Number of schools in Louth to be added to DEIS programme

A number of primary and post primary schools in Louth are joining the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme from September 2022, it has been announced today by Minister for Education Norma Foley.

For the first time since 2017 the DEIS programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. In addition 37 existing DEIS schools across the State are being reclassified and eligible for increased supports.

Schools in the DEIS programme avail of a range of targeted supports aimed at tackling educational disadvantage, including additional classroom teaching posts, home school community liaison coordinator posts, DEIS grant funding and access to the School Completion Programme.

The primary schools in Louth joining the programme are as follows:

• Ardee Monastery - joining Urban Band 2
• CBS Primary, Dundalk - joining Urban Band 2
• Ardee Educate Together NS - joining Urban Band 2
• Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa - Drogheda - joining Urban Band 2
• Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan - reclassified from Urban Band 2 to Urban Band 1

The post primary schools in Louth joining the programme are:

• St Louis Secondary School, Dundalk
• Coláiste Chú Chulainn, Dundalk

Supports for Supports for DEIS Band 1 schools (primary) include:

• there are designated staffing schedules for DEIS Band 1 schools giving a class size of 19:1 in junior schools, 21:1 in vertical schools (schools with junior and senior classes) and 23:1 in senior schools
• Administrative Principal are appointed on an enrolment of 115 pupils
• DEIS grant paid based on level of disadvantage and enrolment
• Access to Home School Community Liaison Services (HSCL)
• Access to range of supports under School Completion Programme
• access to literacy/numeracy support such as Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery, First Steps, Ready Set Go Maths
• access to planning supports
• access to a range of professional development supports
• additional funding under School Books Grant Scheme
• DEIS Identification Process 

Supports for DEIS Band 2 schools (primary) include: 

• administrative principal is appointed on an enrolment of 142 pupils
• DEIS grant paid based on level of disadvantage and enrolment DEIS Grant Guidelines
• Access to Home School Community Liaison Services (HSCL)
• access to range of supports under School Completion Programme
• access to literacy/numeracy support such as Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery, First Steps, Ready Set Go Maths
• access to planning supports
• access to a range of professional development supports
• additional funding under School Books Grant Scheme

Supports for DEIS Post-primary Schools include:

• Enhanced Guidance allocation for DEIS post primary-schools
  additional deputy principal appointed on a reduced enrolment threshold of 600 students
• DEIS grant paid based on level of disadvantage and enrolment
• Access to Home School Community Liaison services
• access to range of supports under School Completion Programme (Additional 14 Post Primary Schools added 2021)
• access to Leaving Certificate Applied Programme
• access to planning supports
• access to a range of professional development supports from Professional Development Service for Teachers and the Centre for School Leadership
• additional funding under School Books Grant Scheme