Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Free School Meals & Uniform

  Thu 26 Aug 2021

  EA Free School Meals & Uniforms Reminder

  If you are entitled to Free School Meals for your child please click on the link below and apply as soon as possible. 

  ⚠️Even if your child  was on the list last year you must reapply⚠️

  https://www.eani.org.uk/financial-help/free-school-meals-uniform-grants/apply-for-free-school-meals-uniform-grants

• Reopening Update for September 2021

  Wed 25 Aug 2021

  Please find below an outline of our restart guidelines for September - Halloween:

  ✴️We will continue to ask all adults to ‘Drop & Run’ & ‘Collect & Go’ at start and finish times to minimise interactions and possible transmissions. 

  ✴️Parents/Guardians must not enter the school building or classrooms and all visitors must sign in at reception upon arrival. 

  ✴️We will continue with separate entrances for pupils as before to minimise interaction between the bubbles/classes. 

  ✴️Children wear full uniform on Mon, Wed & Fri including plain black shoes. 

  ✴️ PE Uniform should be worn every Tuesday & Thursday as normal with footwear suitable eg trainers for PE and Outdoor Play.

  ✴️Breakfast Club will be available with pre-booking on the School Money App at a cost of £1.00 from Monday 6th September from 8am-8.45am. Pupils attending Wraparound Breakfast Club should arrive no later than 8.05am. (This provision will run if there proves to be a demand)

  ✴️Start times- We will continue with the school gates being opened at 8.45am each morning & pupils can arrive and go directly to class from 8.45am-9am. Pupils must remain in their vehicle until 8.45am. 

  ✴️Finish Times- Pupils in P1-P3 can be collected from 1.45-2pm each day. Pupils in P4-P7 can be collected from 2.45-2.55pm each day. 

  ✴️Friday Finish- We are reverting back to our usual 1.45pm-1.55pm finish each Friday for all pupils. 

  ✴️Pupils from P3-P7 should have their own pencil case for class with all usual resources (this is to be left in school each day)

  ✴️123 Wraparound Club will start on Monday 6th September for P1-P3 Pupils from 2-2.55pm Monday to Thursdays.  Booking is online on the School Money App in advance. Spaces are limited so booking early is advised. We hope to introduce after-school provision after Halloween for our older classes. 

  ✴️School bags, lunch boxes & water bottles are permitted. Water Bottles should be filled at home. (No Water Fountain due to Covid)

  ✴️The school office will be as cashless as possible. All school dinner orders must be paid through the School Money app a day in advance. (Details to follow for new children) 

  ✴️All adults & visitors should wear a Face Mask on school site, not congregate in the school grounds and keep socially distanced at all times. 

  Many thanks
  Mr K Burns
  Principal

  

• Summer Scheme update

  Sun 04 Jul 2021

  ☀️Summer Scheme Update☀️

  We look forward to welcoming our pupils back on Monday for Summer Scheme!

  🔵Children arrive for 10am-collect at 1pm

  🔵Drop off & Collection Points:
  - P1-P4 Front Main Doors 
  - P5-P7 School Hall Doors

  🔵Pupils bring a snack and drink, non-uniform (wear clothes and footwear suitable for play and sport)

  🔵 Please don’t send children if any Covid-19 Symptoms.

  🔵Timetable of activities include: 

  -Art Classes with Artist Martina
  -Coding & Technology Time
  -Outdoor Play
  -GAA Coaching with Ulster GAA
  -Dance Session with Jenna Finnegan Dance company
  -School Trip to Castlewellan Forest Park Forest Park for all pupils On Friday

  

• St Nicholas’ PS, Ardglass attains Eco-Schools’ Green Flag Status

  Mon 14 Jun 2021

  St Nicholas’ Primary School, Ardglass has been awarded a prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag by the environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. 

   

  Principal Mr Kevin Burns was immensely proud of the achievement of the school community in attaining the recognition from Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.  At a a whole school Eco-Assembly Mr Burns paid tribute to those involved directly in this great success. He thanked past and present pupils who have been the pupil voice on the Eco-Council.  A great gratitude also went to previous Eco-School Co-ordinator Miss Anna Lonergan who submitted the successful application for our Green Flag. Many thanks went to Building Supervisor Mr Robbie Fitzsimons who was also a key part in helping our school become a Green Flag School and continues to look after and encourage all to keep the school in pristine condition.

   

  The Eco-Schools Green Flag now flies proudly at the front of St Nicholas’ PS, Ardglass for the whole community to see and for the pupils and staff of the community based school to be proud off.

   

  The Eco-Schools Programme is the world’s largest Environmental Education programme and aims to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of a school. Its participatory approach and combination of learning and action makes it an ideal way for schools to begin improving the environments of schools and their local communities.  

   

  The internationally recognised Green Flag is this highest award given to Eco-Schools and symbolises excellence in the field of environmental activity.

   

  St Nicholas’ PS, Ardglass targets for the Green Flag Application included the Eco-Council carrying out an Environmental Review.  They took part in the Wrigley’s Litter Less (WLL) Campaign and focused on Responsible Consumption and Production of Energy and took part in a Whole School Energy Saving Day.

   

  St Nicholas’ PS, Ardglass is looking forward to continuing to promote looking after our local environment with Litter Picks already arranged with Ulster Wildlife and NIFPO over the forthcoming weeks.

   

  The International Eco-Schools Programme is operated in Northern Ireland by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. Please visit www.eco-schoolsni.org for further information.

  

• Summer School 2021

  Wed 19 May 2021
  

• Attention & Listening Skills

  Fri 23 Apr 2021

  PLEASE Copy link and paste in browser for Attention and Listening Games and Activities for Parents to do with Children. 
  https://aim.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/attention-and-listening-ideas-to-support-younger-children-2.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3CrV9keSKePahTXjo4PySh1CugQe_BCqBshTrnNklC4dyqe8jbTr7JTtI

• School News Update

  Sat 10 Apr 2021

  School News Update - 10th April 2020

  Monday brings us Term 3 - our Summer☀️ Term!  We have planned some fun & learning opportunities across the curriculum:

  👨‍💻 👩‍💻 CODING & COMPUTER PROGRAMMING: Mr Sweeney will be developing our staff & pupils’ skills & knowledge across all Classes P1-P7 using Bee-Bots & the Scratch Junior App.

  🏐GAA Coaching🏐: Ardglass GAC Coach Paul O’Shea will be delivering Coaching sessions each Tuesday for P5-P7 and is hoping on establishing an U11 Team for the season ahead. 

  🏃🏻‍♀️🏃‍♀️P3 Fitness Classes🏃‍♂️🏃🏼 with Jenny Fitzsimmons will take place over April & May.

  👩‍🎨 🦚Eco-Garden Art Project 🍄🧑‍🎨 P7 will be taking part in an Art Project to further enhance our Eco-Garden area with professional Artist Fionnula Duffin. 

  🕷 🐛🐜 ‘Little Critters’ Roadshow 🐍 🐞🐝 will be visiting our younger classes.

  🙏 Our Sacraments: 
  First Penance- 21st April
  Confirmation- 13th May 
  First Holy Communion- 15th May 

  🥘 🍽 School Meals- please book School Meals using our ‘School Money’ App going forward. (Unfortunately we have been instructed to have no After School Clubs or Breakfast Club as yet.) 

  🌳👨‍👩‍👦‍👦Eco-Garden Open to Community 🌻🌏- After our successful Easter period opening we will continue to open the Eco-Garden at weekends and possibly in the evenings going forward. Our pupils will be excited to see some of our plants 🪴 have started to grow in our Greenhouses. We hope everyone enjoyed making use of the fantastic area! Please feel welcome to call in and play or enjoy the surroundings on a bench! 

  Hopefully, we will be able to plan even more activities & events as things improve for our pupils and our school community. See you all Monday! 

  Regards 
  Mr Kevin Burns
  Principal

• Holy Week in School Diary

  Sun 28 Mar 2021

  Our week ahead in school...

  We have a action-packed week ahead planned for everyone:

  ✴️Monday- Virtual Children’s Book Author Smriti Halls 📖 Visit for P3-P5 Classes. (Pyjamas / Onesies / Dressing Gowns can be worn!) 

  ✴️Tuesday- Easter Art 👩‍🎨 👨‍🎨 Sessions with Artist Martina for P4-P7.

  ✴️Wednesday- Easter Bunny🐰 visiting for an Easter Egg Hunt 🐣. School Closes at 1pm for Easter Holidays. Sponsored by EUROSPAR NI (Ardglass)

  ✴️Wed 6.30pm- Family Virtual Fun Quiz on Google Meet 🤔✅❌❓👨‍👩‍👦‍👦👩‍👦‍👦👨‍👧‍👦 and Easter Raffle. 

  What can I use ‘School Money App’ for?
  ✅ School Meals Payments
  ✅Easter Raffle Tickets
  ✅Easter Quiz Registration
  ✅P7 Leavers Hoodie Payments
  ✅Homework Folders
   

  

• Letter to parents from Minister of Education

  Fri 05 Mar 2021
  

• Monday morning message

  Sun 07 Feb 2021

  Monday Message from Mr Burns

   

  This is our final week of this half term before the St Valentine’ ❤️ Break. There will be no school work next week and this will give a well deserved break for pupils, parents and staff. Please take time to recharge the batteries.🔋🔋🔋 

   

  INTERNET SAFETY DAY 👩‍💻 🌎 👨‍💻 

  This Tuesday it’s Internet Safety Day. Our teachers will provide an opportunity for pupils to learn further about staying safe online. https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2021 

   

  GOOGLE MEET

  Also all our classes will be engaging in LIVE LESSONS in Google Meet this week. It should be fun and good for our pupils and teachers to meet up again before the midterm break. 

   

  NEW TERM - Mon 22nd Feb 2021

  School work will resume on Monday 22nd February. P1 & P2 parents/guardians can collect new home learning packs at 12 noon on this date. All other classes will be up and running again online for another few weeks.

   

  Good luck with everything at home this week!

   

  Thanks 

  Mr Kevin Burns

  Principal