Groundbreaking Limerick project launches in 140 schools nationwide

A GROUNDBREAKING project that was first piloted across six schools under the remit of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is now under way in 140 ETB schools nationwide.

The initial results of the national project, developed in partnership between Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and Mary Immaculate College were presented at a national Leading Inclusive Education event in Portlaoise.

Provision Mapping is an evidence-based process to evaluate student supports, strategically cost and plan provision, allocate resources, and identify staff professional learning needs.

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Limerick native and project lead, ETBI’s Dr Johanna Fitzgerald said: “Inclusive Special Education is all about making the invisible visible in our schools, and provision mapping supports all students, including those with special education needs (SEN), by working with all teachers in schools to examine teaching, learning and assessment approaches that make a difference to students’ outcomes.

“Our initial project findings indicate that provision mapping is having a positive impact on student learning and staff understanding, awareness in schools and ETBs.”

Led by Dr Fitzgerald in partnership with Mary Immaculate College, the provision mapping project was initially piloted across 6 schools in Limerick and Clare ETB in 2016, followed by a national pilot across 33 schools in 2020,