Carmona Special School Annual Admission Notice 2024 25
Carmona-School-Application-Form-for-Admission-2024 2025
Carmona Special School Annual Admission Notice

Any queries in relation to new enrolment should email reception@carmonaschool.com

2024 Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment

School Visitor Policy – School Visitors Guidelines

Data Protection Policy

Anti Bullying Policy

RSE and Stay Safe Policy

Code of Behaviour

Covid-19 Risk Assessment

Carmona School Board of Management is currently developing, reviewing and updating a number of policies. These policies will appear here once completed.

Data Management and Protection / Confidentiality

All pupil information is confidential. Pupils’ files and records are securely maintained and only teachers, the school nurse and members of the clinical team have access to them.

Pupil information is only ever passed on to other institutions/agencies at the written request of parents.

Such information release has to be agreed by the discipline involved (e.g. Physiotherapist, Psychologist etc.) at a Clinical Management Meeting.

Complaints Procedure
As in any school there is a standard procedure for complaints.

Classroom complaints should be addressed to the class teacher. If necessary, further representation can then be made to the school principal. In the event of non-resolution of a complaint, parents should then present the issue, in writing, to the school’s Board of Management.

Issues which are whole-school related should be addressed directly to the Principal.

Code of Behaviour / Behaviour Management
The school’s policy aims to ensure that the individuality of each pupil is accommodated while acknowledging the right of each pupil to education in a relatively disruption-free environment.

The school encourages positive behaviour through praise, encouragement and rewards rather than disapproval and sanction.

Any major or ongoing issues of behaviour management will be addressed under the pupil’s Individual Education Plan and parental/guardian input is very important in this respect. The school may, with parental/guardian approval, seek advice from appropriate professionals, e.g. psychologist.

Health/Sex Education
Pupils will be given appropriate sex education according to their needs and abilities, in consultation with parents/guardians

Health and Safety
In compliance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 the school has a detailed Safety Statement and a Safety Officer has been appointed.

Appropriate procedures are in place and are regularly reviewed.

For reasons of health and safety, and security, the school operates a strict admissions procedure. Therefore, while we are pleased to welcome members of the school community and visitors to our school, access for all visitors is via a security controlled entrance and all visitors must report to the school secretary’s office.

Transport
All the pupils in Carmona School are entitled to transport to and from school. This service is funded by the Department of Education and Science and administered by Bus Eireann. Bus Eireann has sub-contracted the following Bus Operators:

• Liam Sutcliffe-Precious Cargo
• John O’Neill
• George Chadwick
to provide the school’s transport. Bus Escorts, employed by the school and funded by the Department of Education and Science, are responsible for the pupil’s safety during transport.

Any questions regarding a pupil’s transport should be directed to the Manager of the Transport Company. Any requests for a change i.e. pick up/drop off, change of bus etc should be directed to the bus driver. Any queries regarding bus escorts should be directed to the School Principal.

We find that our pupils very much enjoy the routine of the bus service.

School Uniform
Pupils wear a school uniform, which is a navy blue tracksuit showing the school crest.

While it is not obligatory to wear the uniform, we believe that it demonstrates pride in our school identity and may create a sense of unity among the pupils. We, therefore, encourage the wearing of the uniform.

Uniforms can be ordered in June of each year via the Secretary of the Parents’ Association Committee (details at the office).

School Year and Attendance
Our school year conforms to the standard year for primary schools, with holidays and other closures as advised from time to time.

Pupils in the Severe/Profound range of Intellectual Disability are entitled to a continuance of education during July. This programme is dependent on availability of suitably qualified staff.

In the event of the non availability of qualified staff parents have the right to contact Special Education Section, Department of Education in relation to the provision of home tuition for the month of July.

It is important that all pupils attend school every day unless illness, medical consultations, therapy consultations etc. prevent attendance.

The Principal is obliged under the terms of the Education Welfare Act 2000 to advise the National Educational Welfare Officer of all pupil absences of more than 20 days in any school year. Therefore, parents must provide written explanations for pupil absences.

Parents of pupils who are often ill, hospitalised etc. have no cause for concern in this regard.

2024 Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment

Healthcare Management

Accidents during school hours (minor and major)
Minor accidents such as cuts or grazes will be dealt with by the class teacher or school nurse and all incidents are reported to the Principal/Deputy Principal.
In the event of serious injury, the school nurse and Principal or Deputy Principal must be informed immediately and the emergency services called. Parents/guardians will be informed by telephone. Where possible the class teacher will accompany the pupil in the ambulance, to be relieved by parents/guardians if possible or another nominated person. An Incident Report will be compiled.

Criteria for return to school after illness
While we approve the ideals of patient confidentiality, our duty of care to our pupils, and our duty of reporting to the Health Services Executive in certain cases, calls for us to request parents/guardians to report serious illnesses, hospitalisations and infectious diseases to the school nurse or principal. In certain instances, a medical certificate confirming the individual’s fitness to return to school may be required (for example following a serious infectious disease).

Illness requiring absenteeism
The school respectfully requests parents/guardians not to send a pupil to school if any of the following criteria apply:
· if the pupil is vomiting or has diarrhoea
· if s/he has a temperature of 38°C/101F or above
· if s/he has any communicable disease (eg chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, hepatitis etc.)
· if s/he has a heavy cold or cough
· if the pupil is engaging in repeated or abnormal epileptic seizure activity
· during the first 48 hours of antibiotic treatment, or until temperature and/or signs of illness have gone.

Sickness during school hours
Commencement of a routine illness during school hours will be brought to the attention of the Principal and the school nurse. Depending on the nature of the illness the pupil will either be made comfortable for the rest of the morning with the parents/guardians being informed by the school diary, or the parents/guardians will be telephoned and asked to collect the pupil from school. The latter action will always apply if the school nurse decides the pupil is unfit to stay in school. An internal written report will be compiled in all cases. In the event of evidence of a serious illness, the procedure to be followed will be the same as that detailed below for serious injuries.

Healthcare
The school insists on the highest standards of healthcare and full cooperation from parents/guardians/carers’ is important. In this respect, all changes in pupils’ health, medical treatments, medications etc. should be reported in writing to the school nurse.

Personal Care
Having regard to the dignity and privacy of each and every pupil, the school adheres to strict healthcare guidelines on all matters of personal/intimate care.

Policies are in place and staff training is undertaken. The personal care needs of students are met by the Special Needs Assistants and parents/guardians are welcome to liaise with staff on all issues regarding personal care.

In particular, it is suggested that parents and staff cooperate on skills to increase independence in self-care such as toilet training.

Parents/guardians are asked to supply the school with appropriate supplies of personal care materials (nappies, wipes, creams etc.) and each pupil’s class teacher will liaise with parents/guardians on requirements from time to time via the pupil’s home/school diary.

Medical Information – Medical Diary
Each pupil has a Medical Diary in which changes to any medication and ongoing information about medical conditions may also be recorded both by parents and by the school nurse. The nurse will correspond with the parent/guardian by letter or the medical diary.

Daily Communication
The School Nurse will write to parents/guardians when any health issues arise and such letters are generally sent home with the pupil’s Home/School Diary. When necessary, the nurse will telephone parents directly, or if parents have specifically requested this. Parents/Guardians are welcome to contact the nurse via the school secretary if they wish to arrange a meeting or pass on any concerns/information they may have.

Medical Information
Upon enrolment, up-to-date medical information about each pupil (if applicable) is required, which needs to be provided by the pupil’s GP or Medical Consultant. Along with this information, a current medical prescription must be included and the school nurse requires an up-to-date GP’s prescription to administer any changes in medication.

Respect and Dignity in our Work