Primary school to have 35 pupils in one classroom

IN a school of its size, there shouldn’t be more than 28 children in one classroom, but one teacher in a Co Cork school will have 35 pupils to teach after the mid-term.

Parents at the Passage West school have been reacting with horror to news that two fifth classes and two sixth classes are to be amalgamated and divided into three classes as a temporary teacher will not be replaced after mid-term.

The school had projected that it would have 410 pupils this year, but their actual numbers fell by 23 when a number of families moved out of Passage West over the summer.

And so they were informed last week by the Department of Education that a teacher on a 10-week temporary contract with the school will not be returning after the mid-term as their numbers don’t justify their teacher count.

At present there are two fifth classes and two sixth classes in the school, each with about 25 pupils. Instead, because there will be one teacher fewer, they will have two split sixth/fifth classes of 31 — and most incredibly, one fifth class of 35.

Headmaster Brendan McCormac has said he is “keenly aware of how difficult it will be” and said he is “not happy at all”.

The school has appealed the decision to the department.

He also said that pupil numbers are due to rise over the magic 402 pupil threshold next September so they will be re-allocated a 15th teacher in September — even though they would much rather keep that 15th teacher over the next eight months.

Parents have described it as a “huge upheaval, especially to fifth class” and “unjust, poorly timed and completely devoid of any consideration of child or teacher welfare”.

“The teacher managing fifth class will have to cope with an immediate increase in student numbers from 25 to 35. No teacher with a class of 25 could give the same individual attention in a class of 35. That is an immediate increase in class size of 40%. These children are of mixed ability and mixed nationality,” one parent said.

The Department of Education has confirmed that a pupil:teacher ratio of 28:1 would be the norm for Star of the Sea. However, it refused to accept that it was to blame for classes of 31 and 35.

“We have given the school sufficient teachers to allow an acceptable teacher:pupil ratio, how that is allocated per class is up to the management of the school,” a spokesman said.

Ireland has the largest class sizes in the EU.