Local Minister Denis Naughten notes Roscommon and Galway schools in DEIS Plan to tackle educational disadvantage

In Education, Families, Local Issues, News by Denis Naughten

17622F Rural S N Lasair Naofa Arigna Carrick on Shannon, Co. Roscommon
11242L Rural Cloonbonnif N S Castlerea Co. Roscommon
19257S Rural Strabaggan N S Loch Aillinne Cara Droma Ruisg, Co. Roscommon
15027E Rural S N Na Heaglaise Atha Eascrach Beal Atha na Sluagh Co na Gaillimhe

Local Minister Denis Naughten has noted the inclusion of three rural schools in Roscommon and one in Co. Galway in the Government’s DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) Plan 2017 to tackle educational disadvantage. These schools will now receive additional supports from September 2017.

“Every child deserves the chance to fulfil their potential, regardless of circumstances and education provides that opportunity.  Education has a unique capacity to break down the cycles of disadvantage and our teachers and school management must be given the best supports available so that each child benefits,” stated Minister Denis Naughten.

The Plan sets out new targets to:

  • Further improve literacy and numeracy
  • Improve school completion rates
  • Improve progression to further and higher education

The Plan identifies more than 100 actions to support the tackling of educational disadvantage.  Those actions include the following:

  • A new model of identifying schools in a fair and objective way to deliver additional resources to benefit approximately 20,000 children and approximately 110 schools.
  • Operation of a Book Rental Scheme will become a mandatory requirement for schools participating in the School Support Programme by September 2017
  • A series of pilot schemes will aim is to encourage innovation and creativity in schools and the development of these initiatives will be supported by a School Excellence Fund; encouraging innovation through school clustering
  • Target supports for School leaders and teachers to equip them to support children to achieve their full potential (e.g professional leadership training, preparation courses for newly appointed principals, mentoring and coaching courses)
  • Give all post-primary schools participating in the School Support Programme access to a dedicated career guidance counsellor
  • Improve the transition for children from pre-schools to primary schools in communities, building on the strength of programmes like ABC
  • Schools will set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time specific targets, including targets for literacy and numeracy, CPD and leadership and to evaluate these annually
  • Establish a DEIS Development Unit within the Department of Education and Skills to support the implementation of new interventions and help broker the necessary resources from the various support agencies
  • Appointment of an additional 10 NEPS psychologists to improve supports to DEIS schools;
  • Education and Training Boards will establish formal outreach arrangements with DEIS schools to encourage access through its existing education pathways
  • The Schools Business Partnership will be expanded to cater for new schools included in the School Support Programme