Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the situation in respect of funding for accommodation improvements at a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; the pupil-teacher ratio; if there are plans to improve the pupil-teacher at this school by providing extra staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12122/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by applying the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year to a staffing schedule agreed between my Department and the education partners. The system for allocating teachers to primary schools is based on ensuring an overall maximum class of 29 in each school. Where some classes in a school have class sizes of greater than 29, it is generally because a decision has been taken at local level to use their teaching resources to have smaller numbers in other classes.

In accordance with the staffing schedule, the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the school year 2004-05 is a principal and seven mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 183 pupils at 30 September 2003. In addition, the school has two resource teachers and the services of a learning support teacher. The pupil-teacher ratio in this school is 18:1, not including the shared post. My Department will finalise the staffing schedule for the 2005-06 school year shortly and thereafter notify school boards of management.

According to data submitted to my Department by the board of management, the enrolment on 30 September 2004 in the school was 183 pupils. Staffing for the 2005-06 school year will be determined on the basis of this figure and in accordance with the agreed staffing schedule.

The Deputy asked also about the school's accommodation requirements. The school was among the 43 schools that I announced recently were authorised to enter the architectural planning process. My officials visited the school recently to determine the project brief and an advertisement will be placed shortly for the appointment of a design team.