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We use Aladdin notices as the primary means of communication in our school. To send a notice to your child's class teacher, add a notice on Aladdin with the subject line "FAO:_______" with your child's class teachers name. This message will be forwarded on to the class teacher via the school office.

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First Week School Times for Junior Infants

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First Week School Times for Junior Infants

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➢ Wednesday 27th August: 8.30 - 9.30

(Coffee Available on Site for Parents/Guardians)

➢ Thursday 28th August and Friday 29th August: 8.30 – 10.30

➢ Monday 1st September to Friday 5th September: 8.30 – 12.00

➢ From Monday 8th September: 8.30 – 1.10 (Full Infant Day)

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The Educate Together ethos is based on 4 principles.

1. Equality-Based

2. Child-Centred

3. Co-Educational

4. Democratically-Run

Further information on the Educate Together ethos is available in the Educate  Together handbook.

The school welcomes, respects, and values children of all beliefs and none. The school does not provide religious instruction, it provides education about all beliefs and none.  Parents wishing for their child to receive religious instruction can organise for classes to be run after school hours.

In accordance with the Educate Together ethos, children wear their own clothes and not a school uniform. Children and parents/carers address all school staff by their first name and do not use titles.

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What is an Educate Together school?

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Educate Together is unique in education

Like many other schools in Ireland, Educate Together schools are state-funded and teach the National Curriculum. They are non-fee-paying schools and are open to students of all backgrounds. They are co-educational and have no school uniforms. But they are much more than that: Educate Together schools work hard to instil a sense of equality and justice in students. They embrace the input of parents, students, staff and the wider community to improve the school in every way possible. They are committed to enabling students to achieve their full potential. All students are encouraged to explore their full range of abilities and are provided with equal opportunities regardless of their identity. Educate Together schools put students at the heart of all policies and practices. All children have equal access to school and no one religion or worldview is given priority over another in Educate Together schools.

A national network of schools

Educate Together operates a national network of 96 primary schools and 21 second-level schools in Ireland, catering to over 37,000 students. The growth in the Educate Together school network continues to be driven by parental demand and the Educate Together national office supports the rights of families to access the education they want for their children.

40 years of experience in equality-based education

For over 40 years, Educate Together has been working to establish inspirational schools for children and young people in Ireland. The movement has its roots in the Dalkey School Project, a pioneering national school which was established in 1978.

Ethical Education

Ethical Education is a key component of the Educate Together model; it's a curriculum that is living in Ireland's equality-based schools and it seeks to offer students the opportunity to meaningfully and critically reflect upon the world around them. At primary level, our Learn Together Ethical Education Curriculum is taught alongside the National Curriculum. Learn Together includes learning about morality and spirituality; equality and justice; belief systems and an ethical approach to the environment. Learn Together replaces religious instruction and teaches students about different belief systems as well as atheism, agnosticism and humanism, without promoting any one worldview over another. At second-level, students follow a similar Ethical Education Curriculum, which includes themes on values, worldviews and belief systems, global citizenship education, diversity, migration and equality.

Get involved!

As a charity and independent NGO, Educate Together often needs volunteers, donations and support.

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Like many other schools in Ireland, Educate Together schools are state-funded and teach the National Curriculum. They are non-fee-paying schools and are open to students of all backgrounds. They are co-educational and have no school uniforms. But they are much more than that: Educate Together schools work hard to instil a sense of equality and justice in students.

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At Harold’s Cross ETNS we would like to promote as much parental involvement as possible.

In line with Child Protection, Garda Vetting procedures and recent HSE guidelines, all volunteers at the school must have Garda Vetting clearance. Garda Vetting clearance forms will be available from the school, and we would encourage any parent/carer who wishes to become involved in class-based and school-based activities to complete a Garda Vetting form and return it to Aoife.

We believe that parental involvement allows children to see their parents/carers working collaboratively with the school, thus promoting their sense of value in education. If there are any areas that you are interested in getting involved in, please do not hesitate to let us know!

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We have an active Parent Staff Association (PSA) in the school. We welcome parental involvement in policy formation, fundraising and general events in the school. Please sign up for the PSA in September if you are interested in becoming a member.

The PSA can be contacted directly at psahxetns@gmail.com. Any enquiries or questions for the PSA and it's events should be directed towards the email or class rep.

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You can find all current school policies here. As a developing school we are still working on policies and curricular plans, and we will share them with parents for input as we go and will post them on the website as we have them completed.

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HAROLD'S CROSS EDUCATE TOGETHER NATIONAL SCHOOL

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HAROLD'S CROSS EDUCATE TOGETHER NATIONAL SCHOOL

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Harold’s Cross ETNS opens at 8:30am for all pupils.

- Junior and Senior Infants finish school at 1:10pm. From First Class, the children finish school at 2.10pm.

- Pupils may enter school grounds from 8:20am onwards, where they can wait in their class line in the school yard.

- Pupils must be supervised by their parent(s)/carer(s) until the classes are collected from the line by their teacher at 8:30am. For health and safety  reasons, parents must leave the school yard at 8:30am so that pupils can then  safely enter the school building.

- Cars are not allowed on the site. We encourage children to walk, cycle, scoot to  school. No parking is allowed on the footpath outside of the school gate.

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There are 2 break times in the school day.

- They are 10:00am – 10:20am and 12:00pm – 12:20pm.

- The children will get 40 minutes of yard time each day and will eat their lunch inside the classroom before or after yard.

- There is a Healthy Eating Policy at our school. Children are asked not to bring any sweets, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, crisps etc to school.

- We encourage children to use recyclable water bottle, lunch boxes/ bags.

- There is a ban on all nuts and all nut-based products due to the serious allergies of some of our students. We ask parents/carers to be vigilant in following this. Please see the school’s Healthy Eating Policy for further information.

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We use Aladdin Connect for home-school communication. When you will receive an invite code, please sign up as soon as possible.

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School communication

- We use Aladdin school software. Please ensure we have your correct email address and phone number as you will receive notices, emails and text messages from the school.

- You can contact the office at info@haroldscrossetns.com or call us on the school phone 01 2243551 if you have any queries.

Class teacher communication

- It is important to have good communication between staff and parents. If you have any queries or concerns, please organise an appointment with your class teacher rather than chatting at drop off or pick up time. We want to ensure we can give you our full attention.

- To make an appointment with your child’s teacher, you can do so by sending a notice on Aladdin, emailing info@haroldscrossetns.com or calling the school phone on 012243551.

- Please be patient if we take some time to get back to you.

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Child Protection is of utmost importance at Harold’s Cross ETNS. Our Child Protection Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment is available at the school reception and on the school website.

• The Designated Liaison Person with responsibility for Child Protection is Aoife O'Sullivan, acting-school principal. Our Deputy Designated Liaison Person is Muireann Carr, acting-deputy principal.

For more information, please visit the policy section of our school website www.haroldscrossetns.com.

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Junior Infant Curriculum

We are obliged by the Department of Education and Skills to follow the primary school curriculum as laid out by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

There are 11 subjects on the curriculum: English, Irish, Maths, History, Geography, Science, Music, Art, Drama, Physical Education (P.E.) and Social, Personal, Health Education (S.P.H.E.).

As an Educate Together school, we also follow an Ethical Education curriculum; Learn Together.

Further information on each subject area can be found at www.ncca.ie

Ethical Education

Based on the Educate Together ethos, the school delivers the Learn Together/Ethical Education programme. The Learn Together curriculum is made up of 4 strands:

• Values and Ethical Perspectives

• Equality and Justice

• An ethical approach to the environment

• Belief Systems

Physical Education

In line with the Junior Infants curriculum, the pupils will engage in 1 hour of physical education each week. Your child’s class teacher may timetable this on one day or divide it out throughout the week.

At the start of the year, your child’s teacher will let you know which day(s) the class will have P.E. It is important that children wear appropriate sportswear, including runners, for P.E.

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National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) Information Note

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National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) Information Note

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What does my child need to bring to school?

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What does my child need to bring to school?

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- School Bag
- Lunch & Drink
- Full change of clothes including underwear (to stay in schoolbag in case of accidents or spills)

Everything else will be provided by the school.

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When you arrive at the school bring your child to their line in the school yard and wait with them there. When the teacher comes to collect the class from the line, you can then accompany your child to their classroom.

Hopefully, your child will be absorbed in their new surroundings. Assure them that you will be back to collect them later and leave them to settle into their class.

School will finish at 9:30am on the first day.

On this day, and on all days, please ensure that your child is collected on-time to avoid any upset to them. A small number of children will be upset on the first day of school. If your child is upset, try not to panic! The teachers are experienced in dealing with first-day stresses so trust them to help your child in settling into their new surroundings.

From the second day of school, please do not accompany your child to their class.  Say goodbye to them at the line and let them follow their class teacher and begin getting into the routine of Junior Infants.

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Your child’s first day at school is a day to remember for the rest of their life. You can help to make it a really happy one for them, by following the following tips.

• Label all your child’s belongings, such as their coat and even their lunch box. Show them where you have written their name.

• Get your child to practice putting on and taking off, zipping up and down their own coats and hanging them up independently.

• If your child finds managing their clothes difficult,

- Zips may be easier than buttons,

- Elasticated trousers can be easier than zips and buttons,
- Velcro runners may be easier than shoelaces.

• Choose a lunch box and drinks container that can be opened easily. Practice taking out and putting back the lunch. Explain what is to be eaten at small break and what has to be eaten at big lunch. (See Healthy Eating Policy).

• Help your child to practice putting things in and out of their school bag.

• Encourage them to tidy up crayons and colouring books.

• Teach them to use a tissue/handkerchief, to share toys, to take turns.

• Practice greetings and common courtesies (please, thank you, excuse me etc.).

• Ensure your child can use the toilet independently and knows to flush the toilet and wash their hands afterwards.

• Tell your child about school beforehand. Describe it as a place where they will be made to feel welcome and safe, and where they will make lots of new friends.

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Preparing Young Children for Primary School

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Preparing Young Children for Primary School

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Guidance for Parents of children transitioning from Pre-school to Primary School

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Guidance for Parents of children transitioning from Pre-school to Primary School

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Preparing Young Children for Primary School

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Preparing Young Children for Primary School

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info@haroldscrossetns.com

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01 224 3551

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HAROLD'S CROSS EDUCATE TOGETHER NATIONAL SCHOOL

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​​Fáilte

Welcome to our website. Harold's Cross Educate Together National School opened in September 2019 with 12 Junior Infant pupils. Each year we are growing and by 2026, we will cater for pupils from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.

Harold's Cross Educate Together National School is located at the old Greyhound stadium in Harold's Cross. We are currently in temporary accommodation and are delighted to share our campus with Harold's Cross Educate Together Secondary School since September 2020.

As an Educate Together school, we teach Ethical Education through our Learn Together Curriculum. The Learn Together Curriculum aims to provide pupils with a holistic, inclusive ethical education. Educate Together schools are child-centred, democratically run, equality based and co-educational. Please visit the Educate Together website for more information.

Keep up to date with all the school news in Harold's Cross Educate Together National School. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any queries, please contact the school by phone or email and we will be happy to help.

Slán go fóill,
Ruth Glennon
​Principal

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Harolds Cross Educate Together National School website

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You can find us on Instagram!

Our username is hx.etns

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Permanent location:

151/153 Harold's Cross Road,

Dublin 6W,

D6W HP44

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School Reopens: Wednesday 27th of August 2025.

School closes for October break on Friday 24th of October and re-opens Monday 3rd of November 2025.

School will close at 12pm on the 19th of December 2025 for Winter Break and re-open on Monday 5th of January 2026.

School will be closed on Monday 2nd of February 2026 for St. Brigid’s Bank Holiday Weekend.

School closes for February mid-term break on Friday 13th of February and will re-open on Monday 23rd of February 2026.

School will be closed on the 16th and 17th of March 2026 for the St. Patrick’s Bank Holiday Weekend.

School will close at 12pm on the 27th of March 2026 for Spring Break and re-open on the 13th of April 2026.

School will be closed on the 4th and 5th of May 2026 for the May Bank Holiday Weekend.

School will be closed on the 1st of June 2026 for the June Bank Holiday Weekend.

School will close for Summer break on Friday the 26th of June 2026.

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Some students are eligible for School Transport. If you think you fall into this category, please see the information below and contact Bus Éireann directly for more information:

Applications for School Transport for the new school year are currently open and can be accessed online at https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=522

Details of the scheme are also available on Bus Éireann’s website and Department of Education’s website gov.ie/schooltransport.

The closing date for NEW school transport applications is Friday 26th April 2024 – critical date, 2 weeks to go

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Dear Parents,

Kids Inc operate our afterschool service onsite in Harolds Cross ETNS. If you are looking  for afterschool care please contact Kids Inc directly via the email address below.  Places will become limited over the coming weeks so if you would like to book your child’s place please send your queries to hcetfees@kidsinc.ie

Thank You

Kids Inc team

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Details of extra curricular activities run by staff can be found here.

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Extra Curricular | Harold’s Cross Educate Together National School