Our School
Scoil Naomh Sheosaimh was founded in 1891.
It is a co-ed Catholic School catering for children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.
At present there are 249 pupils and 17 teachers.
Our Vision
Our vision is that of a caring, loving Catholic School where all children, whatever their ability, race or creed are cherished for their uniqueness. Our school seeks to give equal opportunity to all children to reach their full potential – academically, spiritually, physically, socially and emotionally.
We endeavour to achieve this goal in a climate of positive co-operation, supported by the entire school community of pupils, teachers, support staff, parents/guardians, Board of Management and parish.
Our Mission
The staff of Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Sheosaimh, in partnership with our parents, aim to provide all pupils with a safe and happy place of education.Each child is encouraged to reach his/her full potential and become balanced caring individuals with respect for God, themselves, others and the world around them. The teachers of Scoil Naomh Sheosaimh see education not just as providing students with knowledge and skills but also as providing for the all round development of the individual. We believe that each child has a unique and special contribution to make. We believe that every child matters. We strive to develop independence in our students together with the ability to self evaluate, self motivate and internalise discipline. We want our students to be happy with themselves, others and their world. We want our pupils to enjoy school. We endeavour to achieve quality in all that we do. These aspirations can only be achieved through the co-operation of students, teachers, support staff, parents/guardians, Board of Management and parish. We believe it takes a community to raise a child.
Board of Management
The school is run by the Board of Management.The Board is made up of 8 people: 2 parents representatives, 2 community representatives, 2 members of the teaching staff (one of whom is the Principal) and 2 patron’s/diocesan nominees.
The names of the current Board members are available from the school office.
The Board of Management has a four-year term.
Parents Association
As a parent/guardian you are an automatic member of our Parents Association. The Parents Association is run by an executive of parents / guardians. Their names are available from the school office. Your ideas and support will be crucial in helping to make the Parents Association a success. From time to time during the year the Parents Association run meeting, events and fund raisers. These contribute greatly to the social life of the school. They are also a means of getting to know new people while at the same time of making a real contribution to your child’s education.
The School Day
Please note: Junior Infants will finish school at 12.00 for the first two weeks of September.
Punctuality and Attendance
The children are expected to be punctual and to attend school everyday. Good school attendance is crucial to your child’s progress. It should be noted that teachers are not required to be on the premises until 8.50 each morning. We ask that you are on time picking up your child daily. Infant teachers have other duties to perform and small children’s trust is shattered if they are left to wait when every other child has been collected. Each morning children line up in the yard where their teacher will collect them and walk them into class. Children are asked to line up as the bell rings, joining the back of the line and not pushing their way among others. Lining up is encouraged in the interest of safety and discipline.
Safety underpins everything
In the interest of safety and the fostering of independence children are encouraged to say ‘Goodbye’ to their parents / guardians when they join the line. They know their own classroom and are expected to take responsibility for their own coats, bags and lunches.
Junior Infants may be accompanied by a parent / guardian until they feel secure enough to come in on their own. The children may adapt to this more easily than the parents!
Absence and sickness
As we have already stated, regular attendance is crucial to your child’s progress. However, children do get sick from time to time.
In accordance with the Educational Welfare Act the school has a duty to report any child who has missed 20 days or more in one academic year. The Principal has no discretion in this.
Parents / Guardians are now obliged by law to provide a written explanation to the school re their child’s absence. You will be provided with standardised absence notes, which can be used to explain absence. If your child has a particular health problem e.g. eyesight, hearing, toilet related problem, asthma etc, please inform the school. All of this information will be treated with the utmost care.
Access to school
Access to school after 8.50 a.m. is through the door at the entrance of the new building only. To ensure safety and minimum disruption to classes, all visitors should report to the secretary.
Traffic
Parents/guardians are urged to use caution and common sense when dropping off and collecting children. Parents are asked not to block our neighbours’ gateways or park in the disabled parking spot and / or in the yellow box.
School Uniform
Crested wine v-neck jumper or cardigan
Navy trousers or wine and green tartan pinafore
Cream shirt or polo shirt
Crested navy tracksuit
This is the official school uniform and can be purchased at National Schoolwear Centre, Liosbaun Industrial Estate, Tuam Rd. Other items such as crested jackets are also available but are not compulsory. To reduce competition and increase pride in their school uniform we expect children to wear their full school uniform on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday and the school tracksuit on Thursday and Friday.
Helpful hints
Velcro runners are easier than lace-ups.
Please label all clothing, bags and lunch boxes, as most are identical.
If there is an upset at home which you think may affect your child’s progress / mood / behaviour in school please inform your child’s teacher or the Principal. This is really helpful for us in understanding your child’s individual needs. (This information will of course be treated confidentially).
Health and Hygiene
Lunches – Choose a lunch box and beaker that can be easily opened. Please label both. As part of our Social, Personal and Health Education Programme we have a Healthy Eating Policy. We encourage children to bring healthy lunch i.e. sandwich, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, milk or fruit juice. Nourishing foods are encouraged. Crisps, peanuts, fizzy drinks, junk food and chewing gum are not allowed.
For safety reasons glass bottles are forbidden.
In order that you know what your child has eaten, each child brings home the remains of their lunch.
PLEASE NOTE : Some children in the school have been diagnosed as having a severe allergic reaction to peanuts/nuts. This allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) can occur through ingestion of peanut/nut products, cross contamination and breathing peanuts in the air.
Since this condition can be life threatening, we are asking for your help in minimising the risk to these children by:
Avoiding giving children peanuts in school lunches
Avoiding giving peanut butter sandwiches, other spreads containing nuts such as Nutella and snacks/bars containing nuts or labelled “may contain nut traces” in school lunches
Asking children not to share their lunches.
Due to the severity of the problem, it is important that all parents carry out the suggested measures and reduce the risk of allergic reaction to this child.
Litter
We encourage the children to take responsibility for their environment and to be litter conscious. This is a great help in keeping their school tidy. We work towards heightening in them a sense of respect towards the environment. Scoil Naomh Sheosaimh is a participant in the European green schools programme and we have recently been awarded our eighth Green Flag.
Immunisation and health screening
Galway community Services provides medical and dental screening for school going children. It also provides booster immunisations for childhood diseases to Junior Infant Classes and in senior classes. Parents will be notified of these services and consent forms are circulated prior to visits by the doctor / nurse / dentist.
Medication
It is the policy of the school not to administer any medication to children. The school will be happy to facilitate Parents / Guardians needing to give medication to their child.
Children unwell in school
When the Principal / teacher feels that a child is not well enough for school either as a result of becoming sick or an accident, the Parents / Guardians will be contacted immediately. This highlights the importance of filling out the Eolas form.
DO NOT SEND A SICK CHILD TO SCHOOL
If your child is too sick to go to the yard, he/she is too sick to come to school. Exceptions are made in the case of ongoing or chronic illness and limb injuries. Otherwise all children are expected to go to the yard, as it is a vital part of social interaction.
In the event of a serious illness / accident, an ambulance will be called and the child will be brought to hospital.If your address or phone number changes please notify the school so we can amend our records.
Please notify the school if your child is diagnosed with an infectious disease.
Head lice are regular visitors in all schools so please check your child’s hair regularly (i.e. at least once a week) for head lice. Please report it to the school so that we can alert others. Lotions and shampoos are readily available from your local pharmacy.
Please do not pass invitations to birthday parties etc in school as it can be very upsetting for non-recipients.
In 1991 a new revised Curriculum was introduced into Irish Primary Schools
The Primary School Curriculum consists of 6 Curriculum areas and these are further divided into 11 subjects.
Your child will be learning in the following areas and subjects:
Language: Gaeilge & English.
Mathematics: Mathematics
Social, Environmental & Scientific EducationE.S.E., History, Geography & Science.
Arts Education: Music, Visual Arts & Drama.
Physical Education (P.E.): Physical Education.
(S.P.H.E.): Social, Personal and Health Education.
Beidh do pháiste ag foghlaim sna ranna agus ábhair seo:
There are guidelines on the amount of time to be allocated to each curriculum area.
The Curriculum aims to ensure that children are provided with learning opportunities that recognise and celebrate their uniqueness, develop their full potential and prepare them to meet the challenge of the 21st Century. The focus is on the child as a learner.
The Curriculum aims to foster the development of key skills in communication, problem solving, critical thinking, investigation and interaction.
It is also the aim of the Curriculum to ensure that children’s experience of school will lead them to value and enjoy learning as a life long process. Functional literacy, numeracy and the ability to articulate well are stressed.
Our philosophy is based on the notion that every child has ‘Multiple Intelligences’. In order to develop these and discover their strengths, every child needs a chance to be exposed to ‘other’ educational experiences apart from the purely academic.
Our aquatics programme is compulsory and is taught in every class. This involves bringing every child in the school to Leisureland for a swimming course each year. Each child will learn to play the tin whistle in the senior classes and the senior children are regular visitors to the R.T.E. Orchestra concerts and other events.
All children from 3rd to 6th class sing in the choir at our First Communion in Barna Church. It is a very special day in the school calendar and the involvement of the senior pupils greatly adds to the occasion and is a testament to the unique ethos of
co-operation and inclusiveness attributed to this school.
It is our belief that children benefit hugely from educational excursions and as well as our annual school tour, children often travel to the Town Hall Theatre, Brigid’s Garden, Coole Park and to a variety of sporting events. We take every opportunity possible to invite music, art and drama groups and environmental speakers into the classroom.
Competitions in Visual Art, Science, Quizzes and Essay Writing are entered as appropriate.
Scoil Naomh Sheosaimh is renowned for our sporting successes and achievements and while we are justly proud of our record in local, Gaeltacht, County and All-Ireland competitions in football, hurling and soccer, one of the highlights of our year is our own sports day, where every child participates and the emphasis is on fun and enjoyment. Non-competitive matches and blitzes are also organised throughout the school year.
An Educational Psychologist is available annually to carry out Educational Assessments on children who we believe are not making reasonable progress. Parents are consulted and permission is always sought before this is done.
This service however, does not meet the needs of the school and private assessments are undertaken annually. In such cases Parents / Guardians may be asked to contribute to the cost.
If a child has any physical or health problems the Principal should be informed when the child is being enrolled. Should a problem develop the Principal should be told immediately. In this way appropriate provisions can be put in place.
The above information will be treated with respect and in total confidence.
Should your child have Special Education Needs he/she may qualify for 1 to 1 extra
help with our Resource teachers.
Currently we have full time Special Needs Resource Teachers
Some children for care reasons require extra support in school. We are fortunate to have Special Needs Assistants who help support the teachers in catering for the
needs of these children.
Children with a primary diagnosis of A.S.D. will be catered for in our special class. Enrolment criteria for this class is outlined in our A.S.D. enrolment policy.This class will have a maximum pupil-teacher ratio of 1:6 and the assistance of up to two special assistants as well.
The school has the services of a fully qualified learning support teacher. Early identification of learning difficulties is crucial in their remediation. All children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class are regularly screened through the administration of standardised and observational tests. Parental consultation and support is a vital aspect of our learning support programme.
We have a great deal of policies dealing with pastoral, administrative and curricular areas and again just ask and we can make a copy for you.
We hope your child’s years spent in Scoil Naomh Sheosaimh will be extremely happy and will help him / her to grow in all that is positive and good.