School life begins: New bags, books and dreams
By Mary Dennehy
THREE years ago Scoil Aoife in Tallaght opened its doors to just one junior infant; this September 40 children started at the Citywest school – a rapid growth that is just one example of the expansion and development of local communities.
This week, schools are buzzing with excitement and anticipation as hundreds of children, equipped with new bags, lunchboxes and dreams, started junior infants across the area’s vibrant network of schools.
The diversity of Tallaght and its surrounding areas is definitely reflected in its school life, as children this week started in small, rural schools such as Glensmole NS, which has 12 junior infants, to large, modern schools like St Colmcille’s JNS in Knocklyon that this year has 196 junior infants.
Catherine Mullready, acting Principal at Glenasmole, which has 95 pupils from junior infants to sixth class and five teachers, told The Echo: “We are a small rural school that will next year be celebrating 60 years.
“This school would be more of a traditional school made up of local kids living in the immediate community, and like the schools of the past, we would have different class groups in the same room.
“Our junior infants are in a mixed classroom with our senior infants.”
She added: “All of the new kids are settling in really well and we’re all looking forward to the year ahead.”
In Citywest, Scoil Aoife Community National School, which last year moved into a new, state-of-the-art building, is celebrating its growth from one pupil in 2014 to 116 this September.
When opened under the patronage of the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board [DDETB] three years ago, the school had just one pupil on its first day – who was taught by Principal Stacey McAuley.
However, Scoil Aoife now has 116 children across junior, senior, first and second class, which includes 46 junior infants who started at the school this week – 40 of whom are spread across two junior infant classes, with six pupils in a special class for children with autism.
Speaking to The Echo, Principal McAuley said: “We have experienced rapid growth in the past three years, there is a big demand for school places and we already have parents registering their children for 2018.
“We now have nine teachers and this year also have three extra special needs assistants and have lunches in school for the children and a range of new activities – such as after-school clubs, sports and yoga for parents and children – starting in the coming months.”
Located close by in Jobstown, St Thomas JNS opened in 1980 to cater for the school-going population of the developing parish.
This September, 90 junior infants joined the established local school, with the new intake spread across six classes of 15 kids.
Principal Fionnuala Wallace said: “We are a DEIS band 1 school, so are supported in keeping class sizes down.
“The average for DEIS band 1 schools is 20 pupils to one teacher.
“However, here at St Thomas we see the value is small class numbers and have managed to have a 15:1 ratio.”
She added: “We are all looking forward to the year ahead and our Board of Management is continuing to put pressure on the Department of Education for our much-needed school extension.
“Even though we have small classes, pupils are based in half-size classrooms, so we look forward to getting our promised extension in 2018.”
Gaelscoil na Giuise in Firhouse is one local school looking forward to moving into its new building, which is currently under construction.
Located in temporary accommodation since opening in 2013 with six pupils, Gaelscoil na Giuise now has 102 children from junior infants to third class – with students and teachers hoping to move into their new, school building in early 2018.
When asked how all of the pupils are settling in, Principal Cuán Ó Flatharta said: “Gach duine sona sásta a bheith ar scoil”.
The Echo would like to wish all pupils, parents and teachers the best for the school year ahead, and remember to contact us with any news from your school.
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