First look at new Offaly school plan
Plans for a state-of-the-art new school on a site just off Collins Lane in Tullamore have been lodged with Offaly County Council this week, and the public has been given a first glimpse at what the proposed educational facility will look like.
The new two-storey school, which will replace the existing Offaly School of Special Education at Kicruttin, will incorporate 12 classrooms for pupils with special education needs and is to be built on a 2.3 acre greenfield site owned by the Department of Education at Norbury Woods Avenue. The site is located just off Collins Lane to the north of Tullamore town centre, and is adjacent to the existing Educate Together National School.
In addition to 12 classrooms, the plans also make provision for a general purpose hall; dedicated rooms for music, home economics, art, daily living skills and practical activity; multi-sensory rooms, library, administration areas, sanitary facilities and associated ancillary accommodation.
The new school will also include a GP room and therapy spaces.
A new vehicular and pedestrian site entrance from Norbury Woods Avenue is also proposed, along with a covered walkway between the school and the bus set down. Car and bicycle parking is also to be provided on the site.
A school garden also forms part of the plans along with a number of secure soft and hard external play areas, while a new extended footpath on the Norbury Woods Avenue connecting to the existing footpath is also proposed in order to facilitate the development.
The Department of Education planning brief also requests that the site “be adaptable” to provide for future expansion.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Offaly Independent this week that this latest major school project for Offaly is being delivered under the ADAPT Programme, where an external programme manager is appointed to achieve “the best possible timeframe for the project.”
While the spokesperson was unable to give an estimated start date for the new school, the Department has confirmed that the design team is now preparing to lodge applications for a Fire Safety Certificate and Disability Access Certificate with Offaly County Council.
The Department of Education also confirmed this week that it is providing grant assistance to Offaly School of Special Education at its current location in Kilcruttin “to facilitate rental of their current temporary accommodation pending the construction of the school’s new permanent school building.”
The existing temporary co-educational special school caters for 42 pupils aged between four years and 18 who have been assessed as having a moderate or severe/profound learning disability. It has seven special classrooms.
The planning file has one submission from Offaly Fianna Fail TD. Tony McCormack, outlining his strong support for the construction of the new school which he describes as “a critical and timely response” to the growing need for special education resources in the county.
His submission adds that the existing special needs school in Kilcruttin plays “a pivotal role” in the lives of children who require specialised education and therapeutic support, as well as in the lives of their families. “The school is a hub of development, support, and hope for children who may otherwise face exclusion from mainstream education settings due to their specific educational needs” said the Offaly TD.
Pointing to the “significant increase in demand” for special education placements both locally and nationally in recent years, Deputy McCormack said the OSSE's existing facilities are now “at full capacity” and the building of a new special school reflects “a commitment to inclusivity, equal opportunity, and the right of every child to receive an education that meets their needs.”