Catering for Our Pupils

Our Curriculum

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At St. Anthony's School all our Primary aged Pupils follow a curriculum based on the New Primary Curriculum and also the NCCA Curriculum Guidelines for Students with Mild General Learning Difficulties.
Our curriculum also places great emphasis on developing Social Life Skills and bringing learning to the pupils through interactive teaching and learning experiences. A lot of emphasis is placed on the development of Oral Language and Communication Skills (through Verbal and Pre-Verbal Methodologies).

We offer the same academic subjects as every primary school to our 3 primary classes as follows:

English, Numeracy,  Music,  Visual Arts,  P.E.,  History Geography Science (or SESE subjects =
Social, Environmental and Scientific Studies), 
SPHE = Social, Personal and Health Education , Drama and wellbeing.

Teachers are currently receiving training in the new Maths curriculum.

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Our Post Primary students follow the Junior Cycle Level 1/2  Learning Programmes  from the age of 12-15 years of age.

https://ncca.ie/en/junior-cycle/level-one-and-level-two-programmes/

The Level 1 Learning programmes (JCL1) are made up of six priority learning units (PLU's) as follows: 

Communication, Language and Literacy, Personal Care and Wellbeing, Being part of a Community, Numeracy , The Arts

and Physical Education.

The Level 2 learning programmes (JCL2) are set out in five PLU's as follows:

Communicating and Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Care, Living in a Community and Preparing for work.
Pupils over the age of 12 receive post-primary subjects from post-primary teachers in the subjects as follows: Home Economics, Woodwork, P.E and Music

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The last stage in St Anthony's is the School Leavers Programme before students leave at 18. 

School Leavers - What Happens Next?

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Senior Pupils (16-18 years) enter the SCHOOL LEAVERS PROGRAMME which in addition to the above subjects gives young adults the opportunities to develop:
- Social Skills
- Personal Development Skills
- Life Skills
- Independent Living Skills
- Preparation for Participation in Work Experience
- Training/ Experience as appropriate to their needs
- Centre Sampling to prepare for life after school

 

Student Support file and plans for every Pupil

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Every pupil in St. Anthony's has a Support file with holistic updates of progress in all areas, through that document a support plan with student's priority needs and strengths are identified and  prepared at the start of each academic year. This plan is compiled by teachers with assistance and input from parents and other relevant professionals who may be involved with the pupil. The plan is prepared in September/October and discussed with parents at the annual formal Parent-Teacher meetings which are held in early November. This is where parents and teachers agree on a set of specific targets or goals that the teacher will concentrate on for that child over the course of the year. Parents help support the process by completing homework assignments with their child or following an agreed plan of work for home which will help develop the acquisition of specific skills. The Support plan goals are reviewed regularly and parents are kept informed of progress. The end of year Annual School Report is an opportunity to state whether goals were achieved and sometimes there can also be review meetings held with parents either formally or informally.

While each pupil has an  Support file and plan which details goals or targets specific to each child it is important to remember that the entire curriculum taught in St. Anthony's School is already differentiated for each pupils' level of ability in all subject areas.

It is also noteworthy that all pupils, regardless of age, are taught the entire curriculum in every class. The exception is the School Leavers Class who concentrate on specific skills needed to transition out into the world beyond the school gate.
 

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