‘Officials only care about the numbers’

The loss of two teachers, combined with other cuts to resources, will undermine what one Cork primary school has worked so hard to achieve, says Education Correspondent Niall Murray.

GLASHEEN Boys National School was included in a Department of Education scheme for schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils in 2002.

The two extra teachers it was given under Giving Children an Even Break were kept when the scheme was replaced by the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme in 2005.

The inclusion of the school in Band 2 of DEIS recognises that while it does not have as high a proportion of disadvantage as others, it has a mixed profile among its pupils.

“We have kids who are doing very well academically, kids who have intellectual problems, children who have come here from abroad, or come from other schools because we cater for their needs, or children with learning support needs and might not be able to get what they need elsewhere,” explains principal Michael Daly.

Under the proposed withdrawal of 428 pre-DEIS disadvantage posts, the school and its 292 pupils would lose two of its 13 classroom teachers.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said no school will lose resources it receives under DEIS and that he is simply trying to ensure DEIS schools are not at a disadvantage to others which have kept what he calls “legacy posts”.

Michael, who has been principal since 2000, says the favourable staffing levels the school has from the concessionary posts have helped keep class sizes low. However, the loss of two teachers if the measure goes ahead, combined with other cuts and changes in staffing allocations, will make the educational landscape at the school entirely different.

With junior and senior infants in classes of 20 or less — in keeping with best practice of small classes in early education — and older children in classes of up to 28, the average class size is about 22 or 23 pupils.

“The success of programmes like Reading Recovery, Literacy Lift-Off, Maths for Fun and Ready Set Go Maths speak for themselves.

“Our children are doing very well and our test results stand up to scrutiny,” says Michael.

“We have been achieving huge success and performing above our weight. We’ve been in the top five each of the last few years in the national Credit Union schools quiz.

“There was a big emphasis on literacy and numeracy in the months before these cuts were announced. DEIS schools were being held up as shining example of best practice.

“A lot of the literacy programmes are done in class with the help of learning support. We just couldn’t continue to offer them fully if we are to lose two class teachers and two support teachers.”

The additional cuts he refers to include the impact of a new system of allocating learning support teachers. They help children with common learning difficulties to overcome problems with reading, writing or maths.

Since 2005, they have been allocated on the basis of pupil numbers that year, but from next autumn it will be based on the number of classroom teachers.

Some schools may actually benefit, but the loss of two class teachers would see Glasheen Boys NS drop from having more than three full-time learning support posts to two and a part-time teacher. There could be a further cut in 2013 if enrolment changes affect the school’s general staffing.

The school caters for 36 children with more acute special educational needs, who are allocated four full-time resource teachers.

Their hours are sanctioned at all schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

Like all schools, because of a cap on resource teacher numbers, the Department of Education has only sanctioned 90% of the hours prescribed by the NCSE. However, they are still able to offer programmes designed for pupils with special needs, including a number focusing on developing social, language and motor skills.

Glasheen Boys NS has kept its allocation of seven full-time and three part-time special needs assistants, but they are looking after the care needs of 25 pupils, compared to 16 a year ago.

Michael and his staff also cater for about 100 children whose first language is not English or for whom another language is primarily spoken at home.

But like other schools, they are losing one of two language support teachers, despite having had four for the same number of newcomer pupils a few years ago.

All schools will be expected to cater for the needs of such pupils from within their learning support provision, even though some schools might not have any children enrolled in need of the language supports.

“We have accepted all these children into the school and they are doing very well. But now they want to pull away all those resources they have given us to cater for these extra children,” Michael says.

“We have proportionally higher numbers than other schools of international students and children who need learning supports because we have got a reputation for catering for them and they are all very welcome here.

“There are also a lot of children in socially difficult situations, but it’s all part of the remit that schools in disadvantage schemes cater for,” Michael says.

“With our staffing, we were able to accept children who other schools might not have accepted. They are now in the system and have to be provided for. But now, sadly, the Government is proposing to take away those supports.

“It’s like being given a car and told to drive from Cork to Belfast, but somebody takes half the wheels off at Portlaoise. We’re fighting it very hard and we intend to keep arguing to keep these badly-needed resources.”

Michael says the Department of Education is not interested in the stories schools like his tell about the effects of cutbacks.

“They’re only interested in numbers and the overall economics. I could be moving from a situation of having had some children in classes of 20 or less over the years with all the supports they need, to some being in a mixed-grade class of 37 or 38 with far less supports,” he says.

“If they were to do a proper review, more schools would probably qualify for supports, but they are only equalising downwards.”

Michael says all staff at the school have been trained in a range of literacy and numeracy programmes and the children who have benefited are doing well in second-level schools.

“But my concern is that we have to cater for the current pupils and those coming after them. We will continue to do our best for every child who comes through our door but we will stop at nothing to have the very best for the children in this school.”