SEN | St David's

Special Educational Needs

In St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary School, Special Educational Needs are defined in accordance with the EPSEN Act 2004:

‘Special educational need’ means, in relation to a person, ‘a restriction in the capacity of the person to participate in and benefit from education on account of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or learning disability, or any other condition which results in a person learning differently from a
person without that condition and cognate words shall be construed accordingly.’

While the definition in the Act does not refer to students with Emotional Behaviour Difficulties (EBD), section 7 (4) (B) of the Equal Status Act 2000 does indicate a category of Special Needs
in this case and the school will be mindful of such students also in providing for special needs.

You can access a copy of the school's Special Educational Needs Policy by clicking on the image to the left or by accessing the full list of the school's policies on our policies page

In St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary School, we use the DES Continuum of Support framework to engage in the process in identifying and responding to our students’ needs. This framework recognises that SEN occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to severe, from transient to long term, and that students require different levels of support depending on their individual needs. Using this framework helps to ensure that interventions are incremental, moving from class-based interventions to more intensive and individualised support and that they are informed by careful monitoring of progress. (DES Guidelines for Post-Primary Schools: Supporting Students with SEN in Mainstream Schools, p.6)

Ms Tara Noone is a Home Economics teacher in our school and holds an Assistant Principal 2 role with responsibility for the administration, coordination and implementation of the school's SEN policies.

Ms Deirdre Doughty is an Economics and History teacher in our school and holds an Assistant Principal 2 role with responsibility for the administration, coordination and implementation of the school's SEN policies.

St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary School operates a policy of early identification of the needs of SEN students. We coordinate closely with all feeder schools during the transition from primary to secondary education.

Prior to school entry:

CAT4 tests are carried out. The SEN Coordinator identifies any students with diagnosed Special Needs
from the Enrolment Form.  The SEN Coordinator generates a list of students with an Irish exemption
based on data gathered by the principal.  The SEN Coordinator meet with, or where necessary contacts by telephone, the Primary School Teachers in each feeder to school to discuss incoming students’ transition.  Applications to the NCSE are made for SNA hours or Assistive Technology for
incoming students, where applicable.  School management meet with each incoming first years and their parent/guardian individually in April/May

Upon school entry:
Students of St David's are continually monitored for any developing needs. The following is a sample of identification methods employed in St David's:

New Group Reading Test (NGRT) and PDST Maths Competency Test
Assessments - where deemed appropriate Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT5), Diagnostic Reading and Spelling
 Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT-III)
 Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH)
 Teacher observations
Meetings of Principal, Deputy Principal, SEN Coordinators, Guidance Counsellor, SNA, Year Heads, Subject teachers, Parents and students

Special Needs Assistants

We have a team of Special Needs Assistants in St David's Holy Faith who have responsibility over the care and support of students who have been deemed by the Department of Education to qualify for an SNA.

Rachel Flynn

Annmarie McGloin

Courtney Doucette

Alison Black

Mona Abdelfattah

Timetabling for SEN students is determined by the New Allocation Model, Circular No 0013/2017 and the Continuum of Support Guidelines:

Whole school and Classroom Support for All
 School Support for Some
 School Support Plus for a Few

The level and nature of support reflects the specific needs of students as set out in their support plans and is informed by careful monitoring and review of progress. Special Education teaching supports are identified by needs, ensuring those with the highest level of need have access to the greatest level of support. Hours are then allocated by management in the following ways:

Small Group Teaching
Team Teaching
Individualised Teaching
SEN Administration

The needs of the student are evaluated in accordance with procedure for referral of students with special needs, as outlined in section 1 of the document and with reference to the Continuum of Support Guidelines for Teachers.

Time is allocated on the following basis:

Student needs
Resource time allocated to the Department

One to one support will be given if the student’s needs cannot be addressed within a
group situation. Small groups for learning support are selected based on student compatibility and on
the subject area to be covered.

Special tuition is organised according to the recommendations of the Psychologist and in consultation with parents, SET Team, class teachers and the principal. It can include exercises and activities in the areas of Literacy, Numeracy, Examination Preparation and Curriculum Support.  Literacy exercises will cover exercises in English language comprehension, reading, writing and spelling. This will involve all
subjects in accordance with the whole school approach to Literacy. Numeracy exercises will cover exercises in mathematics computation and concepts. This will involve numeracy elements in all subjects in accordance with a whole school approach to numeracy. Examination preparation will cover study skills, exam paper practice and RACE practice.  Curriculum Support will cover support in subjects on the student’s timetable. This will only be organised in consultation with the relevant class teachers.

The 11 week rotation
St. David’s operates an 11 week rotation of student support throughout the school year, split into 3 blocks. For each rotation, students are identified for targeted support and intervention in the above named areas. Teachers work with students on the identified area for 11 weeks, at the end of which, the need for further supports and interventions are reviewed. The aim of this programme of support is to provide targeted intervention for students who are struggling or with an identified need and to assess the level of need of the student for further, ongoing learning support.

Classroom support will be the most common response to emerging needs .The subject teacher and the SEN Coordinator will discuss the nature of the problem and consider strategies which may be effective.

Actions May Include:
- Specific classroom strategies
- Individualised teaching methodologies
- Differentiation

Roles and Responsibilities:

The Subject Teacher:
- Liaises with parents
- Seeks advice from the SEN Team
- Maintains a record of relevant information

The SEN Coordinators:
- Provide advice and resources to subject teacher to assist him/her in the developmen of classroom support
Senior Management:
- Note that a Classroom Support process is being implemented

Other Professionals:
- Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists etc. may be
indirectly involved, offering consultation or advice via the SEN Coordinators

The Review Process:
A review of Classroom Support actions may involve the subject teacher, parents and student and should focus on progress made by the student. The outcome may be that the student continues to have a Classroom Support Plan, no longer requires a Classroom Support Plan or School Support will be initiated

Organisations/Professionals with whom the SEN department works with:

 The National Council for Special Education Needs (NCSE)
 The National Education Welfare Board (NEWB)
 The Health Executive

 In accordance with this act, the school will work with the local SENO

 The local NEPS psychologist
 The local resource teachers for Travellers
 The Blind and the Hearing impaired
Psychologists, or psychiatrists from the social welfare Department and the Health Executive and any other relevant professionals in providing an integrated response to the needs of any particular student.

The autism classes in Saint David’s Holy Faith Secondary School are being put in place for students with an autism diagnosis and a recommendation for enrolment in the autism class.

Autism is a lifelong neurological difference which affects how a person communicates and interacts with others, and how they experience the world around them.

These classes will primarily provide for the learning and wellbeing needs of students with needs that exceed the practicable support available at mainstream level while continuing to promote their inclusion within the broader school community. The first of our autism classes is scheduled to open in October 2024. The second is scheduled to open during the academic year of 2025-2026.

The entry criteria, application form and other relevant information about the classroom can be found at this link
Our autism classes will have a maximum of six students each. This means that classes have a greater level of one to one learning, and flexibility within the day is available to students who are part of the autism class.

Where practical and of benefit to the student, students who are part of the autism class will attend some classes in mainstream classes. The arrangements for this are organised on a student-by-student basis and it is vital that this aligns with the student’s needs and ability. Click here for further general information on classes for students with additional needs from the NCSE.

Key Features of our Autism Classes:

Small Class Sizes - Our classes will have six students, allowing for more individualised educational experience.
Specially Trained Staff - Teachers and support staff attend training and/or CPD in inclusive education and specific teaching methodologies.
Structured Environment - The classrooms are designed to be predictable and structured, helping students feel safe and secure.
Regulation Support - Students within our classes will have access to a sensory cubby, a regulation area, and a 1:3 ratio of SNAs to students.
Our students are provided with an Individual Educational Plan which is constructed, implemented and reviewed on a regular basis.

Aims of our Autism Classes

Some of the aims of our autism classes include providing:

An individualised learning experience
Effective social-emotional development, life skills and independence
Autonomy in moulding the educational experience that each student receives.

Our AS classroom is overseen by Mr. Eoghan Noonan and Ms. Ruth McCormack.

Mr. Noonan

Ms. McCormack

AS Classroom

Sensory Cubbie

Saint David’s Holy Faith Secondary School offers some students an additional layer of support in our sensory Cubbie. A sensory Cubbie is a space designed to support students with sensory processing differences.

This space can provide a tailored experience to meet the needs and cater to the sensory profiles of each learner. Some students need a soothing environment to help regulate and manage sensory input. Others will need alerting visuals and sounds to motivate, bring up their energy and enhance their capacity to learn. The sensory Cubbie offers a space where students with sensory processing differences can feel regulated and better able to engage in learning. With this in mind, there are timetabled slots, facilitated by the SEN Department, for particular students for 5, 10, or 15 minutes. These time slots give students the opportunity for time out with the intention of returning to class immediately afterwards to participate in class activities.

The Cubbie is currently is situated outside the school’s junior AS class. Click here for further information about Cubbie.