Kathleen Funchion
Ceist:181. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing 100 additional English teachers as additional language posts. [27536/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecial Educational Needs Expenditure
Ceisteanna (181)
Freagraí scríofa
The level of extra teaching support provided in respect of language support to schools is determined by the numbers of eligible pupils enrolled and the associated levels of those pupils' language proficiency.
The new Special Education Teaching allocation which was introduced from the 2017/18 school year provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years.
Under the new allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support including language support but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need in each school.
Under the new allocation model, schools are frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay.
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.
Further additional temporary Language Support is also provided, as necessary, to schools that have high concentrations of pupils that require language (EAL) support. At primary level, these allocations are made on the basis of appeals by schools to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board and at post-primary level to the Post Primary Staffing Appeals Board.
The cost of providing an additional 100 EAL teachers would be in the region of €6m per annum.
DEIS Scheme
Ceisteanna (182)
Kathleen Funchion
Ceist:182. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending the delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, programme by 20% in addition to the new schools announced. [27537/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, following the publication of the DEIS Review Report and DEIS Plan 2017 in February 2017, 79 new schools were included in DEIS for the first time and a further 30 schools were upgraded from Band 2 to Band 1 status. These schools have been receiving supports since September last year. My Department currently invests over €125m annually to fund the various supports available to the 902 DEIS schools.
The purpose of the overall suite of supports available to schools participating in the DEIS programme is to improve educational outcomes for pupils at greatest risk of not reaching their full potential by virtue of their socio-economic circumstances. A list of the supports available to DEIS Schools is available on my Department’s website at the following link;
https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Supporting-Information/Supports-to-DEIS-Schools.html .
I wish to advise the Deputy that it is not possible to accurately estimate the cost of extending the DEIS Programme by 20%. The cost of the addition of any further schools to the programme is dependent on a number of variables, such as the rate of disadvantage of the school and number of pupils enrolled. This in turn determines the levels of supports the school receives for example whether they are entitled to a lower class size etc.
School Guidance Counsellors
Ceisteanna (183)
Kathleen Funchion
Ceist:183. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring guidance counsellors to one per 500 pupils ex-quota in post-primary schools. [27538/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Measures announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that were withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2018.
All of these 500 posts are allocated separately and transparently on the normal staffing schedule of posts for schools. These posts have been ring-fenced so they can only be used for guidance activities and to meet the guidance needs of the school.
The estimated cost of one guidance counsellor per 500 pupils would require in the region of 250 posts in addition to the 500 posts which have been restored in Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 at an estimated cost of €15.75 million per annum.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (184)
Jack Chambers
Ceist:184. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development and location for a school (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the demand for school places in this area and the urgent need for information for parents and schoolchildren in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27541/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, the school to which he refers is included in my Department’s 6 year construction programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise 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 in question and have identified a preferred site option within the relevant school planning areas. Negotiations with the landowner in respect of this proposed acquisition are currently ongoing.
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 is being kept appraised of developments in respect of the site acquisition process.
School Staff
Ceisteanna (185)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:185. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27596/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Recently published Circular 40/2018 is available on the Department’s website and outlines the number of days that teaching principals may take as release time in a school year in order to assist them fulfilling their principal duties. Under these arrangements my Department pays for a substitute teacher to be employed by a school to facilitate administrative functions to be undertaken by the teaching principal.
Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget 2018 made €0.4 million available to fund almost 4600 additional release days for teaching principals in primary schools. This additional funding will see an increase in the number of release days available to teaching principals in the 2018/19 school year to 17, 23 or 29 days depending on the size of the school.
Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts at primary and post-primary levels. This recognises the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable.
€2.75m was allocated in Budget 2017 to restore middle management positions i.e. the equivalent of approximately 1,300 middle management posts (Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II) at both Primary and Post-Primary. (2,600 in total)
Circular 63/2017 was issued by my Department in September 2017 which sets out a leadership and management framework for posts in recognised primary schools. Flexibility in identifying and prioritising the evolving leadership and management needs of the school, and in assigning and re-assigning post holders to specific roles and responsibilities to meet the evolving needs of a school, is an essential feature of this school leadership model.
While the Principal is ultimately responsible to the Board of Management for the management and leadership of the school, the Deputy Principal occupies a position of vital importance within the senior leadership team in each school. The Deputy Principal co-operates with the Principal in the fulfilment of the Principal's role and acts or deputises as the Principal in the Principal's absence.
In relation to the duties assigned to Assistant Principal posts, the Principal, following consultation with staff, agree the schedule of duties as best meet the needs of the school. These duties are designed to reduce the workload of the Principal.
The selection and recruitment process is well under way in most of our primary schools and the majority of these new middle management posts will be filled in the current school year, including schools where the Principal is a "Teaching Principal".
I recently announced an extension to the arrangements for schools with teaching principals to cluster their release days into full-time posts, with one teacher covering the release days of all the schools in the cluster. Up to 50 principal release cluster posts will be put in place for the 2018/19 school year. This measure will assist teaching principals to more effectively plan their release days for the benefit of the school.
The Teacher Allocation section of my Department are currently processing these applications and schools are being notified as the cluster posts are approved.
Any additional increase in the number of release days will be considered as part of the next annual budgetary process alongside the many other demands from the education sector.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (186)
Frank O'Rourke
Ceist:186. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to the site on the Hazelhatch Road, Celbridge currently owned by the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB, for the purposes of a new build for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27608/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, work is ongoing to identify the causes of flooding on the site to which he refers, with a view to identifying appropriate remediation measures and the feasibility of these measures. This process is ongoing. In the meantime, my Department has identified a suitable site for the new school and is progressing acquisition of this site.
Schools Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (187)
Frank O'Rourke
Ceist:187. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the acquisition process of a site at Donacomper, Lucan Road for the purposes of a new build for a school (details supplied) which has been earmarked as an alternative site for the purposes of a new build; the timeline for the necessary planning submission for a new build at this site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27609/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, my Department is in the process of acquiring a site to accommodate the school to which the Deputy refers.
There are some outstanding clarifications required with regard to the site before matters can be progressed and, with a view to progressing the site acquisition, my Department has been in contact with the vendor requesting an update on these.
My Department is aware of the necessity to provide a new building for the school and, subject to no issues arising, will be appointing a design team to progress the project to architectural planning as soon as it is possible to do so.
School Accommodation Provision
Ceisteanna (188)
Tom Neville
Ceist:188. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter regarding a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27611/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that in 2017 my Department approved the provision of three special education teaching rooms at the school referred to. These have yet to be delivered.
In addition, my Department recently received an application for the provision of additional mainstream classroom accommodation. I wish to advise that my Department has approved the provision of temporary accommodation, to meet an immediate mainstream classroom requirement. This decision was advised to the school authorities.
Capitation Grants
Ceisteanna (189)
Danny Healy-Rae
Ceist:189. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if sufficient funding will be provided for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27616/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years.
Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education.
Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe within a decade. In 2018, the budget for the Department of Education increased by €554 million to over €10 billion. Through budget 2017 and Budget 2018, we are now investing €1 billion more in education.
The process is underway for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
My Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The National Development Plan 2018-2027 signals a gradual ramping up in capital expenditure in the schools sector over the coming years. In that context, and as part of our longer term infrastructural planning, my Department would intend to put the Minor Works Grant on an annual footing and to provide greater certainty to schools on the timing of payment.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (190)
Seán Sherlock
Ceist:190. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new school building for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; when construction will commence; and if all issues regarding the purchase of the site are now completed. [27617/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2b – Detailed Design.
This project was authorised to commence the Pre-Qualification of Contractors in May 2018.The pre-qualification and shortlisting of suitable contractors normally takes between 8 and 12 weeks to complete. When pre-qualification is complete the project will then be progressed to tender stage.
The project is currently profiled to commence construction in Q3 2019. However, my Department has advised the school that if they are in a position to commence construction earlier in 2019, my Department is agreeable to facilitating same.
Regarding the site, legal representatives for both parties are working together with a view to concluding the conveyancing. All parties continue the work to ensure the acquisition completes at the earliest possible date and at this point it is still not anticipated that the completion of conveyancing will impact on the timelines for delivery of the building project.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (191)
Seán Sherlock
Ceist:191. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the growing need for a new secondary school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if his Department concluded a review of the educational needs of the population in the area and its future needs. [27618/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy will be aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future. Based on the current analysis, this need can be addressed through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools. Approximately 40% of extra school places are delivered by extending existing schools.
I have highlighted that the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular would have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school in the South Kildare school planning areas, additional capacity in the region of 1,700 school places will be provided when projects at the following four schools in this area are completed:
St. Conleth's Community College, Newbridge;
Athy Community College, Athy;
Cross and Passion Secondary School, Kilcullen; and
St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin.
A building project for the Patrician College Newbridge is also included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme.
However, in line with the ongoing review of school planning areas generally, I can confirm that my Department is currently reviewing provision at post-primary level across the school planning areas in South Kildare.
School Transport Provision
Ceisteanna (192)
Kevin O'Keeffe
Ceist:192. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a larger size bus will be put in place in a specific location (details supplied) to accommodate the number of pupils. [27635/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 116,000 children, including almost 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Seats for concessionary applicants are allocated after all eligible children have been accommodated on school transport services. This exercise normally takes place after the closing date for receipt of payments. Where seats are limited a random selection process is used.
Routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis; no additional State cost will be incurred.
Arising from commitments in the Programme for Government, a review of the Concessionary Charges and Rules element of the School Transport Scheme was undertaken.
The review was published in December 2016 and made recommendations on both the charges and the rules element of concessionary school transport.
The report also recommended that the number of concessionary places should be reduced in line with the rules introduced in 2012 on a phased basis. Previous plans to advance this option were put on hold, pending the completion of the review.
However upon consideration of the review and following discussions with the Cross Party Working Group which I established to feed into the review, I decided that there should be no planned programme of downsizing in the coming year except in line with normal operational decisions within the current scheme.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (193)
Paul Kehoe
Ceist:193. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the new site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27637/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers was announced as part of my Department's Six Year Capital Programme in 2015.
Officials in my Department are working closely with officials from Wexford County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable permanent location for Wexford Educate Together NS.
A preferred site is currently been investigated by my Department in conjunction with officials from Wexford County Council.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time but I can assure the Deputy that the school patron will be informed of the proposed location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so.
Capitation Grants
Ceisteanna (194)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:194. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to restore the full capitation grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27658/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years.
Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education.
Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe within a decade. In 2018, the budget for the Department of Education increased by €554 million to over €10 billion. Through budget 2017 and Budget 2018, we are now investing €1 billion more in education.
The process is underway for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (195)
Mattie McGrath
Ceist:195. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the amalgamation of the national schools in Cahir, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27659/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that the amalgamation process involving the Cahir schools will be finalised with the delivery of the major school building project.
In that regard, the major building project is currently in Architectural Planning. The school were approved to proceed to Stage 2b-Detailed Design in April 2018 and the Design Team are currently working on the Stage 2b report. Planning Permission has been received and the Disability Access Certificate and Fire Safety Certificate have been granted. The Department has written to the school outlining the timeframe for progression of the project to tender and construction stage and the steps involved.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (196)
Mattie McGrath
Ceist:196. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the work being carried out at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27660/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.
The Stage 2b submission has been approved by the Department and the school and Design Team are currently engaged in the prequalification process to select a shortlist of contractors for tender stage. Pre-qualification normally takes between 8 and 12 weeks to complete.
Once the prequalification process is complete my Department will be in contact with the Board of Management with a view to progressing the project to tender stage.
Schools Building Projects Status
Ceisteanna (197)
Seán Sherlock
Ceist:197. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to open an Educate Together post-primary school in east County Cork. [27661/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 600 pupil post-primary school for the Ballincollig school planning area to be established in 2021. This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future. Based on the current analysis, this need can be addressed through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools. It is important to note that approximately 40% of extra school places are delivered by extending existing schools, rather than by building new schools.
While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school for East County Cork, I have highlighted that the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular would have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences for each patron, from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.
Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Ceisteanna (198)
Marc MacSharry
Ceist:198. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures followed when a school is compelled by him to establish an autism unit; the funding provided for the school to establish such a unit; the specialist expertise the school is resourced to procure; the training provided to existing staff to ensure that the autism unit is competent and effective in the delivery of specialist education to pupils as opposed to just an autism unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27662/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including Autism, in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated.
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.
The NCSE policy advice on Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (2016) found that Students are generally well supported in schools with appropriate curriculum; extensive teacher and SNA supports; improving range of educational placements supported by improved accommodation and equipment; improved teacher knowledge and understanding and a generally good standard of provision at primary and post primary levels.
The greater proportion of children with Autism attend mainstream classes, but some students may find it difficult to manage full-time placement there and will require the environment of an ASD special class for some or all of their time in school and for a minority of children with Special Educational Needs including Autism, placements in a Special School may be required.
Special classes for students with ASD are staffed with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1 at primary level and 6:1.5 at post primary level, and also have a minimum of two SNAs for every class of 6 children. Schools are encouraged to appropriately qualified teachers to these special classes.
The Special Educational Support Service (SESS) provides continuous professional development for teachers including those who are deployed to Special Classes.
Other resources which are provided to schools to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism include the following:
- The National Educational Psychological Service
- Assistive technology.
- Access to the Special School transport scheme.
- Access to special equipment and furniture where required.
- Enhanced capitation grants at primary level
- Adapted school buildings.
- Access to the extended school year scheme. (July Provision)
The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year, and where special class provision is required, it is planned and established to meet that need. The NCSE continues to establish additional special classes to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism as required.
Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of such classes by over 130% from 548 in 2011 to 1,304 across the country now. This network includes 1,048 ASD special classes, of which 130 are ASD early intervention classes, 641 primary ASD classes and 277 post-primary ASD classes in mainstream schools. In addition there are currently 124 Special schools of which 20 cater exclusively for children with Autism.
Schools may apply to the NCSE to open a special class where a need has been identified in their area i.e. a number of students have professional reports indicating they require the support of a special class.
The NCSE through the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO), may also approach a school directly where they are aware that a special class is or will be required in the near future. Before approaching a particular school to request the establishment of a special class, SENOs take into account both present and future potential need within the area and must be satisfied that the class is sustainable and appropriately located.
In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Needs Unit (SNU) in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SNU is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom unit is provided in new post-primary schools.
In the case of existing schools, where a school is not in a position to accommodate a special class within its existing accommodation, it is open to the school to submit an application to the Department for capital funding to (i) re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or (ii) to construct additional accommodation.
My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that there is appropriate planning in place to ensure that all children who require special class placements can access such placements in schools within their communities.
My Department has acknowledged that in recent years the establishment of special class provision in some schools and communities has been challenging.
As part of the process of planning for future provision, a number of measures have been included in the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 to provide certain powers to the NCSE to designate a school placement for a child in circumstances where a child is experiencing difficulties in securing enrolment.
The Bill also proposes powers for the Minister, in certain circumstances, to require a school to open a special class for children with special educational needs. This amendment will give the Minister the power to compel a school to open a special class or classes where the National Council for Special Education has identified a need for such provision within an area.
These proposed measures would further enhance the ability of my Department and the NCSE to plan for special class provision and to address issues in provision that may arise from time in time at local levels.
Guidelines for Boards of Management and Principals of Primary and Post Primary schools contain information on setting up and organising special classes, including information on resources which may be provided to schools to establish special classes are available to download from www.ncse.ie.
School Curriculum
Ceisteanna (199)
Thomas Byrne
Ceist:199. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected numbers of students studying physical education at leaving certificate level from September 2018; and his plans to add additional schools to the short list of those schools implementing the subject. [27663/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The specification for Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) will provide learners with an opportunity to study physical education for the Leaving Certificate examination, providing an additional optional Leaving Certificate subject. The new examinable subject will be introduced in September 2018 into a cohort of 64 post-primary schools as part of phase 1 of its introduction.
To date, my Department has received confirmation that 1,571 students will study Leaving Certificate Physical Education in these 64 schools from September 2018. These schools are being supported in implementation by my Department’s Professional Development Service for Teachers.
It is my Department’s intention to offer LCPE to all interested schools from September 2020. An open call will be made for expressions of interest from schools in 2019.
School Staff
Ceisteanna (200)
Seán Haughey
Ceist:200. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will sanction the appointment of a third teacher for the second class in a school (details supplied) in order that there can be three classes of 24 pupils rather than two classes of 36 pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27664/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.
The school referred to by the Deputy had an enrolment of 344 on 30th September 2017. This provides for a mainstream staffing of Administrative Principal and 13 classroom teachers for the 2018/19 school year. The school will also have 4 Special Education Teachers.
The staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.
The school submitted an application for consideration by the Appeals Board at its May 2018 meeting under the Exceptional Accommodation Difficulties criteria. The appeal was refused by the Appeals Board on the basis that the grounds of the appeal did not warrant the allocation of an additional post under Circular 0010/2018. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes. Given that the staffing schedule operates to a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 26 pupils, if a school has a large class it generally also has a small class.