Gaelscoil’s timetable for English ‘insufficient’

THE English literacy of pupils in a Kerry gaelscoil has suffered because of the school’s policy not to teach English to infant classes, Department of Education inspectors have found.

This is just one finding of a report given to the school after parents complained in 2004 that pupils were not being taught English in junior and senior infants.

The inspectors visited Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn in November 2005 and February last year. The Department of Education had previously refused a Freedom of Information request from the Irish Examiner to release the report and correspondence with the school on the issue. The report’s findings and recommendations have now been seen by the Irish Examiner.