Creggs NS expanding its special education facilities

Two classrooms and activities space on way

CREGGS National School is expanding its special education facilities with the construction of new classrooms, a sensory room and activities space due to begin this year.

Galway County Council granted planning permission earlier this month for the construction of a single-storey extension at the school which will house two new Special Education Needs (SEN) classrooms.

The extension will also include a central activities space for children with special needs, a sensory room and office space.

Council granted planning permission

The total floor area of the new building will amount to 448sqm or just under 4,500 sq ft.

Creggs NS is a DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) school. There are 83 pupils attending the school, 12 of whom are children with special needs. The 12 children are split evenly between the two current SEN classrooms in the school, with one teacher for each class.

“It will be a big addition. We’ve been working on it for the last few years. The contract for it will go out to tender now,” said Ger Dowd, the Principal of Creggs NS.

“The two new SEN classrooms will be updated classrooms. We have two SEN rooms already, but we’ll move them out to the new rooms when the extension is built.

“It will give us more space. The extension will be a nice and bright addition, it will enhance what we have already. We’re currently trying to get permission to build a third SEN classroom as well.”

Creggs NS became a DEIS school in 2008, and a couple of years later, had a hydrotherapy pool installed. Children with special needs, such as autism, have attended the school over the years.

“We’ve kids from North Galway and some from Roscommon, from Dysart and Roscommon Town. They come from outside the catchment area,” offered Mr Dowd, who took over as Principal of Creggs from the late Mattie McDonagh, a four-time All-Ireland football medallist with Galway. “We have a 1,000sqm astro turf pitch and a basketball-sized sports hall. It’s a big hall, we host events in there, and it’s a good place for the SEN classes to use as well.”