ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY
Every child is obliged to attend school each day that the school is in operation, unless there is a reasonable excuse for not doing so (e.g. illness). Under the Education Welfare Act 2000, the school is legally obliged to report children who have been absent for 20 or more school. Parents will be informed if a child is close to accumulating 20 days of absences.
All absences, early pickups, and late arrivals must be signed in or out by a parent in the attendance book located at the main school entrance, and must also be recorded in Aladdin.
TIME
The school day begins at 9.20am. Children may arrive in the yard from 9.05am, where they will be supervised by staff members. The school bell rings at 9.15am and children line up and walk into their rooms. Classes commence at 9.20am. Morning break takes place at 11am and Lunch break occurs from 1.00 – 1.30pm. Infant classes finish their day at 2.00pm, while all classes from 1st – 6th finish at 3.00pm.
It is essential that children are punctual at school so that they can have a smooth start to their schoolday.
It is essential that children are punctual at school so that they can have a smooth start to their schoolday.
HOMEWORK
It is school policy to assign homework to classes on a consistent basis. In general it may include oral and / or written tasks to practise and consolidate work done at school. Children are expected to complete homework to the best of their ability in a reasonable amount of time. Should a child for any reason fail to complete his / her homework, a note should be written to the class teacher by way of explanation. We have our own school homework journal where parents and teacher are able to communicate transparently. If your child is struggling to complete homework from the point of view of time or difficulty, you should consult with the class teacher.
HEALTHY LUNCHES
Since 2019, we have been a Health Promoting School. We were awarded this for all the efforts made by children, families and staff to be healthy. As part of this, the school operates a healthy eating policy. Children are encouraged to bring a nutritious snack to school every day. Try to ensure that lunchboxes are accessible and easy to use, especially for younger children and likewise, with the food provided.
Since April 2024, we have been part of the School Meals Scheme which provides government funding to schools in Ireland to offer food to students, with a focus on promoting healthy eating and school attendance. Our provider is Ashdale Catering Ltd. who operate an online system. There are multiple hot meal options to choose from every day.
Contact: sales@ashdalecatering.ie
Online system: http://www.ashdalecatering.ie/login
Allergen & Nutritional information: www.ashdalecatering.ie
SCHOOL BAGS
We recommend that all children from Junior Infants to 6th class have a strong decent-sized school bag, preferably one that will stand upright and will hold their lunch and materials, including A4 sized books and folders. Children should have a bag that they can carry comfortably on their backs and one which has zips / fasteners that young children can easily manage.
HEAD LICE
Head lice are a common problem in primary schools. Please check your child’s head regularly and if you discover any “little visitors”, don’t be embarrassed to let us know. When we areaware of an outbreak we inform parents and no individual child is identified. Long hair should be tied back while children are in school.
