Castleroe Primary School
The Olive Room
The Olive Room is a Learning Support Classroom created for children from P1 – P4 who have a statement of Special Educational Needs, to include Moderate Learning Difficulties but who may also have accompanying additional needs such as Speech and Communication difficulties and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The room is led by the class teacher, Mrs McGinley, together with Specialist Classroom Assistants Mrs Buick and Ms Dickson. There is a low pupil/adult ratio within the classroom so that all children can be supported to fulfil their potential and have their needs met. All staff carry out regular professional training and keep up to date with current SEN guidelines and approaches. The classroom environment, created in September 2023, is new, modern and fully-equipped to meet the needs of all of our children.
The children in the Olive Room follow the NI Primary Curriculum and receive individually targeted teaching for literacy and numeracy. The children enjoy a wide range of activities every day with lots of sensory play and experiences using, for example, water, sand, construction activities, music with singing and dancing and painting. We have a designated Outdoor Play area specifically for children in the Olive Room which is a safe space, used daily, where the children get to experience a wide range of skills-based activities while having fun at the same time. Examples of Topics that we cover include ‘All About Me’, ‘On the Farm’, ‘Home Sweet Home’ and ‘By the Sea’.
Here at Castleroe, we recognise the importance of integration with mainstream classes and take pride in our inclusive ethos, so pupils in the Olive Room have the opportunity to meet and play with their friends in other classes during break and lunch times, for whole school events such as assemblies and concerts, after-school clubs and also join the P1/2 class for regular play-based learning sessions both indoors and outdoors.
We are so proud of the children in the Olive Room and love watching them grow in confidence, improve their self-esteem and develop their independence and self-help skills.
