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St Dominic’s Achieves Autism NI Impact Award for Education
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
St Dominic’s has recently achieved Autism NI’s Impact Award for Education, demonstrating our strong commitment to inclusion for autistic and neurodivergent students and their families.
Following tailored training delivered by Autism NI on 14th November 2025, staff developed and implemented a comprehensive action plan to enhance accessibility, understanding, and support across the school community. This work reflects our dedication to ensuring that every student feels understood, supported, and able to thrive.
Autism NI’s Director of Development, Christine Kearney, said:
“We are delighted that St Dominic’s has achieved the Impact Award. Through their training and action plan, the school has implemented a range of practical and meaningful changes to promote accessibility. By achieving the Impact Award, they have shown a clear commitment to building an inclusive culture for their students and will strive to continue building positive accessible options for their students.”
Over recent months, St Dominic’s has made significant improvements across training, the school environment, resources, and communication. Our SENCo, Ms Kennedy, and Vice Principal, Mr Scott, have both achieved AQA accreditation and continue to lead ongoing accessibility developments. Existing supports have been strengthened and expanded, including the creation of “What if?” scenario resources that provide students with visual prompts for navigating unfamiliar situations. A new worry‑resource pack has also been developed for staff and classroom assistants to use when supporting students who feel overwhelmed. To further enhance the school environment, noise‑warning signage has been installed in key areas such as the Technology & Design workshop. Additionally, from September, all pupils will receive a digital blank timetable that they can customise using colour coding to support organisation and independence. A group of pupils also participated in a bespoke programme developed and delivered by Autism NI called SPACE (Supporting and Promoting All Children’s Emotions), through which they explored themes such as positive identity, friendship, feelings, and behaviour. The pupils gained a great deal from the programme. The structured activities helped them build empathy, self‑esteem, and practical strategies for coping with everyday challenges both in and out of the classroom.
Completing the Autism Impact Award has helped us audit and strengthen inclusive practices across departments and improved confidence among staff when supporting autistic learners.
A staff member described the experience as:
“The Impact Award process helped us reflect on every stage of a student’s school day and make changes that genuinely reduce anxiety and increase independence. We now have clearer systems, better resources, and a whole‑school understanding that benefits all pupils, not just those with a diagnosis.”
Autism NI works alongside autistic people and their families and builds partnerships that champion better understanding, accessibility, and services for the autism community.
The Impact Award for Education is available to schools and education settings seeking to develop inclusive, accessible environments for autistic students and their families.
For further information, visit:
or call 028 90 401729
