IPPN

Published: 20 February 2009

Earlier this week, IPPN met with the Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Education & Science charged with responsibility for Special Education. All aspects of the recent announcement to close MGLD classes with fewer than nine pupils were thoroughly explored and discussed.

The issues raised by Principals on networking@ippn.ie as well as by direct contact with IPPN's Support Office, expressing their concerns on this decision were presented at the meeting. The issues include:

• Why is the retention figure (nine) for classes for MGLD being suddenly enforced now, when it has been ignored for many years?
• Are not the reasons for this decision purely financial rather than educational, as the Minister has suggested?
• This decision is aimed at the most vulnerable children, many of whom are doubly disadvantaged, as the majority of these classes are in DEIS Band 1 schools.
• Most children in these classes are there because they could not cope in a mainstream class for the whole school day. They need the benefits of smaller classes in which they make significant progress. Integration happens in a carefully chosen setting where these children can experience success at their own pace. Now they will be forced into a much larger mainstream class and are likely to experience their previous problems all over again.
• Two important SEN reviews are pending:

1. NCSE / St Patrick's College Review of Special Schools and Special Classes

2. DES Review of the 2005 General Allocation Model - due since 2008
IPPN was invited to make submissions to both of these reviews. Why did the DES begin the closure of MGLD Classes before these reviews were completed?

• Many of the schools concerned have had a significant increase in pupil numbers since 2005. If they did not have "Developing School Status" they have had no review of their GAM allocation since 2005. The result will now be that, with no extra teachers, the SEN support in these schools will be spread even more thinly over all the children who need such support.
  
• Schools with Developing School Status have had their GAM reviewed to reflect increased demand. We asked the DES to prioritise a review of the GAM in those schools where an MGLD Class is being closed to reflect the additional resourcing required.
• Why did the DES refuse to facilitate the clustering of 2 MGLD Classes into one where the combined enrolments reached 9 or more?

The following points were offered by the DES to IPPN by way of response:

• Classes for children with MGLD, which did not reach the retention figure of nine on the 30th of September 2008, are not entitled to continue according to Normal staffing procedures.
• Numbers in MGLD classes have been falling in recent years due to the success of the General Allocation Model as more children with MGLD are now integrated in mainstream classes. Most schools in the country are dealing very well with these children.
• These classes isolate children with MGLD, where DES policy supports a model of integration in mainstream classes.
• It was acknowledged that the GAM has not been reviewed since 2005. There is no plan to review the GAM in current circumstances.
• It was not necessary to wait for the findings of both reviews, as MGLD classes are being suppressed based on a lack of numbers rather than any policy change. Not all classes are being suppressed.
• Where two schools wish to cluster their children with MGLD into one class, the DES will consider their case. They may allow this in a few exceptional situations.

IPPN would now advise schools who would wish to explore the possibility of clustering two classes to send a joint written appeal to:

Department of Education & Science,
Special Education Section,
Cornamaddy,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath

Is sinne le meas
Viriginia O'Mahony & Seán Cottrell