South Ros parents could lose €150k childcare funds [westmeathindependent.ie]
- Published: 16 June 2010
Parents in South Roscommon are set to lose out on over €150,000 by not availing of the free pre-school year in Early Childhood Care and Education in September, local Deputy Denis Naughten has revealed.
"Figures show that the number of children enrolled in pre-schools and crèches in the Drum/Monksland/Bealnamullia area alone for September is significantly lower than the number of children enrolling annually in local schools," stated Denis Naughten.
"At present over 60 families in the area will miss out on up to €2,400 each by not availing of the free pre-school year for eligible children.
"Many parents may not be aware that they need to register their child in advance to avail of the scheme for children between the ages of 3 years 3 months and 4 years 6 months."
Full Story: www.westmeathindependent.ie
Plan to axe 221 Northern Ireland teaching jobs [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 16 June 2010
Over 220 teaching posts will be axed in Northern Ireland this year, the Education Minister has said.
Caitriona Ruane said she hoped the cuts could be achieved through voluntary redundancies, without the need for compulsory job losses.
The minister told the Assembly that £9 million had been made available to employing authorities to make payouts required for the 221 redundancies.
“This is a significant amount that was not easy to secure in the current financial climate,” she said yesterday.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Revealed: experts’ verdict on selection impasse [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 16 June 2010
The contents of a confidential report which aims to help our politicians resolve the long-running logjam over school transfer can be revealed today.
The paper calls for an urgent and full Assembly discussion to resolve the political stalemate on the issue.
And if academic selection remains in Northern Ireland, there should be a single, province-wide method of transfer from primary school.
These are among the key conclusions contained in the report compiled by a group of educationalists representing all school types here.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Half of schools 'not good', say inspectors [guardian.co.uk]
- Published: 16 June 2010
Inspectors say almost half of schools they visited are not providing their pupils with a good education, statistics reveal today.
Some 47% of the 3,990 schools inspected between September and March 2009-10 were judged to be either inadequate or satisfactory. Ofsted inspectors rated 9% of schools in England as inadequate, compared to just 6% in the academic year 2006-07, the figures show.
The proportion of schools labelled outstanding – the highest rating – fell to 11% from 14% in 2006-07.
Lord Hill, the schools minister, called for urgent reform to reduce the number of schools that are under-performing.
Full Story: www.guardian.co.uk
Early start for baby 'teachers' [IrishTimes]
- Published: 15 June 2010
BABIES AS young as three months will be heading to primary schools in Co Donegal this autumn – to teach the older children.
The infants will be participating in the “Roots of Empathy” programme, which is designed to curb bullying and aggressive behaviour among older children.
Ten Donegal schools will become the first in Ireland to participate in the internationally renowned programme which started in Canada and aims to teach children about empathy by letting them observe the interaction between babies and their parents.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
