Gaelscoil Chill Dara

School Policy with regard to Assessment and Children with Special Needs
(amended December 2009)

1. Background
The school is constantly striving to provide the best education for each and every one of its pupils. This has been strengthened by the Education Act which states that it is| : An act to make provision in the interests of the common good for the state, including any person with a disability or who has other special educational needs…..

2. Assessment
We will administer the following tests from now on:

• BIAP (Belfield Infant Assessment Test) for Junior Infants
• MIST in First Class
• Micra T in First Class (Directly after Christmas) and Third and Fifth (At the beginning of the school year)
• Drumcodra Maths Test in 2 Class, in 4 Class (at the end of the year) and in 6 Class(At the beginning of the school year)
• QUEST in 2 Class for certain children
• NRIT (Non-Reading Intelligence Test) in 2 Class
• Each teacher from 1 to 6 Class administers an exam on what has been done by the class in Gaeilge, Maths and English at Christmas and at the end of the year

3. Children with Special Needs
If it is apparent that any person has a specific need from the above tests, or
if the teacher herself feels that a child has a particular problem,

the teacher will follow the following steps
Step 1: The teacher informs the parent that the child has a particular difficulty

Step 2: The class teacher informs the Caring Team (at present (Valerie, <Argo, Esther and Seán) with copies of the tests and results

Step 3: On the advice of the Caring Team the Principal will undertake various activities, eg meetings with the parents, Learning Support for the child and /or psychological assessment :

4. Official Contact between Parents and Teachers

• There is regular contact between parents and Teachers. The parents make an appointment through the school office
• The teacher meets the parents of her pupil as a group at the beginning of the school year
• Each parent is asked to meet the teacher in February
• A school report issued each January.