Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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57. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have signed up for the enhanced summer July provision programme for children with additional educational needs; the reason her Department did not announce the details of the programme until mid-May impacting on the time for school planning and parents' ability to source tutors; if she will consider implementing a review of the programme with a view to incorporating long-term planning which avoids schemes being developed and announced last minute as is the case at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35353/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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It is acknowledged that the closure of schools for extended periods on two separate occasions, over the past two years, due to COVID restrictions, has meant that this has been a very difficult period for our young people and students.

These difficulties were often even more pronounced for students who have disabilities, or special educational needs, who often found it harder to fully participate with remote education.

It is for this reason that Government, confirmed that special education should be a priority as part of school reopening earlier this year with special schools and special classes being prioritised for the earliest stages of school reopening.

In addition to prioritising pupils with special educational needs to return to school, my Department has also provided for a range of measures to support such pupils while out of school. This included measures to support the provision of teaching support during the school closure period and a supplementary education scheme.

All schools reopened on 12 April. Priority was then given to planning for an expanded summer programme. There was extensive consultation with stakeholders with a particular focus on the barriers to school participation. Steps were taken to address issues identified including the provision of paid planning and preparation time, flexibility on the timing, reduced administrative burden, increased guidance and support and arrangements to pay teachers and SNAs earlier.

The arrangements for an expanded summer programme for 2021 were announced in May some weeks ahead of last year with a budget of €40m. Under the 2021 programme, students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage will have access to an enhanced summer programme of education.

Participation by schools, teachers and SNAs is voluntary.

A home based strand is available for children with complex needs as in previous years. Support and information has been provided to help parents in securing a tutor.

The closing date for school registration for the programme was 25 June. The following table provides data on the number of schools registered for the special education programme at this time and comparative figures for 2020.

Information on the actual level of take up will only become available when applications for funding are received when the programmes are complete probably September/October period.

In line with policy advice received from the NCSE, a review of the July Provision was commenced in 2019 but was paused due to Covid but will get underway again shortly.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it will be ensured that a primary school (details supplied) is provided with a SNA allocation and SET hours to meet its needs in September 2021. [35177/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.

It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion and the Minister of State for Education have agreed on the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year:

- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically rollover into the 2021/22 school year.

- No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.

- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way.

- Priority consideration will now be given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year, in particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised. Determinations will be made before 30 June. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.

Where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/for-schools

SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.

Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.

The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fair allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the level of need in each school.

It is also acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the allocations for developing school status.

These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of schools capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.

A process is available where schools can seek a review of their allocations by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.

If you wish to make an exceptional needs review appeal you may do so at the following link: ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Primary-Schools-Review-Application-2020.doc

The NCSE has published the SNA and SET allocations for the 2021/22 school year on their website at ncse.ie/statistics

The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.

The NCSE have confirmed that Ardagh BNS has recently submitted applications seeking exceptional reviews of their SNA and SET allocations and that both applications are being processed.

As this question relates to a particular school, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.