This document outlines the rationale for the Hub, the thinking underpinning its design, and the manner in which it currently operates.

1. Introduction

The Muslim National School, Clonskeagh, values inclusive, equitable education rooted in Islamic principles. In response to the needs of a defined group of pupils experiencing persistent literacy difficulties, the school developed the Iqra Literacy Hub as a school-based support provision focused on structured literacy intervention.

1. Overview of the Iqra Literacy Hub

The Iqra Literacy Hub functions within the school’s existing SET framework; providing structured literacy support to pupils with persistent literacy difficulties. Support includes explicit instruction in phonics, decoding, fluency, spelling and the use of assistive technology.

Intervention is delivered in small-group or individual contexts, with a focus on developing core literacy skills in a structured and cumulative manner, while pupils remain members of their mainstream classes.

1. Rationale for the Iqra Literacy Hub

The Iqra Literacy Hub was established as a means of strengthening and refining existing literacy support within the school, particularly for pupils with dyslexia and those presenting with persistent literacy difficulties. While the school’s SET provision continues to play a central role in supporting a wide range of learning needs, the Hub reflects a decision to develop a more focused and structured approach to literacy instruction in order to enhance outcomes for this particular cohort of pupils.

The development of the Hub reflects a commitment to building on established good practice while continuing to develop staff capacity and provision over time. By drawing together focused literacy practice and structured, evidence-informed approaches within a dedicated provision, the school is working to support a greater number of pupils with complex literacy profiles, while maintaining their full inclusion within the mainstream school setting.

1. The Role of the Iqra Literacy Hub

This section situates the Iqra Literacy Hub within the broader landscape of literacy support provision available to pupils with significant literacy difficulties. In the Irish context, specialist provision for pupils with dyslexia is primarily delivered through school-based Special Education Teaching (SET) provision within mainstream settings or via Reading Classes and Reading Schools.

Within mainstream schools, SET provision supports a wide range of learning needs across curricular areas. Reading Classes and Reading Schools provide specialist literacy intervention for pupils with dyslexia; however, access to these specialist settings is governed by restrictive eligibility criteria and they are generally hugely oversubscribed. Additionally attendance typically requires pupils to leave their home school. While these models are appropriate and effective for many pupils, they are not accessible to all children who present with significant and persistent literacy difficulties.

The establishment of the Iqra Literacy Hub reflects a practical, school-based response to the need for more focused and structured literacy support for a defined cohort of pupils, within the constraints of existing national provision models and while maintaining pupils’ placement in their mainstream school setting.

1. Eligibility and Access to Provision

The Iqra Literacy Hub is intended to support pupils with dyslexia or persistent literacy difficulties for whom a more intensive, structured literacy intervention is considered appropriate. Access to the Hub is determined through professional judgement and is informed by assessment data, observed learning needs, response to previous interventions and consideration of the pupil’s overall needs profile.

Decisions regarding access take account of the nature and complexity of a pupil’s needs, the supports already in place, and the form of provision most likely to support meaningful progress. In some cases, pupils with dyslexia may be appropriately supported through alternative SET arrangements, including small-group or individualised support, rather than through Hub-based intervention.

The Hub operates within the capacity of the school’s SET framework and is designed to complement, rather than replace, other forms of literacy and learning support. Provision is reviewed on an ongoing basis, and access may evolve over time in response to pupil need, staffing, and school priorities.

1. Operational Context and SET Alignment

The Iqra Literacy Hub operates as part of the school’s existing Special Education Teaching (SET) framework and within the school’s continuum of support. Identified pupils attend the Hub on a timetabled withdrawal basis while remaining members of their mainstream classes.

Pupil progress is monitored on an ongoing basis, and provision is adjusted in response to pupils’ progress and evolving needs. The Hub provides a structured literacy support option for a defined group of pupils within the wider range of SET supports available in the school.

1. Guiding Frameworks

The Iqra Literacy Hub aligns with Irish educational law and national policy, including the EPSEN Act (2004), the NEPS Continuum of Support, and the Department of Education’s Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (2011–2020). It upholds the principles of inclusive education and reasonable accommodation under the Equal Status Acts (2000–2018), offering a lawful and pedagogically sound model of intervention within the mainstream system.

In addition, the Hub reflects the four domains and quality standards outlined in Looking at Our School (LAOS) 2022, supporting:

- Improved learner outcomes through structured, evidence-based literacy intervention;

- Meaningful learner experiences that are inclusive, empowering, and embedded within the wider school culture;

- Strengthened teacher practice, with an emphasis on collaboration, targeted planning, and reflective methodologies;

- Strategic leadership and management, including a clear referral process, use of attainment data, and alignment with national frameworks.

It further aligns with the vision and key competencies of the Primary Curriculum Framework (2023), particularly its emphasis on inclusive, child-centred learning and equitable access to foundational skills. The Hub promotes:

- Confident communication, through explicit instruction in reading, writing, and language;

- Digital literacy, through structured use of assistive technology and inclusive digital practices;

- Active and engaged learning, by fostering autonomy, resilience, and curriculum access for all pupils.

This proposal is consistent with the direction of national policy and inspection frameworks, ensuring that inclusion, high expectations, and learner wellbeing remain central to the school’s literacy strategy.

1. International Context

Approaches such as dyslexia friendly schools in the United Kingdom and the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read Inquiry in Canada reinforce the value of structured, systematic literacy instruction, delivered by trained staff and embedded within whole-school provision. While these models differ in structure and implementation, they share a common focus on equity, access to effective literacy instruction, and the use of evidence-informed approaches to support learners with dyslexia.

In many international contexts, specialist support for pupils with dyslexia is delivered within mainstream schools, rather than through separate classes or schools. This support is typically provided through school-based specialist intervention, delivered by trained staff and informed by structured, evidence-based approaches, while maintaining pupils’ placement within their home school. While terminology and structures vary across jurisdictions, the emphasis on school-based provision for dyslexia is well established internationally.

The Iqra Literacy Hub reflects these international principles by providing targeted, structured literacy intervention within a mainstream school context, while remaining responsive to the specific policy, cultural, and organisational context of Irish primary education.

1. Values and Ethos

The Iqra Literacy Hub reflects the Islamic values of equity, dignity, and the pursuit of knowledge. The word Iqra, meaning to read, holds particular significance in Islam as the opening word of the first revelation of the Qur’an.

It aims to ensure that no child is excluded from opportunity due to systemic or diagnostic barriers. Support will be framed positively and respectfully, fostering a learning culture rooted in compassion and inclusion.

1. References

The Iqra Literacy Hub is informed by a range of Irish educational legislation, national policy frameworks, and dyslexia-specific international guidance that support inclusive, evidence-informed literacy provision within mainstream school settings.

Irish Legislation and National Frameworks

Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act (2004)
https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/30/enacted/en/html

Equal Status Acts (2000–2018)
https://www.ihrec.ie/your-rights/equal-status/

NEPS Continuum of Support
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8ba2d-continuum-of-support/

NCSE Relate – A Model of Support for Schools
https://ncse.ie/relate

Looking at Our School (2022): A Quality Framework for Primary Schools
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6b584-looking-at-our-school-2022/

Primary Curriculum Framework (2023)
https://www.ncca.ie/en/primary/primary-curriculum-framework

International Dyslexia-Specific Guidance

British Dyslexia Association
Dyslexia Friendly Schools
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/services/dyslexia-friendly-schools

Ontario Human Rights Commission (2022)
Right to Read Inquiry Report
https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/right-read-inquiry-report

These frameworks and guidance documents support the principles underpinning the Iqra Literacy Hub, including structured, evidence-informed literacy instruction, inclusive school-based provision, and equitable access to effective support for pupils with dyslexia and persistent literacy difficulties.