Establishment of a New School
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From: Department of Education
- Published on: 30 January 2020
- Last updated on: 12 July 2023
- Establishment of new schools
- School Patronage
- Patronage of new primary schools
- Patronage of new post-primary schools
- Management and Control of Schools
- 2018 Announcement
Establishment of new schools
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the country is divided into 314 school planning areas. A Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including school enrolments, Child Benefit records and information on residential development is used to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, nationwide demographic exercises are carried out to determine where additional school place provision is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- provision of a new school or schools.
School Patronage
If the demographics of an area means a new school is to be established, then a patron must be selected for the school. Parents/guardians of children who live in the school planning area to be served by the new school, can express their preferred model of patronage through an Online Patronage Process System (OPPS)
The Patronage Process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG).
Patronage of new primary schools
New primary schools to be established in 2021
Patronage of new post-primary schools
New post-primary schools to be established 2021
Management and Control of Schools
The School Patron is responsible for the management and control of the School. In the majority of cases, the Minister for Education is not the owner of the School property. For Schools owned by the Minister for Education, the School Patron at the time of their recognition by the Minister as a Patron of a School located on Minister owned site, commits to entering a lease with the Minister in respect of the School property. A template school lease intended for use in such arrangements is available below: