Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige achieves IQM Inclusive School Award

September 23, 2026

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Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige has achieved the IQM Inclusive School Award in recognition of its exceptional commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive and nurturing environment where every pupil is supported to flourish.

A welcoming and inclusive community

Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige acts as an exemplar of excellence in creating a welcoming environment for pupils, staff and the wider community. The school’s core values of Kindness, Courage and Good Sense are clearly displayed throughout the school. There is a thoughtful celebration of diversity and the rich mosaic of nationalities and cultures which make up the inclusive, welcoming and nurturing environment.

A large display at a central part of the school shows a map of the world and is titled Pobal na Fuinseoige (The Fuinseoig Community). It is a very public affirmation of the inclusive nature of the school which sees its community as a global community. Surrounding the map of the world are the national flags of all the countries represented within the school community.

Supporting every pupil

Every pupil is viewed as an individual with their own unique educational footprint. The school goes to great lengths to provide a broad, holistic and inclusive curriculum which is further tailored to meet the needs of individuals.

There is a shared acceptance throughout the staff that all pupils will learn in different ways and at different speeds and thus teaching is differentiated. Strategically placed throughout the school are soft play/timeout spaces which allow pupils the ability to take time out and regulate for 2/3 or 5 minutes. Pupils are given timers by the teachers and given the responsibility to manage this time. Whether they choose to sit in a darkened space, play with fidgets or complete jigsaws, they take a lead in their own learning.

The school has a significant and well-resourced AEN department, while AEN is an embedded aspect of the curriculum within every classroom. Through the school self-evaluation process, a huge emphasis has been placed on supporting pupils in whatever way they need, whether it is academic, emotional, pastoral or regulation. The school has a policy in place which sees a collaboration between all school staff, parents and external facilitators to contribute to, and produce, individual student support plans which are regularly reviewed and updated.

Celebrating every achievement

The school takes a holistic approach to the development of each child with an emphasis on all of the faculties and abilities to ensure that each child can flourish and develop their talents. During the weekly whole school assembly, the culture of praise and celebration is on view, with encouragement of pupils in all aspects of their development and individual and group successes celebrated in academics, language retention, music, dance and sport.

Student voice is used in many different areas of the school. Pupils have accepted and taken on leadership roles through the digital committee, active committee, wellbeing committee and green committee. Each committee felt that they had a voice and were listened to by the staff and leadership of the school.

The digital committee has been trained in staying safe online and delivers guidance and education to younger pupils. The wellbeing committee supports the organisation of the pupil talent show and acts as wellbeing ambassadors in the playground, while the green committee has taken pride in projects on water, travel and energy. The student council is elected by pupils to serve for a period of a year.

Partnership and belonging

There is a high value placed on partnership within the school. Language is not a barrier to parental involvement. The school has ensured that all of the necessary information is available bilingually through the production of handbooks for new parents, new pupils, new staff and a general booklet on the daily life of the school.

Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige is very evidently at the heart of a vibrant cultural movement in the local community. The school makes its facilities available to local groups and, through the language, music, dance, sport and culture, a vibrant and energetic community exists. There are regular trips to museums, the theatre, competitions and sporting events, all through the medium of Irish.

Through a combination of holistic, welcoming and inclusive practices, the school has created a young community which is thriving, flourishing and reflective of the multi-cultural, inter denominational, multi academic ability community which it serves. The staff and parents work collaboratively to affect a positive impact on the lives of the young people academically, socially and emotionally.

Find Out More About IQM

If your school is interested in achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award, contact the IQM team on 028 7127 7857 or email admin@iqmaward.com.

To find out more about IQM and request a free information pack, visit www.iqmaward.com.