Written answers

Tuesday, 15 November 2005

Department of Education and Science

Disadvantaged Status

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the most recent list of disadvantaged schools was published; if an updated and expanded list will be published to include the maximum number of Tipperary schools in the revised list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34243/05]

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 574: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary has been classified as disadvantaged; when the school received this classification; if she will ensure that the school is classified as severely disadvantaged; if the school will be provided with the maximum grant-aid and supports for such schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34244/05]

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary has been considered for a programme; when the school received this consideration; if she will ensure that the school receives the maximum classification under this programme; if the school will be provided with the maximum grant-aid and supports for such schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34245/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 to 575, inclusive, together.

My Department's approach to tackling disadvantage has been refined in more recent initiatives to ensure that individual 'at risk' pupils are targeted. Rather than the old method of designating schools as disadvantaged, we now provide supports that are commensurate with the levels of concentration in schools of pupils with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage.

The school to which the Deputy refers is included in the rural dimension of my Department's Giving Children an Even Break programme aimed at combating educational disadvantage. The school receives additional financial resources to provide educational supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils.

A key element of DEIS, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the new action plan for educational inclusion, is the putting in place of a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage in our primary and second level schools for the purposes of qualifying for resources, both human and financial, according to the degree of disadvantage experienced. This standardised system will replace all of the existing arrangements for targeting schools for participation in initiatives to address disadvantage.

As a result of the identification process, approximately 600 primary schools, comprising 300 urban-town and 300 rural, and 150 second level schools will be included in a new school support programme, SSP. The SSP will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions for schools and school clusters-communities with a concentrated level of educational disadvantage.

We anticipate being in a position to notify participating schools in relation to the outcome of the ongoing identification process by the end of the year.

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