Special Education in Mercy Mounthawk

Please click here for an overview of Special Education Teaching in Mercy Mounthawk.

Click here to find our Special Education Needs Policy on our Policies & Publications Page.

Our commitment to supporting students with special Educational needs is an aspect of our general commitment to developing the whole person as stated in the school Missions Statement and our commitment to an inclusive education for all students in the school:

Mercy Mounthawk Catholic Voluntary Secondary School is a witnessing community which fosters:

• The full potential of all staff and students
• A positive partnership between all members of the school and wider community
• The highest standards of teaching, learning and performance.

This commitment is understood within the context of the CEIST charter which states that:

‘The educational needs of the students are identified and suitable programmes and curricula are provided to meet the breadth of needs identified so that all students can participate with dignity and confidence.’  (CEIST Charter p.14)

Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk sees itself as respecting ‘the dignity and uniqueness of every human being as a child of God’. We are a Catholic school and therefore ‘an inclusive community’ dedicated to the needs of all sections of society and will, therefore, promote participation and benefit for all, in as far as the school can fulfil the needs of an individual student,

We cooperate with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in relation to the provision of education to children with special educational needs, including in particular the provision and operation of a special class or classes when requested to do so by the Council

 General philosophy of education within the Special Educational Needs Department

The structuring of interventions in SEN in the school is approached cognisant of the framework of support as outlined in the DES guidelines: This framework recognises that needs 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).