Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 1304: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when extra teaching staff will be appointed having particular regard to local demographics at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1616/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools.

The general rule is that the schedule provides at least one classroom teacher for every 29 pupils in the school. Schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios than that — with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on — but the general rule is that there is at least one classroom teacher for every 29 children in the school. Next year this is being reduced to 28 children per classroom teacher and in 2007-08 it will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher. Officials in my Department are currently drawing up the revised staffing schedule necessary to achieve this. Schools will be asked to use the extra class teachers provided as a result of the revised schedule to provide for smaller classes in the junior grades.

With regard to the specific school referred to by the Deputy, the enrolment in the school at 30 September 2004 was 148 pupils which warranted a staffing of principal and five mainstream class teaching posts for the 2005-06 school year. However, the school was granted two extra mainstream class teachers for the 2005-06 school year under developing school criteria due to a projected increased enrolment of 187 pupils on 30 September 2005. In addition, the school also has one learning support-resource post and one temporary resource post.

To ensure openness and transparency in the system an independent appeal board is now in place to decide on any appeals on mainstream staffing. The criteria under which an appeal can be made are set out in Department Primary Circular 19/02, which is also available on my Department's website.