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Special Needs Assistants Allocations
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In light of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for Special Needs Assistants for students in mainstream classes in primary and post-primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.
The training and workshops are designed to help school leaders and teachers in their in-school planning for the new model and their engagement with parents. These sessions will now be rescheduled to take place during the 2021/22 school year. Further information will be issued by the NCSE in due course.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, special arrangements are being put in place that will facilitate continuity of allocations and certainty for schools, SNAs and parents.
The following SNA allocation arrangements will apply for the 2021/22 school year:
- existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically rollover into the 2021/22 school year.
- no school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way.
- priority consideration will now be given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year. In particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised and determinations made before 30 June. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.
- where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review.
The NCSE will publish allocations on its website www.ncse.ie by the end of May.
Circular 0029/2021 covering the allocation of SNAs for 2021/22 has issued to schools. The circular outlines:
- the detail of the rollover of SNA mainstream allocations,
- guidance for dealing with new/additional care needs presenting in schools, appeals SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
- provisions set out in Circular 30/2020 is being extended for the 2021/22 school year
The circular outlines the next steps for the full implementation of the Frontloading Model from September 2021.
0030/2020
Special Needs Assistant Allocations for the 2020/21 School Year for Mainstream Classes in Primary and Post Primary Schools
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0029/2021
Special Needs Assistant Allocations for the 2021/22 School Year for Mainstream Classes in Primary and Post Primary Schools
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