The members of the MSDP believe that deaf children should have access to schools that are:

CHILD CENTERED--the school will aim at providing an environment where each child can learn in the most effective way possible, with good interaction between children and teachers, while encouraging tolerance, self-confidence and respect for others.  The common Bilingual languages [Irish Sign Language and English] in the school and the extra-curriculum environment will actively stimulate genuine integration of the hearing and deaf cultures.

CO-EDUCATIONAL--boys and girls will be actively integrated and sexual stereotyping will be avoided.

MULTI-DENOMINATIONAL--All children to have access to the school on an equal basis, and are equally respected, regardless of their cultural or religious background.

DEMOCRATICALLY MANAGED--the school will be run by a management committee that is predominantly democratic in character, with members annually elected at general meetings.

TEACHERS AND CURRICULUM --Trainee teachers, selected from the deaf community, will be trained for pre-school level at the Montessori College in Dun Laoghaire.  Primary and Secondary level teachers will also come from the deaf community.  They will be trained to World Federation of the Deaf standards and ready to take the first primary class in Sept. 2003.  The curriculum will include English, Mathematics, Social and Environmental Studies (History, Geography, Nature Study, Elementary Science, Civics), Art and Crafts, Music, Physical Education and Religious Education.

The latter is a programme designed to help children to understand the religious traditions of life and thought that they will encounter in their environment and to help them to be sensitive to the ultimate questions posed by life and to the dimension of mystery and wonder that underlies all human experience. A booklet which gives further information on this curriculum is available on request.  The school will also facilitate groups of parents in the provision of Denominational Instruction as required by them for their children.