Minister Foley launches Report on the Review of Out-of-School Education Provision and outlines plan to implement its recommendations

Minister for Education Norma Foley has today (12 May 2022) announced the publication of a report on the Review of Out-of-School Education Provision.

The out-of-school education sector relates to a small number of schools and education centres which operate outside of mainstream education provision.

This review focused on the education provision in the State for learners under 16 years of age who have encountered difficulties staying in mainstream education. The review also makes recommendations to inform future policy to provide a sustainable option within the education system to further serve this group of learners. It contains six recommendations, and an implementation plan.

The recommendations, based on the findings of the review, are:

• to recognise the need for a framework of supports for students who are at risk of becoming disengaged from education
• while this review finds positively on the work which is carried out in out-of-school settings, it is important to provide stability to this provision and ensure settings are sustainable into the future
• a requirement to develop a standardised referral framework to provide clear structure, guidelines and accountability
• further improvement across the education system in the current level of the data recording and tracking of students who are expelled or absent from school
• consideration should be given to the location and accessibility of short term and long term out-of-school education provision, to prevent the early leaving of students from education and training, and
• a mapping of all support services available to schools should be completed to support the educational and personal development of students such supports to include all cross departmental, agency and community services

Minister Foley said:

"While Ireland has one of the highest completion rates for second-level education in the EU, we know that there are learners who, having experienced difficulty staying in mainstream education seek an alternative. Out-of-school education settings provide these learners with a holistic educational service, using innovative and flexible approaches for students. The recommendations in this report aim to draw on these approaches and ensure out of school education provision can be sustained into the future and continue to play its vital role.

"This review involved consultation with a range of stakeholders and interested parties and I would like to thank all who contributed to the review, in particular the young people and practitioners from out-of-school education provision settings. It is always hugely informative to engage with those who have direct experience, and their contributions into the positive impact that out-of-school settings can have for children and young people."

The Minister further announced that an implementation group will be established to oversee implementation of the recommendations of the report.

Out-of-school education provision

Notes

Background to the Review of Out of School Education Provision Report

The Review of Out of School Education Provision report arose from Action 88 of the DEIS Plan which provided for a review of current out of school provision to best inform future policy in this area.

The review researched the current provision of out-of-school education to identify the range, volume and quality of the provision in the sector and how out-of-school education provision should ideally serve a specific cohort of students and to be a sustainable option within the education system into the future.

The report was compiled by a working group, chaired by the Department of Education, comprised of representatives from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Tusla, Solas, Education and Training Boards Ireland and the National Educational Psychological Service.

The review finds that out-of-school education settings are providing an important role in relation to maintaining contact with education for a key cohort of learners and play a key role in supporting the wellbeing of these learners through adopting a holistic approach based around the individual. However, approaches to the education curriculum, certification and education pathways for students are very dependent on what can be provided for in each setting. There is no consistent approach across the sector in relation to governance and funding.

Next steps

The review sets out an implementation plan in relation to its recommendations. The first step will be to put in place an implementation group to oversee the process and to progress each of the recommendations.

It will oversee the development of a framework of support for students who are at risk of leaving mainstream education, it will develop standardised criteria for structure, governance and education provision in the sector and will develop a referral framework to retain students in education and training.

Out-of-School Education Provision - Background

While the department primarily supports mainstream schools, it does provide funding for a small number of special schools/ centres of education, that provide education for the small number of young people who do not complete mainstream education.

These out-of-school services are typically a provision of education, outside of the mainstream school setting, for children who have encountered difficulties staying in mainstream education. This provision is an alternative option within the education system, when all other supports have not proved successful in maintaining the student's engagement with mainstream education. These settings vary in structure and design but provide an important service for a small cohort of students who have had difficulty continuing their education in the mainstream system.

Since the establishment of the Youth Encounter Project schools in the 1970's there has been an education sector which operates outside of the traditional mainstream school system. This has expanded since this time, often as a response to a local of specific need. Out of school settings have been established in Dublin, Limerick, Cork and other, mainly urban, areas.