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

Question 511: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she expects a school (details supplied) in County Kildare to be fully occupied with a full quota of staff required to meet the population needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40639/06]

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

The Deputy will be aware that the staffing schedule for primary schools is structured to ensure that all primary schools will operate to an average mainstream class size of 28 pupils. Posts allocated on the basis of this schedule are specifically for mainstream classes and should be deployed accordingly. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible, taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment). In particular, school authorities should ensure that there is an equitable distribution of pupils in mainstream classes and that the differential between the largest and smallest classes is kept to a minimum.

Based on an enrolment of 52 pupils on the 30th September 2005, as submitted by the Board of Management of the school that, it is assumed, the Deputy is referring to, the mainstream staffing warranted for the 2006/2007 school year is a Principal and 2 mainstream class teachers. Within the terms of the current staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year.

A developing school is defined as a school where the enrolment on 30 September of one year is projected to exceed the enrolment on 30 September of the previous year by a minimum specified numerical increase and by having an excess of 5 pupils above the required appointment figure.

The school has secured 6 developing school posts for the 2006/2007 school year based on the enrolment of 216 pupils as submitted by the Board of Management of the school on the 30th September, 2006. The school also has the services of 1 Permanent Learning Support/Resource teacher, 1 Permanent Special Class Teacher and 3 Temporary Language Support teachers. The overall total staffing of the schools for the current school year is therefore Principal and 13 teachers.