This article is from page 1 of the 2006-09-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
EVIDENCE of Clare’s growing multiculturalism emerged this week when English was found to be the minority language among one class of junior infants.
Such was the influx of non-national children beginning their education at the Holy Family Junior School that English was no longer the first language in one class leading to the class being re-structured.
School principal Sr Betty O’Riordan declined to comment but confirmed the school was in discussion with the Department of Education.
The Department said it was aware that many children now enrolling in schools did not have english as a first language.
“The latest figures indicate there are over 22,000 newcomers pupils in primary schools and over 12,000 in post primary schools. However the Department would not have any information on enrolment patterns emerging in individual schools around the country in 2006/07”
Under Department of Education guidelines non-Irish children are placed in age appropriate classes, unless their standard of English language is deemed to be so low as to prevent them from successfully following the curriculum of their peer group. In such cases, school authorities may place them in classes one level/year below.
It is recommended that such placements are monitored closely with a view to bringing children into class with their peers as their level of English language improves.