Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the survey on school uniforms that was carried out in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41460/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school.  In late 2013, as part of an initiative in this area, schools were requested to ballot parents on school uniform policy. This move was aimed at giving parents a say on what, if any, uniforms a school should have and, in turn, to tackle the high costs of some uniforms. This exercise was carried out on a local basis by individual school managements. There was no requirement on them to report the results to the Department.

At my request the National Parents Council Primary and National Parents Council Post Primary surveyed parents regarding their experience of this consultation process and they collated data in May 2014. They issued their Report to the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the parents’ survey on the implementation of circular 0063/2013.

Following the implementation of the circular, school authorities will be required to adopt the following principles of cost-effective practice which will put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and other costs:

- All elements of a school uniform should be purchasable from various stores;

- Only iron on or sew on crests should be used;

- Wherever possible, generic rather than branded items should be specified (e.g. uniform, clothing, IT tablets, sports equipment etc.);

- Provide parents with a list of all required items and indicate the likely costs of these required items at best value stores;

- Provide a book rental scheme;

- Phase out, between now and September 2018, the use of workbooks which cannot be reused;

- Where an exclusive supply arrangement applies, it should be tendered for regularly and;

- The Board of Management in each school will have to review the cost of items which they require parents to purchase and to make this information available to the school community.

Schools will consult with parents on their views and ask for suggestions on cost reduction initiatives. Parents will be asked for their views about school uniform costs, and other costs, through a questionnaire.

In relation to workbooks, the Circular advises that schools should phase out, between now and September 2018, the use of workbooks which cannot be reused.

My Department is very aware of the appropriate contribution that well-designed learning activities can make in the classroom. Resources that align well with the learning objectives of the curriculum (including workbook tasks) and which foster development of key skills and concepts are an important support for classroom learning and teaching and can help to consolidate students’ understanding.

Used skilfully, such activities can provide the teacher with valuable opportunities to promote independent learning; and for learners they can facilitate completion of differentiated activities or tasks at a number of levels. When these kinds of activities are integrated well into classroom teaching and learning, they can provide rich learning opportunities especially when combined with focussed classroom talk and discussion. By contrast, the negative uses of workbooks have also been highlighted in inspection reports, and appropriate recommendations made, in that regard, to schools and teachers.

My Department is committed to working with the Irish Educational Publisher’s Association to ensure that progress can be made on developing workbooks that can be reused.

The Circular provides a period, between now and September 2018, for the phasing out of workbooks which cannot be reused.

My Department supports for the provision of school books are dealt with through the school book rental scheme.  My Department provides funding of €16m annually to schools to support the operation of school book rental schemes for students in all recognised Primary and Post-Primary schools within the Free Education Scheme. The arrangements in relation to this scheme are set out in Circular 0046/2013 which is published on my Department's website at .

A copy of that Report shall be made available to the Deputy.