INTO seeks funding for special education in mainstream schools 

The INTO is 'steadfast' in its commitment to an inclusive education system, said INTO general secretary John Boyle. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA

An inclusive education system cannot be “achieved on goodwill alone” as a new policy paper recommends guaranteeing mainstream schools funding for special classes before a new class opens.

The recommendation is among several put forward by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) in a new policy paper published today as the primary school teachers’ union meets for its annual Easter congress.

In a paper highlighting what teachers see as essential supports for special education, the union calls for a further reduction in class sizes, as well as greater investment and support for inclusive education.

“Grants and funding for the establishment of special classrooms, appropriate self-regulation and sensory spaces, adapted indoor and outdoor play areas, and all necessary furniture and equipment must be provided to all schools before a special classes are opened,” it recommends.

The paper also calls for primary school class sizes to be further reduced, down to an average of 19 students to one teacher in mainstream schools, and 15:1 in the most disadvantaged schools.

It also calls for lower pupil teacher ratios in special schools and classes, as well as for a full review of the current Special Education Teacher (SET) allocation model.

The paper also calls for:

• Universal design standards for accessibility in all new school buildings and refurbishments;
• Appropriate school transport for pupils with additional needs;
• A dedicated health and safety support unit within the Department of Education.

The INTO is “steadfast” in its commitment to an inclusive education system, said INTO general secretary John Boyle.

“But inclusion cannot be achieved on goodwill alone. Teachers and school communities require meaningful support from the Department of Education, its agencies, and allied professionals.

“The INTO believes that a wide range of special classes are required, that more special school places are vital and that additional support must be provided for children with additional needs who are being taught in mainstream classes.”

In January 2024, the National Council for Special Education launched a “landmark” policy advice paper recommending an inclusive education system which would see all schools catering to students.

This would see schools resourced and equipped to educate all children in their local community, including children with special educational needs.

This “rightly recognises that while the ideal is for all children to learn together, a continuum of provision is essential”, Mr Boyle added.

“Special classes play a key role in this continuum, and every school with an identified need should be supported to establish one.

“Teachers are at the forefront of making inclusion a reality. It’s time for the Department and the NCSE to listen to the profession, acknowledge its experience, and act on the clear need for greater investment, planning and support.”