Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 October 2023
157. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the number of children without a school place who were forced to avail of home tuition in each year over the past five years, in tabular form for both primary and secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45610/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra158. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the length of time each child who was without a school place availed of the home tuition scheme in each year of the last five years, in tabular form both at primary and secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45611/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra159. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the number of children without a school place forced to rely on home tuition who successfully went into the school system thereafter in each year of the past five years, including how many did not, both at primary and secondary level, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45612/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra160. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education to outline the Department policy on assisting children without a school place who need home tuition beyond the 12 weeks maximum cited in an earlier reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45613/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra161. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education to outline the Department policy and practice on assessment of the effectiveness and quality of home tuition for those children without a school place; when they return to or enter the school system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45614/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 161, inclusive, together.
My Department published Circulars 0024/2023 and 0031/2023 on gov.ie - Home Tuition (www.gov.ie) detailing the Home Tuition provisions for children without a school place.
The purpose of my Department's Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. For children without a school place my Department administers Home Tuition schemes for:
a. Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school
b. Students who are temporarily without a school place, is without an offer of a school place and is actively seeking a school placement in a recognised school
Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is provided in very limited and specific circumstances. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term educational intervention. It is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is not available and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a school placement. Home tutors are engaged by the parents/guardians of the child who is to receive the tuition.
My Department funds the cost of tuition provided where this complies fully with the terms of the approval for the scheme. It is a condition of grant funding that tutors engaged by parents are registered with and recognised by the Teaching Council of Ireland. All teachers currently registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland are vetted by the National Vetting Bureau. It is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian to source a tutor at the earliest possible opportunity to allow for applications for registration/vetting to be made by the tutor to the Teaching Council, if necessary.
The Home Tuition grant scheme is operated with the assistance of the Educational Welfare Services of the Tusla Child and Family Agency. Application forms for scheme a) above are available from the gov.ie websitegov.ie - Home Tuition (www.gov.ie). Application forms for scheme b) grant scheme are available from the local Educational Welfare Officer (EWO)/or the appointed social worker. Contact details for the EWOs in a specific area can be obtained from the following website at www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/education-and-welfare/#EWO.
The number of children without a school place who availed of home tuition over the past five years – for both primary and post-primary level are as follows:
|
Year |
No. of pupils without a school place |
Post-primary |
Primary |
|
2018/2019 |
288 |
218 |
70 |
|
2019/2020 |
162 |
123 |
39 |
|
2020/2021 |
131 |
104 |
27 |
|
2021/2022 |
111 |
86 |
25 |
|
2022/2023 |
188 |
153 |
35 |
The length of time each child who was without a school place availed of the home tuition scheme in each year of the last five years is as follows:
|
Year |
No. of pupils without a school place |
Post-primary |
Primary |
No. of HT allocations per pupil |
|
2018/2019 |
288 |
218 |
70 |
4 pupils allocated HT 3 times, 60 pupils allocated HT 2 times,224 pupils allocated HT 1 time |
|
2019/2020 |
162 |
123 |
39 |
1 pupil allocated HT 3 times, 33 pupils allocated HT 2 times128 pupils allocated HT 1 time |
|
2020/2021 |
131 |
104 |
27 |
4 pupils allocated HT 3 times, 19 pupils allocated HT 2 times,108 pupils allocated HT 1 time |
|
2021/2022 |
111 |
86 |
25 |
2 pupils allocated HT 3 times,19 pupils allocated HT 2 times,90 pupils allocated HT 1 time |
|
2022/2023 |
188 |
153 |
35 |
5 pupils allocated HT 3 times, 39 pupils allocated HT 2 times, 144 pupils allocated HT 1 time |
Home Tuition- No School Place- provides home tuition for children, other than those children with special education needs, who do not have a school place, are without the offer of a school place and for whom a school place is being actively sought. This includes children in care who are without a school place due to emergency placement or placement disruption. Provision of tuition under the No School Place strand of the scheme is for a maximum of 9 hours per week for 12 weeks.
Children in care grants are provided for a maximum of 9 hours per week for 6 weeks after which they can make a separate application under the No School Place strand of the scheme for further tuition provision. Application forms are available from the appointed social worker.
The purpose of the No School Place (NSP) Home Tuition Scheme is to provide interim provision for children without a school place, without the offer of a school place and for whom a place is being actively sought. Provision of tuition under this scheme is for a maximum of 9 hours per week for a period of 12 weeks or until the end of the school year or until the child in question receives an offer of a school place, whichever occurs first. Home tuition should not be regarded as an alternative to securing a place in a recognized school and is for educational teaching intervention only.
