LEADERSHIP+ The Professional Voice of School Leaders
IPPN Survey on Additional Needs in Mainstream Schools: What you told us BRIAN O’DOHERTY IPPN DEPUTY CEO
SET Allocations Is the school’s allocation of SET hours sufficient to meet the needs of the children who present with additional learning needs? 100
80
60
40
20
Last year, as part of the process to develop our new strategic plan, we issued a survey to members. In your responses to that survey, you identified school leader burnout and inadequate supports for children with additional needs, as the two greatest challenges facing you in your roles. Accordingly, to inform and progress our continuing advocacy in the area of inclusion, we sought input from principals and deputy principals of mainstream schools by way of a further survey. The following is an overview of the quantitative data that over 1000 school leaders shared with us. SNA Allocations
Special Class Provision
Is the school’s allocation of SNA posts sufficient to meet the needs of the children who present with identified care needs?
Please indicate the number of special classes in your school. 50.00%
80
0
Yes
No
The average percentage of children in schools who are availing of either School Support or School Support Plus (as per the continuum of support) from a Special Education Teacher is 30.64% This is in excess of the 25% estimated figure used by government to inform the budgetary allocation for Special Education 78.44% said that their school’s allocation of SET hours was not sufficient to meet the needs of the children who present with additional learning needs As a result of this insufficient allocation, 83.75% reported that there were children in the school who required the support of a Special Education Teacher but were unable to avail of such support The average percentage level of increase in hours that would be required to sufficiently meet the needs of the children who present with additional learning needs is 22.03% This would indicate that 18,000+ SET posts are required to meet the actual level of need that presents in schools as opposed to the 15,000+ SET posts that are sanctioned for 2026/27. 10
70 37.50%
60
50 25.00%
40
30
12.50%
20 0
10
0
Yes
No
The average percentage of children in schools who have an identified care need with which they need support from a Special Needs Assistant is 23.38% 61.58% said the school’s allocation of SNA posts was not sufficient to meet the needs of the children who present with identified care needs 85.76% reported that there are children in the school who require the support of a Special Needs Assistant, but who are unable to avail of such support The average increase in the number of SNA posts that would be required to sufficiently meet the identified care needs of the children in schools is 1.85 posts.
None
1
2
3
4
5 or more
55.22% reported having at least one special class in the school 92.06% of the schools, who reported having at least one special class, have a special class for autism 10.83% report having an ASD Early Intervention class 5.05% report having a Specific Speech and Language Disorder class.
...you identified school leader burnout and inadequate supports for children with additional needs, as the two greatest challenges