Almost 20 per cent of children attending primary schools in one of the most disadvantaged areas of the State are either often or very often "too hungry" to do their schoolwork, a study on early school leaving has found.
The study, from the the Educational Disadvantage Centre at St Patrick's College in Drumcondra,looks at sixth-class and and first- year pupils in schools in four designated RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) areas of Blanchardstown, Dublin. Under the RAPID programme the Government has identified 45 of the most disadvantaged areas in the State for targeted investment.
The report also finds fewer pupils would seek help with an academic problem in first year of secondary school than they would have a term earlier, in sixth-class of primary school.
In response to the question: "How often do you feel too hungry to do your work in school?", some 43 (18 per cent) out of the 230 sixth-class pupils across the four schools indicated this was often, very often, or even an everyday problem.
"This figure was notably higher in three of the four schools where 21 per cent, 25 per cent and 25 per cent of pupils stated they were either often, very often or every day too hungry to do their work," says the report.
Co-author of the report, Paul Downes, said this was one of the most striking issues that emerged. "It has an impact on many other issues - not just nutrition - such as concentration and behaviour issues. There's a concern that breakfast clubs are not available every day of the week."
He said it was striking that the figures were "so high" among the cohort studied - ie sixth-class pupils. "It is worth noting that each of their schools has a breakfast club and so the question arises as to whether sixth-class pupils feel the clubs are for younger pupils."
One teacher said there had been a "significant increase in attendance following introduction of the breakfast club".
The study found: "Of those sixth-class pupils arguably most at risk of early school-leaving - namely those who state they do not want to, or do not know if they want to, stay on at school until Leaving Certificate - four out of five do not attend an after-school club and a large majority - 70 per cent - do not attend any extracurricular activity in school".
Mr Downes said the change in environment, when pupils moved from primary school to first year, he continued, could have a negative impact. It is of concern, says the report, that there is a "sharp increase in first-year compared to sixth-class responses in those students who are not willing or are not sure if they would tell a teacher about an academic problem - from 8 per cent [ primary] to more than 20 per cent [ secondary]".
There is also an increase in the proportion who feel they are not treated fairly by teachers - from 68 per cent in first year (secondary) compared with 30 per cent in sixth-class (primary).
"This is a national issue, not particular to Blanchardstown, that there is a jolt for pupils, that secondary schools seem more authoritarian and less welcoming to the child, and that needs to be addressed," said Mr Downes.
