2,262 |
|
40 |
15 |
600 |
|
41 |
10 |
410 |
|
42 |
4 |
168 |
|
46 |
1 |
46 |
|
49 |
1 |
49 |
All Schools Designated Disadvantaged
|
Class Size(Pupils) |
No. of Classes |
No. of Pupils |
|
30 |
35 |
1,050 |
|
31 |
30 |
930 |
|
32 |
29 |
928 |
|
33 |
39 |
1,287 |
|
34 |
19 |
646 |
|
35 |
16 |
560 |
|
36 |
6 |
216 |
|
37 |
5 |
185 |
|
38 |
3 |
114 |
|
39 |
2 |
78 |
|
40 |
1 |
40 |
Maximum class size guidelines are as follows: 35 in the case of a single grade class group; 34 in the case of a class group of two consecutive grades; 31 in the case of multi grade class group and 28 in the case of one teacher schools with four or more standards.
Schools have up to 1 November of a given school year to apply for a teacher under maximum class size guidelines. The onus is on boards of management to ensure that all classes are arranged so that they are operating within maximum class size guidelines. It is only where a board of management cannot organise classes to operate within these guidelines that an application for an additional teacher should be made to the Department.
There are currently 318 primary schools in the disadvantaged areas scheme with an overall enrolment of 72,947 pupils. These schools are allocated sufficient staffing to enable them to adhere to the maximum class size guideline of 29 pupils in all classes in schools designated as disadvantaged.