Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

355. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special schools that provided a July provision summer programme in 2019 and 2020 respectively. [28152/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.

This is an incredibly important Government decision, which ensures that for first time all primary and post-primary schools have the opportunity to provide summer programmes for students with complex needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.

The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.

The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those in provided in DEIS schools last year. The existing Special Class and Special School Programme has been expanded from 4 to 5 weeks.

While participation in the programmes is voluntary, enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage schools to offer the programme, including measures to reduce the administrative burden, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit newly qualified teachers graduating this summer to work on the programme.

A home-based summer programme will continue to be available for students with complex needs where their schools are not providing a school-based programme.

Special Schools who participated in the school based summer programme