Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) welcome today’s announcement by the Minister for
Education Ms. Norma Foley, TD and Ms. Josepha Madigan, Minister of State with responsibility for Special
Education and Inclusion regarding the awarding of patronage to LMETB of a new Community Special School to
be established in Co. Meath for the academic year 2024/2025. The new Community Special School will be
located in Enfield, Co. Meath.
LMETB is fully committed to supporting the education of students with special educational needs including
autism and the number of special classes that have been opened in LMETB Schools and colleges has risen from
nine in September 2016 to thirty one in September 2023 with a number of additional special classes planned for
September 2024. This combined with the opening of a new Community Special School in Co. Meath which will
provide for the enrolment of children and young people with autism and complex learning needs up to 18 years of
age will greatly enhance the LMETB provision for students with special educational needs including autism across
the Louth and Meath region.
LMETB is the largest comprehensive educational provider in the Louth and Meath region with a range of
educational services from primary to post primary and further education and training. LMETB currently manages
four Community National Schools, a Centre for European Schooling, eighteen post primary schools including
one school with Post Leaving Certificate provision and two dedicated Post Leaving Certificate colleges. LMETB
is also joint patron of six Community Schools located in Ardee, Ashbourne, Athboy, Drogheda, Kells and Trim.
LMETB’s Community Special School will be a multi – denominational, co –educational school which will accept
students of all faiths and of none. Our vision for the school is of a welcoming, inclusive, diverse and dynamic school
that provides a quality learning experience with the learner as core.
Students at LMETB’s Community Special School will feel a sense of belonging and will develop a love of
learning through a positive and happy school experience. The curriculum on offer at LMETB’s Community
Special School will be implemented utilising a diverse range of active teaching, learning and assessment
methodologies which will be differentiated to meet the needs of students. Opportunities to bring the curriculum to
life will be provided within the classroom and in provision of a broad and diverse range of co-curricular and extra –
curricular activities.
LMETB commit to providing the Board of Management of the new Community Special School with a range of
professional supports in the areas of Educational Leadership, Human Resources, Finance and Administrative
matters, Capital Works, Information and Communications Technologies and Corporate Governance and Audit back
up and support.
LMETB has now commenced the planning for the establishment and opening of the new Community Special
School with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Further
information will be available in the coming weeks on the Schools Section of the LMETB website www.lmetb.ie.
Queries regarding LMETB’s Community Special School can be forwarded to schoolsdirectorate@lmetb.ie or
contact us on 042 9334047.
LMETB look forward to opening this their first Community Special School in the LMETB region.
