Written Answers Nos 122-141
122. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the Government reaching its target of 400 non-denominational and multidenominational schools by 2030; the number of such schools to be opened in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24930/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that I recently announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area. The Government's target of achieving 400 multi-denominational schools by 2030 is highly ambitious, requiring a significant increase in the rate of transfer of Catholic schools to multidenominational patrons.
The new process will involve the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase, as the State’s local education authorities, identifying areas where there is likely to be demand for greater diversity and they will work with pre-school services to establish evidence of this demand among the cohort of pre-school parents. There will then be discussions between individual ETBs and the existing patrons/landowners concerning the possible transfer of schools to accommodate this demonstrated demand for diversity.
Each ETB will then prepare a report for the Department outlining the levels of demand within their functional areas and the responses of the existing patrons as to how this might be accommodated through the reconfiguration of existing school provision.
In the subsequent implementation phase, where the level of demand for multidenominational schools is sufficient to justify transfer of a school from denominational to multi-denominational patronage, a process will commence to give effect to that. There will be a role for the existing patron/landowner in consulting with local community and school interests and taking into account proposals from different prospective multi-denominational patrons. It is envisaged that transfers will largely be by way of voluntary transfer of live schools by existing patrons.
While these new structures are being introduced, my Department will continue to work with the main stakeholders to progress delivery of choice in areas already identified, in 2017 and beyond.
As the Deputy will also be aware my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. When it is decided that a new school is required to meet demographic needs my Department runs a separate patronage process to decide who will operate the school. Following patronage processes, which give significant weight to parental demand, the vast majority of new schools which are established come under multi-denominational patronage.
Since 2011, 31 new primary schools and 37 new post-primary schools have been, or are in the process of being, established.
All of the 31 primary schools are multi-denominational and 32 of the 37 post-primary schools are multi-denominational.
123. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which children under the new model for allocation of resource teaching hours in primary and secondary that received diagnoses in the school year 2016-2017 will receive resource teaching hours from September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24931/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.
These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities.
The new Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Allocations based on the school profiles were issued to all schools on 7th March.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Substantial research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone in to the development of this model and all of 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.
An additional 900 teaching posts have been 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.
The additional funding will provide additional supports to over 1200 schools who are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs is a key priority for this Government. The new funding will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils, including pupils who have yet to enrol 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’s 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 frontloaded 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, or for pupils who have received a new diagnosis, as schools will now receive a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile.
The new allocations to schools will include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
All allocations to schools include a supplementary provision, which has been referred to as the ‘baseline allocation’ which is allocated over and above the profiled allocation.
For students who start school from September 2017, with a specific diagnosis, either in junior infants or transferring from another school, the resources they need will already be in the school under the new model.
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.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 0014/2017 outline the basis on which the Education Research Centre determined the allocations for all schools.
The model will 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 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 schools profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers to address the need of pupils with special educational needs are now published and available on the Departments website.
The Guidelines will support schools to reflect on how they can review and manage their timetabling practices to ensure the timetable is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils in their school who have special needs. The Guidelines encourage schools to ensure they deploy their resources appropriately to meet the needs of all of the children in their school who require additional teaching support, including pupils with emerging needs, or new entrants.
124. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of information and communication technology grants his Department has paid to primary and secondary schools in the past 12 months; the details of the grants given to schools in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24932/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, sets out the Department's vision for embedding ICT in teaching learning and assessment in primary and post-primary schools. The Strategy recognises the issues schools face in relation to ICT infrastructure, and funding of €210m is committed to address these requirements over the period of the Strategy. The first tranche of funding of €30m in respect of the 2016-2017 school year has now been issued to 3,158 primary schools and 667 post-primary schools.
Details of the Grant Scheme for ICT Infrastructure, including eligibility criteria and the methodology applied to calculating the payments, can be found on the Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0001_2017.pdf.
The rates payable are €2,000 per school plus €22.20 per mainstream pupil in primary schools, with additional per capita payments for pupils in DEIS schools, Special Classes and Special Schools. At post-primary, the rates payable are €2,000 per school plus €31.90 per student, with an additional per capita payment for students in DEIS schools. The grant is worth approximately €4,000 for a 100 pupil school and approximately €13,000 (plus the lump sum) for a 500 pupil school at primary level. At post-primary level, the grant is worth circa €17,000 for a 500 student school, and some €33,000 for a 1,000 student school.
In addition, all new school buildings, and school extensions projects (where additional classroom accommodation is being delivered) receive an ICT Infrastructure grant per classroom, issued by the Planning and Building Unit of this Department.
125. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers employed prior to 2007 who have registered for retrospective Garda vetting under the terms of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 and the Teaching Council Act 2001; the number of applications to be processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24933/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn April 2016 the Minister for Justice and Equality commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016. It put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children or vulnerable persons, including requirements for the retrospective vetting of persons who have never previously been garda vetted.
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Teaching Council Amendment Act 2015, the retrospective vetting of all registered teachers who have not been vetted to date is being conducted by the Teaching Council in the context of their annual renewal of registration.
From 2006 up to the introduction of statutory vetting in April 2016, almost 57,000 registered teachers were subjected to Garda vetting under the non-statutory arrangements either at point of first registration or where a teacher moved employment within the school system. At that time, circa 34,000 registered teachers had not yet been vetted. These were typically permanent teachers who were in the same school since the non-statutory vetting arrangements were introduced in 2006
At the beginning of 2017, the number of un-vetted registered teachers had reduced to approximately 32,500. In January 2017, the Council commenced its programme of retrospective vetting of un-vetted teachers in the context of their annual renewal of registration and to date has requested almost 8,000 teachers to apply for retrospective vetting. As the year progresses, the remaining un-vetted teachers will be requested by the Council to apply for vetting.
126. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reform the model of leadership in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24934/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is widely accepted that the quality of school leadership is a key determinant of school effectiveness and the achievement of good learning outcomes. Indeed international research indicates that school leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning.
Budget 2016 provided 250 posts to second level schools to enable Deputy Principals to be more fully available to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. At primary level Budget 2016 provided for additional release days for teaching principals to range between 15 and 25 days depending on the size of the school.
Budget 2017 has provided for the equivalent of 170 additional posts to second level schools to employ an additional Deputy Principal to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. With effect from September 2017, schools with pupil enrolment in excess of 700 will be allocated additional Deputy Principal posts.
Budget 2017 also provides for the commencement of the restoration of middle management posts in both the primary and post-primary sector.
The recently established Centre for School Leadership (CSL) is a collaboration between my Department and the representative professional bodies for school principals. It has been created to offer professional and practical support to schools leaders. This support structure for leadership teams in schools will attempt to ensure that school leaders have opportunities to access, share and create knowledge and experience within their leadership roles. The work of the Centre draws on best international practice and research in the professional development of school leaders. Priorities for the Centre include a new post graduate qualification for aspiring school leaders, a mentoring programme for newly appointed school principals, coaching support for serving principals, a review and alignment of leadership programmes with Department standards.
Last year my Department published “Looking at Our School 2016", a quality framework for primary and post primary schools which is designed to support the efforts of teachers and school leaders, as well as the school system more generally, to strive for excellence in our schools.
The current review of the post of responsibility structure in schools will, in the context of restoration of posts, address the further development of a distributed leadership model.
127. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide primary and post-primary average class size figures for Ireland and other EU member states; his plans to tackle large class size concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24935/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2016 provided for an improvement in the staffing schedule in primary schools by 1 point, from 1 teacher for every 28 pupils to 1 teacher for every 27 pupils for the 2016/17 school year and it should be noted that the current staffing schedule of 27:1 for primary schools has restored it to the position it was at prior to the fiscal crisis.
The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and it is my intention to make further improvements to class sizes over the life of the Government.
My focus in Budget 2017 was on obtaining additional funding to provide for demographic growth, and additional special education and school leadership resources for our schools.
Budget 2017 sets out the resources available for schools in the 2017/18 school year. This Budget represents the start of a major reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade. The budget provides for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post-primary schools in the coming school year. The 2017/18 school year will see a significant increase in teacher numbers (almost 4,700) in our schools compared to the 2015/16 school year.
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools, including information on class sizes and Statistical reports on EU averages.
128. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are remaining sections of the Teaching Council Act 2001 to be commenced; the timeframe for commencing such sections; and the number of fitness to teach complaints received and processed to date in 2017 since he commenced these provisions in July 2016. [24936/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe only remaining section of the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 to be commenced is Section 39, which deals with continuing education and training and professional development of teachers. I am advised by the Teaching Council that Cosán, the national framework for teacher’s learning (CPD) has entered a development phase which is due to conclude in 2020. This will then pave the way for the commencement of this section of the Act.
I commenced the sections of the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act 2015 relating to fitness to teach in July 2016. The Deputy will appreciate that the fitness to teach process is independent of my Department and she should contact the Council directly for information on the number of complaints received.
The Deputy should note that, under Section 55 of the Teaching Council Act, the Council must submit the annual report of its activities and proceedings to me as Minister. Fitness to teach was commenced on 25 July 2016, during the last reporting year which ended 28 March 2017. I look forward to the next annual report which will be due later this year. These reports are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
129. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with concerns regarding third level student support and funding challenges for third level institutions. [24937/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraHigher education is a central part of our plan as a Government to support a strong economy and deliver a fair society. The package of measures we announced for the sector in last year's Budget reflects this priority.
I secured an initial investment of €36.5 million in the sector in this year's Budget and €160 million overall over the next three years. This is the first significant investment in the sector in 9 years – a period in which State investment in higher education fell by 33% (€463 million). This will allow us for the first time to keep pace with demographic increases and also introduce targeted initiatives in priority areas, in particular disadvantage, skills, research and flexible learning, with thousands of students benefitting under each heading.
In addition, my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are currently completing a public consultation process on a proposed Exchequer-Employer investment mechanism for higher education and further education and training. The proposal under consultation seeks to deliver up to an additional €200m per annum by 2020 through an increase in the National Training Fund levy.
Meanwhile, to examine the proposals that can add to these two elements and put in place a sustainable system of funding that can deliver a world-class third level system for the medium and long term, in 2016 I published the Cassells report, and as committed to in the Programme for Government, that report is currently with the Oireachtas Committee.
This is an area where broad political consensus is needed on the future direction, and I will be working to build that consensus. The Funding Model review will compliment the ongoing work by the Oireachtas Committee in relation to the Cassells report.
In relation to student supports, my Department is investing in a significant programme of supports in order to assist students from under-represented groups to participate in and complete higher education.
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.
131. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to issue a directive on implementing pay deductions for members of teacher unions that rejected working additional hours under the Croke Park Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24939/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra143. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for equating newly qualified teachers since 2011 and those who entered the workforce before; if he will report on discussions with a group (details supplied) on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24952/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 143 together.
ASTI's withdrawal from the Croke Park hours means that the union has repudiated the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The financial and other consequences for ASTI members of failure to co-operate with the terms of the agreement were formally notified to ASTI in June 2016. It was indicated at that time that in the event of continuing failure to co-operate in the medium term, further additional measures may also ensue.
A number of measures are being applied since July 2016 or will be applied to ASTI members in consequence:
- The pay increases for 2012 new entrant teachers that are effective from 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018 do not apply;
- Increments are frozen until July 2018;
- Missing out on inclusion of the S&S allowance of €1,592 into the pay scale – the first moiety of this due on 1 September 2016 (€796) has not been paid;
- The alleviation of the FEMPI Act pay reductions for higher earners has been withdrawn, meaning a further pay reduction of up to €1,769 per teacher;
- Non-application of the €1,000 increase being paid to public servants on 1 April 2017, as brought forward from 1 September 2017 under the LRA;
- The Ward Report measures have been withdrawn and the revised sequence for filling posts is not being applied – both of these would enable fixed-term and part-time teachers to gain permanent, full-time jobs more easily and quickly than before;
- Promotion posts announced in Budget 2017 will not be available;
- The additional teacher allocation/reduction in class contact time from September 2017 for teachers with Junior Cycle classes will not apply;
- No S&S opt-out option;
- No S&S opt-in option;
- Missing out on chance to influence use of Croke Park hours through a review;
- Potential for job losses through compulsory redundancy;
- Withdrawal of enhanced redundancy payment where a teacher is made redundant;
- Potential delay or loss of the pay increase of €1,000 due on 1 September 2017 and the reversal of the pay reductions for higher earners due on 1 April 2017.
Following discussions, the Teachers Conciliation Council published a set of proposals in November for consideration by ASTI members aimed at finding a resolution to their dispute. ASTI members have chosen to reject the proposals put forward aimed at resolving their dispute and in consequence, to reject the Lansdowne Road Agreement. It is regrettable that many ASTI members will now suffer permanent financial losses and loss of other benefits as a result of this choice.
The proposals represented the final outcome of the process and there will be no further offer made to ASTI.
The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I have used this to negotiate substantial improvements in pay for new teachers. The agreement reached with TUI and INTO will see pay rises of between 15-22% (between €4600 and €6700) for new entrant teachers. The agreements also provide for earlier permanency for younger teachers, new promotion opportunities and new flexibilities in working hours.
Any further negotiation on new entrant pay cannot focus on just one sector. A broader assessment of pay and new entrant pay will be informed by the recently published analysis of the Public Service Pay Commission. The Government established the Commission to examine pay levels across the public service, including entry levels of pay. The Government also supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.
I accept that the teacher unions have outstanding pay demands and that the new entrant deal does not travel the full distance that they set out to achieve. However, it does represent significant progress, and the door is not closed to the trade union movement seeking to advance the issue further in the context of public service pay talks. My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, invited the Public Services Committee of ICTU to discussions on public service pay and a continued approach to the unwinding of the FEMPI legislation and these discussions are now underway.
132. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the roll-out of the junior cycle reform process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24940/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe curriculum and assessment arrangements for Junior Cycle are as set out in the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 and in the related subject specifications and syllabuses developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
Implementation of the Framework is proceeding and the new subject specifications for Business Studies and Science, along with English, have now been introduced to schools. The teachers involved are benefitting from extensive continuing professional development and are availing of professional time to support implementation. In June 2017, English will be the first subject to be taken by students as part of the reformed Junior Cycle assessment arrangements. Business Studies and Science will be examined under the new arrangements in June 2019.
Phase 3 of the Framework began implementation in September 2017, with the introduction of new subject specifications in Irish, Visual Arts and Modern Languages, covering French, German, Spanish and Italian. The Well-being area of learning will also be introduced at that time.
Phase 4 will begin implementation in September 2018 with the introduction of Mathematics, Home Economics, History, Music and Geography, with the final phase 5 being implemented from September 2019. Phase 5 subjects will include Technology subjects, Religious Education, Jewish Studies and Classics.
133. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the areas (details supplied) that have been highlighted as having skills shortages by the skills and labour market research unit; the way in which he plans to tackle these skills shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24941/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe education and training system at all levels has a number of strategies in place to ensure we meet existing and future skills needs identified by data from sources such as the SLMRU. Among those strategies are the National Skills Strategy 2025 and the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019.
The Action Plan for Education 2016 – 2019 provides a key statement on the reform agenda across the education and training system. The Plan contains a range of actions to be implemented with particular focus on disadvantage, skills needs, and continuous improvement within the education service. A key objective of this Plan is to address the identified skills needs across key priority sectors of the economy identified by the SLMRU. These sectors include financial services, manufacturing and ICT, transport, business administration and many others.
The National Skills Strategy 2025 has over 120 Actions involving over 50 stakeholders, the purpose of the Strategy is to provide a framework for skills development that will help drive Ireland’s growth both economically and societally over the next decade. Included in the actions in the Strategy is the creation of a new National Skills Council. The Council had its first meeting on the 15th May. The Council will oversee research and advise on prioritisation and delivery of identified skills needs. Skills information from the EGFSN, the SLMRU and the Regional Skills Fora will feed into the work of the Council.
Within the Further Education and Training (FET) sector, significant improvements have been made in the planning and funding of provision since the publication of the FET Strategy in 2014. Education and Training Boards engage in a service planning process annually against a range of detailed parameters set by SOLAS. This process has been refined and improved each year and includes the use of strengthened labour market data provided by the SLMRU to ensure that the skill needs of learners and enterprise are met.
In the Higher Education Sector, the primary objective of Springboard+ in 2017 is to provide upskilling and reskilling courses to develop the talent base in Ireland in key growth sectors of the economy. including ICT; hospitality; biopharma, medical device technologies and manufacturing; financial services; and entrepreneurship. This year the eligibility criteria has been expanded to include homemakers and those in employment who wish to upskill or reskill in specific high demand skills areas ie Biopharma/Med-tech.
The Action plan to expand apprenticeship and traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020 now sets out a clear pathway for developing new apprenticeships as well as targets for the development of new programmes. The Plan committed to a new call for proposals in 2017 to refresh the pipeline already established through the 2015 call, this second call for proposals was issued on 8 May. The Apprenticeship Council has prepared a handbook “Developing a National Apprenticeship” to accompany this second call. The plan also commits to examining the potential for public sector engagement with the apprenticeship system. The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, the first of the new programmes developed through the Apprenticeship Council’s first call for proposals, launched in September 2016 and an Industrial Engineer Apprenticeship commenced in November 2016. 13 further new apprenticeships are due to launch later this year in various sectors including medical devices, polymer processing and financial services.
134. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the suggestions by an organisation (details supplied) that related capital investment will be necessary if the programme for Government commitment on having schools available for child care services can be successfully implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24942/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with key commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government (May 2016) in relation to encouraging the use of school buildings outside school hours, my Department is working closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in considering how to facilitate schools who wish to make their facilities available as part of the range of options available to parents where there is demand.
Draft guidelines on the use of school buildings out of hours are currently being prepared and will be made available further to consultation with relevant school authorities and trustees.
In general, school authorities have a considerable degree of autonomy in relation to how their premises are managed and utilised at local level. The use of school facilities must be approved by the school authority.
In 2005, my Department issued a circular to Trustees, Boards of Management and Principals of Primary and Voluntary Secondary Schools (Circular Letter Prim 16/05) to encourage Trustees and Boards of Management to make their facilities available where possible for community, education and recreation purposes. This circular recognises that the decision ultimately lies with the relevant Board or Trustees and that the first priority at all times should be the interest of the school, its teachers and pupils.
The provision of funding for childcare services is a matter for the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. An interdepartmental group with senior officials from both my Department and from DCYA finalised an Action Plan for School age Childcare which was published in early March 2017. Under the plan, capital funding of €3m is being made available by DCYA to support increased capacity for the provision of school age childcare as well for improving the quality of the service provided by existing school age childcare services. A Working Group has also been established by DCYA to develop a comprehensive set of quality standards for school age childcare. The first meeting of the Working Group took place on 17 May 2017. The Action Plan is available on https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/Action-Plan-On-School-Age-Childcare.pdf .
135. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he plans to progress the three areas in the education sector that he has identified as his core priority areas of focus, including helping children with special needs, supporting schools and building a stronger bridge between education and the workplace; the reason he has prioritised these three areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24943/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast September, I launched the first ever Action Plan for Education, covering the period 2016-2019. The central vision of the Plan is that the Irish Education and Training System should become the best in Europe over the next decade. The Plan’s high-level goals are based on the five policy areas which I believe will help us to achieve this ambition. The goals are:
1. Improve the learning experience and the success of learners
2. Improve the progress of learners at risk of educational disadvantage or learners with special educational needs
3. Help those delivering education services to continuously improve
4. Build stronger bridges between education and wider community
5. Improve national planning and support services.
The basic aim of this Government is to sustain our economic progress and use it to build a fair and compassionate society. Education is the best means of delivering a fairer society, breaking down cycles of disadvantage and ensuring that all our people, in particular those with special educational needs, are able to participate in that progress and fulfil their potential. Excellent and innovative education and training are the pivot around which personal fulfilment, a fair society and a successful nation should revolve. It is central to sustaining economic success and in converting economic success into building a strong community. Having the best education and training service in Europe will allow us to provide better opportunities for more people from disadvantaged groups, as well as ensuring that we create more sustainable well-paying jobs.
Our approach to special education has undergone a huge transformation with a growing proportion of children with special educational needs being educated with their peers in mainstream schools. The participation and progress of learners with special educational needs across the whole education system remains a key focus with an emphasis on improving whole-school and whole system approaches. The Action Plan 2017 sets out a range of measures which will be undertaken during this year. These include allocating teachers to schools under the new allocation model to support children with special educational needs, publishing the outcomes of a comprehensive review of the SNA scheme, and consult with partners on the implementation of sections of the EPSEN Act and on the provision of services to children with Down Syndrome.
Quality of provision is the cornerstone to the success of the education and training system. We recognise the fundamental roles that leaders, teachers and support staff play and we want to strengthen the system’s capacity to continuously improve and to deliver the highest quality education and training services for learners. The Action Plan 2017 details actions which will ensure that leadership, management, quality frameworks, teaching methods, and initial and continuing training are all operating to the highest standards across the continuum of education and training provision. These actions include expanding the range of supports available through the Centre for School Leadership, providing dedicated professional support to teachers to support the implementation of curricular and policy change, and developing and introducing a new postgraduate qualification for aspiring school leaders.
To become an innovation leader and to build a strong talent base, we as a nation must effectively engage with enterprise. We must work to address identified skills needs in critical areas, and recognise the shifting global economic and political climate in which services are delivered and jobs are created. Successful enterprise engagement is the foundation of much of the planned activity detailed in the Action Plan 2017. This includes driving the growth of traineeships and apprenticeships, ensuring the relevance of work placements and work-based projects, and increasing the diversity of opportunity in learning beyond school. To advance this agenda, together with Minister Halligan, I launched the National Skills Council and the Regional Skills Fora last month. The Council’s members are from senior levels within the public and private sectors, and they will oversee research, advise on the prioritisation of identified skills needs and on addressing those needs, and have a key role in promoting and reporting on the responses of education and training providers to the identified needs. The nine Regional Skills Fora will provide a cohesive education-led structure for employers and the further and higher education system to work together in addressing the skills needs of their regions, help employers to better understand and access the full range of services available across the system, enhance links between education and training providers in planning and delivering programmes, reduce duplication and inform national funding decisions.
In order to ensure that progress is made in all of these areas, updated annual Action Plans will be published each year, detailing the actions that will be implemented during that year. As part of this process, actions will be monitored against published timelines and progress reports will be published on a quarterly basis. Recently, the 2016 End of Year Review and the 2017 Quarter 1 Progress Report were published. They are both available on the Department’s website (www.education.ie), with full details of the actions already achieved in these three important areas.
136. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the stage the review of the school support programme through the DEIS initiative is at; when this review will be completed and published; if he envisages changes to the funding or delivery model of the DEIS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24944/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I previously advised the Deputy on 28th February last, the review of DEIS has been completed and is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Review-Report.pdf.
On 13th February, I published DEIS Plan 2017, which sets out my Department’s renewed policy statement on educational disadvantage.
Building on the five key goals set out in the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019, the Key Goals we have set ourselves in this DEIS Plan are:
1. To implement more robust and responsive assessment framework for identification of schools and effective resource allocation
2. To improve the learning experience and outcomes of pupils in DEIS schools
3. To improve the capacity of school leaders and teachers to engage, plan and deploy resources to their best advantage
4. To support and foster best practice in schools through inter-agency collaboration
5. To support the work of schools by providing the research, information, evaluation and feedback to achieve the goals of the plan.
The DEIS Plan identifies more than 100 actions in support of the goals we have identified. These actions will ensure that the targets we have set will be achieved and learners most at risk of disadvantage will experience improved outcomes.
Those actions include the following:
- School leaders and teachers in DEIS schools will be prioritised for accessing professional leadership training, preparation courses for newly appointed principals, mentoring and coaching courses
- The connections between pre-schools and primary schools in communities will be strengthened
- Schools will be asked, in the annual review of their School Plan, to set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time specific targets, including targets for literacy and numeracy, CPD and leadership and to evaluate these annually
- A pilot approach to identify effective interventions and explore how these and further creativity around teaching and learning, and the delivery of other supports have made effective use of the resources available to schools to achieve good educational outcomes will be adopted
- A new School Excellence Fund to support the implementation of new interventions and help broker the necessary resources from the various support agencies
- Greater prioritisation of NEPS service to DEIS schools.
The plan can be accessed at the following link: http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/DEIS-Plan-2017.pdf
137. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide new courses in the leaving certificate such as coding, physical education and politics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24945/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has committed to enriching teaching and learning with new curricula, in the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019. This will contribute to delivering a step-change in the development of critical skills, knowledge and competences and providing the foundations for participation in work and society.
The roll-out of the new Leaving Certificate subject of Politics and Society commenced in 41 schools in September 2016, following an open invitation to introduce this as an optional Leaving Certificate subject. Politics and Society aims to develop the student's ability to be a reflective and active citizen, in a way that is informed by the insights and skills of social and political science. The introduction of the specification was part of my Department's commemoration of 1916 and its commitment to education for sustainable development. The subject will be available to all schools from 2018.
The Government is committed to enhancing the availability of technology in schools through the introduction of ICT/Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject. As set out in the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is conducting a scoping exercise in this regard. Informed by this research, the NCCA are working on development of a draft subject specification in 2017, with a view to implementation in schools in September 2018.
Physical Education has been developed by the NCCA as a full subject that can be assessed for the Leaving Certificate in a manner similar to other subjects. I have approved a Senior Cycle Framework for PE - non-examinable, and a Leaving Certificate PE specification- an examinable subject for Leaving Certificate.
The Framework will assist schools to design a P.E. programme for those students who may not choose to take P.E. as part of their Leaving Certificate examination. These developments are in keeping with the strong emphasis from my Department on promoting and encouraging Healthy Lifestyles for all students and commitments in the Programme for Partnership Government.
The Action Plan for Education also includes commitments to finalise and implement additional subject specifications at Leaving Certificate level as resources permit.
138. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the moratorium on filling certain promoted posts in schools will be lifted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24946/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2016 provided 250 posts to second level schools to enable Deputy Principals to be more fully available to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. At primary level, Budget 2016 provided for additional release days for teaching principals to range between 15 and 25 days depending on the size of the school.
Budget 2017 provided for an additional €7.75m to strengthen school leadership which has provided for the equivalent of 170 additional posts to second level schools to employ an additional Deputy Principal to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. With effect from September 2017, schools with pupil enrolment in excess of 700 will be allocated additional Deputy Principal posts.
Budget 2017 also provides for the commencement of the restoration of middle management posts in both the primary and post-primary sector with effect from the 2017/18 school year.
The recently established Centre for School Leadership (CSL) is a collaboration between my Department and the representative professional bodies for school principals. It has been created to offer professional and practical support to schools leaders. This support structure for leadership teams in schools will attempt to ensure that school leaders have opportunities to access, share and create knowledge and experience within their leadership roles. The work of the Centre draws on best international practice and research in the professional development of school leaders. Priorities for the Centre include a new post graduate qualification for aspiring school leaders, a mentoring programme for newly appointed school principals, coaching support for serving principals, a review and alignment of leadership programmes with Department standards.
Last year my Department published “Looking at Our School 2016", a quality framework for primary and post primary schools which is designed to support the efforts of teachers and school leaders, as well as the school system more generally, to strive for excellence in our schools.
The current review of the post of responsibility structure in schools will, in the context of restoration of posts, address the further development of a distributed leadership model.
139. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which his Department supports teacher continuous professional development at primary and post-primary levels; the investment involved and this figure as a percentage of education spending overall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24947/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA key objective in the Action Plan for Education 2016 – 2019 is to develop the continuum of teacher education to equip teachers with the right skills for 21st century teaching and learning and improve school leadership. The quality of our teaching profession is the single most critical factor in sustaining and enhancing the quality of education outcomes in our system. We know that providing the best possible professional development and ongoing practical support to these key people in the education sector is vital if we are to realise the ambitious objectives that we have for Irish education. Specific targets for 2017 are outlined in the Action Plan for Education.
My Department spent approximately €46.5m on teacher continuing professional development (CPD) in 2016 across the primary and post primary sectors. The teacher CPD budget represents 0.56% of my Department's overall net expenditure.
The spend of €46.5m includes all costs associated with the provision of CPD at primary and post primary level funded by my Department.
The professional development needs of serving teachers in recent years have been addressed through the provision of an induction programme for newly qualified teachers, national in-service for new and revised curriculum areas including junior cycle, the new primary language curriculum and ongoing support for the curriculum generally with a particular focus on priority areas - literacy and numeracy, well-being, support for school leaders and for teachers to meet the needs of children with special educational needs.
The responsibilities of the recently established Centre for School Leadership, a partnership between my Department, IPPN and NAPD, cover the range of leadership development from pre-appointment training and induction of newly appointed principals, to CPD throughout leaders' careers.
Other areas of expenditure include training for child protection, Board of Management training, a Teacher Fee Refund Scheme, Teacher Professional Networks and a number of postgraduate programmes to meet particular identified needs such as the teaching of mathematics and special educational needs.
The Teaching Council is the professional body and regulator for teachers. It has published its policy, Cosán, on teacher learning and will continue to engage with stakeholders, including teachers, in preparation for the commencement of section 39 of the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 which will enable the Teaching Council to review and accredit programmes of CPD.
140. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated timeframe for and cost of the Government's programme commitment to reducing the pupil-teacher ratio in junior and senior infants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24949/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2016 introduced a 1 point improvement (from 28:1 to 27:1) to the primary staffing schedule which has been implemented for the current school year and it should be noted that the current staffing schedule of 27:1 for primary schools has restored it to the position it was at prior to the fiscal crisis.
The staffing schedule operates on a general average of 27 pupils to every 1 teacher for the current school year. The ratio of 27:1 is an overall classroom teacher allocation ratio for the school and is not a reference to class size. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any one class is kept as low as possible, taking into account all of the above factors, and to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.
Each 1 point adjustment to the staffing schedule is estimated to cost in the region of €15m - €18m per annum.
Budget 2017 sets out the resources available for schools for the 2017/18 school year. This Budget represents the start of a major reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade.
The budget provides for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post-primary schools in the next school year. This includes additional teaching posts to meet demographic need, curriculum reform, additional resource teaching posts and the strengthening of school leadership.
The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and it is my intention to make further improvements to class sizes over the life of the Government.
141. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the location of all schools under religious patronage which he expects to be divested in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24950/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI presume the Deputy meant to refer to 2017 in her question (Ref. No. 24950/17).
The Government is committed to progressing the development of a dynamic and innovative education system that reflects the diversity of twenty-first Century Ireland. The Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government’s objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system. The desire of parents for diversity in education is primarily being pursued by increasing the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools with a view to reaching 400 by 2030.
The Deputy will be aware that on the 30th January, 2017, I announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area.
This will involve the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase, as the State’s local education authorities, identifying areas where there is likely to be demand for greater diversity and they will work with pre-school services to establish evidence of this demand among the cohort of pre-school parents. There will then be discussions between individual ETBs and the existing patrons/landowners concerning the possible transfer of schools to accommodate this demonstrated demand for diversity. My Department is currently working with the Education and Training Board sector and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to develop the process for the identification of demand for diversity at pre-school level.
Each ETB will then prepare a report for the Department outlining the levels of demand within their functional areas and the responses of the existing patrons as to how this might be accommodated through the reconfiguration of existing school provision. The location of these schools is therefore unlikely to become available until after the reports have been submitted.
In the subsequent implementation phase, where the level of demand for multi-denominational schools is sufficient to justify transfer of a school from denominational to multi-denominational patronage, a process will commence to give effect to that. There will be a role for the existing patron/landowner in consulting with local community and school interests and taking into account proposals from different prospective multi-denominational patrons. It is envisaged that transfers will largely be by way of voluntary transfer of live schools by existing patrons.
While these new structures are being introduced, my Department will continue to work with the main stakeholders to progress delivery of diversity in areas already identified, in 2017 and beyond.
In addition to progressing the reconfiguration of existing school provision to provide greater choice to parents in areas of stable population, the Government is committed to ensuring that parental preferences will continue to be key to patronage decisions on new schools established in areas of demographic growth.
