Ardee Community School welcomes students with Additional Education Needs (AEN) and in line with the EPSEN Act (2004) recognises “the need to provide that the education of people with such needs shall wherever possible take place in an inclusive environment”
We recognise each student as a unique individual with different talents and needs. We endeavour to meet their physical, intellectual, social, emotional and care needs through our student focused programmes. We aim to enable students who require support for their learning to enjoy equal access to the curriculum as far as is practically possible and to enable them to fulfil their potential. The promotion of self-esteem is an integral part of the students’ learning experience.
The Board of Management and the staff of the school will endeavour to identify, plan and provide for the additional needs of students seeking admission to the school. Every effort will be made to provide an integrated and inclusive education. The school will use the resources, provided by the Department of Education and Skills to make reasonable provision and accommodation for students with additional educational needs.
We emphasize the importance of fulfilling the individual needs of the student and of assisting that student’s progress through the academic and social mainstream of the school. The AEN Team work with students to help them achieve their potential at their level of ability. In order to achieve this goal, some of our students may require supplementary teaching in small group settings, Co-teaching, classroom support, SNA support, additional resources or the provision of specialised assistive technology.
The AEN Department communicates with staff, parents and outside agencies to provide for student needs. Special education provision ensures that all our students have access to, participate in, and gain positive outcomes from their time in school.
AEN students in Ardee Community school, where applicable, have access to a variety of programmes including; JCSP and L2LP at Junior Cycle level and the LCA programmes at Senior Cycle level.
Ardee Community School has as part of its school community, classes for students with Autism. The ASD Suite consists of two classes, which caters for twelve students. Each class has one class teacher and two Special Needs Assistants. The ASD Suite also has a Sensory Integration Room and kitchen facilities. The ASD classes aim to offer an Autism specific learning environment within a mainstream school. This type of educational setting facilitates optimum inclusion as part of the school community with access to mainstream activities as appropriate.
