Education Minister has officially opened a new
Specialist Provision class and sensory room at Lislagan Primary
School, Ballymoney.
A Specialist Provision class aims to offer tailored support and
resources for pupils with diverse learning needs, helping them to
participate fully in the mainstream curriculum.
During the opening ceremony, said: “This is an
important day for Lislagan
Primary, marking the official opening of a new
Specialist Provision class and sensory room at the
school.
“This new class provides a facility that helps to ensure
more vulnerable learners have access to quality education in an
environment that is tailored to support their learning within a
setting that allows integration and inclusion with their peers.
All pupils need to have the opportunity to achieve their full
potential; by having the best educational experiences, equality
of opportunity and pathways that meets their needs.
“My visit to Lislagan today has let me see again,
first-hand, how specialist provision classes can play a vital
role in helping schools provide quality education to children and
young people with additional needs.”
Lislagan Primary School Principal Louise Creelman said: “We are
delighted to be able to open a new social and communication class
in our school. This provision offers those children with social
and communication difficulties a school experience designed
specifically to their individual needs. Our mainstream children
have developed empathy and understanding of neurodiverse children
and it is lovely to see first-hand the integration and
inclusion. It has been great to watch the children grow and
learn at a pace suited to them.
“The sensory room is also a fantastic addition to our school
premises as this can also be used by children throughout the
whole school as and when needed.”
Principal Creelman continued: “We are also excited that Lislagan
will be opening another Specialist Provision class in the 2025/26
academic year for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
children. This will mean that children with social and
communication needs can start their educational journey here with
reassurance that there will be a KS2 classroom to continue their
primary education. We all know that early intervention is key and
this new room will lend itself to the purpose of ensuring even in
the Foundation Stage, children can receive education tailored to
their needs within a mainstream school.”
Notes to editors:
Specialist provision class package available to schools can be
viewed here - https://send.eani.org.uk/statutory-assessment/information-schools/establishing-specialist-provisions-mainstream-schools#section-1228
