The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has today invited patron bodies to apply for the patronage of eight new post-primary schools due to be established from 2015 and 2016.
The eight new schools will be in the following areas:
County Area Indicative start Year Projected Long-term School size (Pupils)
Cavan Kingscourt 2016 400
Cork Carrigaline 2016 500
Cork Midleton/Carrigtwohill 2016 1,000
Dublin Balbriggan 2016 700
Dublin Ballinteer 2016 1,000
Dublin Kingswood, Tallaght 2016 1,000
Kildare Celbridge 2015 1,000
Wicklow North Wicklow 2016 1,000
Today’s announcement is the continuation of a process which began in June 2011 when the Minister announced that 20 primary schools and 20 new post-primary schools were to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing pupil numbers.
Inviting the applications from interested patron bodies today, Minister Quinn said, "Parental preference is the key issue in deciding who should be awarded patronage of these new post-primary schools.
“I believe strongly that parents should have choices in the education of their children and the process of awarding patronage for new schools is centred on this.
“I am confident that these new schools, alongside the existing schools in each area, will mean that parents and students have real choice when it comes to deciding which school most reflects their own ethos.”
The criteria for recognition of new schools were set out in 2011. Patrons are asked to provide evidence of parental demand when making an application for a new school. In addition, the criteria used in deciding on patronage include how the proposed schools under the respective patrons should provide for extending or strengthening diversity of provision in each area, having regard to the views of parents.
The New Schools Establishment Group, an independent advisory group, is then tasked with advising the Minister on the patronage of the new schools following its consideration of a report prepared by Department officials.
These new schools are part of a €2 billion five-year capital investment programme, launched by Minister Quinn last year.
ENDS
Note for Editors:
The deadline for receipt of applications for patronage of these new schools is close of business on Friday 28th June 2013.
The first tranche of the new post-primary schools had their patronage announced on 25th July, 2012 and the Department is now undertaking the patronage process for the remaining schools due to start between September 2015 – 2016. As Irish medium provision was decided and catered for in the first group of schools announced, the current batch of new schools will be English medium schools. They will also be fully vertical co-educational facilities catering for pupils from 1st year through to Leaving Certificate when fully developed and will have the option to establish an Aonad where there is sufficient parental demand for this.
New Arrangements for patronage of new Second level schools
The following key elements will apply to the establishment of a new second-level school:
The demographics of the area must support the need for the establishment of a new school– a new school would not impact negatively on the enrolment of schools in the catchment, other than perhaps the establishment of an all-Irish school and the impact of this on an existing Aonad.
If the demographics require the establishment of a school, then the process for the selection of the type of school should allow for different patrons/bodies to be considered as the patron of a new school.
Most new schools must have the capacity to operate schools in the size range of 800 to 1,000 pupils. A lower threshold of 400 would apply for Gaelcholáistí having regard to the alternative of establishing an Aonad within a school.
The following requirements will have to be satisfied by prospective school patrons:
Confirmation that the prospective patron is willing to accept and open special education facilities
Confirmation that the prospective patron is willing to enter into the standard lease agreement with the Department of Education and Skills or that the prospective patron will provide their own school site.
Confirmation of willingness to operate by the rules and regulations laid down in various Department of Education and Skills circulars and operating procedures
Confirmation of willingness to operate the school within the resourcing and policy parameters established by the Department of Education and Skills
Confirmation of willingness to share school buildings with other schools as may be determined by the Department should the school building not be in full use
Confirmation of willingness to be part of a campus development with other primary or second-level schools as identified by the Department
Confirmation of willingness to enrol children in the area for whom the Department has identified the need for a school
Confirmation of willingness to follow the prescribed curriculum
Confirmation that the prospective patron is willing to willing to expand/operate in the size range of 800 to 1,000 pupils
Confirmation of willingness to establish an Aonad where there is a demand for it ( for a school where the primary medium of instruction is to be English)
An initial decision will be made by the Department before seeking applications on whether the school would operate through the medium of Irish or English and that applications would be sought from patrons when this decision is made.
Most new school provision will be co-educational in nature and patronage decisions will be made on that basis. There may be a small number of instances where single-gender provision will need to be made if there is an identified imbalance between the capacities of single-gender schools. Any such identification would be made in advance of seeking applications from patrons.
The main criterion for the decision on patronage in an area where there is already at least one second-level school will be the following:
Whether the establishment of the proposed school model would result in greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage and provision in the area (having regard to neighbouring areas) where there is demand for such diversity and plurality. In this context individual patron bodies from the one faith group will be regarded as representing the same school patronage type for assessing plurality.
As part of the examination of this criterion regard would be had for:
· Whether there is a school of the same or similar patronage in the same catchment area (having regard to neighbouring areas) and whether there is additional demand for such patronage
· The extent to which the establishment of the school would result in greater diversity and plurality of patronage in the area (having regard to neighbouring areas) where there is demand for such plurality and diversity
· Effectiveness of mechanisms planned to ensure that the proposed school will expand to the size range of 800 to 1,000 pupils, including
o planned possible measures if expansion is not happening as fast as planned
o Planned collaboration with existing second level schools in the catchment area.
Where an area is to be served by a single new school, the key criteria will be the following:
· Whether the school can cater for the needs and requirements of all of the pupils in the area.
· Having regard to neighbouring areas, whether the establishment of the proposed school model would result in greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage and provision where there is demand for such diversity and plurality. In this context individual patron bodies from the one faith group will be regarded as representing the same school patronage type for assessing plurality.
As part of the examination of these criteria regard would be had for:
· The effectiveness of the manner in which the patron proposes to determine the requirements of all pupils / groups of pupils regarding pupils of a particular faith; pupils of no faith
· The extent to which these requirements are to be met
· Effectiveness of the manner in which a comprehensive and broad curriculum is proposed to be offered during the start up phase
· Effectiveness of the manner in which a comprehensive and broad curriculum is proposed to be offered when the school is past the start-up phase
· Effectiveness of the manner to which a comprehensive and broad curriculum is proposed to be offered to all students, e.g., supporting gender integration into all subjects
· The extent of demand in the area for the applicant patrons
· Having regard to neighbouring areas, whether the establishment of the proposed school model would result in greater diversity and plurality of second-level school patronage and provision where there is demand for such diversity and plurality
The process will involve the following steps at second level:
·
Identification of locations of new schools and sizes of new schools by the Department
· Decision by the Department in relation to whether the school would operate through the medium of Irish or English
· written applications from prospective patrons addressing all of the criteria
· consideration of the applications by Department officials and report drafted for consideration by the News Schools Establishment Group
· consideration by Group of report and endorsement by Group or identification of need for further analysis by Department and subsequent consideration by Group
· report from the Group submitted to the Minister for consideration
· decision by the Minister
Parental Preferences
Patron bodies proposing schools will be asked to provide evidence of parental demand. Patrons will be asked to sign up lists of parents who indicate interest in having their children educated in their new school. These lists are to be broken down by the age of the children, including year of proposed entry to school, and by where they are living, having regard for the area to be served by the school. A template for submission of parental demand will be provided for this purpose, and all information must be presented in this format only.