History of St Vincents School

Half a century ago, in the nineteen fifties, the importance of education to persons with general learning disabilities gained widespread recognition in Ireland. Voluntary organisations and Religious Orders took the initiative in establishing school for students with learning disabilities. These schools were subsequently officially recognised by the Department of Education.

St Vincent's School, Lisnagry, under the auspices of the Daughters of Charity, opened its doors to the first students in September 1966. It was one of the first schools in the South of Ireland for the education of students with Moderate learning disability and it had the full recognition of the Department of Education.

Twenty years later ('86), a pilot class was set up for 12 students with severe learning disability.

Another landmark in '93 was Judge O'Hanlon's judgement in the High Court re. Paul O 'Donoghue.

His ruling now meant that it was the legitimate right of all persons with severe/profound learning disability to be educated, and from that date, many more classes were set up. In our school, we have 2 classes for students with severe/profound learning disability. A separate Canteen building beside the school gives the pupils a hot dinner each day and allows them to become as independent as possible in the social skill of eating.

In September 1999, our school set up a Resource Room in St Vincent's School, to meet the more profound and urgent needs of our students. An Occupational Therapy Room was developed within the School Canteen in 2002 where individual sessions for students take place. The OPW replaced 25-year-old pre-fabs in 2003. September 2004 a Junior and Senior Autistic Spectrum Disorder class was set up by the DES. Our Playground, “Leprechaun land" was opened in November 2005 and a "Tranquillity Room" was also set up. We have continued to expand in the number of classes we have and opened two new modular classrooms in November 2019.

SERC REPORT

Another very influential factor was the Report of the Special Education Revie in 1993. This was of great importance to the further development of Special E (factor for). The Review Committee favoured Integration of students with special needs into mainstream and I quote it said "as much integration as is appropriate and is feasible”. Two years later the  White Paper on Education "Charting our Education Future" affirmed that its objective would be quote, "to ensure a continuum of provision for special educational needs ranging from occasional help within the ordinary school to full time education in a special school or unity.”

In '98 Michael Martin (our previous Minister for Education and Science) announced a number of special initiatives in support of integration of students with special education needs - Resource Teachers in mainstream and full-time and part-time Special Needs Assistants, Psychological Services were also established. The Education Act has now given practical effect to these recommendations.

Special schools like ours have students from 4 - 18 years. Our student population is very varied in level of functioning and potential. Our Pre-School for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (A.S.D.) was set up in September 2012. This caters for pupils from their third birthday and is a regional service run by the Department. More recently, changes by the Department of Education to the school curriculum for students with special needs have been implemented, including the new Junior and Senior Cycle. We continue to adhere to our mission statement and school ethos in daily school life.