NPF Survey on Inclusive Education, SETs and SNAs

The National Principals' Forum has been invited to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth on 2 July 2026 to discuss Inclusive Education, including the allocation, role and training needs of Special Education Teachers (SETs) and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). This short survey seeks to gather current data from schools to inform our submission.

Section 1: School Profile

What is your role?(Required)
Current enrolment(Required)

Section 2: Inclusion and Resource Allocation

In your view, does your current SET allocation adequately meet the needs of pupils in your school?(Required)
In your view, does your current SNA allocation adequately meet the needs of pupils in your school?(Required)
During the current school year, have you had to manage pupil needs that exceeded available SET resources?(Required)
During the current school year, have you had to manage pupil needs that exceeded available SNA resources?(Required)
Have you experienced delays in accessing supports, assessments, or external services which have impacted provision for pupils?(Required)
Complete this only if you answered Yes to the previous question.

Section 3: SEN Data and Planning

Do you believe the Department and NCSE currently have access to accurate and up-to-date data reflecting the SEN profile of your school?(Required)
Would you support the restoration of a mechanism allowing schools to input and update SEN profile data centrally through POD or a similar system?(Required)
How confident are you that current allocations are informed by an accurate understanding of need within your school?(Required)

Section 4: Operational Reality of Inclusion

Which of the following create the greatest challenges in delivering inclusive education in your school?
Select up to three.
In your opinion, has the complexity of managing SEN provision increased over the past five years?(Required)

Section 5: School Leadership Impact

Has the administration and coordination of SEN provision increased the workload of school leaders?(Required)
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend on SEN-related administration, coordination, meetings, reports, and communication?(Required)
Do you believe school leaders require additional administrative or professional support to effectively coordinate inclusive education?(Required)

Section 6: Funding and Inclusion

To what extent do current school funding levels adequately support the delivery of inclusive education in your school?(Required)
Have you had to use general school funds, fundraising income, or discretionary resources to support inclusion-related needs that were not otherwise funded?(Required)

Section 7: SEN Training

Do you believe teachers and school leaders currently receive sufficient professional learning opportunities to meet the increasingly complex needs of pupils with SEN?(Required)
Which areas of SEN training are most needed in your school?
Select up to three.
If additional resources became available, which would have the greatest positive impact on inclusion in your school?(Required)

NPF Survey on Inclusive Education, SETs and SNAs

The National Principals' Forum has been invited to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth on 2 July 2026 to discuss Inclusive Education, including the allocation, role and training needs of Special Education Teachers (SETs) and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). This short survey seeks to gather current data from schools to inform our submission.

Section 1: School Profile

What is your role?(Required)
Current enrolment(Required)

Section 2: Inclusion and Resource Allocation

In your view, does your current SET allocation adequately meet the needs of pupils in your school?(Required)
In your view, does your current SNA allocation adequately meet the needs of pupils in your school?(Required)
During the current school year, have you had to manage pupil needs that exceeded available SET resources?(Required)
During the current school year, have you had to manage pupil needs that exceeded available SNA resources?(Required)
Have you experienced delays in accessing supports, assessments, or external services which have impacted provision for pupils?(Required)
Complete this only if you answered Yes to the previous question.

Section 3: SEN Data and Planning

Do you believe the Department and NCSE currently have access to accurate and up-to-date data reflecting the SEN profile of your school?(Required)
Would you support the restoration of a mechanism allowing schools to input and update SEN profile data centrally through POD or a similar system?(Required)
How confident are you that current allocations are informed by an accurate understanding of need within your school?(Required)

Section 4: Operational Reality of Inclusion

Which of the following create the greatest challenges in delivering inclusive education in your school?
Select up to three.
In your opinion, has the complexity of managing SEN provision increased over the past five years?(Required)

Section 5: School Leadership Impact

Has the administration and coordination of SEN provision increased the workload of school leaders?(Required)
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend on SEN-related administration, coordination, meetings, reports, and communication?(Required)
Do you believe school leaders require additional administrative or professional support to effectively coordinate inclusive education?(Required)

Section 6: Funding and Inclusion

To what extent do current school funding levels adequately support the delivery of inclusive education in your school?(Required)
Have you had to use general school funds, fundraising income, or discretionary resources to support inclusion-related needs that were not otherwise funded?(Required)

Section 7: SEN Training

Do you believe teachers and school leaders currently receive sufficient professional learning opportunities to meet the increasingly complex needs of pupils with SEN?(Required)
Which areas of SEN training are most needed in your school?
Select up to three.
If additional resources became available, which would have the greatest positive impact on inclusion in your school?(Required)