How does it work?

·       Once your child is enrolled in our school, we add them to our hot lunches list with Freshtoday for the coming school year.

·       We provide Freshtoday with a list of all students and teacher/class information. Freshtoday then send out a username and password information sheet for your child. This will give you access to order your child’s lunch at www.freshtoday.ie. Families should refrain from contacting Freshtoday until you receive this information to ensure that your child details are on their lunch system.

·       Menu options will be provided on the Freshtoday website once you login and there will be a choice of up to 10 hot meal options daily.

·       The menu will also cater for allergen requirements, but please note allergen selection, depending on

·       allergen, will reduce the number of choices on the menu.

·       If you have any queries regarding school lunches once you receive the username and password information, please contact Freshtoday directly as they will be handling all aspects of the school lunch service.

Healthy Lunches and Snacks

·       While the hot lunches are provided, pupils may still bring small snacks for their first break. To encourage healthy food options, sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks are not allowed.

·       Pupils may bring one small treat with them on Friday.

·       As we have a lot of children with severe nut allergies, nuts or nut products are not allowed in the

·       school.

·       It’s a good idea to choose a lunch box that your child can open and close easily.

·       Families are asked to avoid giving Frubes, Capri-suns etc. as they are particularly difficult for children to open.

Concessions to the above

·       Teachers may bring in sweets for a class party or on special occasions.

·       Juice and a bar are given out on some school outings.

·       Exceptions can be made for children with additional needs, where appropriate.

A warm welcome to you as your child begins their Junior Infant journey in primary school. We are delighted that you are considering St Joseph’s for this important chapter in your child’s life. Whether this is your first experience of our school or you’re already part of our school’s community, you are most welcome.

This Padlet is intended to provide a brief introduction to our school. We hope that you find it useful.

Our vision is to inspire confident, compassionate and curious learners who are prepared for the future and grounded in strong values.

As a co-educational Catholic primary school, we aim to create a school environment where every pupil feels safe, seen, and supported. We recognise that each child brings something special to our school, and we do our best to honour their individuality, encourage their growth and help them feel proud of who they are.

The move into Junior Infants is a big step—and an exciting one. For some, this may be their very first time in a school setting, while others may be following in the footsteps of older siblings. Either way, we know how important it is to get off to a positive start. Our team is committed to making this transition as smooth and reassuring as possible for children and parents alike.

At the heart of everything we do is a deep care for each child’s wellbeing. We strive to support every learner in a way that reflects their own needs and personality, and we work hard to foster a calm, caring atmosphere where confidence can grow and friendships can flourish.

We also place great value on the relationships we build with parents and guardians. We believe that a strong partnership between home and school helps children to feel secure and supported. We look forward to working together with you in the months and years ahead.

Thank you for entrusting us with this special time in your child’s life. We’re excited to begin this journey with you and are truly looking forward to the many moments of joy, learning, and discovery that lie ahead.

Kindest regards,

Corrina Bailey

Principal  

These include:

Green Schools' Team and events

Seachtain na Gaeilge activities

Coiste Gaeilge

Student Council

Active Schools Team and events

Literacy festival

Art and craft exhibitions

Sports Blitzes

Kindness Month

Grandparents' Day

Maths Fun Week

Bake Sales

School Sponsored Walk

School tours and outings

Active Month

Sports For All days

Hallowe'en Parade

Science Week

Carol Service

Christmas Concerts

Internet Safety Workshops

The Big Travel Challenge

Table Quiz Teams

The list goes on and on!

The following are the arrangements for the Junior Infant classes’ first few weeks at St. Joseph’s:

First day of school

Thursday 27^th August 2026: 10am - 12.15pm     

Friday 28^th August -

Friday 11^th September 2026: Junior Infants arrive between 9.10am and 9.20am. 

School finishes for Junior Infants at 12.15pm

Monday 14^th September onwards: Junior Infants arrive between 9.10am and 9.20am. 

School finishes for Junior Infants at 2pm

On the first day of school, Junior Infants will arrive at 10am to the playground outside the front of the school where they will be met by their class teacher and brought into their classroom. The children will have already seen their classroom and met their teacher and classmates in June but we do understand that on the first day there may still be a few tears. It would be good if you could leave your child with their teacher and the other children in their class line in the playground as soon as is comfortable.  

We’d like to invite you to the school hall for tea and coffee at that time(tissues are also available for parents, if needed!).

From Friday 28^th August, the Junior Infants will access the school at the gate in the Church car park each morning. There is a designated waiting area for pupils just outside this gate. This gate is open for pupils between 9.10am and 9.20am. 

I will meet them at the gate and staff members are available just inside the Junior Infant door to support the children moving to their classrooms and out to the playground. On the first day, the teachers of the Junior Infant classes will go through this with the children to help them build their new arrival routine.

We ask for your support in building this morning routine. The children should be encouraged to act independently and walk in by themselves. We have staff throughout the grounds and building to ensure the children are well supported.

At home time, parents are requested to assemble in the Infant Yard at the front of the school and we ask that you hold back from the doors as the class teachers will walk each class out to meet their parents. This also helps to build the children’s independence. We encourage the children to wait with their teacher until they see mum, dad or their minder. 

We all look forward to your child starting with us at St. Joseph’s in September.

With kind regards,

Corrina Bailey,

Principal

It is important that you establish a good routine early on. Check that all items are ready for the morning. Allow plenty of time in the morning for dressing, washing and eating a good breakfast.

For socialisation purposes, it is important that your child arrives to school by 9.20am. It can be intimidating for children to walk into a class that is already in progress. Gates open at 9.10am and all pupils spend the first 10 minutes playing outside in their allocated playground. Formal learning starts at 9.20am.

It is a good idea, for one parent to accompany the child to the gate in the morning. When the gate has opened, pupils will make their way to their classroom to drop off their bag before going to play.

On the first morning, we will provide tea and coffee for parents in the school hall. This will allow you to stay in the school, but out of view of your child. It’s also a good opportunity to meet with other parents as well as school staff.

On the big day, if you are feeling upset yourself, please try not to show it to your child. Leave your child with the teacher and tell them that you will be back later to collect them. If your child gets upset, trust the teacher to comfort them. Sometimes a small toy from home can help.

It is very important that you arrive on time to collect your child.  Children will become upset if you are late.

It takes time for children to adapt to school life, so do try to be patient.  

All pupils now receive free schoolbooks, helping to ease the financial burden on families while ensuring equal access to learning materials. In addition, we have hot lunches provided with Freshtoday, making sure children have a warm and nutritious meal during their school day.

However, schools offer much more than just books and meals—we provide enriching learning experiences, extra-curricular activities, and a variety of resources that make education exciting and engaging.

Funds raised through voluntary contributions go a long way in supporting educational equipment, sports activities, art and craft materials, photocopying, digital learning tools, graduation events, and many other resources that help create a positive school experience for all students.

Sometimes, there is a misunderstanding that because books are now free, no other financial support is needed. This isn’t the case—voluntary contributions remain an important part of ensuring we can continue to provide these additional supports for your child.

While this contribution is completely voluntary, we greatly appreciate any amount families can give, as it makes a real difference. The suggested guideline contribution is €60 for a one-child family and €100 for families with two or more children, but any amount—big or small—is always welcome.

For convenience, payments can be made securely through our Aladdin system, which is accessible via our school website.

Families will also receive an email with instructions for accessing Aladdin Connect, where payment records can be viewed securely.

We truly appreciate families' continued support. The partnership between pupils, parents, and staff is what makes our school community so strong, and we're grateful for the support that families give as we provide the best possible learning experience for your child.

As you are probably aware, the Education Welfare Act was passed into law in July 2002. Essentially, this act is about promoting school attendance. The National Education Welfare Board (N.E.W.B.) was established to support regular school attendance and follow up on children who are not attending school regularly.

The attendance rate in St. Joseph’s is extremely high and this is a record that we are very proud of.

In our continuing commitment to maintain this high standard, I would like to bring the following points to your attention:

• Morning arrival time is from 9.10 – 9.20am, allowing pupils a ten minute period to arrive, leave their bags into their classrooms and go out to play in the playground (weather permitting). Pupils arriving after the 9.20 bell will be marked as late. 

• A written explanation for all absences should be sent to the class teacher or logged on the pupil’s account on the Aladdin Connect app.

• If a child misses twenty schooldays, the Board of Management is required to notify TUSLA. For this reason, if your child is absent for an extended period due to illness, it is advisable to retain any relevant medical certificates. 

• We would also ask you to bear the absence of twenty school days in mind when booking family holidays. We appreciate that holidays are far less expensive in June, but the education of your child should take precedence over this. 

• The Board must report all absences exceeding twenty days, regardless of the reason for non-attendance.

• Ensuring that your child attends school punctually and regularly will enhance his/her potential to make social and educational progress. 

The school uses the Aladdin Schools software service for administrative purposes and Connect will give you secure access to messages from the school and to details of your child’s attendance, report cards etc via secure login from your internet browser or Aladdin Connect App.

Aladdin Connect is a fantastic way to enhance a school's communication with parents. It enables parents to stay connected and informed about their child's education by:

·       Ensuring that the school has their most up to date contact information

·       Allowing school to gather permission(s) from parents

·       Allowing parents to quickly and efficiently select preferred slots for parent teacher meetings

·       Keeping parents apprised of their child's attendance

·       Keeping parents up to date on school and classroom news via noticeboard messages

·       Allowing parents view their child's approved report card

Along with strengthening our home/school partnership, Aladdin Connect helps us in the school by:

·       Helping to improve attendance by allowing parents to keep track of any school days their child may have currently missed, along with late arrival and early leaving information.

·       Helping to reduce the amount of class/school notes being sent home

·       Helping the school/ teachers communicate with parents when the need arises

You can rest reassured that Aladdin Schools uses state-of-the-art security to safeguard information entered by the school and data is stored and processed in strict compliance with Irish and European data protection laws.

When the school office sets up Aladdin Connect for new parents, you will receive a text/email message containing your registration link. There will be one link per parent which will allow the parent to access information for all their children in the school from one user account.

Please do not forward this text/email or share this link as this is a unique registration code for each parent for your child/children in this school. During registration you will choose a password that will be used in conjunction with your email address to securely access the Aladdin Connect going forward.

Once you are registered you will be sent an email with links to download the Aladdin Connect App for your mobile device. The main advantage of using the app is to receive immediate alerts for app messages sent by school. Downloading the app is highly recommended to enhance both the parent and school's Connect experience.

In preparation for this please ensure we have your correct email address or phone number, if either has changed recently.

Please note: If there are any personal concerns, or legal provisions in place regarding giving access to Connect to any parent/guardian of your child please contact the school in confidence to discuss or restrict access as required.

The Irish Curriculum for Primary Schools  is formulated by the Minister for Education and Youth, on the advice of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The curriculum is adapted and implemented by each school relative to its particular ethos. The Department of Education and Youth monitors the implementation of the curriculum through its inspectorate.

The Religious Education programme is formulated  by our Patron, Archbishop Dermot Farrell to support teachers in the area of Religious Education.

At St. Joseph’s we aim to provide a curriculum which is tailored to provide for the needs of all pupils. Class teachers monitor the progress of all children and both formative and summative assessment methods are used to inform teaching. Additional help is available from the Support Teachers on a  priority basis. Where pupils experience specific difficulties, we will consult with the parents and assist them in accessing appropriate outside support services.

All efforts are made to tailor the curriculum to the abilities, aptitudes and interests of our pupils. This is to ensure that all children progress at a level appropriate for them and reach their own potential. 

·        School Choir (3rd - 6th)

·        Science Club (Infants - 6th)

·        Ukelele lessons (Infants - 6th)

·        Speech and Drama Club (Infants - 6th)

·        Rugby Coaching (5th & 6th)

With plans to add more next year.