Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is normal practice in a secondary school to teach subjects to both 5th and 6th year students at the one time; if this is allowed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3440/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations for post-primary schools are approved annually by the Department of Education in accordance with established rules based on recognised student enrolment. The deployment of this allocation is a matter for school leadership and management.

Circumstances may arise, especially in smaller post-primary schools, in which the most effective use of available resources involves the timetabling of a particular subject for two year groups at the same time. This may be used to enable the school to offer a particular subject that is not currently studied by a large number of students.

Such an arrangement requires great care in the sequencing of content to ensure breadth, balance, continuity and progression in the learning of all of the students concerned.