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Primary School News
4 new Multi Denominational Schools to open
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/13/2015.Tags: Education And Politics Primary School News
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The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has announced that four new multi-denominational primary schools are expected to open this September under the patronage divesting process.
Three of these schools will operate under the patronage of Educate Together. The fourth school will be a Gaelscoil operating under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta.
The three Educate Together schools are intended to be in the following locations ... click to read full post & comments
One-fifth of primary schools 'could lose teachers'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/26/2013.Tags: Primary School News
As many as one-fifth of primary schools across Ireland are at risk of losing teachers as educational budgets become more and more constrained.
Figures from the Department of Education and Skills have been highlighted by the Irish Independent that show 544 of the country's 3,153 mainstream schools were under pressure to maintain an extra teacher for the current academic year.
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New history lesson plans for primary schools unveiled
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/18/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The government has announced plans for new primary school history lessons that incorporate multimedia and arts-focused elements.
Under the plans, children will study 14 historical artefacts included in A History of Ireland in 100 Objects - a collaborative project involving the National Museum of Ireland, the Irish Times and the Royal Irish Academy.
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Irish school attendance rates increase in 2010/11
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 11/07/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) has published its analysis of school attendance data for 2010/11, revealing a fall in the rate of absenteeism during the period.
Data from the report showed that in primary schools, just over six per cent of total student days were lost through absenteeism in 2010/11, rising to eight per cent for post-primary schools - the lowest figures in five years.
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Abuse compensation bill 'could impact class sizes'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 10/07/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Class sizes at schools in Ireland could be affected by the €50 million abuse compensation bill facing the Department of Education, it has been suggested.
Labour TDs have expressed concern that the issue might lead to class numbers increasing, due to the fact the department is under pressure to keep to its budget at a time when education cuts of up to €100 million are in the pipeline, the Irish Independent reports.
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Primary school first to become Digital School of Distinction
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/30/2013.Tags: Primary School News
A primary school in Tallaght has become the first in Ireland to be awarded a digital badge of honour.
Sacred Heart Senior National School in Killinarden has been given a Digital School of Distinction - and it is hoped that other schools in the country will follow suit and take up a new programme being introduced by the Department of Education and computer companies HP Ireland and Microsoft Ireland, the Irish Independent reports.
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School openings deferred 'due to lack of support'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/27/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The opening of two primary schools in Ireland has been deferred, pending further reviews of the areas in which they are located.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn explained the decision has been taken to defer the openings of the proposed schools in the Midleton/Carrigtwohill area of East Cork and Swords in Dublin due to a lack of support for the patrons who applied to run them, the Irish Examiner reports.
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Digital programme 'to promote primary school technology best practice'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 26/09/2013.Tags: Primary School News
A new digital programme aimed at promoting best practice use of technology in primary schools has been launched in Ireland.
Ruairi Quinn, Minister for Education and Skills, unveiled the flagship initiative, which is designed to assist schools as they attempt to better integrate technology into the classroom.
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Parents 'consulted on primary school religious education views'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/23/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Parents in Ireland are being invited to offer their views on the teaching of religion in primary schools.
Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn is initiating a consultation process today (September 23rd) that will centre on religious and cultural inclusion in primary schools.
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A record 90% of schools taking part in ‘Green-Schools’
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 09/04/2013.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News
An Taisce’s Green-Schools Programme reached a record level during the last school year with over 90% of schools in Ireland, equivalent to 800,000 students and teachers, participating in the programme.Participating primary, secondary and special schools directly saved in excess of €8m in waste, energy, water ... click to read full post & comments
Primary school enrolments 'on the rise'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 08/29/2013.Tags: Primary School News
This year will see a marked rise in the number of children enrolling for primary schools in Ireland, new figures have predicted.
According to the report Projections of Full-Time Enrolment Primary and Second Level, 2013-2031 from the Department of Education and Skills, there are likely to be 71,000 infants starting school this coming term, the Irish Times reports.
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New schools set for openings this week
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 08/27/2013.Tags: Primary School News
This week will see 11 new schools opening in Ireland, with the latest baby boom meaning more spaces are required for children in the country.
Infant classes will be taken for the first time in seven primary schools over the next few days, with five located in Dublin, one in Cork and one in Kildare. A further four second-level schools will be opening their doors, with two situated in Galway and one each in Meath and Dublin, the Irish Examiner reports.
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Special needs decision 'may lead to bigger primary classes'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 07/01/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The size of classes in Irish primary schools may be affected by decisions related to special needs education cuts in the country.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn recently announced proposed cuts in extra teaching for children with special educational needs will no longer be carried out in September - and the Irish Independent reports there are concerns that primary class sizes could pay the price for the rowback.
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School attendance 'linked to mother's language'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 06/21/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Poor primary school attendance may be linked to the language spoken in their home, new research has suggested.
According to a study from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), a child is nine times more likely to have a poor attendance record if their mother's native language is not English or Irish, compared to a son or daughter of a native speaker of these languages.
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Irish pupils 'less happy in school than children in other countries'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 06/12/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Children in Ireland are less happy in school than pupils in other countries around the world.
This is one of the findings of new research from the Educational Research Centre entitled National Schools, International Contexts - Beyond the PIRLS and TIMSS Test Results, which revealed students in fourth class in Ireland are also more likely to feel as though they do not 'belong'.
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Department of Education and Skills provides more funds to support school projects
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 06/06/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Ruairi Quinn, Minister for Education and Skills, has announced that an additional 50 million euros will be made available to invest in new school building projects.
The money is part of the government's Investing in Infrastructure & Jobs Package and will allow 28 new school building projects to begin.
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Prize bull 'helps save Irish school'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/20/2013.Tags: Primary School News
A school in Ireland has been kept open thanks partly to a prize bull called Hero.
The auction of the animal - a story that was picked up on by the international media - enabled Glinsk National School in County Galway to raise €100,000 in ticket sales and to fend off the threat of closure, the Irish Independent reports.
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Dept of Education criticised for approach to children with Down Syndrome
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/17/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The Department of Education's approach to children with Down Syndrome has come in for criticism.
According to the Children's Ombudsman, the department's decision not to grant pupils with the condition an automatic entitlement to additional teaching resources has had a significant impact on their capacity to engage in mainstream primary schooling, the Irish Independent reports.
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School uniform costs 'can be brought down'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/03/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Barnardos, the National Parents Council (NPC) and the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) have called on schools to introduce measures that can bring down the costs of uniforms for children.
A review guide has been issued to the boards of management of all schools by the collective.
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Primary school enrolment numbers 'set to climb'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/01/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Primary school enrolment numbers in Ireland are set to climb significantly over the next decade.
This is according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which projected an increase of up to 100,000 pupils by 2021 and represents a 20 per cent rise on 2011's numbers.
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Primary school enrolment numbers 'set to climb'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 05/01/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Primary school enrolment numbers in Ireland are set to climb significantly over the next decade.
This is according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), which projected an increase of up to 100,000 pupils by 2021 and represents a 20 per cent rise on 2011's numbers.
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Principals propose school entry shakeup
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/25/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Principals have proposed a shakeup of the school entry system in Ireland.
The Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) suggested the new setup should see parents ranking their choices of school in a centralised applications system.
... click to read full post & comments
County Limerick schools getting active
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/22/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The County Limerick Local Sports Partnership is teaming up with over a dozen primary schools across Limerick to promote physical activity for hundreds of primary pupils.Sports Partnership staff have organised 7-km cycles, Health and Nutrition talks and Fun Running activities for students in participating national schools which include ... click to read full post & comments
Debate over pace of school handovers to patrons
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/16/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The pace at which a number of primary schools in Ireland will be handed over to different patrons has been called into question.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn would like to see Catholic bishops providing the names of schools to be transferred by the end of this year - but a church education spokesperson has pointed to practical problems that could delay progress in some areas, adding the situation is different for the various communities involved, the Irish Independent reports.
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23 Towns to see change in Patronage of Primary Schools
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 04/02/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., has published the results of primary school patronage surveys from 38 towns across the country. These surveys were undertaken as part of ... click to read full post & comments
Ready, Steady, sow and grow
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/28/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The innocent and GIY ‘sow & grow’ campaign is back to get little ones around the country sowing and growing in classrooms and youth groups. The sow & grow project aims to get over 25,000 children growing this spring through a fun, free, learning experience that will show them just how easy it is to ... click to read full post & commentsProposed cuts face opposition from school managers
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/20/2013.Tags: Primary School News
School managers in Ireland have expressed their opposition to cuts proposed under Croke Park II.
The Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA) has voiced concern that the plans will have a significant and long-lasting detrimental impact on children's education.
... click to read full post & comments
Figures reveal school prefab rental costs
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/19/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The amount of money being spent by the State on renting prefabs has been revealed by Ruairi Quinn.
Figures provided by the Education Minister showed almost €20 million a year is going towards this purpose for primary and post-primary facilities in Ireland, the Irish Examiner reports.
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Time spent on preparation for sacraments 'increasing in schools'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 03/11/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Teachers at primary schools in Ireland are spending an increasing amount of time preparing pupils for sacraments.
This is according to new figures from a Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) survey, which showed more than 70 per cent of the 363 teachers polled are giving more time to preparing children for making their First Communion and Confirmation than is available in their timetable for religion.
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Enrolment of extra infant class without approval leads to board sacking
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/14/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The enrolment of an extra infant class at a primary school in County Cork without approval has resulted in the board of the school being sacked.
Patron of Gaelscoil Ui Drisceoil in Glanmire An Foras Patrunachta removed the board of management after gaining approval for its dissolution from Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, the Irish Examiner reports.
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Bull auction to keep Galway school from closure
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/13/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Efforts to prevent a school in north-east Galway from closing will include the auction of a pedigree bull.
Des Joyce, whose daughter Ava is a pupil at Glinsk National School, has donated the animal in an attempt to raise money for the learning institute and to generate publicity about its current predicament, the Irish Independent reports.
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Pre-school initiative 'leads to educational achievement rise'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/12/2013.Tags: Primary School News
A pre-school initiative in Ireland is resulting in a marked educational achievement rise in English and maths.
This is according to new findings from the Children's Research Centre at Trinity College, which showed the National College of Ireland's Early Learning Initiative - a scheme aimed at helping youngsters in disadvantaged parts of Dublin's Docklands area - is bringing positive results.
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Legal obligations raised to Dublin primary school transformation
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/08/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Legal obligations have been raised to the transformation of a former Christian Brothers school building in Dublin into a primary school.
The Edmund Rice School Trust - the company and foundation of which were established in 2008 - has raised objections to the move, despite the school's patron the archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and its Board of Management already agreeing to the plan, RTE reports.
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Minister Sherlock Calls on Irish Primary Schools to ‘Spring’ into Greenwave 2013
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 02/04/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Discover Science & Engineering is calling for all primary schools across Ireland to get involved with Greenwave 2013. Greenwave is a citizen science project which sees ... click to read full post & commentsReform initiatives 'are undermining the quality of primary education'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/28/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Reform initiatives from the Department of Education are serving to undermine the quality of primary education in Ireland, it has been claimed.
Addressing delegates at the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN), director of the IPPN Sean Cottrell suggested principals are being overwhelmed by schemes that are ad hoc and revolutionary, the Irish Times reports.
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Minister Quinn launches “Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools”
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/28/2013.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, TD, today launched new “Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools” in Presentation Primary School, Warrenmount, Dublin 8. The Guidelines provide practical advice to primary and post-primary schools on how rental schemes can be ... click to read full post & commentsPrimary school teaching 'could be improved with technology'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/24/2013.Tags: Primary School News
Primary school teaching methods could be improved through greater use of technology in the classroom.
This is according to Sean Cottrell, director of the Irish Primary Principals' Network, who has told the annual summit of the Irish Technology Leadership Group that the teaching of each subject could be delivered by technological means.
... click to read full post & comments(1)
Ethos of Catholic primary schools 'should be respected after patron handovers'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/23/2013.Tags: Primary School News
The ethos of primary schools that remain under Catholic control when other schools are handed over to different patron bodies needs to be respected.
This is according to Professor Eamonn Conway, head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick and a priest of the Tuam archdiocese, who was speaking in response to Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn's claims that parents are becoming increasingly demanding for a wider diversity of school patrons.
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Primary school patronage survey launched
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/14/2013.Tags: Education And Politics Primary School News
Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn is asking parents in 38 areas across the country for their input on the kind of school they would like for their children.
An online survey has been launched today (January 14th) and the parents or guardians of children in the areas are being urged to fill it in.
... click to read full post & comments
Irish students seek further success in Young Scientist competition
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/11/2013.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News
As many as 15,000 people attended the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in Dublin yesterday (January 10th) with another 45,000 expected to check out the projects before the exhibition closes tomorrow.
The competition is in its 49th year and organisers say they received a record 1743 submissions this year, with 550 selected to compete for the prestigious Young Scientist(s) of the Year award. The winner, announced tonight, will go on to represent Ireland in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists.
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Retired teachers given primary school jobs over graduates
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 01/07/2013.Tags: Primary School News Teachers News
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has demanded answers after it was revealed primary schools across the country are continuing to employ retired teachers over graduates.
A freedom of information request by the Irish Independent discovered 237 instances of retired teachers employed on a temporary basis between the start of term last September and the mid-term break in October.
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Irish schools 'see less bullying than most countries'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/28/2012.Tags: Primary School News
There are only four countries in the world with less recorded bullying at school than Ireland, a new study has found.
The survey of 4,500 Irish ten-year-olds has been released as part of the International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement report into the performance of schools worldwide. According to the research, 12 per cent of fourth class pupils encounter bullying each week.
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Education Minister announces 50 new school building projects
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/11/2012.Tags: Primary School News Secondary School News
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn has confirmed 50 schemes new school building projects are set to begin construction in 2013 as part of a €2 billion investment by the government in capital schemes.
This will include 22 new primary schools and 13 second-level establishments, as well as 15 major extensions around the country.
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Racism awareness initiative launched in schools
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/07/2012.Tags: Primary School News
School children are being urged to "say no to racism" under a new initiative that has been launched to raise awareness of the importance of being fair to people of all backgrounds.
Trinity College Dublin's Children's Research Centre and Children, Migration and Diversity Project has launched the Be Fair programme, the Journal reports.
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