Ovens National School Cork Ireland

1. Ovens National School Cork Ireland

2. Our School Our school is situated in the ‘Lovely Lee Valley’ in County Cork in the south of Ireland. There are 334 children from the age of 4 to 13 years of age attending the school. We have 12 classroom teachers with 6 teachers working in the resource and learning support area all managed by our principal Eoghan Hyde. We have 5 classroom assistants and a full time secretary.

3. School website :- www.ovensns.com The school communicates to the wider community through its website and blog. There is a very active Parents Association which supports the school in many activities.

4. School Curriculum The Irish School Curriculum consists of the following subjects :- Irish English Mathematics History Geography Science Visual Arts Music Drama Physical Education Social, Personal and Health Education Religious Education

5. School Activities Each month we have Assembly where the children can share their stories and triumphs with their peers. Individuals or class groups may perform for the assembled children. The Principal prioritises some aspect of behaviour which will be highlighted for the next month.

6. Music & Drama Music is taught throughout the school and the children have the opportunity to learn an instrument from First Class with the support of a visiting teacher. Drama is also an important part of our school life. This subject is also supported with a visiting teacher. The children take part in displays and competitions in these areas.

7. New pupils in Ovens Ovens National School welcomed fifty four new Junior Infants on the 30th August this year. It was a very exciting day for the pupils, their parents and the school staff. There are two new Junior Infant classes and their teachers are Ms. Finnegan and Ms. Haydon.

8. Sport As part of our Physical Education Programme the children participate in many sports. During their school life they partake in coaching for hurling, football, tennis, rugby and swimming. Athletics and gymnastics are also taught. Daily exercise is encouraged and workshops on skipping and juggling are organised occasionally.

9. Our athletes with many trophies Football final winners !

10. Cheering on our local Football Team • Our local football team are in the County Final on Sunday. We wish them well.

11. Holy Communion Enrolment Mass • Second Class • Enrolment Mass • Fr. Hickey is our Parish Priest

12. Around our school • Trophy Display Our Blog address

13. Plans for the future • We are due to begin building an extension to our school • Our school population is expanding rapidly with the number of children is increasing annually • Our project will help to build an awareness of environmentally friendly development

14. Other School Activities School Garden Harvest Church Decoration Art Competitions Themed Days (Arctic) Board Game Day

15. Comenius Projects • Ovens School has participated in two previous Comenius Projects • Children’s Literature through Fingers • 2000 - 2003 • Good Manners a Rainbow that Colours your Life • 2008 - 2010

16. Quizzes Charitable Collections Rainbow Days Student Council In September 2011 Ovens School first Student Council was formed. The children have regular meetings with the Principal and keep the classes informed and up to date with school activities. They also help children in the school yard at lunch breaks.

17. Our Student Comenius Committee

18. Comenius Committee -Students • Our present Student Council newly elected in September 2012 are on the Comenius Project committee • Members are: Luke, James, Brionna , Mary, Louise, Tim, Fiona and Conor • We know that they will be a great team and that they will do fantastic work for the project in Ovens NS. • We wish them the best of luck in their good work.

19. Comenius Committee Staff members • This This is our Comenius Committee - Pauline, Deirdre, Kieran, Ber, Marie, Joe, Carmel, Marian and Sarah We look forward to working together for the next two years.

20. ESD- Education for Sustainable Development • What do we do in Ovens National School ? • How do we help the environment ?

21. We do not litter. Our new playground Our Woodland

22. We have a garden. We recycle raw food in the wormery We grow vegetables Spider’s web

23. We learn about the care of the environment

24. We visit the recycling centre near our school. We put plastic and cans into the recycling bins.

25. Our School Woodland Ten years ago our school worked on a Trees Project.

26. The children in 3rd class who are now 18 years old studied the importance of trees in our environment.

27. We explored how humans use wood as an important resource material and how humans and plants have a symbiotic relationship • Our Parents’ Association did some fundraising and helped with the planting of a mini –woodland. The trees were chosen carefully.

28. We use the Woodland for Science and Nature • Teachers have taken pupils on Nature walks to observe the trees in all seasons. • Mini-beast hunting is also very popular with the children whereby • The woodland provides a wonderful scientific laboratory

29. Native Irish trees predominate and we used beech hedges as a fence. Oak, ash, alder, maple, crab apple and horse chestnut have thrived in the corner of our school field.

30. Our woodland now • Ten years later our trees are growing still and presently we are pruning and managing the woodland to enable future classes to learn about our trees and this habitat for minibeasts and wild flowers.

31. We look forward to working on our new project • We know that the Four Ps project will extend and improve the work which has already begun • Best of luck to everyone with this new project