Extra Personal Vacation - Circular 0035/2009 [CPSMA.ie]
- Published: 17 June 2009
Extra Personal Vacation (EPV)
Circular 0035/2009: From 1 July 2009, all primary teachers participating in approved summer courses will, on completion of the course, be provided with a certificate confirming attendance and completion of the course. A teacher claiming EPV days must present this certificate to the school principal at the beginning of the school year, as evidence of completion of an approved summer course and entitlement to EPV leave. On receipt of this certificate, the principal may approve EPV leave for the teacher in accordance with the terms of circular 37/97. The principal must retain copies of the certificates within the school for future audit purposes.
Review of all Special Needs Assistant Posts - Circular 0037/2009 [education.ie]
- Published: 16 June 2009
Circular SP ED 0037/2009
Notification of Transitional Arrangements being put in place in relation to the outcome of the review of all Special Needs Assistant posts in primary, special and post-primary schools by the National Council for Special Education
1. Introduction
In circular letter 0009/2009, the Department of Education and Science advised schools of the review to be carried out of all Special Needs Assistant allocations in primary, special and post-primary schools by the National Council for Special Education with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met.
As advised in Circular 0009/2009, there has been no change in the underlying criteria for the allocation of SNA as set out in Circular Sp Ed 07/02:
SNAs are recruited specifically to assist schools in making suitable provision for a pupil or pupils with special care needs arising from a disability in an educational context. Schools may apply for an SNA post for a pupil with a disability who also has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory impairment or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or to other pupils. Schools are advised that where an application relates to the management of a pupil's behaviour, there must be clear evidence that the pupil's behaviour is a danger to themselves or others and that sustained efforts by the school have not proven to be successful in the amelioration of such documented behaviours.
The current review is being carried out by reference to these criteria. The purpose of this Circular Letter is to advise of transitional arrangements being made available, on an exceptional basis, to schools where the SNA allocation is being adjusted following the review.
2. Outcome of Review
The DES understands that the NCSE is commencing advising the outcome of the review to those schools reviewed in the current school year. The remaining schools will be reviewed in the initial months of the 2009/2010 school year.
Decisions to reduce SNA support are taken by the SENO when s/he considers that the post does not meet the scheme's criteria outlined in Circular 07/02 or where the pupil has progressed in terms of his or her independence ; this progression should be seen as a successful outcome for the pupil.
Given the proximity of the end of this school year and, in the light of the fact that those schools yet to be reviewed will have prepared for the new school year in advance of being reviewed, the DES is allowing exceptional transitional arrangements for schools where the SNA allocation is being adjusted. These exceptional arrangements also reflect a continuing commitment to treat special educational needs as a priority area.
3. Reduced allocations due to pupils leaving the school
Where the sole factor involved in a reduction in a school's SNA allocation is because the pupils associated with the allocation have left the school the reduction is with immediate effect and normal arrangements apply.
4. Transitional Arrangements
In all cases other than those referred to at 3 above schools may, if they so wish, retain the existing cohort of SNAs until 31 January 2010. Schools should take the necessary measures, including issue of notice, to ensure that the number of SNAs in the school at 1 February 2010 equates to their authorised allocation.
Where an existing SNA resigns or retires in a school due to lose a post, the resulting vacancy may not be filled without taking the initial reduction into account e.g. where a school is due to lose a post, and an SNA resigns or retires before 31 January 2010, this post may not be filled. Where the SENO authorises additional SNA resources before 31 January 2010, schools should not recruit additional SNAs if such recruitment would result in the number of SNAs exceeding those authorised at 1 February 2010.
Redundancy Arrangements
Where, following the review, the allocation of SNA posts is being reduced, redundancy arrangements may apply. Schools should consult Circular 58/2006 ; Redundancy Arrangements for Special Needs Assistant ; where necessary. Schools should also notify the relevant SNAs of the outcome of the review.
Additional allocation of SNA support
Where the outcome of the review results in an increased SNA allocation schools may recruit the additional SNAs in the normal manner.
4. Schools which are awaiting the NCSE review
Not all schools have been reviewed at this stage. It is expected that the review will be completed by the end of 2009. Irrespective of the date of the review, the above arrangements apply and schools are to take the necessary arrangements to ensure that, on 1 February 2010, the number of SNAs equates to their authorised post-review allocation.
5. Clarification
Queries in relation to the employment of SNAs and the operation of this Circular should be addressed to the Special Education Section, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co. Westmeath 090 6483600 and 01 8896400.
All queries in relation to the outcome of the review should be addressed to the local SENO.
Teresa Griffin
Principal Officer
Special Education Section
June 2009
Small rural pre-schools may have to turn children away [labour.ie]
- Published: 16 June 2009
Cork East Labour TD Seán Sherlock is calling for flexibility in the implementation of the early childhood care and education scheme to accommodate pre-schools in rural areas that are limited in their intake of children.
Deputy Sherlock has slammed plans by Minister Barry Andrews to phase out the offer of pre-school education on a pro-rata basis from September 2010 meaning parents will have to avail of the five day pre-school service or be left with nothing.
In reply to a parliamentary question on the issue the Minister said parents will be encouraged to avail of the free pre-school year on the basis of full attendance and participating services will be required to give priority to parents using the service on this basis.
"Basically what the government is doing is saying to parents who only want to send their child to pre-school 2/3 days a week is either send them 5 days or they can do without. Moreover, it creates a situation whereby small rural pre-schools that are licensed for limited numbers will have to turn children away. This scheme is supposed to ease the childcare burden on parents but it will in fact cause many people even more stress.
"Before any final decision is made on the scheme, the Minister needs to take a look at the adverse effect the current proposals will have on families and pre-school proprietors up and down the country.
"There needs to be flexibility in the scheme so that a pre-school that is catering for 30 children but with a license for only 15 from the HSE the supports to allow them continue operating on a pro-rate basis. These are trying times for people and w should be making it more difficult."
Hand over primary school network to State [irishtimes.ie]
- Published: 16 June 2009
Hand over primary school network to State, says Gilmore
THE PRIMARY school network should be handed over to State ownership, according to Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, who said there are 3,200 such schools but the State owns fewer than 100.
He said the most important lesson from the Ryan commission report is "accountability and this must be at the heart of any future reforms. No institution is above the law. Every institution must be examined, inspected and held to account for what it does". And "because we are now paying for them we the people are entitled to reform our health, education and welfare systems to meet our current needs, rather than the demands of those who founded them so may years ago".
Mr Gilmore said: "We should begin by transferring the physical infrastructure of our publicly-funded schools and hospitals into the ownership of the State.
"The process should begin ; as suggested by my colleague deputy Ruairí Quinn ; with the transfer to State ownership of the primary school network. There are 3,200 primary schools in the State but less than 100 are actually owned by the State. The rest are owned by religious denominations and many of them are owned by the religious orders indicted in the Ryan report." Mr Gilmore said "the systemic abuse, neglect and cruelty perpetrated against generations of children in church-run State institutions is a stain on the conscience of our nation".
He said "no sum of money can ever adequately compensate the survivors for what was done to them. We cannot give them back their stolen childhoods. But we can honour them, their bravery, and their legacy by ensuring that we will never, ever be silent about the needs of vulnerable children again. . . We are less likely nowadays to accept claims of the Catholic Church to an exclusive right to make provision in areas of health, education and welfare, just as the church is far less likely to make them".
But he said we have not yet come to terms with the alternative, "the demands we impose on the State, when we insist that the State itself must make provision for people in need.
"What are we doing today to meet the needs of children at risk?" Mr Gilmore said there "may not be the images of institutionalised abuse in massive, bleak buildings to confront this generation when we look back at what we are doing today. But there will be many individual stories of children suffering abuse, and of a State that turned its back on them."
Ombudsman investigates complaints [theecho.ie]
- Published: 16 June 2009
The Ombudsman for Children issued their report this week detailing their investigation following the complaint.
The investigation revealed that maps used for deciding the exact boundary were not uniform and the maps in existence were not accurate enough to make a decision.
The complaint was made on February 10, 2006 on behalf of 23 children by the parent of two of the affected children.
The complaint alleged that in 2005 the relevant catchment boundary on maps held by both the local VEC office and the Department of Education and Science individually were different.
The complaint also alleged the department applied the map incorrectly in making their decision to refuse the 23 children the Fully Eligible status that would have given them access to school transport.
The School Transport Scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Science.
Bus Éireann are responsible for planning routes, employing bus drivers, collecting fares and ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
The VEC is responsible for administering the School Transport Scheme of all postprimary centres.
The Ombudsman for Children was supplied by the Planning section of the Department with a map.
The map is different to what is currently being used by Bus Éireann and the VEC.
It is also a large scale map scaled on a ratio of 1:62,500 and as such does not provide the required detail to administer such a scheme effectively and accurately.
The report also said the map contained excessive boundary thickness for the purposes of accuracy and clarity.
Indeed the report said the map held by the VEC on its website are in fact a series of photographs taken of the main Bus Eireann map as located in its office in Waterford.
The report recommended the Department, through its Planning section, devises the catchment boundary areas in relation to secondary schools.
These boundaries would then be contained on a master map held by the planning section and copied and distributed to the relevant stakeholders in the process.
The report also recommended that the 23 children would be provided with school bus transport and the transport agreement would remain in place for the duration of their schooling.
