Saint Patrick’s has recently achieved Autism NI’s Impact Award for Education, demonstrating our commitment to inclusion for autistic and neurodivergent students, and their families.
Staff received tailored training from Autism NI and implemented a bespoke action plan of adjustments across the school, to build a more inclusive environment.
Autism NI’s Director of Development, Christine Kearney said “We are delighted that Saint Patrick’s has achieved the Impact Award. Through their training and action plan, the school has implemented a range of practical and meaningful changes to promote accessibility.
This included:
Training for all staff.
A bespoke action plan created by the SENCo.
The creation of a new Sensory Room.
A Calm Space for children to access in the morning or afternoon.
A quiet space for children to access outside.
Communication passports completed by the children.
Reduced bells in certain areas within the school.
Social stories prepared for the children.
New sensory toys kindly donated by the Tennyson family.
Two new blackout tents that can be accessed by the children in their classrooms.
By achieving the Impact Award, they have shown a clear commitment to building an inclusive culture for their students, and will strive to continue building positive accessible options for their students.”
Autism NI work alongside autistic people and their families, and build partnerships that champion better understanding, accessibility, and services for our autism community. The Impact Award for Education is available for a range of schools and education facilities, to build their inclusive approach for students and their families.
We would like to extend a big thank you to 'Friends of Mullinahoe' for their generous funding of our outdoor space, and to the McGuigan Family for their kind donation of the picnic table. Without the continued support of our Parent Support Group, we would not have been able to develop this outdoor area, which provides a valuable sensory space for the children. We look forward to continuing to enhance this area by adding more resources in the future
