What is a DEIS school?
DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity In Schools) is a Government programme for schools in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. It gives schools extra resources so that every child has the chance to reach their full potential.
Our school has been part of DEIS since it began, and part of the programmes that came before it, ‘Breaking the Cycle’ and ‘Giving Children an Even Break’.
DEIS schools get extra funding, targeted support for literacy and numeracy, the School Completion Programme and a Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) service. These supports help us build an inclusive, engaging place to learn, look after children’s wellbeing, and work closely with families and our wider community.
We are now a DEIS Plus school
From September 2026, Paradise Place ETNS is part of the new DEIS Plus scheme. DEIS Plus is for a small number of schools across Ireland with the highest levels of need. It adds to everything we already get as a DEIS school.
For our children and families, DEIS Plus means:
- A full-time Home School Community Liaison coordinator, working with families and linking home, school and community
- A Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator, a teacher dedicated to supporting children’s wellbeing across the school
- Wellbeing support in school, including our Education Wellbeing Practitioner, and a counselling service for children starting in September 2027
- Free period products for pupils who need them
- Training for staff
A new national plan: the DEIS Strategy to 2035
In 2026 the Department of Education and Youth published a ten-year DEIS Strategy, with a first implementation plan running from 2026 to 2028. It focuses on attendance and engagement, wellbeing and mental health, working with families, and the quality of teaching and learning. You can read more at gov.ie/deis.
Our own DEIS plan
We want every child to experience high-quality teaching and learning and to leave us confident, curious and ready for what comes next.
Our three-year DEIS plan (2025–2028) sets out how we will do this. Each year, we create action plans built around the four pillars of our DCU Changemaker work: Creativity, Empathy, Leadership and Teamwork. Through these, we set targets in attendance, transitions, partnerships with parents, literacy, maths, wellbeing, and leadership and staff learning.
We know that great teaching and strong relationships can make a real difference to children’s lives, and help to break the cycle of disadvantage.
