Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the high pupil/teacher ratio in a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and her plans to alleviate same. [21593/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on the 30th September of the previous school year and by reference to a staffing schedule. The staffing schedule for the 2006/07 school year is outlined in Primary Circular 23/06 which issued to all primary schools recently.

In the current school year the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy comprises of a Principal and nine mainstream class teaching posts. This is based on an enrolment of 240 pupils at 30th September, 2004. The school also has one Permanent Learning support post and three Temporary Learning support posts.

The mainstream staffing of the school for the 2006/2007 school year will remain at a Principal and nine mainstream class teaching posts. This is based on an enrolment of 240 pupils at 30th September, 2005.

The staffing schedule is structured to ensure that all primary schools will operate to an average mainstream class size of 29 pupils. 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. Next year this is being reduced to 28 children per classroom teacher and in 2007/2008 it will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher. School authorities should ensure that there is an equitable distribution of pupils in mainstream classes and that the differential between the largest and the smallest classes is kept to a minimum.