Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Question:290 Mr. Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will include Scoil Phádraig Naofa, Athy, in the Giving Children an Even Break pilot project. [3600/03]
Vol. 561 No. 1
290 Mr. Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will include Scoil Phádraig Naofa, Athy, in the Giving Children an Even Break pilot project. [3600/03]
The Giving Children an Even Break programme was launched in 2001 to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The schools targeted under the programme were identified through a comprehensive and objective survey of all primary schools carried out in March and April 2000 by the Educational Research Centre in Drumcondra on my Department's behalf. Giving Children an Even Break subsumes the previous process of designation of schools that serve areas of educational disadvantage. My Department's approach is now refined to ensure that the individual at risk pupils are targeted. Rather than the old method of designating additional schools, my Department provides support that is commensurate with the levels of concentration in schools of pupils with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage and early school leaving.