School Day:
Our school day starts at 9.20am and finishes at 2pm for Junior and Senior Infants and 3pm for all other pupils. Doors open at 9.10am to welcome students. Students are supervised by teachers in their classrooms until formal teaching begins at 9.20am. When a child has been absent from school a note should be brought to the class teacher on his return. Planned absences such as dental/doctor’s appointments should be notified to the school in advance.
Break & Lunch:
There is a 10-minute mid-morning break at 11am and lunchtime is from 12.30pm until 1pm. Please refer to our school’s healthy eating policy for more information regarding lunches.
The school has a healthy eating policy in operation. Children are encouraged to bring healthy snacks and are asked to use a re-usable bottle or flask to hold their drinks rather than cartons or cans. We offer the free School Meals Programme to all students where a hot meal is delivered to the school for lunch each day. Any lunch wrappers and uneaten food should be brought home in their lunchbox. We will compost any organic materials such as apple cores and banana skins. Fizzy drinks, crisps and sweets are not allowed.
School Subjects:
Subjects taught are Gaeilge, English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Social Personal Health Education, Music, Visual Arts, Physical Education and Religion. Each classroom boasts an interactive whiteboard and we have up to date modern IT equipment.
Tá sé i gceist againn an Ghaeilge a úsáid go neamhfhoirmiúl chomh minic agus is féidir i rith an lae.
Homework:
Homework is given to reinforce what is learned in school. It should never become too time consuming or put a child under undue pressure. The amount of homework assigned and its nature are decided by the class teacher. It may consist of written work, oral work or both. Homework is usually given four nights per week, the weekends being free. We advise parents to establish a homework routine. The child should be sitting comfortably at a table. If your child is working independently be available to help and show an interest in what is being done. Praise your child's efforts at every opportunity. If your child is persistently having problems managing homework talk to the class teacher. Encourage your child to keep their books and copies clean and tidy.
Text Books:
Books and copies are ordered and distributed through the school, and funded by the School Book Grant. Children will be given any books they need at the start of the year. All children should be provided with a pencil case containing writing pencils, colouring pencils/crayons, eraser and ruler.
Parent Teacher Liaison:
There is one formal parent teacher meeting held each year, typically in Term 1, when parents get the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress. However, teachers are always willing to meet with parents at a mutually convenient time. Parents should phone the school or email the office to make arrangements.
Extra Curricular Activities:
Camcloon N.S. is a very busy place. Whenever practicable we invite specialists to visit our school throughout the year. We take part in numerous local and national competitions in areas such as visual arts and science. We strive to find the right balance between academic work and our involvement in extra curricular activities.
School uniform:
The school uniform consists of a teal coloured jumper, navy trousers or skirt, yellow shirt or polo shirt, navy socks or tights. The uniform jumper, with crest, is available to purchase through the school.
Sports and PE:
We place great emphasis on the importance of sport and Physical Education.All pupils are obliged to attend a block of swimming lessons each year. Expert coaches attend to teach the children hurling and Gaelic and soccer skills. We are fortunate enough to have a state of the art Astroturf pitch which makes it possible to enjoy sports all year round.
Green School:
We are a Green School. There is a strong emphasis on environmental awareness as part of our curriculum. To date we have been awarded six green flags – Green Flag for Waste Management, Energy Awareness Flag, the Water Flag and the Green Home Flag, the Travel Flag, the Biodiversity Flag. We are currently working towards the Green Schools Global Citizenship Flag.
Parents’ Association:
There is an active Parents’ Association which undertakes fundraising throughout the year and works with the school to enhance the education we provide. This year, our Parents Association have donated funds to subsidise our School Tour buses and purchased additional Maths and Science equipment to support the implementation of the New Primary School Curriculum.
Next Generation EU Funding:
This school received a grant in 2021 to implement initiatives aimed at addressing the digital divide and support our learners at risk of educational disadvantage as a consequence, as part of the Irish National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) a project under the Recovery and Resilience Facility funded by the European Union through NextGenerationEU. This funding was used to upgrade our student devices and WiFi network across the school.