The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use the teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes. Significant improvements have been made in this area in recent years. The average class size at primary level is now 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996.
The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers in the school including resource teachers, has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 17.4:1 in 2003-04. Over 4,000 additional teachers have been employed in our primary schools since 1997. These additional teaching posts have been used to reduce class sizes, to tackle educational disadvantage and to provide additional resources for children with special needs.
In line with Government policy, my Department will continue to provide further reductions in the pupil-teacher ratio in our schools. Priority will be given to pupils with special needs and to those from disadvantaged areas.
In regard to the average class size in County Waterford, the latest data available in my Department show that in the 2003-04 school year the average class size in primary schools in Waterford city was 24.7 while in Waterford county the average was 23.8.