Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
On behalf of our whole school community, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your child.
Our philosophy in Tiernaboul N.S. is focused on supporting and encouraging students in every aspect of their lives, nurturing them into well rounded children who will go forward and embrace life with confidence, enthusiasm and a sense of justice.
The success of our students is dependent on the exceptionally strong link between parents, students and teachers. We do everything possible to ensure that your child is safe, happy, respected, fulfilled and encouraged to reach their full potential.
We are a small school and this is one of our greatest strengths as it means that all staff members know all students and their families and are able to work closely with them to ensure they are achieving their full potential.
We are proud of all our students and we have no doubt that your child will make a significant contribution to Tiernaboul N.S. in the years they spend with us.
Le meas,
Maria Breen
Principal
CHILDRENS' VOICES
We believe that the voice of each child is very important. Therefore, children are invited to be part of some school teams and committees where their opinions and ideas are sought.
There is a school council, made up of children from the middle and senior classes, who are democratically elected by their peers. These children regularly meet with the Principal to plan events for the other children & help with school initiatives.
CURRICULUM
The Primary School Curriculum as laid out by the Department of Education is followed in our school and incorporates eleven different subject areas.
These are:
English, Gaeilge, Mathematics, SESE – History, Geography & Science, Visual Arts, Music, Drama, Physical Education and SPHE – Social, Personal& Health Education. Religion is taught in all classes. The new Primary Curriculum Framework is in the process of being rolled out and teachers are currently engaging in in-service training for this.
SPEECH & DRAMA, MUSIC & DANCE
The children have many opportunities to embrace the arts and are exposed to a wide variety of experiences throughout the school year. This year we are taking part in the Music Generation programme and the children have music and singing classes during school hours through that with tutor Sorcha O’Connor. A performance is put on for parents at Christmas and / or another time during the school year.
SPORT
We consider that physical education and sport are an important element of your child’s education. Therefore, all pupils are encouraged to participate in some form of sporting or physical activity. To this end, we offer many opportunities to the children in our school.
We offer:
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Gaelic football & camogie and we enter teams in the Cumann na mBunscol and Mini 7’s competitions annually.
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Soccer and we enter teams in the FAI 5’s competitions for boys and girls annually.
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All children from Senior Infants – 6th take part in a block of swimming lessons in The Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre in the second term.
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All children participate in rugby lessons in the third term
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A team of athletes represent the school at the Killarney Primary School Sports, a popular event which takes place annually.
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We run an annual ‘Active Week’ which features a traditional sports day organised by the Student Council and the senior pupils and a Yoga day with Dominique from Kids Yoga Kerry
The original building was constructed in 1912 and the extension incorporating 3 classrooms, a special education room/office and a staff room was completed in 2010.
A large part of the original school building is now used as a preschool – ‘Creative Kids Pre School’.
The school is situated in a rural area in the parish of Killarney in East Kerry.
Tiernaboul N.S. is a mixed school with a current enrolment of 72 pupils a staff which includes three class teachers, 1 special education teacher, 1 shared EAL teacher and 3 special needs assistants.The school also employs a secretary and cleaner.
All classrooms are equipped with a laptop computer for the teacher and an interactive whiteboard.There is an outdoor play space available for the children including hard surfaces, a ball court and a grass area which can be used in dry weather.
The school is state funded and is run by a Board of Management, under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop Kerry.
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. (There is a note section at the back of your child’s homework journal.) If your child is struggling to complete homework from the point of view of time or difficulty, you should consult with the class teacher.
From September, pencil cases, books and school bags will be going home on a daily basis and returning the following day, so only one pencil case will be required for the school year.
Healthy Lunch
Tiernaboul N.S operates a healthy eating policy. Children are encouraged to bring a nutritious lunch to school every day. Please note all sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks are not permitted. Due to the increasing number of pupils with serious nut allergies, nuts or nut products are not permitted.
Also, we kindly ask that no treats, birthday cakes etc for sharing are sent to school as we cannot be completely sure of the ingredients and do not wish to be in the position of returning them back home.
Try to ensure that lunchboxes are accessible and easy to use, especially for younger children and likewise, with the food provided.
An example of a healthy lunch:
● Sandwiches/crackers/breadsticks/wraps/rice cakes
● Fruit (which the child can easily manage) e.g. sliced grapes/raisins/bananas/peeled oranges/apple slices ● Salad, halved tomatoes, rice, pasta dishes
● Vegetable Sticks e.g. carrot sticks/celery sticks/cucumber/peppers
● Cheese/cheese string/yoghurts (please ensure that your child has a spoon)
● Water/Milk/ Juice/ Smoothies
School Uniform
Our uniform consists of navy trousers or navy skirt / pinafore, blue shirt/blouse and navy jumper which can be purchased at any retailer.
Our tracksuit consists of a crested half zip tracksuit top which can be purchased directly from the school. A plain blue polo shirt and a plain navy tracksuit pants can be purchased at any retailer.
Summer uniform (May & June) may include navy knee length jogger style shorts.
We recommend footwear with a Velcro fastening for children who cannot tie their own laces. Please put a double knot on laces. Children should wear footwear with a good grip. Some “fashion” shoes have slippery soles and for safety reasons these are not advisable. If children wear unsuitable footwear to school, they may not be able to participate in PE or outdoor activities.
The school will advise if there is a change in uniform routine.
Tiernaboul National School is a state funded school and is run by a Board of Management, under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop Kerry.
A Roman Catholic school (which is established in connection with the Minister) aims at promoting the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the person of the pupil: intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and with other people.
The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Catholic school provides religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and promotes the formation of the pupils in the Catholic faith.