About our School – Introduction
Scartleigh National School was founded in 1848, with the original school situated in Saleen village on the site of the present day Catholic church. In 1947, a new two-classroom school was built on the present site. In the late 1970s, the school was extended to include four new classrooms, with the original building used as a general purpose room. In 2006, a complete renovation of the building took place, involving the addition of four further classrooms, a Learning Support Resource Teaching Room, and the Principal’s office.
The school’s accelerated development and increased enrolment numbers over the past ten years have resulted in a wonderful standalone extension that opened in September 2014. This includes eight additional classrooms, a PE hall, four special classes for children with autism, offices, learning support rooms, and ancillary rooms. The campus was landscaped and includes two new playgrounds and on-site staff parking. A further fifth special class for children with autism has been added, as well as an additional modular building.
Scartleigh National School is a co-educational mainstream school with five special classes for children with autism, ‘An Cuan’. The school is under the patronage of the Catholic diocese of Cloyne. The school caters for approximately 400 children in sixteen mainstream classes and 30 children in An Cuan.
Personnel
At present the school has an Administrative Principal and an Administrative Deputy Principal, sixteen mainstream class teachers and eight full time and two part time Special Education Teachers (LS/RTs), two EAL teachers and five special class teachers.
The school also has a Secretary, Teresa Leahy, a caretaker Francis O’Rourke and twenty Special Needs Assistants, Tara O’Shea, Caroline McMahon, Roisin Bell, Majella Clohesey, Rebecca Barry, Fiona O’Keeffe, Martha Varian, Lesley Ryall, Julie Walsh, Angie Lyne, Lisa Quirke, Ber Murray, Linda Berry, Carol Butler, Michelle Mulcahy, Mags McEvoy, Eunice Wanjiru, Amy Ring, Ann O’ Neill, Vera Terry, Natalia Marti, Geraldine Barry, Saundra Walsh, Samia Attig, Mairéad Murphy and Drew Long.
The staffing schedule for the 2022-2023 school year is as follows:
Principal: Denise O’ Donovan
Deputy Principal: Múinteoir Niamh Fitzgerald
Mainstream Class Teachers:
Junior Infants – Múinteoir Sharon
Junior Infants – Múinteoir Úna
Senior Infants – Múinteoir Amy McCarthy
Senior Infants – Múinteoir Áine Carlton
First Class – Múinteoir Lisa
First Class – Múinteoir Karen
Second Class – Múinteoir Maire
Second Class – Múinteoir Fiachra
Third Class – Múinteoir JP
Third Class – Múinteoir Seamus
Fourth Class – Múinteoir Áine Galvin
Fourth Class – Múinteoir Seán
Fifth Class – Múinteoir Jillian
Fifth Class – Múinteoir Caitríona
Sixth Class – Múinteoir Luke
Sixth Class – Múinteoir Róisín (M. Emma)
An Cuan
Special Classes for Children with Autism
Múinteoir Eimear
Múinteoir Eoin
Múinteoir Nessa
Múinteoir Ailish
Múinteoir Gobnait (M.Liz)
Learning Support and Resource Teaching
Múinteoir Claire
Múinteoir Mary O’Neill
Múinteoir Veronica
Múinteoir Louise
Múinteoir Clíona
Múinteoir Ciara (M.Mary O’Donoghue)
Múinteoir Anne McCarthy
Múinteoir Aoife
Múinteoir Tríona
Múinteoir Katerina
Class organisation is reviewed on an annual basis and is subject to change.
Where a particular class has to be split, children will be placed by the principal in consultation with the class teachers. Split classes will be organised on a mixed ability basis. Classes are split on the basis of mixed ability and gender balance. Decisions on split classes are non-negotiable.
Staff deployment is decided by the Principal.
Staff are addressed using Christian names. Teaching staff are addressed by pupils using the title Múinteoir (Teacher) followed by their Christian name.
Board of Management
Chairperson: Tom Casey
Patron’s Nominee: Claire O’Brien
Secretary: Denise O’ Donovan (Principal)
Teaching Staff Nominee: Eoin O’Gorman
Parents’ Nominee: Karl Power
Parents’ Nominee: Jennifer Falvey
Community Nominee: Marnie Porter
Community Nominee: Richard Fitzgerald
The Curriculum
The primary curriculum 1999 has been adopted by the school and all subjects are taught at each level. The school supports the vision of the curriculum in celebrating the uniqueness of the child as it is expressed in each child’s personality, intelligence and potential for development.
The school also adopts the general aims expressed in the curriculum:
• To enable the child to live a full life as a child and to realise his or her potential as a unique individual
• To enable the child to develop as a social being through living and co-operating with others and so contribute to the good of society
• To prepare the child for further education and lifelong learning.
A whole school plan for each subject has been formulated by the teaching staff. These plans are reviewed regularly and have been endorsed by the Board of Management.
The following is a list of the curricular area subjects:
• English
• Gaeilge
• Mathematics
• Physical Education
• Social Personal and Health Education
• Social Environmental and Scientific Education:
• Science
• History
• Geography
• Arts Education
• Visual Arts
• Music
• Drama
• Religion. The school’s ethos is Catholic. As a Catholic school the Grow In Love programme is taught at each of the eight stages and children in Second and Sixth class are prepared for First Holy Communion and Confirmation respectively.
Opening and Closing Times:
8.40 am Drop and Go
9.00am School begins
10.30/10.50am Sos beag
10.45/11.05am Classes re-commence
12.30/13.00pm Sos mór
12.55/13.25pm Classes re-commence
13.40pm Infant day ends
14.40pm Full school-day ends
Books and Uniforms
Books:
The school operates a book rental scheme.
Uniforms:
Both the school uniform and tracksuit are available at Hydes, Main St Midleton. The school uniform consists of a grey trousers and shirt, a royal blue jumper and a blue and grey striped tie. Girls may wear a grey pinafore or skirt with grey tights. The tracksuit is navy with a light blue polo T-shirt. The tracksuit carries the school badge which was designed by a former pupil, Jane McGauran.
The Parents Association:
The school has a very active Parents Association. The PA is affiliated to the NPCA. The PA meet monthly in the school and the chairperson liaises with the School Principal after each meeting. The Principal is welcome to attend each PA meeting. As well as fundraising and providing support for school events the PA organise a variety of after-school activities including, chess, arts and crafts, knitting, guitar and rugby.
External Users of School Facilities:
The school facilitates parents and children by making rooms available for activities outside of school hours conducted by private individuals who are Independent Contractors. These activities are not part of the school curriculum and are not regulated by the school which only provides facilities to enable these independent contractors and parents to make arrangements between themselves. Parents discharge any fees payable directly to the independent contractor who is responsible for all aspects of the service provided. Contractors have their own insurance. While the school makes every effort to facilitate all parties, neither the Board of Management of the school nor the trustees of the Parish can accept any liability whatsoever for any matter arising in connection with such activities or in neglect or default of any such independent contractor whatsoever.