IPPN

E-Scéal 87: SEN - Clarification sought by IPPN on your Behalf

Published: 23 May 2005

The General Allocation System for SEN has reached most schools by now. IPPN, conscious of the difficulties being experienced by principals, has compiled a list of the 13 questions most frequently asked by our members in order to provide you with some clarity.

We have strongly impressed on the DES how unacceptable and frustrating the lateness of this announcement is, particularly for principals who as a consequence will have to organise teacher appointments over the coming summer months.

At a meeting with DES officials on Monday 16th May, IPPN discovered that the new general allocation system was going to have profoundly negative consequences for some teachers in our schools. Where schools had resource posts for SEN appointed on a permanent basis for some years, and where the number of these posts was greater than the general allocation now provided for the school, these permanent positions would be downgraded to temporary status. This would mean that some teachers would go on the redeployment panel. This serious situation arising from the new general allocation system had not been brought to the attention of the DES previously. Given the urgency and importance of this issue IPPN made strong representations to the DES not to proceed with this policy. IPPN has since been contacted by the DES to say that a decision has now been made not to alter the status of any permanent posts this year, where evidence can be provided that the post is warranted. IPPN is pleased with this decision. Please bring this issue to the attention of your teachers and suggest that they bring the matter to the attention of their union in respect of their employment rights.

IPPN was assured by the DES that all queries in relation to the general allocation system will be responded to systematically. In order to facilitate efficient response to queries and bearing in mind the high volume of calls, the DES has asked you to address your questions to the contact person mentioned at the end of Schedule A, either by phone (as given in Schedule A) or by fax at 0906476939

Questions and Answers: General Allocation

Query 1

(a) Can hours for low incidence SEN be added to part-time posts allocated
under the general allocation system to make up permanent posts?

Answer: No. However they can be combined to make a temporary post, unless you have been directed in Schedule B to cluster with another school. All low incidence hours and posts are temporary.

(b) Can the hours for high incidence SEN be added to the allocation
based on the general allocation system to make up permanent posts or will all these hours constitute temporary posts?

Answer: All these posts would be temporary. The 320 temporary posts announced are to cover the pupils that were previously granted resource hours but are now in the high incidence category. As these children leave the system so also will these posts.

Query 2: If only my own school is mentioned on Schedule B, what am I to do about clustering?

Answer: If no other school is mentioned on Schedule B, you can search for another school with which to cluster in order to make up a full permanent post. This proposal must go in writing to the DES for approval. Alternatively you could add your own low incidence hours (temporary) to your general allocation (permanent) to make a full time temporary post in your own school. Subject to making a case with the DES you might be allowed to retain the permanent post for the coming year.

Query 3: If I have permanent resource posts for SEN appointed some years ago and the number is greater than my general allocation for SEN under the new system, what will happen to those posts? Will there be panel implications?

Answer: A decision has now been made by the DES not to alter the status of any permanent post this year where evidence can be provided that the posts are warranted. Such evidence will include a list of the pupils with SEN concerned, their SEN category (i.e. high or low incidence), the class in which they are currently and a written commitment from the principal to inform the DES when the children concerned leave the school.

Query 4: Why did all schools not receive a Schedule C?

Answer: Schedule C deals with schools which would be due to have staffing allocations reduced and who have individualised resource allocation in respect of children in high incidence SEN categories. Schools will be allowed to retain this allocation for these pupils until they leave the school. Schedule C applies to schools in this situation only.
However if schools did not receive Schedule C, and think they fit into the category described above, they should make a case in writing to the Special Education Section, DES, Athlone.

Query 5

I have a specific enquiry with regard to weighted system. I have a small special class in my school, which was sanctioned on a temporary basis about 7 yrs ago. These children are classed as having a general learning disability and would now meet 'high incidence criteria'. Under the new system our school would gain one new teacher and my query is does the new weighted system include special classes already in existence or are they outside the web?

Answer: Special classes are exempt and are not affected by the general allocation. The numbers in them are however deducted from your enrolment prior to your general allocation being calculated.

Query 6

Could you ask for clarification please, on the issue of "Disadvantage status" and the weighted allocation. We are designated disadvantage and benefit financially under 'Giving Children an Even Break' but have do not have the 1:80 allocation, nor a pupil teacher ratio of 27:1.

Answer: Only those schools in the urban 'Giving Children an Even Break' that received extra staffing are included in the 80:1. A review of the disadvantage scheme may result in some changes in the future. This could be a two edged sword if some schools are taken out of 80:1 ratio

Query 7

My specific query is in relation to developing school status. If a school qualifies for developing school status according to enrolment next September 30th, will its SET allocation for 2005/2006 school year be based on the current year's enrolment - i.e. the enrolment on 30/9/05?

Answer: The allocation that you receive in your school this week will be reviewed in two years. However in the case of developing school status the individual school will be able to make a case with the DES. It raises a serious question as the figures that the DES is basing their allocations on are the mainstream enrolments of 30th Sept. 2003. If your allocation is for two years then the figures will be four years old at that stage.

Query 8

Are Learning Support Teachers to be included in the new allocation system as SEN Teachers?

Answer: While I welcome the Ministers announcement of the 650 new Resource Teachers, I am furious that my school will loose a Resource Teacher. We will have circa 460 pupils in September. Under the old system, this would have entitled us to 3 Resource Teachers. Now we will need 495 pupils to qualify.

Answer: Learning support is part of the new general allocation.

Query 9

We are an 'even break' disadvantaged infant mixed and therefore due 1:80. I rang the DES to be told it included learning support. We already have a full time LS post and with only 155 pupil I am due to loose my administrative status, and 2 teaching posts. If the system were brought in last year we would have gained a post thus saving my admin. post and resolving the serious special needs. The system as is further disadvantages our children and rather than alleviate the situation has made our children more disadvantaged!

Answer: Your allocation this year should be identical to that received last year. The 80:1 ratio has not changed.

Query 10

As a mixed 'Breaking the Cycle' school, now "Giving Children an Even Break", are we disadvantaged, thus qualifying for 80 for appointment? This may seem like a strange question, but disadvantage has many forms, and before I get my hopes up, I need to check!

Answer: If you gained extra staff under 'Giving Children an even Break', then you qualify for 80:1, provided you are in the urban scheme.

Query 11

What qualifications will be required for the amalgamation of resource teacher and remedial teacher?

Answer: Currently a Resource Teacher does not require Irish, but a Learning Support Teacher does. Currently a Montessori qualification is appropriate for resource teaching. The qualifications required for all posts are those of a fully qualified, probated teacher. The DES feels that this gives greater flexibility to principals when assigning classes each year.

Query 12

Please enquire if the following has changed:
Do we still have to re-apply for S.E.N. resources for children transferring from a Junior School to a Senior School? Last year the children who went from Second Class in our Junior School to Third Class in the Senior School, just across the yard, had to have all their resources re-applied for. The most serious case was a child who lost her very recently sanctioned 5 hours Resource Teaching and her Full Time SNA
It took the principal of the Senior School up to March of this year to have the Resources reinstated.

Answer: The SENO will now make the decision. This could be done at any time but certainly no later than March or April of the previous year.

NOTE:

If further questions arise that are not covered in the above list please email them to Pat Goff at scoilmhuire2.ias@eircom.net. IPPN will then answer the questions in an E-scéal so that all members will access the information as quickly as possible.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell, Director
Irish Primary Principals' Network.