Apple Icon Apple Icon Apple Icon
Solas

In St. Mary’s CBS, we offer holistic supports to students with additional learning needs. We have a team of extremely dedicated and highly qualified teachers and SNAs in our ASD Centre, named Solas. Student-centred supports are at the heart of everything we do in St. Mary’s CBS. In Solas, our supports are vast and varied to meet the individual needs of our students; there are literacy, numeracy and subject supports as well as regulation, social skills and life skills supports on offer. We want all our students to experience success.

We are able to support students within the wide variety of programs we offer such as

  • Level 1 Learning Programme (L1LP)
  • Level 2 Learning Programme (L2LP) Traditional Junior Certificate
  • Transition Year TY
  • Traditional Leaving Certificate
  • Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)
  • Senior Cycle Level 1 Learning Programme
  • Senior Cycle Level 2 Learning Programme.

In Solas, there are individual lockers for each student, 3 spacious classrooms, a fully equipped kitchenette, a para-educational room, a large social-area, a sensory room as well as a sensory garden. The centre is designed to value and meet the ever-changing needs of our students in order for them to participate to the best of their ability in mainstream where possible, in Solas and be active members of our school community.

Also, during June each year, we run the Summer Programme for 2 weeks, where those attending enjoy a variety of activities, experiences and trips.

 

HOW CAN YOUR SON APPLY FOR A PLACE IN SOLAS?

If your son has a diagnosis for ASD, and you are looking for a secondary school place for him, this is how to do so:

  • Since 2024, a more centralised system has come into practice, in order that the NCSE have oversight of who are in our special classes. A parent with a diagnosis of ASD, should write/email the local SENO*, along with the most recent assessment of your son. If the SENO approves his eligibility of a place in a special class, they will send you a Letter of Eligibility which you should then send to every school which you apply to. Schools cannot offer a special class place without that letter. You are advised to do this as soon as possible, August/September, so that you have it done.

    *This email address will be updated once we are given the new SENO’s email address.

  • Attend our Open Night during week 2 of September each year. See local papers, Portlaoise Parish Linkup, this website, Midlands 103 Radio Station and Laois Today App, for date and time.
  • Go to our website, to Downloads/Admissions and you must download 2 different Applications:
    • 1st Year Application Form
    • Application to Enrol in Solas
  • Submit both of these together after October 1st until the stated closing date on our Annual Admissions Notice published each September on our website. That notification will inform you how many places are available in Solas for the following September.
  • We always receive applications in excess of the number of places available. In November, after the closing date, a Random Selection (Lottery) is held, as per our Admissions Policy. That will give us the waiting list. The Principal will contact all on that list, letting them know where on the list their son is, and give subsequent updates during the following months.
  • If it is any consolation to parents, each year we begin with a waiting list of 10/12 students and everyone on it has a place either with us or another school more suitable to the applicants by the end of June.

    If you have any further questions, please email mmurphy@portlaoisecbs.com