Spa N.S. is a fully vertical (Junior Infants to 6th Class) co-educational school.
Spa National School has approximately 224 pupils with a teaching staff of 13 full time teachers. The school also has a full time secretary and a part time caretaker.
All school policies are available to parents upon request from the school office.
A copy of School calendar is issued to each family at the start of each school year.
The School day:
The normal school day for Infant classes is 8.50am – 1.30pm
The normal school day for 1st to 6th classes is 8.50am – 2.30pm
Pre & Post School Supervision:
Pre-school supervision begins when the main school gates are opened at 8.35 a.m.
Classes begin at 8.50 a.m. and finish at 2.30 p.m. (Infants finish and should be collected at 1.30 p.m.)
Post school supervision is from 2.30 p.m. to 2.45 p.m.
Please note that
- Pupils should NOT be dropped on the school grounds BEFORE 8.35 a.m.
- Any parent collecting a child after 2.45 pm will collect them from the school office.
Punctuality:
All parents are asked to ensure that students arrive to school before classes begin and that disruptions to class time are always kept to a minimum. If you need to deliver any item (lunchbox, sports gear etc) to your son/daughter during the day, please drop it to the school office and it will be passed on.
Attendance:
The class roll is called daily at 9.50 a.m. If a student is not present in the school at this time, the Department of Education expect them to be marked absent. Every school is required by law to monitor student attendance and in particular to notify/ explain when a pupil reaches 20 days absences. If your child is absent please remember to highlight this and provide the reason for the absence on the aladdin school app.
School Uniform:
Students are expected to wear their complete school tracksuit or school uniform and black shoes/runners at all times. This dress code will be monitored strictly as it represents the standards set by our school. It is helpful if children have their names marked on their uniforms, tracksuits, coats and other personal belongings. Full details on all school uniform and personal appearance guidelines are available on the School Uniform page on this website.
Mark all belongings:
Please ensure that all personal property i.e. coats, jumpers, tracksuit tops, school books, copies, lunch boxes, stationary etc. are clearly labelled with your child’s name as many children possess similar items.
Parent / School Communication:
A few reminders!
- The best/fastest way to contact the school is to call us on (066) 7136618.
- Please remember that Rebecca, our school secretary works from 8.45 am to 2.45 p.m.
- If your call is not answered, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
- If you need to speak to the principal, please call and we will arrange an appointment a.s.a.p.
- If you have a question / query /concern for a teacher, please email the relevant teacher and the teacher will respond a.s.a.p.
- Impromptu meetings with staff at the class door to discuss a child’s concern/progress are discouraged on a number of grounds.
- Staff cannot adequately supervise his/her class while at the same time speaking to a parent.
- It is difficult to be discreet when so many children are standing close by.
- It can be embarrassing for a child when his/her parent is talking to staff at a classroom door.
- If you would like to speak at length with a teacher, please email the class teacher or school office and they will reply with a suitable appointment time.
- Formal Parent Teacher meetings will be held in the school in November (1st to 6th) and February (Infants) from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
- All official school messages and correspondence will be sent out electronically via the Aladdin Connect App.
- If your contact details have changed, I would ask you to edit your family profile on the aladdin school app or inform the school secretary of these.
Dealing with Concerns / Complaints:
Everyone in Spa N.S. wishes that any parental concern or complaint would be dealt with informally, fairly and quickly. Agreed guidance on the procedures for all Parental Complaints were announced in January 2024 and are available on the School Policies page on this site.
Health / Administration of Medicines:
Parents are asked to inform the school in writing if their child suffers from any allergies, long term or short term illness and if their child is on medication. Parents of pupils who require medication or inhalers are asked to make contact with the school principal as soon as possible.
Lunches:
Little break: 10.50am – 11.00am
Big break: 12.30pm – 1.00pm
Our school actively encourages healthy lunches.
Hot Lunches
Spa N.S. is participating in the Hot Lunches scheme. Full details are available on the Hot Lunches page on this site.
Homework:
There is a homework policy which clearly states the content and length of homework for each class which is available on this website. Parents are encouraged to establish a set routine and time for your child to do his/her homework, in a quiet place free from distractions. Parents are asked to supervise children’s homework, checking and signing the homework diary on completion. Homework should be reasonably attempted and if the homework cannot be completed for any reason a note in the child’s homework diary is required.
Road Safety.
Successive Boards of Management have consistently tried to improve the infrastructure around Spa N.S. The construction of the village footpath in 2014 and the installation of the pedestrian crossing at the school in 2023 have been hard fought but hugely positive developments. All of this work was planned and completed to allow for the safer drop off and collection of our students to and from the school.
The Board of Management appeals to all parents to note, respect and adhere to the established safety rules for the morning drop off and the afternoon collection of pupils.
General Reminders:
- Parents are responsible for the health & safety of any child once they leave the school grounds for home.
- The designated space to the left-hand side of the school gate is specifically reserved for two families to aid them with the drop-off/collection of their children.
- Please do not park alongside the old building on the Fenit side of the school as this really causes a very dangerous bottle neck.
- Please do not park on the opposite side of the road.
- Please do not block / enter the staff car parks or attempt to turn your car in the vicinity of the school.
- Please do not block the entrances to the neighbouring properties.
In the Morning:
- No student should be left unaccompanied at the school before pre-school supervision at 8.35 a.m.
- Please use the Front of the school strictly as a drop off area only. This space is for parents who wish to pull in, allow their children to step out of the car and then pull out again. We ask all parents to move your car away from the drop off area as soon as possible and free up the space for the next parent.
- Please do not use the drop off area if you are walking your child to the school gate.
- Please do not stop at the pedestrian crossing and use this space to let your child out of the car. We have had numerous “close calls” in recent weeks because of this behaviour. There are many other locations where students can be dropped safely and then walk independently and safely to the school using the pedestrian crossing.
At home time:
- Every parent is completely responsible for the health and safety of their child once they leave the school grounds.
- All of the guidelines listed above still apply.
- Students are expected to be on their best behaviour and to walk safely with their siblings to the collection point agreed with their parents.
- If any student is misbehaving dangerously at this time, they will be returned to the school and will have to be collected by parents from there.
- If you are collecting at the general parking space near the GAA pitch, please note that this is a private road way and we would ask that
- Parents do not park on the footpath on the Spa Seafood side of this road
- Parents do not park at the top of this road in such a way that they block the sight lines for traffic coming onto the main road.
- Parents do not block the entrances to the properties of people living here and respect their privacy.
- All students are aware of and remember the possible dangers and do not run between cars.
The B.O.M. appeals to all parents/guardians to respect and adhere to these safety rules around the dropping off of pupils before school and collection of pupils after school. Your cooperation in this will really assist in keeping our students safe at the busy times of the school day.
Thank you!
Spa N.S. B.O.M.
