Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to address literacy and numeracy levels for students particularly those returning to DEIS schools in cases in which there was a pre-existing gap prior to Covid-19; if this will involve an essential increase in teacher continuous professional development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19384/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 27 July, the Government announced the publication of Reopening Our Schools: The Roadmap for The Full Return to School, along with details of a financial package of over €375 million to support its implementation.

The roadmap outlines a comprehensive range of measures being provided to support the full reopening of schools in time for the start of the new school year in late August.

The plan and its accompanying documentation provides schools with guidance on training, checklists for schools on preparing for reopening and guidance for operating the school safely in a Covid-context. It advises on areas across logistics, curriculum, teaching, managing school activities, supporting pupils with additional needs, administration and wellbeing.

My Department has developed guidance for schools to assist them in their planning for reopening so as to ensure that curricular priorities are delivered, ongoing student progression is supported and that teaching and learning is optimal in a new school environment.

The guidance outlines that provision for curriculum in 2020/21 must also take account of the likelihood that the impact of school closure on students’ curriculum experiences were not uniform. Students with special educational needs, students at risk of educational disadvantage, students with English as an additional language (EAL) and students experiencing homelessness or living in direct provision are likely have been the most adversely affected by the lack of classroom contact time, and that schools will need to ensure that those students continue to receive the necessary supports in their learning in the 2020/21 school year.

In taking account of the loss of in-class time at the end of the 2019/2020 school year, and recognising the potential challenges facing schools at the outset of the new school year, support for teacher wellbeing, leadership, digital technologies and support for socio-economic disadvantaged students will be priority areas of focus for my Department’s Support Services.    

My Department, through the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), continues to prioritise Reading and Maths Recovery and research based accredited programmes for those children in DEIS schools who are performing at or below the 1 percentile in standardised tests in DEIS schools as well as maintaining ongoing support for other schools already participating in the Reading and Maths Recovery programmes. 

In addition, all DEIS schools were offered the opportunity to run a one week summer programme targeted at those pupils most in need of support. The aim of the DEIS primary summer camps is to provide rich educational experiences for young people, which foster a sense of belonging and creativity and confidence in their learning. The programme is funded to target educational and social disadvantage. It seeks to assist pupils who are experiencing social or academic difficulties in language and numeracy and who would benefit from a week-long Summer Camp with a very small teacher-pupil ratio.

A new programme was developed this year for DEIS post primary schools focusing on encouraging those students deemed most in need to reconnect with school, supporting their physical, social and emotional wellbeing and providing them with the skills they need to engage in a meaningful way with learning in the future.

It is estimated that the DEIS summer programmes will benefit over 7,000 children and at primary level and over 2,700 young people at post-primary level.