Principals demand school selection overhaul

PRINCIPALS have called for a huge overhaul of how schools are selected in relation to the provision of support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD), with members in all 740 second level schools, is seeking changes in the criteria used by the Department of Education to decide which schools should benefit from such supports.

More than 80 schools which previously enjoyed extra resources to help cater for large numbers of disadvantaged students were not included in the programme of supports under Education Minister Mary Hanafin’s DEIS plan for increasing social inclusion in schools.

The first review of which schools should benefit will not take place until 2010, leaving hundreds of students at these schools without the same level of assistance former pupils might have had.

“Some of the schools dropped from the DEIS disadvantage programme are the only second level schools in their area, so nobody could possibly say they have no students from poor or deprived backgrounds,” said NAPD director Mary McGlynn.

“One of the main grounds on which schools were chosen was Junior Certificate results, but disadvantage is about much more than academic achievement. They should also consider factors like attendance,” she said.

The Irish Examiner revealed yesterday that 10 schools dropped from the list of most disadvantaged by the Department of Education last year no longer have access to the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

This could mean students at these schools must wait months longer than previously for a psychological assessment for a learning difficulty or a personal problem.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin has insisted that it was as a result of changes to NEPS staffing in their areas rather than their exclusion from the DEIS list that schools have lost direct access to the service.

The minister assured schools not included for support under DEIS, which previously benefited from Disadvantaged Areas Scheme (DAS) support, that they would not lose any assistance in 2006/2007.

Schools from which NEPS services have been withdrawn must now rely on a Department of Education scheme allowing them to commission assessments from private psychologists, which may be force students to wait months longer than if their school had direct NEPS access.

Schools which have lost NEPS service

St Aidan’s Community College, Dublin Hill, Cork.

Boherbue Comprehensive School, Co Cork.

De la Salle College, Churchtown, Dublin 14.

St Declan’s College, Cabra, Dublin 7.

Moyne Community School, Co Longford.

Our Lady’s College, Drogheda, Co Louth.

Presentation Secondary School, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

*St Mary’s Secondary School, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

*Belcamp College, Malahide Road, Dublin 17.

*Greendale Community School, Kilbarrack, Dublin 5 .

*These schools will close this summer