Cut class sizes for infants, urge parents

INFANT class sizes should be reduced to identify and help children with learning difficulties as early as possible, according to the National Parents Council.

The Department of Education has turned down more than 600 applications for extra staff on behalf of 1,500 primary pupils with special needs after a review of procedures.

Their schools had applied to appoint resource teachers and special needs assistants for them, but the review found that 40% of cases did not satisfy the qualifying criteria.