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Wednesday, 14 Oct 2020

Written Answers Nos. 174-188

Covid-19 Pandemic

Ceisteanna (174)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

174. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 459 of 15 September 2020 and 133 of 7 October 2020, if she will provide a sample showing the exact format of the medical certificate required to certify that a secondary school student falls into one of the categories for a face covering exemption; if a copy of this sample medical certificate will appear on her Department’s website; if she will provide a link to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30477/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department received advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on the use of face coverings in educational settings. The advice provides that It is a requirement for face coverings to be worn by teachers, staff in schools and students attending post primary school and includes a number of exemptions.

My Department subsequently published clarification on the use of face coverings for schools in which it clearly outlines that a medical certificate must certify that a person falls into a category listed for an exemption to apply. This can take a written format once it is a certified by an appropriate medical authority, such as a G.P.

My Department does not have a remit for developing or publishing template medical certificates, which is a matter for the health authorities.

School Patronage

Ceisteanna (175)

Eoghan Murphy

Ceist:

175. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a breakdown of schools in Dublin, both primary and secondary, by patronage, including schools due to be opened in the next five years. [30486/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

A list of all currently open schools can be obtained from my Department's website using the "find a school" search tool. The list can be refined to extract the Dublin schools and their ethos. In regard to the schools due to open in the coming years, a process will be conducted to determine who will be patron of these schools. The outcome of such processes, when concluded, are generally announced by press release.

Schools Building Projects

Ceisteanna (176)

Joe McHugh

Ceist:

176. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education the position regarding schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30493/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The major building project for the first school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.

In December 2019, my Department received the Stage 2(b) submission for this project. In order to expedite the progression of the major building project, my Department authorised the school and its Design Team to commence the pre-qualification process to select a shortlist of contractors.

The review of the Stage 2(b) submission has been completed and comments have issued to the Design Team requesting the Design team to carry out one final review of the tender documentation taking on board my Department's comments. When this work has been carried out the Design Team will revert to my Department with confirmations that the tender documentation then complies with all Department, Building Control Amendment Regulation (BCAR) and Public Works Contract (PWC) tender documentation requirements.

Upon receipt of these confirmations and completion of the pre-qualification process and subject to no other issues arising, this project will then be ready to progress to the next stage of architectural planning - Stage 3 (Tender Stage).

A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.

The major building project for second school referred to by the Deputy has gone out to tender, with a return date of 16th October. The Design Team will then prepare a tender report identifying the preferred bidder, which will be assessed by the Department. Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged construction could commence in Quarter 1 of 2021.

Schools Building Projects

Ceisteanna (177)

Cian O'Callaghan

Ceist:

177. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education when the construction of a new school building (details supplied) in Dublin 13 will commence; the projected timeline for completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30498/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The project referred to by the Deputy when complete will provide a three Storey 16 classroom Primary School building, including a two classroom special education needs base.

The design also includes a general-purpose hall, support teaching spaces and ancillary accommodation, external junior play areas, secure SEN hard and soft play area and a sensory garden. The proposed project incorporates associated car parking, access road, pedestrian access, bicycle lane, construction of 2 no. external ball courts, landscaping, connection to public services and all associated site works.

It is anticipated that the project will proceed to tender in the first half of 2021 with construction expected to start in late 2021 and the estimated construction period for the project will be approximately 48 weeks.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Ceisteanna (178)

Neale Richmond

Ceist:

178. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education the staffing at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30502/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

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 30th September.

However, the staffing arrangements for primary schools also includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment for the following September, in this case September 2020.

The school referred to by the Deputy was allocated a teaching post on developing grounds, but has not achieved the required enrolment on 30th September. This school is 57 pupils below what they had indicated as their projected enrolment for September and the enrolment returned by the school for September 2020 is lower than the previous September's enrolment.

The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.

The school has submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board which will be considered at its meeting later this month. The school will be informed of the Board's decision in due course.

The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

Information and Communications Technology

Ceisteanna (179)

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

179. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if she will proceed without delay with an IT upgrade for a school (details supplied) in order to allow it to continue to provide classes during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30507/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary and post primary schools, and some 98% of schools are included in this scheme. The Department's High Speed Broadband Programme, provides all recognised post-primary schools, high speed broadband with a minimum broadband speed of 100mbs. There are 58 special schools also included in this programme, managed for the Department by HEAnet.

The school referred to by the Deputy has a high speed broadband connection of 100 Mbit/s which is uncontended and symmetrical, meaning this is a dedicated service to the school. Given that this is an uncontended service the school should have 100Mbp/s connectivity. HEAnet is currently conducting an extensive upgrade programme for post-primary schools that has already seen some 47% of schools upgraded to speeds greater that 200Mbp/s. A further 380 post-primary schools are now due an upgrade to that level of connectivity. That will see over 80% of post-primary schools with connections of 200 Mbp/s or higher. This school has already been identified as part of the cohort to be upgraded in the current school year, with work underway to procure that upgraded service.

This upgrade programme is based on demonstrated requirements, and in the current circumstances the system is being closely monitored to prioritise those most in need of the higher speed connectivity, in line with contractual and procurement regulations.

The delivery of high quality internet connectivity for all schools is a key objective of my Department, to support the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning. The Schools Broadband Programme is operated by my Department at an annual cost of some €13m.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (180)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

180. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30520/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.

In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

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.

Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation.

Bus Éireann has advised that medical card details for the pupil to which the Deputy refers were received on the 8th September, 2020 and, as such, is late.

However, Bus Éireann has advised that there is a school transport service available to this family and the family has been notified and the pupil has been accommodated on this service.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (181)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

181. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if school transport will be provided in the case of persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30522/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

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.

Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation. The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020.

Bus Éireann has advised that they have not received an application for transport for the 2020/21 school year from the family referred to by the Deputy. The Bus Éireann family portal remains open for applications but it is important to note that applications made at this time are late. Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year.

In addition, payments or submission of medical card details for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route. In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.

State Examinations

Ceisteanna (182)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

182. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when a detailed reply will issue to a query raised with her office on 14 November 2019 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30534/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. In the absence of these examinations, every effort has been made to make the system as fair as possible for as many students as possible.

The process of national standardisation, which forms a key part of the Calculated Grades process, was applied to the information provided by schools in order to ensure comparability between the standards applied by individual schools and the national standard. In order to be fair to the class of 2020, the teacher judgements made at the level of the school had to be adjusted so that a common national standard was applied. It was inherent to the system of calculated grades that school estimates would be subject to adjustment through this standardisations process.

These adjustments resulted in the school estimates staying the same or being revised upwards or downwards. The standardisation process operated on the premise that the school estimates should only be adjusted through the standardisation process where there was credible statistical evidence to justify changing them.

A standardising process happens every year and would have happened in 2020 had the Leaving Certificate examinations been run as normal. In the system of calculated grades, the standardisation process applied uniformly across all subject and levels and school types. The degree to which mark changes occurred related to the degree of over or underestimation in the school estimates for each subject and each level. This means that some students experienced mark changes from the school estimates but no changes to the grades based on the school estimates; while others will have experienced marks changes from the teacher estimates leading to grade changes in one or more of their subjects.

Following standardisation, the estimated percentage mark was converted to a calculated mark and subsequently, a calculated grade which was provided to students on 7 September. It is only at this point that students were awarded a grade.

Therefore, it is not accurate to state that student(s) were downgraded, or upgraded, through the standardisation process. Rather the grade that was awarded following the standardisation process is the grade for the 2020 Leaving Certificate (Calculated Grades).

While some students will be disappointed at the results they have achieved, this is the case every year when the Leaving Certificate results are published. It may be more difficult for students to understand when they see the estimated mark from the school.

The appeals process for Calculated Grades was open to students who were disappointed with the Calculated Grades they received in one or more subjects. In addition, students had the option to register to sit the 2020 written Leaving Certificate exams due to commence on 16 November, subject to public health advice.

The marking of the November examinations will rely principally on the expert judgment of the Chief Examiner and members of the senior examining team in the State Examinations Commission (SEC) based on the content of the examination papers and the demands of the marking scheme. This expert judgment approach will ensure that the standards applied in the marking of these examinations will be fair and valid for these candidates, who form a small subset of the overall candidature for Leaving Certificate 2020.

Leaving Certificate candidates sitting the written examinations in November who opted to receive Calculated Grades will be credited with the higher subject grade achieved between the Calculated Grade and the written examination.

2020 Applicants to the CAO will have their final Leaving Certificate results forwarded to the CAO, using their best results of examinations and Calculated Grades, where applicable. They will receive any relevant CAO offers that their results indicate, as a deferred offer for 2021/22.

The Department of Further and Higher Education have worked closely with the higher education institutions to increase the number of third level places available for incoming first years, for all CAO applicants. There were extensive additional higher education places in 2020 – the most places ever offered.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (183)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

183. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if school transport will be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30549/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

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. Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation. The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020.

Children who apply for transport and who are not eligible under the terms of the scheme are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann determines the allocation of the tickets and refunds payments made on behalf of those concessionary applicants for whom no seats remain.

Bus Eireann has confirmed, that the child to whom the Deputy refers, is not eligible for school transport as he is not attending his nearest post primary school and is therefore not eligible under the terms of the scheme. Bus Éireann has also confirmed that payment for school transport for the 2020/2021 school year was received by the family in question on 8th September 2020 and as such is late.

Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year. In addition, payments or submission of medical card details for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route.

In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.

Schools Building Projects

Ceisteanna (184)

Michael Creed

Ceist:

184. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the progress in respect of a proposed new school (details supplied); and if a site has been acquired for same in view of the anticipated opening in 2021. [30557/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The building project for the school in question is included in my Department's capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for the school.

A number of site options have been proposed and assessed. A potential site option has been identified. Negotiations with the landowner in respect of the preferred site option to accommodate the school are under way. You will appreciate that negotiations in respect of site acquisitions are, by their nature, sensitive and for that reason I am not in a position to provide further information at this time. However, I can assure the Deputy that all parties are working to bring matters to a conclusion at the earliest possible date and Department officials will continue to keep the relevant school authorities appraised of progress.

The school will open in September 2021 in interim accommodation, pending delivery of its permanent school building.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (185)

Michael Creed

Ceist:

185. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if her Department has received representations in respect of a school transport issue (details supplied). [30558/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

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. Under the terms of my Department’s School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2kms at primary and 4.8kms at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation.

An application has been submitted for school transport for the children referred to by the Deputy. Officials in School Transport Section of my Department are currently liaising with Bus Éireann in relation to the application for these children.

School Accommodation

Ceisteanna (186)

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

186. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if the approval of an application for additional permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied) will be expedited in view of the increase in enrolment at the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30560/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. Once the application has been assessed, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.

State Examinations

Ceisteanna (187)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she remains satisfied that all issues arising from the 2020 leaving certificate have been fully addressed and resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30569/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a result of COVID-19, which prevented the State from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations this year. The system of Calculated Grades is a complex and sophisticated system. It had to be developed from scratch, specifically for the Irish Leaving Certificate, and within an extremely tight timeframe in order for students to get their Calculated Grades results in time.

On 3 October, I announced that 6,100 Leaving Certificate students would later that day receive details of improved calculated grades, following the correction of errors found in the coding used as part of the Calculated Grades process. As part of the Round 4 offers made by the CAO on 8 October, 485 of these students received a CAO offer as a result of their improved grades. Each of these students will have the opportunity to take up their offers in the current academic year.

I also announced on 3 October that I had asked that an independent review of the design and implementation of the Calculated Grades process should take place when the process is complete. The full scope of the review will be clearly set out in advance.

State Examinations

Ceisteanna (188)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

188. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education her plans to make changes in respect of the 2021 leaving certificate having regard to the 2020 experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30570/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and which led the decision not to run the state examinations this summer.

In the context of the return to schools of students for the 2020/21 school year my Department published a range of documentation and support material as part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, which is available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. This includes guidelines on the adjusted assessment arrangements for state examinations in summer 2021. The Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021 are available at the following link:

https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Curriculum-and-Syllabus/assessment-arrangements-junior-cycle-and-leaving-certificate-examinations-2021.pdf.

As schools have significant autonomy in determining how to sequence and pace learning for students in their schools, no centrally prescribed adjustment of the curriculum and courses of study have been made for students taking the certificate examinations in 2021. Consequently, the most appropriate way to reflect and take account of the challenges for students that have occurred in 2019/20, and may occur in 2020/21, was to incorporate adjustments to the certificate examinations in 2021.

These adjustments have been arrived at through discussions between my Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders. The key stakeholders that were consulted in relation to the document included unions representing teachers, and school management bodies.

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