• The NCSE approved the sanction of all autism classes including Inclusive Special Classes.
• NCSE establishes and sanctions these classes only where schools are in agreement to open a class of this type and where schools have long-established practice in existing autism classes.
• If schools do not wish to establish an Inclusive Special Class, NCSE will not direct or force the school to do so.

• The eligibility criteria for Inclusive Special Classes are the same as for all other autism classes.
• A student’s eligibility is determined in line with Circular 0039/2025, and so a formal diagnosis is required.
• Eligibility criteria are as follows:
• Diagnosis of autism.
• Clear recommendation for an autism class.
• Documented evidence of complex needs.

The same reports are required as for all other autism classes, with a psychologist, psychiatrist or multi-disciplinary team assessment and diagnosis.

• Placement in any autism class is a joint decision of a parent and a school once eligibility criteria have been met.
• An Inclusive Special Class is a class for autistic children. The needs of each individual child are a matter of discussion for both the parent and the school to decide how best to tailor their placement to the continuum of support within the school.
• If a child requires most of their day in the autism class, the parent and school can discuss how to best meet their needs in the context of autism class provision within the school.
• Any child in mainstream should only be placed within an autism class with the full consent of a parent or guardian. If a child is happily placed within the mainstream school, there should be no move to change this arrangement. The Inclusive Special Class is not intended to replace or supplant a placement in mainstream.
• School practice determines how the voice and agency of a child are incorporated into placement decision-making. Where a parent believes a child’s perspective is not being heard on such significant matters as placement, they should discuss this immediately with the school.

• Yes, it is hoped that, based on the success of Inclusive Special Classes, alongside multiple disability classes in mainstream schools, these types of classes will provide support to children with differing disabilities and profiles.
• The NCSE and the Department are eager to build on the success of these classes to ensure that the needs of more children are met. Success in this area will inform next steps for the expansion of the model.
• Classes for children with a moderate learning disability operate by the ratios pre-determined by the Department of Education. There is no plan to alter the ratios for any autism class in mainstream schools, including those for children with a moderate learning disability.
• Instead, the provision of a special class for children with a moderate diagnosis provides a strong basis from which to expand provision within that school for children with a cognitive disability.

• The model is currently being sanctioned in both primary and post-primary schools.
• The model is being expanded nationally for 2026/27 and is subject to review by the Inspectorate for subsequent years.

• Inclusive Special Classes were sanctioned in schools where there were pre-existing autism classes, evidence of strong practice, and where demand for placement was evidenced by the NCSE either in the school or in the community.
• Where standard autism classes can be sanctioned, these continue to be sanctioned.
• Inclusive Special Classes address the needs of children in their local community by ensuring they remain as part of their community rather than travelling to a different school where a new standard class is being sanctioned.

• As Inclusive Special Classes are new in the Irish education sector, the evidence underpinning their place within autism class provision will take some time to appreciate.
• The classes are intended to sit within a “continuum of support” model which has an international standing in Inclusive Education, so that the continuum of diverse needs amongst the school-going population is met by a continuum of support in the school.
• The same approach lies in the provision of additional special education teacher support to children with diverse needs across the mainstream school community, where those children with the greatest needs are provided with the greatest level of support.

• It is intended that parents should notice little to no difference in the practice of the school across all continua.
• The flexibility of Inclusive Special Classes is intended to ensure that a broader spectrum of provision exists, enabling children to receive more bespoke support across their day, whether in mainstream or in the specialist provision of the school.
• While unexpected given the bedrock of practice in most schools, unintended or poor practice should be brought to the attention of the school and/or the NCSE should this arise, so that concerns can be addressed.

• The school will operate the entire continuum of specialist provision to maintain well-regulated classrooms both in the mainstream and in the autism class itself.
• Careful timetabling and knowing the strengths and diverse needs of each child over time will inform the conditions conducive to the successful placement of each child.
• SNAs and SET teachers continue to provide opportunities for bespoke supports in tandem with the increased provision for the Inclusive Special Class.
• The enhanced resourcing is intended to ensure all students are well minded and educated, with the flexibility to respond to their individual needs as these emerge and change over time.
• Given that schools with Inclusive Special Classes have pre-existing expertise in regulation and responding to the bespoke needs of young people, this experience will place a school in good stead.
• Should issues emerge that cannot be easily mediated, the NCSE remains available to support a school with practice-based support, guidance and training.

• NCSE is aware that children enrolled in standard autism classes spend their time on a continuum between mainstream and the special class. This model works well and has stood the test of time.
• Inclusive Special Classes broaden the continuum of support to facilitate schools enabling a broader cohort of students to have their specialist needs met with a more flexible resourcing model.
• Rather than viewing the Inclusive Special Class in isolation from pre-existing provision, the Inclusive Special Class takes its place as a resourcing model within this continuum.
• This allows a school to have a broader lens of the children and young people eligible for specialist provision, who are not a homogenous group of children.
• As their needs are diverse and require differing levels of support, the Inclusive Special Class is intended to provide schools with the resourcing required to do this for a broader number and range of children and young people.

Access to the curriculum of post-primary education is not and should not be affected by the presence of an Inclusive Special Class within a school.

Instead, the Inclusive Special Class strengthens a school’s ability to respond to the differing support needs of students within the school community. While schools will respond to the provision in a variety of positive ways, the Inclusive Special Class may support school leaders to ensure the right provision of support is available to a greater cohort of students through team teaching, individual or group support within the mainstream subject class.

The monitoring and evaluation of these new Inclusive Special Classes is a key issue for the Department and the NCSE.

In addition to the NCSE’s continuing engagement with schools opening new Inclusive Special Classes, the Department’s Inspectorate will conduct an inspection programme during the 2026/2027 school year focusing on a number of schools with Inclusive Special Classes as part of a wider inspection programme focusing on special class provision.

An internal report on the findings will be shared with the Special Education Section of the Department, who will carefully consider any findings and recommendations relating to Inclusive Special Classes ahead of the 2027/2028 school year.

Issues of suitability, parent and child voice will be key elements of this review.

Resourcing for an Inclusive Special Class is exactly the same as for any autism class:

At primary level:

• 1 teacher and 1 SNA for 1–3 children.
• 1 teacher and 2 SNAs for 4–6 children.

At post-primary level:

• 1 teacher and 1 SNA for 1–3 children.
• 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs for 4–6 children.

• All SNAs assigned to autism classes are exclusively assigned to those special classes.
• NCSE does not review these baseline allocations as part of any SNA review.

• Funding is automatically provided to a school based on student numbers.
• Provision for 3 additional children means a grant of €15,000 is automatically provided to a school.
• Provision for 6 additional children allows for a grant of €30,000 to be provided to a school.
• All children within an autism class entitle a school to enhanced capitation.

All future Department circulars will include the Inclusive Special Class model.

• It remains to be seen how Inclusive Special Classes will roll out into the future. It is likely that a further rollout will occur.
• However, as the model is under the review of the Inspectorate, it would be wise for the sector to proceed cautiously to ensure that it is fit for the needs of children and young people and for the school communities who have opened them.
• All standard Autism classes remain configured as they were established. There is no intention to alter their status.
• Children enrolled in a standard autism class remain assigned to this class.

• All autism class placements are reviewed under DEY Circular 0023/2025, with parental input required as standard.
• Families can opt out of specialist provision in any school.
• This important decision should be the result of engagement with the school community and should provide sufficient time for any measures to be taken to ensure continuity of support for any child or young person.

NCSE has no remit in overall Department of Education and Youth budgets.

It is NCSE’s full intention, in line with the NCSE policy advice, that children and young people are supported to attend their local school with the expertise and practice there to ensure they reach their full potential.

Inclusive Special Classes are provided in a school only where existing autism classes are in existence and where schools are willing. The resourcing of the class evidences the support required by children to fully participate and continue to belong to their rightful community.

The status of each autism class remains under the terms of which it was established.

The Inclusive Special Class resource ensures that where children require more time in the autism class, that this is automatically afforded to them. There is no transfer between the provision within a school. Schools continue to support children within this continuum according to the greatest level of need.

NCSE does not foresee any difference in access for children whose needs are expected to alter and change over time.

• It is not intended under the Inclusive Special Class model that 12 children are placed within a single class throughout the day, unless this arrangement is aligned to the needs of the children or young people.
• Instead, the Inclusive Special Class is resourced to ensure a fluid movement of children to match their specific needs and curricular needs throughout the day across a variety of school-based settings, always with the needs of each child at the centre.