Farranree school 'shocked' not to be granted new ASD class

The principal of Scoil Íosagáin Farranree has said that they have had to disappoint parents awaiting a school place for their child after they were not allocated an ASD class they had already made provisions for.

Principal Feargal Hurley told The Echo: “we’ve opened three classes since Covid and we’re very proud of them, because there’s a significant need for the places in our locality.

He said that their Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) had been the one to suggest opening a fourth class and: “we felt was the right thing to do, it’s in our mission statement that inclusion is at our core.

“We signed the form and sent it, but it was never uploaded onto the system, and when the classes were announced last week, we weren’t included.

“We were absolutely shocked, there were teachers in tears of dismay and disbelief – we took it as a given that we’d be allowed this class, we had money put aside for it in the budget.

“The person we were put in touch with instead just said that nothing could be done, we can’t open the class in September.” Mr Hurley added: “Our deputy principal who’s also the special needs organiser in the school had informed parents that their children would have places in September – they had to call them and give them the heartbreaking news.

“Parents are going to be very upset – as taxpayers, their children are entitled to a school place, but those parents might be in a situation where there are no places for them in September.” 

A spokesperson for the department of education told The Echo that NCSE has sanctioned 53 new special classes across schools in Cork for the coming school year, saying they are “satisfied that there is sufficient provision available through new special classes and existing special classes for all the children known to them seeking a special class place.”