Here in St. Brigid’s we pride ourselves on offering to parents a school which caters for the complete educational needs of your sons for the full Primary School Cycle, from Infants to Sixth Class.  Our main aim is to create a sharing, caring, stimulating working environment in which each child is encouraged to develop to his full potential.    To ensure that the education we provide is well-rounded we have put in place a comprehensive programme of extra-curricular activities and boys are encouraged to participate, each according to his talents and interests.

We focus as a first priority on achieving academic excellence with a view to preparing the boys for Post Primary Education.  It is worth emphasising that such is the academic reputation of St. Brigid’s that our past pupils are welcomed by every Post Primary School in the area and even further afield.

The staff is fully committed as a team of educational professionals to encourage each child to realise his full potential.  Class-based assessments and standardised testing is carried out on a regular basis.  Modern audio-visual teaching aids and new technology are an integral part of the teaching resources in the school

The broad thrust of the school’s objectives may be summarised as:

• the provision of a well-disciplined atmosphere which promotes good learning habits;
• the provision of a happy, social environment in which the students enjoy school life;
• the development of individual talents;
• the provision of specialist help to overcome learning difficulties;
• the preparation of children for the Sacraments
• the promotion of Christian values.

The school ethos is based on respect for religious and moral values.  We emphasise intellectual development, embracing moral, social, emotional, physical and intellectual training.  In working to create a school where each boy will feel happy and secure we acknowledge and value highly the support and assistance which parents give us in realising our aims.  Close co-operation between school and home is the key to ensuring that the maximum educational benefits which the school offers are the prerogative of every pupil.

Management

The school is managed by a Board of eight people - two nominated by the patron; two elected parents, a Teacher’s Representative, the Principal Teacher and two other members from the local community.  The Board is receipt of an annual grant of €200 per pupil from the Department of Education and Science.  From this income the Board is responsible for heating, cleaning, insuring, maintaining and equipping the school.  In common with most primary schools the Board finds it necessary, from time to time, to supplement its income by way of voluntary contributions from parents to ensure that the highest standard of facilities and services is provided for pupils.

The current board was elected in December 2007 and is made up of the following:

Home/School links

Effective liaison between home and school is regarded as essential in the interest of pupils.  Therefore we encourage parents to maintain a close working relationship with the school, especially in checking and assessing their son’s progress.  This process is helped by sensible use of the child’s homework journal which should be checked nightly by the parent and signed weekly by the class teacher.  Thus the parent is immediately aware on a daily basis of the child’s homework, punctuality and behaviour in school.  Comprehensive Progress Reports on each child are issued to parents at the end of the academic year.  Formal parent/teacher meetings are arranged for each class once a year.  Where it is deemed appropriate or necessary, it is open to either parent or teacher to arrange a meeting to discuss a child’s progress.

Parents Association

There is a very active and supportive Parents’ Association in the school.  The Association ensures that parents are actively involved in a wide variety of school activities.  All parents of children attending the school are automatically members of the Parents Association.  We are indebted to the Association for their commitment in providing funds for the purchase and updating of equipment.  Indeed the Christmas Fair each year is only one of the fundraising and social events which the Parents’ Association organises to raise funds for the school.

School Hours

The school opens at 8.55a.m. each weekday.  Classes for Infants finish and 1.35p.m. and 2.35p.m. for all other classes.  A calendar of school holidays and official closings is issued to parents at the beginning of each year and is also available on the school website.

Homework

Children are introduced to formal homework in First Class.  Home assignments are recorded in a special Homework Journal which parents are asked to sign when they have satisfied themselves that the homework has been satisfactorily completed.  This gives parents the opportunity of keeping in touch with the work which is being done in the classroom.  Should difficulties arise in relation to homework it is advisable to contact the class teacher.

Curriculum

The school implements the extensive Curriculum which is set out by the Department of Education and Science.  This is a child centred, integrated curriculum.  The intellectual and creative talents of the pupils are developed in various ways through the curriculum and educational tours as well as artistic, cultural and recreational activities which are organised in all classes.  Extensive use is made of the most up-to-date audio-visual equipment and other teaching aides in the classroom.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on the arts especially on music and the school choir performs to a very high standard. After school lessons on the trumpet, clarinet and saxophone are also given.

ICT is now an integral part of schoolwork.  The school now boasts in Information Technology Room with 16 Pentium PCs, colour laser printer, scannera modem with headphones available on each PC.  Internet activities are encouraged and all classes participated in the recent World Maths Day 2009.All classrooms have PC's with internet access available to all. The BOM has recently purchased 6 IWB's (Interactive White Board ). These have been received with much enthusiasm by both children and teachers and they have greatly enhanced the teaching process.  

Exposure to European culture and languages in also catered for in the school with French being taught to children from 3^rd -6^th class.  We hope to make contact via the Internet with schools in France and Germany, so the children will have a chance to practice their foreign languages!

Extra-Curricular

The school is justifiably proud of its reputation in the area of extra-curricular activities.  We are motivated by a desire to provide an all-round education for our pupils; education for leisure and sport for all are fundamental to our philosophy.  Each pupil is encouraged to choose and participate in some of the following wide range of cultural and sporting activities:

• Gaelic Games
• Rugby
• Athletics
• Soccer
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Basketball
• Music Classes
• Speech and Drama
• Cubs / Scouts

These activities are provided by Staff, parents and outside instructors and it is school policy to extend the range of activities where possible within the limits of time, resources, and personnel.  The school participated in a wide range of inter-school competitions and our trophy cabinet bears testimony to our many achievements!  Pupils and parents alike look forward each year to our Annual Sports Evening and to our Swimming Gala.  For many years our athletic teams have dominated events at the Dublin Primary School Sports.  In recent years school Rugby teams have made their presence felt in inter-club competitions and our pupils also form the backbone of local Soccer Clubs.  School Gaelic teams have made a number of successful trips to Croke Park.   When it comes to quizzes our senior classes are “masterminds”.  In the area of Speech and Drama both individual and group performances have been extremely impressive.  A schedule of extra-curricular activities is organised each September and parents are circularised with details of what is available for each age group.

The School Buildings

The school is situated on Mart Lane, just a stone’s throw from the historic village of Cornelscourt.  The main building, an attractive stone-faced building was designed by the renowned architect, Sir William Orpen, in 1914.  This building was extensively refurbished in the late sixties and it has a unique character of its own.  As the school has considerably outgrown the pupil numbers it was originally intended to cater for, it has been extended considerably over the years.  In all there are 16 classrooms, 2 resource rooms, and Information Technology room, Principal’s Office and Secretary’s Office.  There is a spacious hall which incorporates a stage which is used by the children for choral work, Nativity Plays etc.  The hall is used for P.E. /Drama and is also in constant demand to cater for the many community groups which use it as a meeting place for their varied activities. The building retains the architectural integrity and intimacy of a more rustic and rural  setting, nestling as it does, on  the junction of Mart Lane and St. Brigid’s Park.  The relative paucity of traffic - apart from opening and closing times! - and the low density of housing in the immediate environs leads to a quiet and peaceful environment which is conducive to learning.

Staffing

The current school enrolment is over 465 with a total staff of 34 - (24 teachers inc. principal, classroom teachers, learning support) special needs assistants, secretary and caretaker.  Every effort is made to ensure that each child is helped to achieve his full potential.  The pupil / teacher ratio is determined by the Department of Education and Science on the basis of the number of pupils on roll at September 30^th of the previous academic year.  The average class size is 28.

School Uniform

A School uniform was introduced some years ago as the preferred option of parents.  It comprises a wine jumper, school tie, grey shirt and grey trousers.  Pupils are expected to wear the uniform at all times.  There is also a school tracksuit and tee-shirt with an embossed school crest on it which the children are expected to wear to school on their PE day.

For the convenience of parents, items of school uniform may be purchased at the school on Friday mornings.  Strict compliance with the school dress code is considered to be fundamental to the maintenance of proper discipline, a sense of identity with and a pride in our school.  Parents are asked to co-operate to ensure that pupils are always neat, well presented and in their appropriate attire.

“Mol an oige agus tiocfaidh si”