Two special schools are to be established along with hundreds of additional special classes in mainstream schools in response to the rising level of need among vulnerable children.
One school is to open in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork and the other in Dublin 7 for the 2023/24 school year. Capacity is also due to be expanded across 11 other special schools around the country.
In addition, more than 200 special classes – 126 at primary and 92 at post-primary level – have been confirmed for opening this year with more to be announced in the coming weeks.
The moves come as families express concern over a shortage of appropriate school places to meet their children’s diagnosed needs.
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‘Welcome relief’
Minister for Education Norma Foley, who made the announcement on Wednesday, said the additional capacity would be a “welcome relief to the families that do not yet have a school place for next September”.
“This announcement reflects the very strong emphasis on forward planning and roll-out of provision for children and young people with special educational needs,” she said.
Minister of State for special education Josepha Madigan said the department and education authorities were committed to ensuring that as many places as possible are available.
The two new special schools will provide for the enrolment of children and young people with autism and complex learning needs up to 18 years of age. It is intended that places will be prioritised for children who have no offer of a special school place for the coming school year.
The department said details in relation to the location of the new schools, the admission process and the number of places to be offered in each would be confirmed “very shortly”. It is envisioned that both will operate under the patronage of the local education and training boards – Cork ETB and City of Dublin ETB.
In addition to the establishment of these schools, there are plans to deliver additional classrooms at 11 special schools for the 2023/24 year. These include: St Bernadette’s Special School, Donegal (two classrooms); Rosedale School, Galway (two classrooms), St Teresa’s Special School, Galway (two classrooms); Stepping Stones Special School, Kildare (three classrooms); Scoil Micheál Naofa, Roscommon (two classrooms); St Cecelia’s School, Sligo (one classroom); St Joseph’s Special School, Sligo (two classrooms); Scoil Aonghusa, Tipperary (two classrooms – to be confirmed); St Martin’s Special School, Waterford (two classrooms); St John’s Special School, Waterford (two classrooms); Rochestown Community Special School, Cork (ongoing).
Dramatic growth
The growth in special classes at second level, meanwhile, is projected to be dramatic over the coming years.
The department said that if recent growth in the need for special classes continued, it was expected that the number of new special classes at second level needed in the next three years would be double that which has been provided in the last three.
It is envisaged that all post-primary schools will be required to provide special classes, with an approximate average of four in each school.
The department and the National Council for Special Education met the main post-primary school management bodies earlier this year to share a list of schools that could potentially open new special classes this September. It is envisaged that significantly more will be sanctioned in the coming weeks to ensure that sufficient places are available.
