Written Answers - Disadvantaged Status.
Michael Bell
Ceist:
650
Mr. Bell
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Christian Brothers, St. Joseph's primary school, Sundays Gate, Drogheda, County Louth, where 20% of its pupils are from disadvantaged areas, will lose a number of staff resulting in several classes exceeding the recommended 30 pupils per class based on 11 class teachers and with some classes having up to 40 pupils per class; if he will review the 2001/2002 allocation for this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11903/01]
The staffing of primary schools is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between this Department and the education partners.
The enrolment at the school in question has decreased from 343 pupils on 30 September 1999 to 324 pupils on 30 September 2000. An enrolment of 324 pupils warrants the staffing of a principal and 11 mainstream class teachers for the 2001-02 school year.
In addition, the school will retain the services of a language support teacher, a special class teacher and two resource teachers for the 2001-02 school year.
The organisation of classes is the function of the board of management of the school in question.
The Deputy will be aware of the new programme, Giving Children An Even Break, which I launched in January to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. Schools participating in the programme are eligible to receive a range of additional supports including teacher posts and financial supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils. The additional supports to be provided reflect the level of concentration of pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in each school invited to participate in the programme.
There are separate urban and rural dimensions to the programme. Schools categorised as urban with the highest concentrations of at risk pupils will be supported, where necessary, over the three-year period through staff allocations to implement a pupil teacher ratio of 20:1 in the junior classes, infants through second class, and a pupil teacher ratio of 29:1 in senior classes, third through sixth classes.
The school referred to by the Deputy is included in the urban dimension of the new programme. The school will receive supplementary grant aid of £4,412 towards providing additional educational supports for the children concerned in respect of the current school year. The school was not considered eligible for additional teaching staff, based on the level of concentration of at risk pupils in the schools as reflected in the Educational Research Centre survey outcome.
Where individual schools are concerned about the outcome of the survey in respect of their school, they may make a submission to my Department outlining their circumstances. These submissions will be referred to the Educational Research Centre for consideration. The situation of these schools will then be considered further.
