‘We can already see a difference in the children’: Pupils adapt to new surrounds at state-of-the-art special school

When it first opened 40 years ago, this Dublin special school catered to just 12 pupils at a time when most children with disabilities were invisible to the education system.

On Wednesday, Stewarts School celebrated the opening of its state-of-the-art premises in Lucan where 134 pupils with moderate, severe and profound learning difficulties are being helped to reach their full potential.

It is now one of the largest special schools of its kind in Ireland and employs 23 teachers, 63 special needs assistants, along with nurses and a support team.

The new school building, the result of a €25 million investment by the Department of Education, has been developed to meet the complex needs of its community and features 28 purpose-built classrooms, sensory areas, teaching support rooms, an IT room, a PE hall, a library, outdoor play areas and canteen.

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“We can already see a difference in the way the children are engaging with the learning environment here,” said principal of Stewarts School, Mary Carrig.

“The school community is so happy with the feeling the new school gives. The sense of space is fantastic, and the acoustics are perfectly suited to creating a very calm environment that supports our teaching goals.”

One of the pupils benefiting from the new setting is Josh O’Brien.

His father Stephen O’Brien said there were fears that he might never walk or talk when he was first diagnosed with autism and developmental delays, as well scoliosis or curvature of the spine.

Today, the 13-year-old is running, talking and full of excitement over the new facilities.

“He’s doing so well,” said Mr O’Brien. “He’s playing football, he never misses training, and his speech has really come on. He has lots of words and his understanding is fantastic.”

He says his son has been lucky to benefit from the input of teachers and therapists at the centre since he started preschool.

“We were lucky that we got the right people and the right services at the right time,” he said.

The school building, officially launched on Wednesday by Minister for Education Norma Foley and the Mayor of South Dublin Emma Murphy, was first opened in 1978. Its patron is Stewarts Care, which was established in 1869 in Palmerstown as an institution to provide education, training and care for children and adults with an intellectual disability.

Today, the school is attended by children with complex needs including physical, behavioural, and sensory difficulties. A significant number of students are also on the autistic spectrum.

Through education, the school said it seeks to provide each individual pupil with appropriate opportunities and experiences to reach their full potential and to become “valued and active members of society”.

Catherine McLoughlin, chair of the board of Stewarts School, said the community has been working towards this day for a very long time.

“Stewarts School is a fantastic educational resource for the community here in west Dublin and we look forward to increasing our capacity over the coming years to meet growing needs,” she said.

“I would like to thank all those who made this project a reality and to acknowledge the Trojan fundraising efforts of our families and supporters who helped deliver additional outdoor spaces and play areas for the pupils.”