St. Paul's National School

We are delighted to share that our school has successfully completed Year 1 of the AsIAm Autism Friendly Schools Programme, a three-year initiative designed to create a more inclusive, understanding, and supportive environment for autistic pupils and all members of our school community.

Throughout the year, we have implemented a range of initiatives to support sensory needs, communication, wellbeing, and inclusion. These include the development of our sensory garden and Zen Den, the installation of sensory boards in our playgrounds, and the introduction of choice boards in our Occupational Therapy room. Charlie's Voice communication boards will also be added to further support communication across the school.

We celebrated Neurodiversity Month with awareness posters and a school competition, while continuing to promote the use of neuro-affirmative language throughout our school community. Staff and pupils also embraced the concept of a "Flappause", recognising and celebrating different ways of expressing joy and excitement.

To ensure pupil and family voice remains central to our work, Early Intervention parental surveys were conducted. Across the school, classrooms continue to provide quiet spaces, alternative seating options, sensory toys, and access to Occupational Therapy supports to help pupils regulate and thrive. Nurture Time each morning further supports pupils' emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn.

Staff members attended the AsIAm Conference and the Neurodiversity Summit, bringing valuable knowledge and best practice back to the school to enhance our inclusive approach.

Achieving Year 1 is an important milestone, and we are proud of the progress made so far. Plans are already in place to build on this work, with exciting new ideas and initiatives planned for Year 2 as we continue our journey towards becoming a fully Autism Friendly School.

What a fantastic Active Week we had in our school! ☀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

A huge thank you to Ms. Glennon for organising such a fun-filled and active week for all of our pupils.

Our activities included:
⭐ Yard games on Tuesday with the wonderful 5th Class girls from St. Peter’s Girls N.S.
⭐ “Walk on Wednesday” followed by relaxing yoga sessions with Ms. Corry in the school hall.
⭐ A brilliant Sports Day on Friday with lots of exciting activities and games for every class.
⭐ And to top it all off… a surprise visit from the ice cream man! 🍦🎉

The children had a wonderful week staying active, working together and having lots of fun. Thank you to everyone who helped make the week such a success! 💙

To bring our Autism Awareness Month activities to a close, the children took part in a very special whole-school colouring competition inspired by the message:

🌸 “We are all unique, we are all beautiful.” 🌸

Each child coloured a flower picture in their own creative way, reminding us that just like flowers, every person is different and every difference adds beauty to our school community.

We were so impressed by the creativity, care, and individuality shown in all of the entries. A special prize will be awarded to one winner from each class. 🌼🏆

Thank you to all of our wonderful pupils for helping us celebrate inclusion, kindness, and the importance of embracing every child for who they are. 💛

We’re looking forward to welcoming our new pupils and their families to our Welcome Day this Friday! 🎉

🗓 Friday May 8th
⏰ 10:15 – 11:15am

This special induction morning is a lovely opportunity for children and their parents to visit our infant classrooms, meet the team, and get a feel for school life.

Parents can enjoy some light refreshments while hearing important information to help make the transition to school as smooth as possible. And of course, every child will receive a little goody pack to take home! 🎁

We can’t wait to meet you all and begin this exciting journey together. 💛

As we share the final message in our series with AsIAm and the Autism Schools Initiative, we celebrate the beauty of difference in every child.

“The world needs all kinds of minds” – Temple Grandin

In our infant school, we recognise that every child thinks, learns, and experiences the world in their own unique way. By embracing these differences, we create a richer, kinder, and more inclusive environment for everyone.

Together, we are building a school where every mind is valued, every child belongs, and every voice is heard. 💛

Credit:

As part of our continued work with AsIAm and the Autism Schools Initiative, we are reflecting on the power of language in shaping an inclusive school community.

Together, we are learning, growing, and making small changes that have a big impact. 💛

As part of our journey with the AsIAm Autism Schools Initiative, we are proud to continue building a school environment where every child feels seen, valued, and supported.

Our second message in this series is simple but powerful: “This is a safe space to be who you are.”

In our infant school, we celebrate individuality, nurture understanding, and create a culture of kindness and acceptance. Every child deserves to feel safe to express themselves, learn in their own way, and belong.

Together, we are growing a community where differences are respected and every voice matters. 💛

This year we in St Paul's are working towards being recognised by the Autism Friendly Schools initiative run by the charity AsIAm. This month is neurodiversity month. Look out for some more posters, over the next few weeks, celebrating our students. We will also have our annual Early Intervention Big Toddle in May, and a non uniform day to celebrate all of our students. Asiam.ie

We hope all our families had a wonderful long weekend and are enjoying the St. Patrick’s Day festivities! ☘️

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18th, our school will open at 9:00 AM. We’ll also be serving a special Irish Breakfast for all the children!

We can’t wait to see everyone back tomorrow morning!