Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 626: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he is aware that a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim will have 39 pupils in the first class classroom with only one teacher for the school year 2008-2009; the plans he has to divide up classes more evenly; and if he will provide an undertaking to all concerned parents that their fears will be alleviated by giving a commitment that the number of pupils in the classroom will be reduced for the 2008-2009 school year. [22511/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups. 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.

Posts allocated on the basis of this staffing 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. The Department's Inspector will monitor the deployment of staff and class sizes in the school referred to by the Deputy and discuss with the school authority the basis on which school policy decisions in this regard have been made.

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 If the specified figure is not achieved on 30th September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

The mainstream staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the current school year is a Principal and 4 mainstream class teaching posts. This is based on an enrolment of 120 pupils at 30th September 2006. The school also secured an additional mainstream class teacher for the 2007/2008 school year under developing school criteria resulting in staffing of Principal and 5 mainstream class teachers.

According to data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school, the enrolment in the school on 30th September 2007 was 148 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0010/2008), which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie and a hard copy of which has been issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2008/09 school year will be a Principal and 5 mainstream class teachers.

The Board of Management of the school submitted an application seeking the appointment of two additional mainstream class teachers for September 2008 under developing school criteria. Provisional sanction for the 6th and 7th mainstream class teachers was given by the Primary Payments Section of my Department in a letter to the Chairperson on 1st May 2008 based on a projected enrolment of 163 pupils.

The projected enrolment for September 2008 will be reviewed in October 2008. It will be necessary for the Board of Management to confirm in writing to Primary Payments Section the actual enrolment achieved in the school on 30th September 2008. The letter must reach Primary Payments Section within 5 days of 30th September 2008.

In the event that the projected enrolment is not reached 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. The criteria are also available in Circular 0024/2007 (Appeal Board for Mainstream Staffing in Primary Schools) which is available on my Department's website. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.