Glenasmole National School

Classes: Children generally enrol in Junior Infants at the age of 4-5 years. There are eight class levels in the school and children generally progress to secondary school after 6th class, at the age of 12-13 years. In Glenasmole School, the classes are arranged in groups (called multi classes). We have four class teachers and the class groupings are shared between these teachers. Thus each year the groupings may vary, depending on the number of children at each level and the needs of those children.

The School Principal is responsible for assigning children to classes and teachers to class groupings. On occasion, it may be necessary to split a class between teachers. Where this occurs, the children are split according to their age and the two teachers concerned liaise to ensure the whole class are covering the same topics of the curriculum over the course of the year.

Special Needs & Learning Support: We aim to provide a teaching and learning process to ensure that children with learning difficulties and special needs achieve their potential in levels of literacy, numeracy and other areas of the curriculum. We use a team approach, involving student, class teacher, learning support teacher, parents and other relevant personnel (e.g. educational psychologist, speech therapist etc). Where a student has recognized special needs, we avail of any support which is available from the Department of Education and Science to support the needs of that child.

Green School & Science Programmes: We are part of the international Green Schools programme, which enables us to focus on aspects of environmental awareness and to promote long-term, whole-school action for the environment. We have been working on the themes of Litter & Waste, Energy, Water and Travel. We received our first award in 2007, and are working towards our eighth award in 2021. Children are taught to separate waste for recycling, to maintain a litter-free school environment and to conserve energy use by turning off lights etc. They learn about and engage in water conservation and environmentally responsible modes of travel.

We also take part in the Discover Primary Science programme each year. The children engage in science activities and complete a log of discoveries. Trips are organised to venues which help children explore aspects of science and speakers are invited to the school on various topics.

RSE: Relationships and Sexuality Education is an integral part of Social, Personal and Health Education. It puts in place organised opportunities for students to obtain knowledge and an understanding of their own development and about their friendships and relationships with others.

The children are, where possible grouped according to their double-class groupings for the purpose of RSE lessons (Infants, 1st&2nd, 3rd&4th, 5th&6th).

Assessment Policy, Record Keeping & Data Protection: Standardised tests, for example, Sigma T, Micra T. N.R.I.T test are administered on a regular basis. These assessments are used in the development of the curricular programme in each class. The MIST (Middle Infant Screening Test)  may be used to screen junior and senior infant children. The results from these are used to determine which children require further assessment and learning support. Copies, books and tests are records of children’s general academic performance and are available to parents on an ongoing basis. Students’ Journals also provide records of children’s ongoing performance and progress.

It is the policy of Glenasmole National School to provide information on attendance and the child’s educational and social progress to schools to which the child is transferring if and when requested. The school is registered with the Data Protection Agency. All information is kept on file and will be retained in the school for administrative purposes only. Parents can access information about their own child.

Parent-teacher meetings are the appropriate place to discuss the results and the significance of standardized English and Maths tests. An annual report is issued for each student, which will include details of the results of their standardized tests.  Records of test results are kept on file in the filing cabinet.