Latest News
Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in St Colmcille's PS
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Extreme Weather Policy (HEAVY SNOW)
Tue 07 Jan 2025St Colmcille's PS will be open today Tuesday 7th January - it is our policy to make every effort to remain open whenever possible, however, during severe weather we advise parents and staff to use discretion regarding whether it’s safe to travel after heavy snow falls and attendance is not required.
If it’s necessary to close the school a text will be sent to parents at the earliest opportunity.
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Arrangements for parents collecting children by CAR in the afternoon of Monday 6th January
Sun 05 Jan 2025Dear parents
There will be a high volume of traffic and considerable congestion tomorrow afternoon for Eleanor Fox's funeral at 2.00pm.
As funeral traffic has priority in the chapel carpark, parents collecting Foundation Stage and nursery pupils are advised to pick them up at 1.00pm from the front playground.
We also advise parents collecting KS1 & KS2 children not to arrive before 3.30pm as we will keep them in the school until the funeral traffic has dispersed. (Bus children will leave as normal)
Thank you for your understanding and support at this time.
Peter Cush
Principal
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Nollaig Shona daoibh go léir
Fri 20 Dec 2024
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Cheque presented to St Vincent de Paul
Wed 18 Dec 2024The Minnie Vinnies present a cheque for £700 to member of St Vincent de Paul, Mrs Anne Hughes, Mr Michael Cumiskey and Miss Etaoine O'Kane. The funding was raised by their Carol singing and the non-uniform day to celebrate Éire Óg camogie successes.
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Shoes of the Children
Thu 05 Dec 2024Dear parents,
At Christmas time, we recall the birth of the baby Jesus in Bethehem, however, this year we are reminded of the suffering of children less than 50 miles from where Jesus was born.
With our concern for the hardship of children and the dire situation in Gaza, some members of the school community will be travelling to Stormont on Sunday 8th December.
The aim is to lay 16,000 pairs of children’s shoes out on the grounds of Stormont to represent the number of children’s lives that have been lost....."Shoes of the children"
Unfortunately, lots more shoes are required so we invite you to participate by bringing/sending used/old shoes in to school tomorrow and leave with your child’s teacher. We apologise for the short notice but want to give you the opportunity to participate.
Kind regards
Peter Cush
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ECO School Activities
Thu 05 Dec 2024
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Family Christmas Party at Creggan
Thu 05 Dec 2024Creggan Community Association will be holding the annual:
Family Christmas Party on
Saturday 7th December 2024 from 1-3 pm.
The party will include meeting Santa & receiving a present, story time with Mrs Claus, arts & crafts, face painting, festive treats and much more.
We understand that there is a huge financial burden on families, especially on the run up to Christmas. In a bid to keep costs to a minimum and family enjoyment at the maximum, the cost will be £5 per child or £10 per family.
Here at the Creggan Community Association, we would love to see all the children of the community come together to enjoy the festivities.
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Public Consultation for Statutory Naíscoil in Bunscoil Naomh Colmcille
Fri 08 Nov 2024ST COLMCILLE'S P.S.
2 Rockstown Road, Carrickmore, co Tyrone BT79 9 BE
Tec 028 8076 1283 / 028 8076 1855
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL FOR STATUTORY NAÍSCOIL IN
ST COLMCILLE'S P.S/ BUNSCOIL NAOMH COLMCILLE
Dear parents
Ever since Naíscoil Cholmcille was established in 2001, the Board of Governors of St Colmcille's Primary School / Bunscoil Naomh Colmcille has sought the provision of a statutory Irish-medium Nursery on the grounds of the school.
Naíscoil Cholmcille is regarded as an integral part of the school provision and an essential foundation for the school's Bunscoil. Since it opened, Naíscoil staff have enjoyed a professional working relationship with teachers and assistants in St Colmcille's PS/Bunscoil Naomh Colmcille.
We believe that a statutory Irish Medium Nursery is essential because:
- There should be equity between English and Irish medium provision; English Medium children have access to a full-time statutory Nursery, Irish-medium should have the same entitlement.
- In recent years, the Naíscoil Committee has secured Pathways funding to extend its opening hours, currently just 30 minutes short of full-time. It is important that the Department of Education approves full-time provision as soon as possible to ensure continuity of provision and equity with English-medium provision.
- The Naíscoil is regarded as an integral part of the school provision and an essential foundation for the school's Bunscoil, however, it requires statutory recognition to secure its long-term future.
- Enrolment figures over the past ten years in the Naíscoil and birth rates in the parish indicate that a full-time statutory Naíscoil is viable.
- Naíscoil Cholmcille is in an area scoring high on the deprivation index of 46 in access to services, 144 income affecting children and 193 in deprivation of living environment so access to quality local full-time Naíscoil provision is important rather than relying on a voluntary committee to seek annual funding.
- Given a longer-term perspective, it may be difficult to recruit professionally trained leaders and assistants with the requisite competence in Irish to lead and manage a voluntary setting as such people are more likely to pursue a teaching qualification.
- The Board of Governors is committed to securing a new school building for the school community. To date over £750,000 has been committed to this project by the Department of Education. As a matter of equity, Naíscoil Colmcille should be an integral element within the design process. This can best secured if it has statutory recognition.
In 2017, the Minister turned down our previous Development Proposal for statutory status for the Naíscoil and over the past three years CCMS has prepared the resubmission of the development proposal on behalf of the Board of Governors, initially seeking full-time provision but were advised to revise the proposal to “part-time” as full-time provision wasn’t attainable at that time.
However, since this application was submitted, changes have occurred in department policy namely the implementation of standardisation of Pre-school Education Programme to full-time (22.5 hours per week) for all children aged 3-4 as part of the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy, in line with the recommendations of the Fair Start Report (2021). On that basis, we believe this should be taken into account when considering this application.
In conclusion, in recognition of its healthy admissions numbers and the inequity between English and Irish medium provision, it is imperative that a statutory Irish Medium Nursery shall replace the voluntary Naíscoil and that the Minister of Education approves a full-time Naíscoil as a priority within the standardisation programme for Pre-school Education.
The consultation document link is https://www.eani.org.uk/school-management/area-planning/developmentproposals
Local politicians, schools and Irish Medium organisations have made very positive responses to the consultation process so far. If you would like to make a response to the consultation, please send an email to dps@education-ni.gov.uk closing date for submissions is the 12thNovember 2024.
Yours faithfully
Peter Cush
Principal
An Charraig Mhór
Creggan Road, Carrickmore, Co Tyrone BT79 9BD
8th November 2024
A Chara
As you are aware a development proposal is under consultation to change Naíscoil from voluntary to statutory provision. Currently Naíscoil is a voluntary service managed by the Naíscoil committee and is inspected by Social Services and the Education Training Inspectorate (ETI).
We are permitted to enrol 21-24 children and need staff ratio of 1 staff per 8 children. Our staff are level 5 child care professionals with high fluency in Irish. We are funded for part time hours 9.15am -11.45 am but for the past few years we have applied and received pathway funding to extend our hours from 9.15-1. We are not permitted to extend the hours beyond this. We apply annually and cannot guarantee we will get this every year or that the funding stream will continue.
To seek parity of provision with the English medium nursery, the committee were interested in seeking full time statutory provision. Statutory provision would mean the school would be part of St. Colmcille's primary school and managed by them. They would be permitted to enrol 26 children and have a staffing ratio of 1 member of staff to 13 children so a teacher and a teaching assistant would be employed.
During the consultation process the CCMS advised the application should be changed to apply for part time as they stated full time provision was not being granted. There has since been a change in policy were implementation of standardisation of Pre-school Education Programme to full-time (22.5 hours per week) for all children aged 3-4 as part of the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy, in line with the recommendations of the Fair Start Report (2021) is being rolled out but may take several years until all services are funded for full time hours.
The Naíscoil committee have responded to the consultation seeking full time provision to provide equality between English and Irish medium. It is important that parents and the local community respond to the consultation even if you have previously responded to earlier rounds of consultation. The consultation document link is https://www.eani.org.uk/school-management/area-planning/developmentproposals
Responses to the consultation should be emailed to dps@education-ni.gov.uk closing date for submissions is the 12th November 2024.
Naíscoil Committee
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Weekly news
Mon 30 Sep 2024Congratulations Éire Óg Camogie
We would like to congratulate Éire Óg Camogie team on their victory in the Junior Final.
Monday 30th September at 7.00pm meeting of Friends of St Colmcille’s in the staffroom.
Friday 27th Sept – Fri 4th Oct: BOOK FAIR
The Travelling Books Book Fair will be here from. Please encourage children to use this opportunity to extend their range of reading materials. For a link to see the books available look at “Latest News” on our website or: https://bookfairs.scholastic.co.uk/travelling-books/parents
Tuesday 1st October: Feast day of St. Therese of Lisieux
Wednesday 2nd October at 6.30pm “DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME” meeting for parents of children in Primary four and Rang a Ceathair.
Thursday 3rd October: Sustrans Active School Travel Programme for P6/P7 children.
Thursday 3rd October at 3.00 pm: Closing date for election of Parent 2024 – 2028.
Friday 4th October: - Opening School Mass at 9.45am & Feast for St. Francis of Assisi.
Sat. 5th October at 6.30pm. Enrolment ceremony for “Do this in Memory of Me” programme.
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Book Fair coming to St Colmcille's on Friday 27th September
Fri 20 Sep 2024Travelling Book Fair:
The Travelling Books Book Fair is here from Fri 27th Sept – Fri 4th Oct.
Books can be purchased on Thursday 3th October.
Please use this link to see the books available:
https://bookfairs.scholastic.co.uk/travelling-books/parents
