Gaelscoil finds pupils’ English reading skills outperform national average

PUPILS at a Kerry gaelscoil have better English reading skills than other children by the time they reach third class, a study has shown.

The findings call into question a 2006 report by Department of Education inspectors on English literacy of children up to first class at Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn in Tralee, where pupils are not taught English until senior infants under a policy known as total early immersion.

The inspectors found pupils had “severe and significant deficiencies in English”. This evidence informed Education Minister Mary Hanafin’s decision last summer to limit all-Irish schools from using total early immersion beyond the first term of junior infants.