St. Declan's School was founded in 1958 by the Irish Jesuits for children who, for personal or emotional reasons, achieve below their potential in their local schools. We strive to create a supportive environment for the boys and girls in our care.
St. Declan's caters to children who, for one reason or another, are achieving below their potential at school. Boys and girls of primary school age, who have run into personal or educational difficulties in another school, can be referred to St. Declan's. If children have the sort of problems that can be helped by a year or a few years in St. Declan's, they can transfer here until they are ready to return to mainstream schools.
St. Declan's School has a special role in providing a secure, safe and supportive learning environment that caters to each child's individual needs. At St. Declan's we wish to maintain a learning environment that allows each child to reach his or her full potential. The rights of pupils and members of staff are enshrined in the school's code of behavior.
In St. Declan's a common spirit lies behind teaching and learning in the life of the school. This common spirit or 'ethos' described here is for the whole school community - the board of management, the teachers, the secretary, the children, and their parents.
Developing competence in communication and social skills, learning to deal with situations calmly and respectfully. We learn to use our heads and think of better ways to deal with others.
A formed conscience that knows what is good and true and moves us to act following the rights of others. We work with the children to become large-hearted, being able to forgive and let things go to try and be whole-hearted, doing our best with the talents we have, and to speak from the heart avoiding be ruled by passion or anger.
Each class learns about the St. Declan's Code and creates their age-appropriate Classroom Charter which helps the children take ownership of the code. More recently (2014) a student council has been set up with the support of Special Needs Assistants which gives the children more responsibility in the life of the school.
