Special Educational Needs

Mrs Karen Bell is our Learning Support Coordinator who oversees all provision for additional support within Donaghadee Primary School and Nursery Unit and is also Deputy Designated Teacher for Child Protection.

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At Donaghadee Primary School and Nursery Unit we pride ourselves on our ability to work as a team and support each other. We value the importance of building good relationships with pupils, parents, carers and all who support our pupils to allow our children the opportunity to work to their potential in our school environment.

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Each and every pupil is valued and special to us, so should a child experience difficulty in learning that warrants further investigation, our Learning Support Co-ordinator (LSC) will liaise with parents and Principal to decide on the best course of action.  Diagnostic and standardised tests are utilised, additional teaching within school may be provided and the support of the Special Education and Psychologist Departments at the South Eastern Region of the Education Authority may be sought.  In particular situations specialist teaching may be provided, or additional adult support employed in the classroom.

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We have a team of specially trained staff members who offer the ‘Reading Partnership’ programme, providing children who are experiencing difficulty in reading with regular help.  We also benefit from ‘Time to Read’ when local business volunteers support individual children. Added to this, we have a dedicated Learning Support Team (LST), who work in conjunction with the LSC and class teachers to support children who may be struggling with a particular area. We are grateful to the many outside agencies who support our children and welcome them into our school whenever required.

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We also acknowledge that in each class, there are children who could be considered to be ‘gifted’ in a particular area. It is the policy of Donaghadee PS to provide challenge and stimulation for such children, to ensure that they too reach their potential.