IPPN

Published: 01 June 2005

Many principals are still unclear about the implications of the General Allocation Model for SEN staffing. Below, please find some further points of clarification.

Is sinne le meas,
Virginia O'Mahony, President, Scoil Chaitrí­ona, Renmore, Galway
Pat Goff, SEN Liaison, IPPN Executive - Scoil Mhuire, Coolcotts, Wexford

Schedule C

Schedule C deals with schools due to have their staffing allocations reduced and who have individualized resource allocation in respect of children in the high incidence category. Only about 20% of schools received an allocation under Schedule C. If you did not receive this allocation then you no longer can count high incidence hours in the formation of a new full- time post or for part -time hours. The example given below illustrates the formula used by the DES in calculating Schedule C. School X has been allocated 0.4 of a post under the General Allocation Model, but also have 6 pupils with high incidence special needs allocated individual resource teaching hours.

6 pupils with high incidence special needs @ 2.5 hours = 15 hours
General Allocation of 0.4 = 10 hours
Schedule C (Transitional Hours) = 5 hours (0.2 of a post)

IPPN is seriously concerned that the existing workload of the Learning Support Teacher is not factored into this formula

Redeployment Panels

Principals, particularly in schools that are due to have a Special Needs post suppressed, are working extremely hard to form clusters to protect jobs. The General Allocation clustering arrangements notified to schools has, in many instances, made this job more onerous. These clusters were formed by the inspectorate last year based on different ratios and are almost unworkable in some cases. If you are one of the schools losing a special needs post it is important that you protect the panel rights of the teacher by notifying Primary Payments. Please attend to this immediately even if you are in the process of forming a full time post through clustering of hours. The name of the teacher can be withdrawn from the panel when the post is formed and sanctioned.

Who should go on the Panel?

In normal circumstances it is the most junior teacher in a school that is placed on the panel when a post is being suppressed. However in schools where there is a teacher with restricted recognition, it is this teacher rather than the most junior whose name should be placed on the Special Education Panel.

Please remember that where a permanent job in SEN existed in the school this can be retained as permanent, once you outline to the DES that there is a continuing need. Clustering your general allocation, low incidence hours and your transitional hours allocation as outlined under schedule C, may fill the post. If you are including pupils with low incidence in this cluster it will be necessary to send in their names, class level and hours to the DES, together with a written assurance that the DES will be informed when the child leaves the school. A teacher with restricted recognition can fill this post, if they are already working in your school. If you are creating a new SEN post then you should appoint a fully recognized and probated primary teacher.

Principal as Special Education Needs Teacher

IPPN has raised the issue of principals being allowed to fill the role of Special Education Needs Teacher within a school. This innovation would not in any way diminish the leadership role of the principal in the school. Indeed as many schools now use a SEN model of classroom intervention it would actually enhance the principal's role. Ideally a feature of this concept would be to enable the principal assume the post of part-time SEN teacher with the balance of the hours being used for administration. The official DES position does not permit such a role for Principals. However, at a meeting with DES officials recently, IPPN was advised that it will be given consideration.

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