Special school pupils have yet to get a full day of classes since November

Seven months into the school year, the 30 pupils at Lucan Community Special School are only getting part-time schooling, from 8am to noon. Picture: iStock

Pupils at a newly established community special school have yet to attend a full day of classes seven months into the school year.

The 30 pupils at Lucan Community Special School, established this year under the patronage of Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (ETB), have not yet attended a full day in the school.

It’s understood there have been concerns around the staffing allocations of special needs assistants (SNAs) granted to the school by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The school opened officially at the beginning of November.

Pupils miss eight hours a week 

Pupils at the school are currently attending from 8am to noon, when their school day should finish at 1.40pm. This means they are missing approximately eight hours of school time each week.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, the school said its pupils are not on “reduced school days”. There are strict procedures in place that schools are obliged to follow when it comes to placing a pupil on a reduced timetable.

Instead, the school said the pupils are following a “structured transition programme that gradually extends their time attending towards a full school day”.

“As well as collectively for all students, this is being timed and tailored to each person’s individual and educational needs.”

It added that the school has been open on "full school hours" since November 5, with "all students integrating on their own individual plan, based on their needs." 

From next week, the school will extend its hours from 8am to 12.40pm for its infant classes. 

It added that it plans to extend other pupils time in the school to 1.40pm by the end of March or beginning of April.

“The school and staff are dedicated to providing a nurturing environment centred around inclusion, respect and supporting the individual needs of every student.”

After visiting Lucan Community Special School,  minister of state for disability Emer Higgins posted on Facebook that it was 'fantastic to see this wonderful special school up and running'. Picture: Mike Shaughnessy/Xposure

Minister of state for disability Emer Higgins visited the school last month. In a post to Facebook, she said it was “fantastic to see this wonderful special school up and running, with 30 students already thriving in a supportive and nurturing environment”.

This prompted a strong response from parents at the school who pointed out that pupils had not yet attended a full day.

In the comments in response, she said she is “fully aware of the challenges the school is currently facing”, and that she is “working closely with the relevant bodies to assist the principal, the board of management, and the [Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB] to address them”.

“Our shared goal is to extend school hours while ensuring safety and wellbeing of the staff, and most importantly the children attending,” Ms Higgins said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said it and the NCSE have worked closely with Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB to establish the new school.

“The department and the NCSE is working closely with the patron body to ensure that students can attend school on a full day basis.”

Reduced school days can only be considered by a school after engagement with and with the consent of parents, the added. The NCSE has undertaken a review of SNA resources at the school and a further increase in SNA supports was confirmed.

• Jess Casey, Education Correspondent