Primary schools which have 14 or more non-national pupils with a significant English language deficit are entitled to an additional temporary teacher for a period of up to two years. Schools with 28 or more such pupils are entitled to two temporary teachers.
Primary schools in which between three and 13 non-English speaking non-national pupils are enrolled are eligible for grant assistance. This grant aid is intended to enable schools to take appropriate measures to improve the standard of English of non-national pupils with significant English language deficits. In the current school year, grant assistance was provided to 355 primary schools with 13 or less non-English speaking, non-national pupils. Post-primary schools which have 14 or more non-English speaking non-nationals enrolled are entitled to an additional full-time temporary teacher. Schools with 28 or more such pupils are entitled to two temporary teachers.
In the case of post-primary schools which have fewer than 14 non-national pupils with significant English language difficulties enrolled, additional hours, ranging from three hours per week in respect of one such pupil to 19.5 hours per week in respect of 13 pupils, are sanctioned.
Approximately 384 post-primary schools have been allocated hours under this scheme in the current school year.