Principles underpinning the
set model in our school
The continuum of support
In line with the Department of Education Guidelines and following international best practice, we aim to ensure that all children with special educational needs are provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
The Continuum of Support is a framework to guide the identification of children’s strengths and needs, and for monitoring response to intervention. This framework recognises that special educational needs occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to more significant, and from transient to enduring.
It recognises that children require different levels of support depending on their identified educational needs, and that needs may change over time. Using this framework helps to ensure that interventions are incremental, moving from classbased interventions to more intensive and individualised support, and that they are informed by careful monitoring and review of response to intervention. Using this framework helps to ensure flexible and timely allocation of supports, so that those children with the greatest level of need have access to the greatest level of support.
The Continuum of Support includes three levels for assessment, intervention planning and review.
The Continuum of Support is a framework to guide the identification of children’s strengths and needs, and for monitoring response to intervention. This framework recognises that special educational needs occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to more significant, and from transient to enduring.
It recognises that children require different levels of support depending on their identified educational needs, and that needs may change over time. Using this framework helps to ensure that interventions are incremental, moving from classbased interventions to more intensive and individualised support, and that they are informed by careful monitoring and review of response to intervention. Using this framework helps to ensure flexible and timely allocation of supports, so that those children with the greatest level of need have access to the greatest level of support.
The Continuum of Support includes three levels for assessment, intervention planning and review.
For more detailed information the department has issued extensive guidelines to schools to assist them in providing support to all children and young people in mainstream classes who have special education teaching needs.
The detailed guidelines can be accessed at the following link:
autism good practice
In Scoil Mochua, we are committed to providing an inclusive and safe learning environment for all our pupils. As such, we follow the Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools, which has been developed by the Department of Education. It is designed to help support the wellbeing, learning and participation of children and young people with autism in education.
In our school, all staff aim to understand the varied nature of students’ strengths and needs, as well as to identify whole-school and individualised approaches to supports for students. We use this guidance to support us in our work.
The guidelines have been developed for students with autism, but many of the strategies can be adapted for those with other special educational needs (for example: learning, social or behavioural needs). The guidance provides information and support across the following EIGHT domains or key ‘areas of practice’, to enhance the wellbeing, learning and participation of autistic students:
We are very aware that our autistic students often have very different types of needs. The guidelines recommend that the eight domains of support are used in a holistic and inter-connected way when identifying students’ strengths and responding to their needs. The guidance also helps us to support students with anxiety, transitions, relationships and sexuality education, digital learning, assistive technology and more.
In our school, all staff aim to understand the varied nature of students’ strengths and needs, as well as to identify whole-school and individualised approaches to supports for students. We use this guidance to support us in our work.
The guidelines have been developed for students with autism, but many of the strategies can be adapted for those with other special educational needs (for example: learning, social or behavioural needs). The guidance provides information and support across the following EIGHT domains or key ‘areas of practice’, to enhance the wellbeing, learning and participation of autistic students:
- Learning Environment
- Language and Communication Development
- Social Development
- Emotional Development
- Sensory Processing
- Functional Skills for Daily Living
- Academic Development
- Behavioural Development
We are very aware that our autistic students often have very different types of needs. The guidelines recommend that the eight domains of support are used in a holistic and inter-connected way when identifying students’ strengths and responding to their needs. The guidance also helps us to support students with anxiety, transitions, relationships and sexuality education, digital learning, assistive technology and more.
