Welcome to our Social Communication Class.

At Lurgan Model Primary School we currently have one specialist provision class – a Social Communication Class - with a specialist SEN teacher and experienced SEN assistants.

Children attending our specialist provision class require a Statement of Special Educational Need (and usually either have or are waiting on an HSC diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder).

We are governed by the Education Authority and children are placed within our specialist provision class by the Education Authority itself.

Our specialist class is resourced to meet the social and communication, emotional, behavioural and wellbeing needs of the children. We have a sensory area within our classroom and access to sensory resources to support the children.

Children are given the opportunity to follow the NI Primary School Curriculum which is adapted and differentiated to suit each child’s preferred learning styles, needs and abilities. The pupil/ teacher ratio is small, allowing for 1:1 and small group teaching and learning experiences. 

The SEN staff have developed valuable partnerships with external agencies and professionals who support the school, the SEN children and parents. We liaise with EA support services e.g. Autism Advisory and Intervention Service (AAIS) and HSC therapies such as Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists. Our Speech and Language Therapist visits weekly to deliver programmes of support for specific children.

Inclusion and integration with mainstream classes is at the heart of our school SEN ethos. We recognise that our SEN children must feel included and part of the whole school community. We have integration opportunities for SEN children who are able to integrate. They join mainstream classes for breaktime outside, lunchtime in the dinner hall, PE/Healthy Kidz sessions, school assemblies and plays and other specific teaching time (depending upon the specific ability of each child, academically, socially and emotionally).

If you have a child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs and would like to discuss our specialist class, please contact the school.