Presentation Primary School Terenure

We are an all-girls school in Terenure on the southside of Dublin.

Information for Parents

We are very proud of our school here in Presentation. We have a very happy, warm atmosphere where all members of our school community are welcomed. Our girls are encouraged to work hard and to reach their potential. We want our girls to be kind, tolerant and respectful to one another, confident in their abilities and talents. We encourage children to be empathetic and to respect difference. Bullying is not tolerated and all efforts are made to resolve difficulties and encourage positive relationships

Our teachers are highly skilled, always work to a very high standard and regularly review their practice.

Here are a few guidelines which will make life safer and more pleasant for everyone.

Aladdin

We use the Aladdin system. This allows parents to notify school absences, update their child’s details and make online payments. Parents can also view their child’s annual school report.

Attendance

School begins for all classes at 8.50a.m. and finishes at 1.30p.m.for infants and 2.30p.m.for the rest of the school. Our teachers have a duty of care to their pupils from the time school officially opens to the official closing time.  Children wait in the schoolyard until 8.50 when they are collected by their teacher.

Attendance at school is expected from all children. However, there are good and valid reasons why, occasionally some children must be absent from school. To enable the school to comply with the terms of the Education Welfare Act all absences must be accounted for using the Aladdin system.  The Board of Management draws your attention to the disruption caused to schoolwork by the practice of taking children out of school for “low season” holidays. While appreciating the constraints on parents (financial and work related) involved in holiday-planning the Board earnestly requests that all parents do their utmost to avoid the practice. Under the terms of the Education Welfare Act the school is obliged to inform the Education Welfare Board when a child has accumulated twenty absences during the school year even when the absences are for very valid reasons.

Uniform

We ask for the co-operation of all parents regarding the wearing of the school uniform. Children wear their school tracksuit and plain white t-shirt/polo shirt (strappy tops are not appropriate) on PE days. High heeled/slip-on shoes are not suitable for school. We remind the girls that earrings (except for stud earrings), rings, body piercings, make-up and nail varnish are not part of the school uniform. Please ensure that your child’s shirt, tie, cardigan, jumper, and tracksuit have been clearly marked with the child’s name to avoid loss or wrong exchange of property. Should your child mislay a garment, please follow it up immediately as we are left, each year, with several unclaimed items, some of them virtually new. There is a lost property box in the front hall. Uniform items are available to purchase from the office. Please email our secretary, Yvonne Doyle, for order forms at office@presterenure.ie.

Healthy Eating

We are always willing to co-operate with parents encouraging a healthy lifestyle regarding diet, bedtimes etc. A diet of junk food combined with insufficient sleep, impacts negatively on a child’s performance at school (as many parents know, it can take 3/4 days to recover from a sleepover). We have a Healthy Eating Policy (see our school blog). We encourage the children to eat a healthy lunch every day and we are a treat free zone. Drinking water is also encouraged. We would ask you to remember that treats, crisps, fizzy drinks and chewing gum are not allowed at any time. As you can appreciate refuse disposal is a major problem for the school. To combat this, we recycle all our wastepaper and card. As we have no facility for recycling food waste it is necessary for the children to bring home their own lunch rubbish.

Toilet Bags

Children must have their own toilet bag containing a facecloth and small soap/hand sanitiser. Please remind your child about the importance of washing hands after using the toilet

Mobile Phones

All mobile phones and tablet devices must be switched off and handed to the class teacher. Failure to do so will result in confiscation.

Medical Conditions

Should your child suffer from any ongoing medical condition or from any allergies, about which the school should know, please inform the class teacher in writing. In the event of a head injury, any serious injury, or illness we will endeavour to contact you, the parent/guardian immediately. For that reason, it is important that you help us keep our records up to date, especially by giving us a contact telephone number in case of emergency. We would ask you to check your child’s scalp regularly for the presence of HEADLICE. Children with long hair must have it tied back during school time. Please inform the class teacher immediately if your child has an infestation. Parents of the class affected will be alerted by text. As ever, we are depending on your good will to help stamp out this ever-increasing nuisance.

Road Safety

Please speak to your child about road safety and ensure she obeys the traffic warden when crossing the road.    

DO NOT DRIVE INTO THE SCHOOL GROUNDS!

It is a hazard to the children and unfair to the majority of parents who comply with this request.

Internet Safety

We have an AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) on our school blog. Please be aware of the social apps and websites being accessed by your child at home. Your vigilance will ensure that your child is not exposed to danger, cyber bullying and inappropriate content while online.

Homework

Homework should be done to the best of the child’s ability and signed by a parent/guardian. Under the Revised Curriculum, the strong emphasis on oral language means that your child will regularly have oral homework e.g. an interview, the news, reporting etc. As we believe it to be every bit as important as written work, we are asking for your co-operation in valuing this new emphasis on oral work.

Parent/Teacher Meetings

Should you wish to contact the class teacher please make an appointment for a specific time.

NCCA guidelines on standardised tests may be found here: