AQW 49557/11-16


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 07/10/2015
Answered On Date: 20/10/2015
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the policies which exist to identify and safeguard the needs of small schools that are considered strategically important.


Answer:
The Department has a range of policies which apply to all schools and the main thrust of these policies is to support schools in the delivery of the curriculum and quality education to meet the needs of all pupils.
The Sustainable Schools Policy stipulates minimum enrolment criteria for school size at both primary and post-primary level. All schools are assessed against the six criteria and associated indicators to determine the sustainability of a school into the future. One of the criteria is ‘stable enrolment trends’. However, sustainability is not assessed simply on the number of pupils, but rather across the full range of criteria in the policy on a case by case basis, taking account of local circumstances. The key focus for all schools is the quality of education and it is for the school managing authorities to explore all the options for providing a school that is viable and sustainable into the future, including various models of collaboration.
The Department has specific arrangements in place to support schools which are small to ensure they are able to deliver the curriculum. .
Delegated funds for schools are distributed under the Common Funding Scheme (CFS); and the funding formula distributions are based on a number of factors, including the Small Schools’ Support funding factor (SSSF). The SSSF is intended to target more resources towards smaller schools in order to facilitate the delivery of the curriculum. The SSSF is one of a range of funding support streams for small schools within the CFS, others being Primary Principal Release Time, Teachers Salary Protection and Foundation Stage Funding.
In addition to funding allocated directly to school budgets by means of the relevant funding stream, schools will also have access to central funds for specified purposes and the CFS sets out common arrangements governing disbursement of these funds by Funding Authorities.