Patrick O'Donovan
Ceist:106. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of long-term learning support for a child in primary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39372/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 15 October 2014
Ceisteanna (106)
Freagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that the General Allocation Model currently allocates over 4,200 Learning Support/Resource Teachers to primary schools, and is now updated annually, based on the number of mainstream teaching posts in schools in the previous school year, reflecting any growth in school size. Over 750 teaching posts are also allocated to post primary schools to provide for learning support needs at post primary schools. Schools are given guidance on how to identify pupils for learning support in my Departments Circulars 02/05 and 70/2014. These Circulars also provide guidance for schools on how learning support may be provided for pupils from a schools allocation, on a one to one basis, in pairs, or in small groups of pupils. It is a matter for schools to utilise their learning support resources to support qualifying pupils, taking into account the individual educational needs of those pupils. The teaching time afforded to each individual pupil is therefore decided and managed by schools, taking into account each child's needs. The amount of support given to a child may also vary over time, as a pupils learning needs change. It is therefore not possible to set out a definitive cost for the long term learning support per child in primary education, as the teaching time provided for each child may vary based on their individual learning needs.