Quick Links
Coming and going
| 8.30 am | School gates open and children enter the school yard. |
| 8.40 am | School day begins and children enter the school building. |
| 8.45 am | School gates close. Any late pupils must enter through the main school doors. |
| 10.15 am – 10.30 am | Break time |
| 12.15 pm – 12.35 pm | Break time |
| 1.20 pm | Junior and Senior Infants go home |
| 2.20 pm | 1st – 6th class home time |
Every child in Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st or 2nd class must be brought to school and collected after school by a parent/guardian. It is your responsibility as a parent/guardian to collect your child on time.
If you know you are going to be late collecting your child, please ring the school office.
Children can become very upset if their parents are not there to collect them and are often reassured to know that someone is on their way. Additionally, the school cannot accept responsibility for children who arrive either before the school gates open every morning or after the gates close at collection times.
Children from 2nd to 6th class may come to school and return home unsupervised if their parents permit. It is advisable in such circumstances to arrange for 2 or 3 children to accompany each other.
We have very limited car-parking in our grounds and only staff, disability sticker holders and SETANTA people may park inside our grounds. Please use the car park around the shopping centre or better yet, walk or cycle to school!
Breaks
There are two breaks during the day. During these breaks the children eat their own lunch in the classroom and then go outside to the playground. If the weather is unsuitable, children remain in their classrooms and are engaged with a variety of educational activities.
Children spread their food and drink intake over the two breaks. Our school operates a Healthy Eating Policy. Parents, children and teachers should help each other to eat healthily during school time. In-class discussions on healthy eating and living along with physical activities will be part of our school based approach.
Chewing gum, fizzy drinks, sweets, bars, chocolates, biscuits and crisps are not included in our “healthy food” category.
A child’s behaviour and ability to concentrate in school is affected by the food he or she eats. For safety reasons children should not bring drinks in glass bottles. A lunch box, which the child can open and close themselves, saves a lot of time. Pupils should also be able to open and close their own drinks.
Children are required to bring home any uneaten food and all food wrappings/cartons. In this way you will know what they have eaten and the children will learn to be responsible for recycling/disposing of their own wrappings/cartons.
The school does not facilitate children’s birthday parties. The teacher and children in the class will mark birthdays in a simple but appropriate fashion. Parents are asked not to give ‘goody bags’ to class friends on the school premises.
Clothing
Children should wear comfortable clothes and footwear with a good grip. VELCRO straps are great for infants. Some fashion shoes and boots have slippery soles or high heels and these are neither safe nor practical in school. We have no school uniform but we have an optional school tracksuit which is warm, comfortable and easy to manage for young children in the toilet area in particular. They are useful for PE classes and playground activities and inexpensive (€25). Coats and hats may be necessary for break time, particularly during the winter. Hats and headwear are not for indoor wear.
Names or initials should be written clearly on all clothing and personal belongings, especially tracksuit tops, coats, lunchboxes and drink containers. Please ensure that your child can recognise his/her belongings. Children are responsible for looking after their belongings, particularly in the yard. Coats, jackets etc. that are left behind in the school yard are brought to the lost property table beside the school office. Unclaimed lost property will be sent to a local charity shop at the end of each month.
In the interest of safety, jewellery should be kept to a minimum. We don’t recommend long chains, necklaces, bracelets or long earrings as they can catch in clothing during playtime and cause injury. Apart from the potential danger, the school cannot take responsibility for personal property brought to school.
Personal Property
Cash
Should it be necessary for your child to bring cash to school please put it in our special brown envelopes, seal it with the child’s name and class on the front, the amount and what the money is for. All money received will be receipted for. Apart from these rare occasions children should not have cash in school.
Mobile Phones
We request that children do not bring mobile phones to school. If you need to contact your child during school hours ring the school secretary directly (01-8272172).
Toys
Children should not be sent to school with large toys and other such personal property. From time to time teachers may suggest that children bring in their favourite toy as a treat, on pre-arranged days or for a particular event. The school is not responsible for the care of toys.
Home School Communication
A child’s progress in and enjoyment of school is enhanced by a positive home-school partnership. If you have any concerns relating to your child, please discuss these with your child’s class teacher. Appointments may be made by contacting the school secretary (01-8272172) to arrange a mutually acceptable time to meet the teacher.
The best way to stay up to date with school activities is to ensure that we have an up to date email address for you. We send home all our newsletters by email. Regular school information regarding school closures, meetings and other events is available on our school website (www.tetns.ie) and information is also displayed on the external school notice board. Sometimes we text parents re closures and occasionally we send the traditional ‘school note’ and it should be found in infants’ lunchboxes and in older children’s homework journals.
Please make sure that we have the most up to date contact detail for you. If any of these details change, please contact the school office (01-827217).
Absences
The Education-Welfare Act obliges schools to notify the Department of Education about children who are absent from school for twenty or more days during any school year. There is a section in the pupils’ homework journal (1st to 6th Classes only) for you to complete. Taking holidays during term time is not recommended.
If your child is absent from school, you are obliged to send a note stating the reason for the child’s absence to your child’s teacher on the day that he/she returns to school. If your child has to leave school early or if you want to collect your child early, please notify the class teacher or our school secretary in advance to make such arrangements.
Health and Safety
- Sick children should not be sent to school. If your child has an infectious illness, please inform the school immediately. If your child has a particular health condition (an allergy, asthma, diabetes or epilepsy etc.), it is imperative that you advise the school in writing and talk to your child’s class teacher. It may be necessary to provide specialised training for the staff.
- Under no normal circumstances will a member of staff administer oral medicines or tablets. This includes medicines prescribed by a doctor. If a child is unfit for school/ill enough to require medicine, please keep him/her at home until the treatment is completed.
- Your child is sharing bathroom facilities with other children. Please discuss the importance of personal hygiene with your child.
- Head lice are a common problem in Primary Schools. Please don’t be embarrassed and let the school know. When we are aware of an outbreak, we can inform parents immediately.
- From time to time accidents and injuries occur, particularly in the playground. Staff will deal with minor playground injuries. Children are encouraged to report any injury or illness to a staff member. If deemed potentially serious, parents will be contacted and/or we may directly contact medical services ourselves. Basic first aid may be administered to your child.
- In exceptional circumstances parents may have to come into school to administer medication. This can be arranged with the Principal.
- It is prohibited by law to smoke on any educational campus. Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School is a smoking free zone.