Call for longer-term view of staffing in small schools

Primary teachers have called for longer-term thinking on staffing for small schools after it emerged the Department of Education is supporting the opening of a Dublin primary school with just one pupil.

The Irish Examiner revealed yesterday just one girl was enrolled when Scoil Aoife opened in Tallaght this week under the management of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board.

The department said on Wednesday that it is not unusual for new schools to grow from low numbers in the beginning, and that the school’s enrolment is expected to grow in the coming weeks.