Summer Newsletter 2025

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the final edition of our school Newsletter for the 2024-2025 school year.

As always, June is a great time to reflect on the current school year and to pay tribute to the entire community here in Clashmore National School. Firstly, I would like to begin by thanking all of the boys and girls for their continuous efforts, hard-work, their wonderful manners and positive behaviour throughout the year. They were a joy to teach and they are a credit to you their parents and families.

In addition, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of the school staff, teachers, Special Needs Assistants and all of our ancillary staff for all of their hard-work and dedication during the year.

Equally, I would like to pay tribute to our wonderful Board of Management for all that they do for the school on a continuous basis and in a voluntary capacity. Míle buíochas also, to the Parents’ Association who work tirelessly to support our school. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to each and every parent for your support and co-operation during the year. It is all of these combined efforts that make Clashmore National School the wonderful school that it is and I am extremely grateful to each and every one of you.

1. Attendance

As you are aware we have been working very hard on improving our overall attendance, as part of our DEIS Plan. I am delighted to announce for the second year in a row, that we have a significant improvement in our attendance from an average of 94% last year to 94.8% this year.

This is a wonderful achievement—well done to all.

2. Sports in the School this Year

We have engaged in a range of sports this year:

• GAA – Hurling, football & Camogie
• The Daily Mile
• Tag Rugby
• Local Athletics
• Swimming 3rd-6th Class
• WOW Days – Walk on Wednesday
• Zumba Lessons

3. Extra-Curricular Activities this Year

• Music Generation
• Lego Spike
• A Witches’ Walk
• Christmas Panto in Cork 1st-6th Class
• Christmas Performances in the School Hall
• Seachtain na Gaeilge – Events & Céilí Mór
• Youghal Radio Programme
• Ceramics Lessons for Jnrs-2nd Class under the Blast Programme
• Food Dudes
• Discover Opera Programme for 5th & 6th Class
• A Beach Clean-up in conjunction with The Community Council 3rd-6th Class
• The Scholastics Book Fair
• A Comic Club run by The Student Council
• A ‘Fun Friday’ run by The Student Council where pop music is played at big break
• Ficheall Chess Tournaments
• A Local Chess Day hosted by Clashmore NS with Ballycurrane, Kinsalebeg & Grange N.S.
• A workshop about Bees for 5th & 6th Class
• A Teddy Bear’s Picnic & visit to the Playground
• Green Schools Committee Competitions
• Sports Day in the GAA Pitch

4. New Things/Activities in the School This Year

• We were winners of the 2025 Brain Blasters Quiz for the first time ever
• New School Furniture, display boards and a new photocopier in the school
• 3 Lego Spike Boxes purchased this year
• We launched our School Facebook Account
• We had our first ever Wellness Week organised by The Student Council
• A visit from The Heritage Council about Pirates
• A visit from a Local Author to the school – Adam King and his dad & brother
• Our New Bee Lodge donated by Youghal Credit Union
• Smartphone Charter introduced to the school this year
• Return Bin
• To aid Sustainability: Christmas Jumper Swop. No paper towels used in bathrooms. Children dry hands with their own face cloths. Towels now in staff toilets
• 2 More iPads purchased
• A Drumming Workshop for all Classes

5. School Policies/Plan that have been completed or Reviewed this Year

All of these are available from the School Office upon request:

• The Child Protection Policy
• The Anti-Bullying Policy
• The Critical Incident Policy
• The New Bí Cineálta Policy
• The Health, Safety and Welfare Policy
• A Sustainability Policy
• The Physical Education Policy
• Internet Safety and Acceptable Usage of ICTs
• Policy on Substance Misuse
• Dignity in the Workplace Policy
• The Equal Opportunity and Gender Equity Policy
• The CCTV Policy
• The Professional Development Policy
• The Religious Education Plan
• The Assessment Policy
• The Special Educational Needs Plan
• The Whole School Geography Plan
• The Whole School English Plan

6. Say Yes to Languages Programme

For the first time ever, we made an application for the Say Yes to Languages Programme. I am delighted to announce that we have been successful. As a result, 5th-6th class will be doing Spanish lessons fully funded in the 2nd term next year.

7. Student Council News!

Our Student Council have worked extremely hard this year and I would like to sincerely thank them for their efforts. To date they have run a Comic Club each Monday for pupils and a ‘Fun Friday’ where pop music is played during big break at different junctures during the year.

They were instrumental in setting up and planning for our SNA Appreciation Day & World Teacher Day. They have a suggestion box for pupils ready to go for the coming year. They have also mapped a Wellness Walk on the grounds of our lovely school for the children and they also hope to run a soccer blitz in the coming year. Well done to our Student Council.

8. Clashmore National School Parents’ Association

I would like to extend my most sincere thanks to The Parents’ Association for all of their hard-work and dedication in supporting and funding initiatives in the school. Equally they have provided refreshments & goodies for all of our events again this year. This year alone, they have funded the following:

• Half of the cost of the bus to The Panto
• Half of the cost of the bus to the Infant Christmas Show
• The purchase of The Christmas Annuals
• 69% of the cost of the buses for the school tours in Jnrs to 4th class
• New iPads

9. School Tours

This year, the following school tours were enjoyed by the pupils:

• 16th June: Infants – Leahy’s Farm
• 11th June: 1st-4th Class – Cuskinny Adventure Centre
• 17th June: 5th & 6th Class – Dunmore East Adventure Centre

10. Sports Day – 13th June

We held our annual Sports Day on Friday 13th June in Clashmore GAA pitch. Thankfully the sun was shining that day and it was a great success. Congratulations & well done to the 6th class pupils who prevailed in the penalty shoot-out against the staff on the day!

11. Junior Infant Induction Day – 9th June

We also held our New Junior Infant Induction Day on Monday 9th June. We look forward to welcoming all of our new Junior Infants and their families to the school, when we return in August.

12. Primary School Free Books Scheme

The Primary School Books Scheme is still in effect this year, thus the school will provide all schoolbooks, copybooks and workbooks for the children. Parents will only be required to purchase their child’s Stationery Lists which have already been sent home.

Please note that the school will close at 12:00 this Friday 20th June for the Summer holidays.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy Summer break and I look forward to seeing you all again when the school re-opens on Wednesday 27th August.

Le gach beannacht uaimse,
Yvonne Uí Fhlaithimhín
Principal of Clashmore National School