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

Question 745: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her proposals to increase the number of teachers at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare as currently the senior infants class has 34 pupils to one teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20281/07]

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

Question 863: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action that has been taken to reduce pupil-teacher ratio in the classroom at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21155/07]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 745 and 863 together.

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

According to data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy, the enrolment in the school on 30th September 2006 was 432 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0020/2007), which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie and a hard copy of which has issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007/08 school year will be a Principal and 16 mainstream class teachers. This is an increase from a mainstream staffing in the 2006/07 school year of a Principal and 15 mainstream class teachers.

The school also has the following other posts for the 2007/2008 school year:

3 Permanent Learning Support/Resource Posts

1 Permanent Special Class Post

3 Temporary Language Support Posts

Within the terms of the 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. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30th September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

Based on data submitted to my Department the school referred to by the Deputy has been sanctioned a developing school post for the 2007/08 school year based on a projected enrolment of 458 pupils for the 30th September 2007. The school authorities were notified of this in a letter dated 3 July 2007.

It is open to the Board of Management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board which was established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule. They are also available in Circular 0024/2007 (Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in Primary Schools) which is available on my Department's website. Hard copies of this circular have issued to primary schools.

The Appeal Board meets holds three meetings per year to consider appeals. Meetings of the Board were held in May and July 2007 and a further meeting will be held on 23 October, 2007. The closing date for receipt of appeals for that meeting is the 12 October 2007. Appeals must be submitted to Primary Payments Section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, on the standard application form, clearly stating the criterion under which the appeal is being made. The standard application form is available from Primary Payments Section or on my Department's website.

The Appeal Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.