Enrolment Process
Please refer to our policies page where you can all relevant information for the enrolment process for 2023-2024.
St. Augustine’s is a co-educational, special school for students, aged 7-18, with Mild General Learning Disabilities (MGLD). We also cater for students with Moderate General Learning Disabilities, if their independent living skills are at a high level. If you are considering applying for a place in St. Augustine’s School, you need to read the following 3 items (under Policies):
- Application Form
- Admission Policy
- Annual Admission Notice (shows all relevant dates and timelines for the admissions process and lists the number of places available in each age category, the majority of which are at Primary Level).
School transport is provided for students attending St. Augustine’s School. If you are offered a place, we will make an application to National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on your behalf. Click here for Department Circular.
• Class sizes are currently 7-10 (but max. 12 students per class). There is 1 teacher and there are 1 or 2 special needs assistants (sna) per class, depending on needs in class and staffing resources to school. SNAs in our school are not assigned to individual students, but work with all students in the class, supporting the teacher.
• St. Augustine’s School currently has 160 students (approximately 60% boys and 40% girls). This includes:
o 60 students with Mild GLD + Autism
o 40 students with Mild-Moderate GLD + Down Syn.
o 60 students with Mild-Moderate GLD with or without diagnoses other than Autism and Down Syndrome.
• See the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) Information for Parents ‘Working Together to Make a Difference for Children’. Click here.
• Parents are actively involved in St. Augustine’s School Parents Association (SASPA), in The Special Olympics Swimming Club and in the Past-Pupils Clubs.
• Students graduate at age 18 with a combination of Junior Cycle Levels 2 and 3, QQI (formerly FETAC) Levels 2 and 3 and Junior Certificate Schools Programme (JCSP) qualifications.
• Post St. Augustine’s School, students often accept placements in Festina Lente, STEP, WALK, Roslyn Park, Access Park House, SJoG Patrick Street, NLN, Autism Initiatives, Sunbeam House, Gheel, Turas, St. Michael’s House, Central Remedial Clinic (Rehabilitative Training), etc.
• If you are interested in attending a school tour, please email STUDENT’S NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH, TOGETHER WITH THE PROPOSED YEAR OF APPLICATION to staugustines@sjog.ie.
CHECKLIST OF ITEMS TO SEND,
WITH APPLICATION FORM,
BY REGISTERED POST
• Copy of child’s birth cert.
• Proof of address.
• Signed GDPR Consent.
• Psychological Report (include
any other reports to be read
‘in conjunction with
Psychological Report’).
• Most recent school report.
• Signed GDPR Consent Form.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORT SHOULD:
• INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF
COGNITIVE ABILITY AND CLEARLY
SHOW THE FULL SCALE IQ (FSIQ)
o MILD/HIGH MODERATE RANGE
IQ OF 40-70 or
o MILD RANGE IQ OF 50-70,
MILD ONLY, FOR STUDENTS
WITH AN ADDITIONAL
DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM.
• BE DATED WITHIN 2 YEARS OF
APPLICATION DATE.
• RECOMMEND A SPECIAL SCHOOL
PLACEMENT IF RELEVANT.
• MAKE REFERENCE TO THE NEED
FOR AN SNA AND/OR BUS ESCORT
IF DEEMED NECESSARY.
• REFERENCE ANY ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY RECOMMENDED.
• REFERENCE ANY OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY SUPPORTS E.G. CHAIR.
• REFERENCE ANY RELEVANT
HEARING, VISUAL AND/OR SPEECH
AND LANGUAGE INTERVENTIONS.
• Places available are listed on our Annual Admission Notice and we generally accept applications from October of the current year for enrolment in September of the following year. We recommend that you apply to other schools as well as St. Augustine’s. Many schools are oversubscribed. We currently receive more applications than we have places each year. Waiting lists are held for the school year of application only and do not carry forward to the following year; parents need to re-apply.
• We regret we cannot accept applications for students with a dual diagnosis of ASD+Moderate GLD, students with a diagnosis of Borderline (IQ >70) or Psychological Reports dated 2 years past application date. Applications will also be returned if not submitted by REGISTERED POST through An Post.
This page is a summary only and must be read in conjunction with Annual Admission Notice and School Admission Policy. If you would like to receive hard copies of these or if you require any assistance completing application form,
please email staugustines@sjog.ie or phone 01-2881771 to make your request.