Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 692: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the situation whereby several classes in a school (details supplied) in County Cork, have pupil numbers into the mid to high thirties which is not conducive to ideal learning; and the action he proposes to take in relation to this situation. [23010/08]

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.

Data submitted to my Department by the Board of Management of the school referred to by the Deputy, indicates that the enrolment in the school on 30th September 2006 was 319 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0020/2007), which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007/08 school year is a Principal and 12 mainstream class teachers.

According to data submitted by the Board of Management the enrolment on 30th September 2007 was 326 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule (Circular 0010/2008), which is also 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 remain at a Principal and 12 mainstream class teachers.

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.

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 first meeting of the Appeal Board took place on 20th May, 2008. Further meetings will be held in June and October, 2008. The closing dates for receipt of appeals are 20 June and 10 October respectively. 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 Department and its decision is final.