Drumcondra N.S.
Psychological Assessment Policy.
Drumcondra N.S.
Psychological Assessment Policy
Introductory Statement:
This policy document has been put in place to enable Drumcondra N.S. access the
services which are now being provided by the National Education Psychological
Service (N.E.P.S.) and to ensure resources are being allocated equitably on a needs
basis.
Rationale:
The policy was formulated as a consequence of
 The passing into legislation of the Education for Persons with Special
Education Needs Act (EPSEN) 2005
 Enabling the school staff to formulate appropriate Individual Education
Plans
 Conforming to the requirements of the Education Act 1998
 The school gaining access to the services of a N.E.P.S. psychologist.
Aim



To provide the greatest amount of educational opportunities possible
through early recognition of problem areas in a child’s learning
To enable proper supports to be put into place at the earliest possible
juncture
To allow for adequate and effective assessment monitoring and review of
each child’s progress.
Staff Roles and Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of each class teacher, in consultation with the Principal to
ensure that children with learning difficulties requiring support are catered for
adequately at the earliest possible stage. The learning support teacher and the
classroom teacher then work with each prioritised child in association with the
class teacher as per circulars 24/03 and 02/05. The documents Special Education
Needs: a Continuum of Support
(http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/neps_special_needs_guidelines.pdf)
and Special Education Needs: a Continuum of Support Resource pack
(http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/neps_special_needs_resource_pack.p
df) shall be used to provide additional guidance for the teaching staff of the
school.
Relationship to the Characteristic Ethos of the School
Drumcondra N.S endeavours to optimise learning opportunities for each child and
this policy is in keeping with that aim, through ensuring that the individual learning
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Psychological Assessment Policy.
needs of each pupil are understood and an effective whole school response is put in
place which enables optimum potential to be reached.
Methodology
 It is the aim of the school to identify potential learning difficulties as early
as possible.
 If the class teacher feels a Junior Infant may have potential learning
difficulties, he/she shall be initially screened by the Learning Support
Teacher through the use of the Belfield Infant Assessment Profile.
Teacher observation is central to all interventions at infant level. If
potential difficulties are highlighted by this test, every effort shall be made
to provide learning support through the staged approach (see Appendix 1), as
the school believes in the use of early learning support to support all
children with potential learning difficulties.
 The Middle Infant Screening Test (MIST) is used at Senior Infant level to
screen for potential learning difficulties which were not apparent in Junior
Infants and to assess the progress of any Junior Infants identified as
having potential learning difficulties.
 If at any stage a child is adjudged to have a perceived behavioural
difficulty, the school will advise parents/guardians to consult their G.P re
the possibility of securing a Behavioural Assessment
 Sigma-T (Maths Standardised Assessments) and Micra-T (English
Standardised Assessments) Tests are administered from First Class
onwards. These results are retained in a central location and passed on to
the relevant teachers at the commencement of each school year. The results
are also used to identify children with potential learning difficulties.
 If a class teacher/parents have serious on-going concerns and the “staged
approach” (Appendix 1) has failed to ensure improvement, the Learning
Support teacher will administer some or all of the following tests to develop
a learning profile of the child, for consultation with the N.E.P.S. psychologist
and referral for an educational psychological assessment if deemed
necessary by the school and by the N.E.P.S. psychologist.
o Non-Reading Intelligence Test (N.R.I.T)
o Wide Range Achievement Test (W.R.A.T.)
o Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (N.A.R.A)
o Middle Infant Screening Test (M.I.S.T)
o Belfield Infant Assessment Profile (B.I.A.P)
 The school will purchase additional screening tests as recommended by the
psychologist and as funds allow.
Previously, the school referred all children who were not progressing as expected
for psychological assessment under the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological
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Psychological Assessment Policy.
Assessments, as the school did not have access to a N.E.P.S. psychologist. In
September 2011, the school was assigned to the care of a N.E.P.S. psychologist and
this has implications for the referral of children for psychological assessment.
Following consultation with the N.E.P.S psychologist, the school has been advised to
administer a number of tests to develop a profile of the child. While the school will
endeavour to ensure all children with learning difficulty profiles are assessed, this
is dependent on the N.E.P.S. psychologist, who is reluctant to assess children who
fall in the high incidence categories (see Appendix 2).
Criteria for Assessment
 The school recognizes the importance and effectiveness of early
intervention, and consequently bases early identification processes on
o Teacher observation
o Inability to function during normal school routines
o Language disorder
o Underperformance
o Non-age appropriate behaviour.
 The school will also make recommendations to parents if children present
with other problems which do not fall under the remit of an Educational
Psychologist.
 The school will retain a file on children who have been assessed detailing
recommendations for Learning Support, Resource Teaching and Exemptions
from Irish.
 The school will also retain evidence of those who were offered assessments
but refused to take up the offer or on those who secured Private
Assessments.
 The school will endeavour to ensure all children with learning difficulties
have a recent assessment report when moving to secondary school, to ensure
appropriate supports are put in place for the child’s second level education.
Procedure for referral:
 Once prioritisation is complete, contact is made with the school psychologist.
 Psychological referral forms are issued to parents based on the schools
criteria for Assessment.
 A meeting between parents, class teacher and psychologist is set up.
 An assessment follows once all parties are satisfied the “staged approach”
as advocated in Circulars 24/03 and 02/05 has failed to address perceived
difficulties.
 A confidential analysis of test results is presented to the school, the
parents, the learning support teacher and the class teacher.
 The principal will utilise the learning support and class teachers to provide
resources within the limitations of the resources available to the school and
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Psychological Assessment Policy.
will apply to the National Council for Special Education for all other
resources as recommended by the psychologist.
Success Criteria
Evaluation is based on
 Regular testing.
 Consultation with Learning Support and class teachers.
 Teacher and Parent observation.
Implementation
This Policy was ratified by the Board on the date below as a reflection of current
practice within the school. It will be reviewed during the academic year 2014 –
2015.
First Created: May 2012
Signed: __________________________ (Chairperson)
Date: ___________________
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Psychological Assessment Policy.
Appendix 1:
Staged Approach to Special Educational Needs
Stage I
A class teacher or parent may have concerns about the academic, physical, social,
behavioural or emotional development of certain pupils. The teacher should then
administer screening measures, which may include screening checklists and profiles
for children in senior infants and first class, standardised, norm-referenced tests
for older children and behavioural checklists where appropriate.
The class teacher should then draw up a short, simple plan for extra help within the
normal classroom setting in the relevant areas of learning and/or behavioural
management. The success of the plan should be reviewed on a regular basis, with
appropriate parental involvement. If concern remains after approximately two
school terms, the Special Education Support Team in the school may be consulted
about the desirability of a move to Stage II.
Supports available for Stage 1:
 Home/School/Community Liaison teachers, if available, should be involved at
this stage and in subsequent stages in supporting and advising the parents of
children with difficulties in school.
 Teachers in schools that have access to the National Educational Psychological
Service (NEPS) may consult their area psychologist about their proposed
learning or behavioural management plan.
Stage II
In the case of children with learning difficulties, if the class teacher’s plan fails to
achieve the desired outcome, then the child should be referred to the learning
support teacher, with parental permission, for further diagnostic testing. If this
diagnostic assessment indicates that supplementary teaching would be beneficial,
then this should be arranged. Parents and class teacher should be involved with the
learning support teacher in drawing up the learning plan, complementing the plan
with supplementary activities in class and at home and in implementing the plan.
The learning support teacher and the class teacher should review on a regular basis,
in consultation with the parents, the rate of progress of each child receiving
supplementary teaching. If significant concerns remain after a period of at least
one school term, then it may be necessary to implement Stage III.
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Psychological Assessment Policy.
In the case of children with emotional or behavioural difficulties, it is recognised
that, with serious difficulties, more urgent action may be needed. In these cases,
the child’s needs should, with parental permission, be discussed with the relevant
NEPS psychologist or referred to the clinical services of the Health Board. This
may lead to a more detailed plan of behavioural management to be implemented at
home and in class and/or may lead to referral for further specialist assessment
(Stage III).
Supports available for Stage II:
The learning support service has been established in order to meet the needs of
the children with learning difficulties in the area of English and mathematics. In
general, the service is provided for those children from first class up, who score at
or below the 12th percentile on standardised, norm referenced tests. Children who
score at or below the 2nd percentile should be accorded a high priority for learning
support and review.
Other support staff and services available to schools may assist with programme
planning at this stage.
Schools may also consult the area psychologist of the National Educational
Psychological Service (NEPS), where available, about diagnostic test results and
about their proposed learning or behavioural management plans.
Stage III
The school formally requests a consultation, and, where appropriate, an assessment
of need from a specialist from outside the school in respect of children with
learning difficulties and mild/moderate behavioural problems who have failed to
make progress after supplementary teaching or behavioural programme and of
children with serious emotional disturbance and/or behavioural problems. Such
specialist advice may be sought from psychologists, paediatricians, speech and
language therapists, audiologists etc.
In consultation with the relevant specialist/s, the learning support teacher,
resource teacher if available, and class teacher should then draw up a learning plan,
which includes identification of any additional available resources that are
considered necessary in order to implement the plan. The parents should be fully
consulted throughout this process. This plan should be the subject of regular
reviews, leading to revisions of the learning plan and referral for specialist review
as necessary.
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Psychological Assessment Policy.
Supports available for Stage III:
A consultation may be requested from the National Educational Psychological
Service or, where this is not yet available, schools may commission assessments
from a private practitioner under the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological
Assessments. Any private practitioner engaged by a school should have the relevant
Department of Education and Science circulars and guidance notes drawn to their
attention.
(from Circular letter SP ED 24/03)
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Appendix 2:
Disability Codes
Category of Special
No
Educational Need
Incidence
1
Physical Disability
Low
2
Hearing Impairment
Low
3
Visual Impairment
Low
4
Emotional Disturbance
Low
5
Severe Emotional Disturbance
Low
6
Borderline Mild General Learning Disability
High
7
Mild General Learning Disability
High
8
Moderate General Learning Disability
Low
9
Severe/Profound General Learning Disability
Low
10
Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorders
Low
11
Specific Learning Disability
High
12
Assessed Syndrome
Low
13
Specific Speech and Language Disorder
Low
14
Multiple Disabilities
Low
8