St Fur se y’ s to install newautisticunit

Saint Fursey’s National School is to install new unit to cater for autistic pupils.

Refitting work will be carried out over the summer and the unit is scheduled to be ready when the school re-opens at the end of August after the summer holidays.

The facility will be the only one in national schools between Dundalk and Kilsaran and will offer special individual attention to pupils with autism right through the primary education age cycle from four to 12 year-old.

A spokesperson told the school was pleased to be in the position to offer the new facility for siblings of pupils at the school and make life easier for their families.

‘It is great to think we can accommodate children in the area and spare them and their families from having to travel to avail of such a facility. It will mean boys and girls in the one family can go to the same school’

The unit is a joint initiative between the Department of Education and the school, with funding to be provided by the Department. But to cover the full cost the school will have to raise funds which it will embark upon in September.

Minor changes will have to be made within the school building over the summer, involving adjustments of rooms to facilitate the unit.

The facility will result in the creation of two new positions, including a teaching post and a special needs assistant, and involve the provision of additional staff training.

The school spokesperson commented: ‘We are very excited about the development and can’t wait to welcome in all the new children in August.’