Schooling

Over 2,300 deaf children are now at mainstream school in Ireland, with support from the visiting teacher service. Schooling, with communication, are two of the biggest decisions the parents of a deaf child need to make.

School Options

Most parents educate their child locally, maybe with home tuition if it’s needed, or (a more practical approach) resource teaching in the school day.

Others may send their child to mainstream school at primary stage, and then away to secondary school: maybe a specialist school, or to the UK.

• Preparing Kids For Mainstream School Settings
• Different Mainstreaming Models For Deaf Children

Alternatively, the child may attend a specialist school for the Deaf for their whole education, and grow up with Deaf peers, using ISL as a first language.

In Ireland, the current options are:

Mainstream schools – check with your local schools
- with a visiting teacher of the deaf
- supplemented by an on-site resource teacher
- and if needed, a special-needs assistant (SNA) in the classroom

Units for deaf children at mainstream schools
- Douglas Community School, Co Cork
- St Columba’s GNS, Co Cork
- Geashill Unit, Co Offaly
- Presentation Primary School, Tralee, Co Kerry
- Mounthawk Secondary School, Tralee, Co Kerry
- Darley National School, Cootehill, Co Cavan
- Ennis Community College, Co Clare
- Holy Family Junior National School, Ennis, Co Clare

Schools for Deaf students
- St Mary’s, Cabra, Dublin 7
- St Joseph’s, Cabra, Dublin 7
- The Mid-West School for the Deaf, Limerick