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St Clare s Primary School Prospectus 2024 2025 323 Cupar Street Upper Belfast BT13 2SE Tel 028 9033 0852 Principal Mr Cathal O Doherty Chairman of Board of Governors Mr C McLaughlin Website www stclaresps com
Every Child has the Right to an Education Article 28 Contents Page No Mission Statement School Crest and Aims 3 Welcome from the principal 4 Building and Accommodation 5 Nursery 6 Staff 7 School Development Plan 8 Pastoral Care 8 9 Curriculum 10 School holidays attendance homework 11 12 Assessment Out of School Hours 13 Nurture Provision The Sunshine Room 14 Links with the Community Cross Cultural 15 School Uniform 16 Rights Respecting Council 17 Arrangements for Parent Contact 17
Our Crest St Clare the Patron Saint of our school loved Jesus She knew that He was the Way the Truth and the Light Our school crest reflects this At the centre is the Host with the Light shining out This is surrounded by the flames of the Holy Spirit and underneath is our school motto Pax et Bonum Peace and Goodness
Welcome from the Principal Dear Parents It is my greatest pleasure to welcome you and your child to St Clare s Primary School It is our hope and our wish to provide a warm and caring atmosphere in which your child can flourish and grow St Clare s is a community where home school and parish work together to create a school of excellence In the following pages you will see the many opportunities that exist within the life of the school for us all to play our part in collaboration to achieve our goals for our children achieving beyond what we would normally expect We are one of the very few schools in Belfast who has a designated teacher for children with English as an Additional Language In 2020 the school was awarded the prestigious Quality Mark for Inclusion and in 2024 had our status raised to Centre of Excellence We are blessed in this school with a most talented group of practitioners from teachers to support staff They understand our children and strive to ensure that each child learns the strategies to allow them to reach their fullest potential This fact is supported by the Education and Training Inspectorate ETI in June 2024 following our most successful inspection Our links within the community in particular MUMO also allows us to access additional support for all our learners and also for our parents and families We are a progressive school and a happy one and working with you the parents as partners we are achieving amazing results for children academically socially and pastorally We are proud to be a Catholic School with a Catholic Ethos and our partnership with the Parish is most important and something we hold close in everything we do We do this whilst celebrating our cultural diversity with pupils from many countries and cultures around the world So come on in and see what we can offer you and your child in the most important formative years of their education See even more on our website www stclaresps com
C O Doherty Principal Building and Accommodation St Clare s Primary school is a newly built school which was completed in March 2005 and is the amalgamation of St Catherine s St Gall s and St John s primary schools The school houses twenty classrooms a gym a dining hall and kitchen There are offices for the principal vice principal secretaries and the caretaker There is also a language support room a counselling room and a room for additional academic support and SEN room There is a resource area used for structured play and two resource areas used as computer suites We also have a Sensory Room and a Nurture Room Outside there is a large enclosed play area and a number of quiet courtyards off the downstairs classrooms which can be used to bring the curriculum outside In 2023 we opened our specialist learning provision class the Infinity Room
The school is occupied by Foundation Stage Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils P1 P7 Nursery Our Nursery Unit is just opposite the main building on Cupar Street One visit to this inspiring atmosphere will convince you that this is where your child needs to be Our Nursery staff our Head of Nursery in particular has been identified by ETI as having practice which is a model for others Like the primary school the relationship between the staff pupils and parents are what makes us successful Very few settings have the facilities which we process or provide children with as many learning opportunities Our Nursery is a secure site and has within it so many learning opportunities It is vibrant where Parents are encouraged to play a part and where through the various courses on offer we prepare families for those important first steps through their child s educational journey The Nursery Curriculum
The nursery curriculum for the purpose of planning assessment and record keeping is set under seven areas Language Development Early Mathematical Experiences Creative Aesthetic Development Personal Social and Emotional Development Physical Development Knowledge and Appreciation of the Environment Early Experience of Science Technology Our role in the nursery is to provide opportunities experiences and resources which will enable the children to develop in each of the seven areas at their own pace and in accordance with their needs Young children learn through play and through carefully planned play activities we aim to help the children develop positive attitudes to learning and to acquire essential skills to become active listeners and learners Through careful observation of the children at play we will be able to assess how the children are coping and how they are achieving in all areas of the curriculum By keeping records of your child s progress we will be able to tailor activities to meet their individual needs and to keep you informed of their progress Staff Principal Mr C O Doherty Vice Principal Mr B Birt Teachers P1 Miss Meighan P2 Miss Gilhooly P3 Miss McConnell P4 Mrs Bell P5 Mr Delaney P6 Mrs Fox Miss Kelly P7 Mr McAteer Miss McCann Miss McLaughin Mrs Clarke Miss Casey Mrs Conlon Mrs Campbell Mrs Logue Miss Quinn Miss McCabe Mrs Cushnan Miss Dynan Ms Shaw Special Educational Needs Mrs Welsh Mrs McAvoy Mrs McClean
Infinity Room Ms Lees Nurture Room Mrs Corey Nursery Teachers Mrs Corrigan Mrs Bogues Mrs McLoughlin Classroom Assistants Ms McCann Ms Benalia Mrs McDonnell Mrs O Connor Mrs Bunting Miss McDonald Miss Bloomer Mrs Canning Mrs McAuley Mrs Carey Ms Konikkara Ms Hussein Ms Rooney Mrs Monaghan Misss O Hara Ms Saa Ms Matusiak Miss Smylie Mr McNeill Miss O Hara Ms Rabbett Miss McKenna Mrs Harrison Mrs Urbanska Mrs Murphy Mrs Regan Ms McNeill Miss Park Ms Ginley Infinity Ms Miller Infinity Miss Wilkinson Infinity Ms Sheridan Nurture Mrs Brennan EAL Mrs Notaro Nursery Ms McCoubrey Nursery Secretaries Mrs Norah Goodman Mrs Linda Harvey Cleaning Technicians Ms Fitzpatrick Mrs O Prey Ms Smyth Mrs Farrell Building Supervisors Mr Jim Brennan Ms Aisling McKenna Nursery Supervisory Assistants Ms McKenna Ms McKeown Ms O Prey Ms Fitzpatrick Kitchen Mrs Dolores Murray Unit Supervisor Miss Pick Mrs McFadden Ms Mallon Ms Curley Ms McCarthy Ms Cush Ms Dynes School Development Plan 2024 25 The entire staff works together on a School Development Plan The plan is shaped and informed by the staff s own analysis of teaching and learning This is an objective way of determining priorities and coordinating all aspects of school planning curricular financial personnel equipment and accommodation We use this as a way of identifying roles and responsibilities The main areas of focus this year are Numeracy focusing on planning and problem solving literacy focusing on guided reading questioning techniques across the curriculum ICT and Safeguarding While these areas will be the basis for staff and curriculum development the staff continue to maintain high standards in the teaching of the other curriculum areas of The World Around Us the Arts and Physical Education
A summary of our Child Protection Policy and Practice is given to parents and you are welcome to request the full policy from the school at any time Parents can also request a copy of any other completed school policies by contacting the Principal The action plan is continually monitored and reviewed and further action stating priorities for development are planned Within our School Development Plan we also review our Pastoral Care Policy incorporating Child Protection Positive Behaviour and an AntiBullying Policy Our Sensory Room is also timetabled to meet the emotional needs of the pupils Pastoral Care In St Clare s pastoral care permeates all aspects of school life It reflects the attitudes beliefs and practices of our Catholic faith and involves all members of our school community children parents and all other adults who contribute to the wellbeing of each child We atmosphere where strive to create an God s love is experienced by all members of the school community through their relationships with each other Christ is the example to all Children are helped to develop to their full potential
The atmosphere in the school is based upon good relationships between staff pupils and parents As a staff we work as a team respecting each other s roles and recognising individual talents and expertise We recognise and value the important role that parents play in their child s education Every effort is made to ensure that parents feel welcome that they are aware of the school s aims objectives and policies and of their child s individual needs progress and achievements We expect you our parents to co operate fully with us in achieving these goals Maintaining close contact with our church is important to us as it is through our religious work that we help our children grow and develop in a loving relationship with Christ Our parish priest Fr Devlin is regularly and actively involved in the school and our pupils take part in Mass in our church Through our Grow in Love programmes we prepare our children for the sacraments and teach them about the life of Jesus This is integrated with different kinds of prayer and reflection so that together with the gradual process of maturity pupils will learn about themselves and how their behaviour impacts on others A member of staff has been allocated responsibility for Pastoral Care however it is an area in which every member of staff has a contribution to make Our Designated Teacher with responsibility for Child Protection matters is Mr Birt with our Head of Nursery Mrs Corrigan and Mrs Welsh from the Primary School acting as Deputy Designated Teachers Curriculum
The Northern Ireland Curriculum includes the teaching of the following subjects in each year group English and Literacy Mathematics and Numeracy The World Around Us encompassing these subject areas Science and Technology History Geography Creative and Expressive encompassing these subject areas Personal Development Physical Education Religion Music Art and Design Cross Curricular Themes Health Education Information Technology Cultural Heritage A Skills Based Curriculum A major review of the curriculum has taken place in recent years and the new Northern Ireland Curriculum has been in place since 2007 The revised curriculum is being implemented throughout the school There is now a greater emphasis on developing children s skills and capabilities and their capacity to learn for themselves There is also greater emphasis on Personal Development and Life Skills
Curriculum continued School Holidays All parents will be given the school holiday list before the summer holidays Some parents have adopted the practice of taking children on holiday during term time We understand that in some cases savings can be made by going on holiday out of peak holiday times however we ask parents to give serious consideration to this It affects certain aspects of your child s learning whether he she has started a new topic or project or consolidating work The school policy is that we do not give a child work to take on holiday It is considered by the Education Board s Welfare Officer as an unauthorized absence and parents have to accept that their child missing out on his her education is their responsibility
Assessment Throughout our school our pupils learning is carefully monitored The outcomes of this form the basis for action and further evaluation Formal and informal assessment is undertaken as part of teaching We use the results of assessment to confirm and modify teaching and learning strategies and to improve the performance of the individual pupil Standardised Tests in Literacy and Numeracy are used once a year to inform teachers of pupil achievement within their year group and will also be used to assess progression from year to year Cognitive ability tests will be carried twice for each pupil during their P4 P7 years P1 children will also undertake baseline assessments to provide the receiving P1 teacher with as much information as possible regarding the skills and abilities of each new pupil to the school Teachers will also devise their own class tests on topics covered and use this as part of their diagnosis and remediation This information is passed to each teacher from year to year to ensure that their planning takes into account the various requirements of individual pupils resulting in a differentiated approach to teaching and learning Out of School Hours While we strive to provide our pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum we see the necessity to broaden children s experiences developing their talents and inter personal skills and at the same time promoting positive self esteem We currently offer a wide range of after school activities to all our pupils E g Art Craft Drama Hurling Gaelic Soccer gardening board games and ICT including coding
We have a Breakfast Club every morning which is provided by our kitchen staff and is fully supervised They also have a range of games books and drawing material to keep them occupied There is a charge for the Breakfast Club of 1 50 Per day There is also the 123 Club which runs from 2 00pm3 00pm for our nursery foundation stage and P3 pupils Nurture Provision The Sunshine Room and Sensory Room Our Sunshine Room was awarded the prestigious Marjorie Boxall Quality Mark Award in November 2016 It is staffed by an accredited teacher and assistant The Sunshine Room provides a safe secure environment It has a kitchen and living area a work area and a well resourced play area We aim to provide a Home from Home experience working closely with parents and carers and supported by Outside Agencies As a Nurturing School we aim to embed a nurturing culture which enhances the teaching and learning for our children and helps children to learn to behave appropriately to use their curiosity constructively to improve their self esteem and develop confidence through forming close and trusting relationships with adults We address the emotional needs and development as well as academic learning Nurture UK define the six principles of Nurture as
Children s learning is understood developmentally The classroom offers a safe base The importance of nurture for the development of self esteem Language is a vital means of communication All behaviour is communication The importance of transition in children s lives
Links between the school and the community Parents are kept regularly informed about school business by our School Newsletter which is also uploaded to our website www stclaresps com every month To reduce our carbon footprint we also use our texting app seesaw to distribute the newsletter digitally It is also posted on our Friends of St Clare s Facebook page The use of seesaw is very important in keeping in daily contact with all our parents We can instantly send information and photographs of events as they happen in class and is a great source of comfort to our parents throughout the day Parents will be invited to a teacher parent interview about their child s progress and will be given a written report on this later in the year We plan to have curriculum meetings and workshops for parents throughout the year These will be linked to the subject areas focused in our School Development Plan We have a most active Parents Association which helps with raising the profile of the school and organising signature events such as the school discos school trips and pupil competitions They also provide a great link between the parent body and the school We extend pupils curricular experiences and personal and social development through regular opportunities contributing to the wider community and in turn draw on its resources e g MUMO Davitts GAC These will include groups working in charities the arts and the environment We are always looking for ways in which we can create aspiration among our pupils and we have many links to the Private sector A lot of our efforts are concerned around the area of information Technology and we are working with companies such as Goliath and government run schemes such as Springvale Training who extend our ability to train our pupils in aspects of ICT such as coding We see this as an important step in allowing our pupils to realise that there is a world outside our local community which can provide career opportunities
School uniform The colours in our school uniform are grey white and purple White shirt or blouse Grey tie with purple stripes Purple jumper or cardigan Grey trousers skirt or pinafore Black shoes Black plimsolls for indoor use There are also purple reversible fleeces available this is optional P E Gear White polo Shirt Black Tracksuit Bottoms available from most stores Indoor shoes The uniforms are available from Truly Fare Monagh Fashions and Chaplin s
Rights Respecting Council In St Clare s Primary School we place a high importance on the voice of the pupil It is vitally important that we allow pupils to have a say in what our school provides to all our community To this end pupils are elected on to the council by their peers Both pupils and staff take this responsibility seriously and like any council meetings are minuted and action plans are set Pupils will meet monthly with the Principal and the RRSA teachers on the staff and together we explore how we can continue to improve what we provide for all our school community Parent Contact The school has home and emergency numbers for all pupils so that parents can be contacted at any time The school has seesaw and will contact parents with a range of information through this The school service will automatically text the main contact number only This is why it is vital to ensure that all numbers are up to date and accessible If a parent has any concerns or worries about their child they can arrange to meet the teacher or Principal at any time We would appreciate this arrangement by appointment as teachers are not available during class time The staff are committed to providing a caring atmosphere where pupils can achieve their best enjoy learning and are happy for the time they spend with us
All photographs are curtesy of Mrs Karen Campbell of Karen Campbell Photography School of St Clare s Primary 323 Cupar Street Upper Belfast Co Antrim BT13 2SE Telephone Sanctuary 02890 330852