Written Answers Nos 326-339
326. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if discussions have taken place with Fingal County Council regarding the location of the new second level school for the Carpenterstown and Castleknock school planning area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10183/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe building project for the new post-primary school to serve Carpenterstown/Castleknock is included in the Department’s 6 year construction programme.
Officials in the Department are liaising with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable location for the school and are currently examining site options.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to provide further details at this time but the school patron will be informed of the proposed location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so.
327. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of the construction works to be carried out at a school (details supplied) as provided for under the capital programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10184/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was allocated funding under the 2015 Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide a library, Kitchen & breakfast area, 8 learning support rooms and toilets.
The delivery of the project has been devolved to the school authority. The progression of the project is now, therefore, a matter for the Board of Management.
It is understood that Planning permission has recently been received and the Design Team is currently preparing the applications in respect of a Fire Cert and a Disability Access Cert. The project will then proceed to tender and construction stages. It is expected that construction will commence in 2017.
My Department recently received an application for an uplift in Design Team fees. This is currently being examined. This request does not impact the project progressing as outlined.
328. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to increasing the funding allocated to schools to cover ancillary services such as the employment of a school secretary or caretaker, taking increases in demographics into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10189/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe level of funding provided by my Department to primary and post-primary schools is primarily based on their pupil enrolment levels.
This enables the grant funding to automatically adjust to reflect annual changes in demographics.
The current circulars in relation to ancillary grants are Circular 0080/2016 at primary level and Circular 0081/2016 at post-primary level. These circulars set out the grant rates which were increased to enable schools to implement the arbitration findings in relation to pay rates for school secretaries and caretakers. The circulars are published on my Department's website.
329. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of and timeframe for completion on the transfer of lands (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10198/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a number of legal and technical matters to be resolved pertaining to the proposal by the club referred to by the Deputy.
I can confirm that officials from my Department have consulted with the school authorities in relation to the proposal and the matter is being progressed.
330. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of the new model of allocating GAM hours and resource hours to national schools in the forthcoming school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10228/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post-primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Large amounts of research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone into the development of this model and all the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
I also announced that an additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. The provision of an additional 900 teaching posts is a very significant investment in the provision of additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in our schools. This is additional to an increase of 41% in the number of resource teachers allocated to schools annually by the NCSE since 2011, when 5,265 teachers were allocated, as opposed to provision for 7,542 posts in the current school year.
The additional funding will provide additional supports to over 1,000 schools which are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs is a huge priority for this Government. We currently spend €1.6 billion, or one fifth of the total education budget, on supports for children with special educational needs.
It will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils in their school who require such support.
Under the new allocation model schools will be provided with total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need in each school.
Schools will be front-loaded with resources, based on each school’s profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. This will reduce the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require resource hours. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Schools will therefore no longer have to make applications, for newly enrolled pupils for whom resource teaching hours may have been provided under the old model, as schools will now receive a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile. This includes provision for junior infants who are newly enrolling to the school or pupils who may transfer from another school.
It should be noted that this is a brand new model of allocation and is not comparable to the existing model. By using a broad range of attainment and socio-economic criteria, it is expected that generally, a school’s profile will remain relatively constant from year to year. Each year, some students with additional teaching needs will leave and others will enrol, broadly balancing the school profile. Resources allocated under this model will not normally be adjusted between allocations.
The model will, however, allow for some additional provision for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The Inclusion Support Service, established under the National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the school’s profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
A new Circular will be issued to schools in the coming weeks which will provide details of how the scheme will operate while details of the allocations for each school will also be provided to schools.
Schools will also be provided with guidance on how to manage their resources to ensure that all pupils who have additional learning needs can be provided with support.
331. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of the new model of allocating GAM hours and resource hours to national schools in the forthcoming school year in relation to scenarios (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10229/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post-primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Large amounts of research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone into the development of this model and all the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
No school will lose supports as a result of the implementation of the new model. In addition, no school will receive an allocation, for the support of pupils with complex needs, less than the allocation they received to support such pupils during the 2016/17 school year. No allocation made for such pupils by the NCSE will be removed from schools as long as that pupil remains in the school.
I also announced that an additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. The provision of an additional 900 teaching posts is a very significant investment in the provision of additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in our schools. This is additional to an increase of 41% in the number of resource teachers allocated to schools annually by the NCSE since 2011, when 5,265 teachers were allocated, as oppossed to provision for 7,452 posts in the current school year.
The additional funding will provide additional supports to over 1,000 schools who are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs is a huge priority for this Government. We currently spend €1.6 billion, or one fifth of the total education budget, on supports for children with special educational needs.
It will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils in their school who require such support.
Under the new allocation model schools will be provided with a total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need and pupils in each school.
Schools will be front-loaded with resources, based on each school's profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. This will reduce the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require resource hours. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Schools will therefore no longer have to make applications, for newly enrolled pupils for whom resource teaching hours may have been provided under the old model, as schools will now receive a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile.
Accordingly, the NCSE advised schools that there was no longer a requirement for schools to make applications for special education teaching supports for individual pupils with special educational teaching needs, as resources would be provided for schools by the profiled allocation.
For the introduction of the new allocation model, from September 2017, the NCSE ‘Low Incidence’ allocations, which had been made for each school during the preceding year 2016/17 school year, have been used to establish the complex needs component of the new allocation model for each school.
A model for the identification of pupils with complex needs in future is being devised by the NCSE, in consultation with the Health Service Executive and National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS). This model will take account of the qualification criteria for the selection of children for access to HSE Children Disability Network Teams.
For the next reprofiling of the model, the pupils with newly identified Complex Needs will be included in this revised allocation.
It should be noted that this is a brand new model of allocation and is not comparable to the existing model. By using a broad range of attainment and socio-economic criteria it is expected that allocations made to schools will be sufficient to meet both current and future needs as they arise until the next review.
Currently most schools' educational profiles remain relatively constant from year to year. Each year, some students with additional teaching needs will leave and others will enrol, broadly balancing the school profile.
The model will provide, from this year, additional resources to schools where it is expected that there will be additional needs. In protecting resources in schools where the profiles indicate that the levels of need are lower than are currently provided for, some additional capacity is also provided for in those schools. Accordingly, all schools should have the capacity to meet the needs of additional children enrolling in the school in the following school year without the need for additional or new resources.
The model will, however, allow for some additional provision for very exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The Inclusion Support Service being established under the National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the school's profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
A new Circular will be issued to schools in the coming weeks which will provide details of how the scheme will operate while details of the allocations for each school will also be provided to schools.
Guidance will also be provided for schools on how best to usilise and deploy their resources under the new allocation model to ensure that all pupils who need additional teaching support can receive such support.
332. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children admitted to junior infants in primary schools here in 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10230/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the deputy is available in the following table.
Please note that all pupil figures for the 2016/2017 academic year are currently provisional.
Mainstream Junior Infants
|
Academic Year |
Standard Description |
Mainstream Pupils |
|
2015/2016 |
Junior Infants |
71564 |
|
2016/2017 |
Junior Infants |
68449 |
333. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he has taken to ensure that the patrons opening any new primary schools here are required to serve the catchment for the area they were set up to serve; if his attention has been drawn to concerns that some primary schools established in recent years in areas of high population growth operate an enrolment policy drawing pupils from wider than the immediate catchment area; the measures he has taken to ensure that patron bodies respect and prioritise pupils from the local catchment area over other pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10231/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEach new school is established to meet a projected demographic need to cater for children living within a specific school planning area to be served by the school. As part of the process, agreement to a range of commitments must be specifically confirmed in writing by prospective school patrons. These commitments include a requirement that the prospective patron is willing to prioritise enrolment of children in the area for which the Department has identified the need for a school. Failure to indicate agreement with all of the patronage commitments would result in an application being deemed invalid and invalid applications are not assessed further as part of the process.
In this regard, a map of the relevant area for which a new school is being established to serve is published on my Department’s website for clarity and transparency.
Once a school has been established it becomes the responsibility of the managerial authorities of a school to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. The selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
In relation to schools admissions generally, it is my Department's responsibility to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary.
This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
334. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a record of the stated religious composition of pupils entering junior infants in primary schools here for 2016 and 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10232/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll parents are given the option of having their child's religion recorded as part of their record on the Primary Online Database (POD). Religion is considered sensitive personal data under the Data Protections Acts and therefore is only recorded on the system where there is explicit written consent from the pupil's parents.
Initial data on the religious composition of pupils in the primary education system for the 2016/2017 academic year is due to be published in the coming weeks.
335. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 217 of 21 February 2017, the estimated timeframe for the completion of the financial robustness element of the tender process and for the update of the cost benefit analysis report; the persons and-or group and-or company involved in the processing of the financial robustness element of the tender process and to update the cost benefit analysis report element of the project; if there is a deadline for the date of issue of the letter of intent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10238/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that both the financial robustness and cost benefit analysis reports have been completed for the project in question.
The National Finance Development Agency carried out the financial robustness assessment at my Department's request. The local Education and Training Board, who is delivering the project, was responsible for the Cost Benefit Analysis Report.
I am also pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that on 27th February last, my Department gave approval to the ETB to issue a Letter of Intent to award a contract to the preferred bidder. Assuming that the preferred bidder can comply with the requirements contained in that letter in relation to tax clearance, insurances, bond etc, my Department would expect the project to be on site in a few months’ time.
336. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will adress issues with regard to the criteria for becoming a DEIS school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10299/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy.
A key element of DEIS Plan 2017 Plan is the availability of a new identification process for the assessment of schools for inclusion in DEIS using centrally held CSO and DES data. Therefore, when the profiled needs of a school indicate that they have a higher cohort of children with complex needs, the school will be supported with greater resources.
The key data sources are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas, which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, social class composition and labour market situation. These data are combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. Further information on the development of the identification process is available in the DEIS Review report which can be found on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/.
In its initial application, the new identification model has identified that there are schools in disadvantaged areas, not previously included in DEIS, whose level of disadvantage is significantly higher than many schools already in the programme. Accordingly, we are moving as a first step to include these schools within the DEIS School Support Programme.
Schools included in the list published by the Department on 13th February are those whose level of concentrated disadvantage has been identified as being at the same level as the current DEIS category for schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage.
Schools which have not been included at this stage, are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst their pupil cohort, under the new model which is fair and objective.
The new DEIS Plan provides for a verification process and any school wishing to seek verification of the information used to assess the level of disadvantage of its pupil cohort may submit an application for same to social_inclusion@education.gov.ie.
It is important to note that the school details published on 13th February represent a first step in the application of the assessment process to support pupils in schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantage. I am fully aware that there are further schools whose concentrated level of disadvantage may not be at the highest level, but may nevertheless be at a level which warrants additional supports for pupils under DEIS.
However, as noted in the DEIS Plan, the implementation of a new objective central data-based model of identifying levels of disadvantage within school populations will be followed by a further programme of work to create a more dynamic model where levels of resource more accurately follow the levels of need identified by that model.
Once this work has been completed, consideration will be given to extending DEIS supports to a further group of schools as resources permit.
In delivering on the DEIS Plan 2017 we must be conscious that there are ongoing changes in demographics which may be more marked in some areas than others. Populations in some areas have changed considerably since schools were originally evaluated for inclusion in DEIS in 2006. The new model may reveal that some schools currently included in DEIS have a level of disadvantage within their school population much lower than that in some schools not included within DEIS. If this turns out to be the case, then we must consider whether it is fair that those schools continue receiving these additional resources, using resources that may be more fairly allocated to the schools with greater levels of disadvantage.
It is important to note that the fact that a school has not been included in the DEIS programme on this occasion does not preclude its inclusion at a later date, should its level of disadvantage warrant the allocation of additional resources.
On 18th January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post-primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
The basic aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Large amounts of research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone in to the development of this model and all the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
No school will lose supports as a result of the implementation of the new model. In addition, no school will receive an allocation, for the support of pupils with complex needs, less than the allocation they received to support such pupils during the 2016/17 school year. No allocation made for such pupils by the NCSE will be removed from schools as long as that pupil remains in the school.
The profiled allocation for schools will also contain some provision to take account of social context, as part of the overall allocation.
The profiled allocation will also have account of the number of pupils with complex special educational needs in the school. This will retain allocations for pupils with dyspraxia and down syndrome. The Profiled Allocation will also have account of the learning needs of schools as evidenced by standardised test scores.
A new Circular and Guidance will be issued to schools in the coming weeks which will provide details of how the scheme will operate, while details of the allocations for each school will also be provided to schools.
337. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if maintenance grants are available for postgraduate courses; and if so, the details of same. [10315/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware of the Programme for Government commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households.
In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students.
This will benefit approximately 1,100 of the most disadvantaged post graduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant, from September 2017, and it reverses the budgetary cut that was imposed on this cohort of students in 2012.
In total my Department will invest approximately €450 million in access supports in the 2017/18 academic year. This will benefit approximately 80,000 disadvantaged students through the student grant scheme. Other measures include the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities.
338. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the long-standing request by a school (details supplied) to be reassigned from urban DEIS Band 2 to urban DEIS Band 1; the reason the school was not reassigned from band 2 to band 1 during the recent review of the DEIS scheme; the appeal mechanism of this decision open to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10317/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy.
A key element of the DEIS Plan 2017 is the availability of a new identification process for the assessment of schools for inclusion in DEIS using centrally held CSO and DES data.
The key data sources are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas, which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, social class composition and labour market situation. These data are combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. Further information on the development of the identification process is available in the DEIS Review report which can be found on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/.
In its initial application, the new identification model has identified that there are schools in disadvantaged areas, not previously included in DEIS, whose level of disadvantage is significantly higher than many schools already in the programme. Accordingly, we are moving as a first step to include these schools within the DEIS School Support Programme.
Schools included in the list published by the Department on 13th February, including the 30 schools currently in DEIS Urban Band 2 that are moving to DEIS Urban Band 1, are those whose level of concentrated disadvantage has been identified as being at the same level as the current DEIS category for schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage.
The school referred to by the Deputy is a DEIS Primary Urban Band 2 school, which, while it caters for a significant level of disadvantage, and receives supports under DEIS on that basis, has not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst its pupil cohort.
Schools, which have not been included at this stage, including the school referred to by the Deputy, are those which have not been identified as having the highest level of concentrated disadvantaged amongst their pupil cohort, under the new model which is fair and objective.
The new DEIS Plan provides for a verification process and any school wishing to seek verification of the information used to assess the level of disadvantage of its pupil cohort may submit an application for same to social_inclusion@education.gov.ie.
It is important to note that the school details published on 13th February represent a first step in the application of the assessment process to support pupils in schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantage.
As noted in the DEIS Plan, the implementation of a new objective, central data-based model of identifying levels of disadvantage within school populations will be followed by a further programme of work to create a more dynamic model where levels of resource more accurately follow the levels of need identified by that model.
Once this work has been completed, consideration will be given to extending DEIS supports to a further group of schools as resources permit.
In delivering on the DEIS Plan 2017, we must be conscious that there are ongoing changes in demographics which may be more marked in some areas than others. Populations in some areas have changed considerably since schools were originally evaluated for inclusion in DEIS in 2006. The new model may reveal that some schools currently included in DEIS have a level of disadvantage within their school population much lower than that in some schools not included within DEIS. If this turns out to be the case, then we must consider whether it is fair that those schools continue receiving these additional resources, using resources that may be more fairly allocated to the schools with greater levels of disadvantage.
339. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a primary school place will be offered to persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10441/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
In respect of children with ASD who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided. Special classes are for students who have a recommendation for a special class/school placement in their professional reports.
The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. The Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.
The NCSE has published a Guide for Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs on Choosing a School. This guide is also available at www.ncse.ie.
Children with Special Educational Needs who are over the age of four may avail of Home tuition where a school placement is not available as confirmed by the NCSE, through the local SENO. Details of this scheme are available on my Department's website www.education.ie.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, published on 6th July 2016, contains a provision which will empower the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to designate a school for a child who has no school place for reasons related to the child’s special educational needs and for the Child and Family Agency to designate a school for a child who has no school place (other than a child with special educational needs).
The parents of the child referred to by the Deputy are advised to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child’s special educational needs and to seek assistance in identifying placement options, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
