The school in question is included in the disadvantaged areas scheme and the Giving Children an Even Break programme. Under the disadvantaged areas scheme, the school benefits from an additional ex-quota teaching post, additional capitation grants of €38.09per capita, a refund of the television licence fee and eligibility for 95% building grants for building projects. Designated disadvantaged schools are included in the home school community liaison scheme and the school has access to the services of a shared home school community liaison co-ordinator. Under the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, the school benefits from supplementary funding to provide additional educational supports for pupils who are considered to be at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving. The level of funding provided under the scheme is commensurate with the number of “at risk” pupils in the school, which is not considered to be eligible for additional teaching staff under the scheme, based on the level of concentration of “at risk” pupils within its enrolment.
A new general allocation scheme has been announced under which schools will be given resource teaching hours based on their enrolment figures to cater for children with high incidence special needs such as dyslexia and those with learning support needs. The introduction of the new system will involve the provision of an estimated additional 340 permanent posts in primary schools from September next. A further 320 posts are being provided on a temporary basis to facilitate the transition to the new system and to ensure continuity of service for children who have previously been given an individual allocation until they leave the primary school system.
The general allocation for the school in question is two teaching posts and five part-time hours. The school may also be entitled to retain part-time hours under transitional arrangements to cater for the needs of individual pupils with high incidence special educational needs until they leave the school. I can confirm that the school's resource teaching allocation under the new scheme is based on its status as a girls' school — the first post is allocated at 195:1. Schools whose allocations are based on 80:1 are disadvantaged schools which are specifically eligible for additional staffing under the urban dimension of the Giving Children an Even Break scheme. The school is ineligible for such additional staffing and does not qualify for the special 80:1 ratio for resource teacher allocation.
The new action plan for educational inclusion, Delivering Equality Of Opportunity In Schools, which I launched recently, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated school support programme that will bring together and build on a number of existing interventions for schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage. The new action plan will be introduced on a phased basis, starting in the next school year, and will involve an additional annual investment of €40 million on full implementation. It will also involve the provision of some 300 additional posts across the education system.
A key element of the new action plan is the better identification of levels of disadvantage in schools, which will result in improved targeting of resources at those most in need. The first stage of the identification process, which is being conducted on behalf of the Department of Education and Science by the educational research centre, is under way. Questionnaires were issued to all mainstream primary schools and were due to be returned to the centre by 31 May 2005. The identification process is being supported by an advisory group that includes representation from the INTO and the Irish Primary Principals' Network. Approximately 600 primary schools, comprising 300 urban and 300 rural primary schools and 150 post-primary schools will be included in the school support programme. Existing schemes and programmes will be integrated into the school support programme on a phased basis over the implementation period.