Learning Support Policy

Learning Support Policy

Pobalscoil Iosolde provides a comprehensive co-educational system of post primary and ongoing education for those living in the locality of the school, according to the deeds of trust.  The Department of Education and Science actively promotes the inclusion of students into mainstream education.  The learning support policy of Pobalscoil Iosolde has developed under the auspices of these guiding principles.

Pobalscoil Iosolde offers a wide variety of curricular choices both at Junior Certificate level and Leaving Certificate level. These choices help cater for the needs of the individual student.  However, some students may require additional supports to enhance their learning opportunities and enable them access the curriculum.

Assessment

All incoming students sit an assessment test in the February prior to entry.  Students are allocated to mainstream mixed ability classes based on the resuslts of this test.  This test helps identify any students encountering learning difficulties who will need the support of this department to engage with the curriculum on entry into second level education.  If the Department of Education School Psychological Service (NEPS) has assessed any incoming pupil, parents will be requested to make available this report to the school.   Also, the Learning Support Department may request that NEPS provide a psychological assessment of a particular student.  Further liaison with parents and the primary schools informs the school and enables the Learning Support Department to address the needs of individuals and devise an educational plan for each student.

Strategies

A wide variety of learning difficulties present each year such as students with hearing loss, Aspeger’s syndrome, Dyslexia, and behavioural difficulties.  The Learning Support Department responds to these diverse needs.  This may involve the student’s placement on an alternative curricular path within the school or student being provided with individual or small group tuition by members of the team.  Occasionally members of the team provide support through team-teaching methods and/or the provision of a special needs assistant.  Programmes designed to cater for their individual needs will be developed whenever necessary.

The learning support department communicates with the school’s teaching staff about students’ educational progress and actively promotes good practice in dealing with students encountering learning difficulties.  This involves developing an awareness among the school staff of the different learning difficulties and the best practices they can offer to support these students within the mainstream class.

Active involvement by the parents is encouraged as their role as primary educators is deemed of the highest importance.  The Learning Support Department meets with parents routinely to discuss their son’s/daughter’s educational progress.

Students sitting the state examinations may require additional accommodations to enable them perform to the best of their ability.  The learning supports department actively seeks all additional requirements from the Department of Education and Science.

Overall, the Department works as an advocate with parents, school and Department of Education for pupils experiencing learning difficulties, promoting their educational rights and needs.