The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the Department website. The staffing arrangements for the 2014/15 school year (Circular 0007/2014) were published on 24 January, 2014. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The appeals criteria is also set out in Circular 0007/2014. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.
My Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the schools that are affected by the small schools 2012 budget measure. In this regard small schools did not lose their classroom post if they projected sustainable increased enrolments in September 2014 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term. Post allocated under this appeal criterion cannot be retained if the projected enrolment is not achieved.
The next meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will be held in October, 2014. The closing date for schools to submit an appeal application to the Department's Primary Allocations Section is Friday 3 October, 2014.
