Some Key Curriculum Aspects
Learn Together Ethical Education
Ethical Education is defined as ‘education that enlightens, challenges and widens our perspective of the world’. In Griffeen Valley Educate Together NS, we embrace our ethical education with both hands.
We encourage our children to engage with local and global issues. We foster critical thinking, discussion and debate. We emphasis that at the heart of it all, we have a shared responsibility for ensuring human rights and equality are things experienced by all.
We follow the 4 Stands – An Ethical Approach to the Environment; Equality and Justice; Values and Ethical Perspectives and Belief Systems. From here we strive to provide an education that is inclusive of all, irrespective of belief system, race, ethnicity, class, culture, gender, language and ability.
Below are some of examples of the themes we have covered this year in art work form.
Handwriting
Stay Safe Programme
The Stay Safe programme is taught every year as a legal requirement. Parents must give permission via Aladdin for their child to take part. We usually begin the programme block during the first term and it runs for a number of weeks on Wednesdays after second break. This gives an opportunity for those children who are not partaking to be collected.
The Stay Safe Programme is a personal safety skills programme for primary schools – both mainstream and special. Its overall objective is to prevent child abuse, bullying and other forms of victimisation.
The programme develops children’s ability to recognise, resist and report risk situations or abusive encounters by teaching children…
- To identify for themselves unsafe or upsetting situations
- Simple rules to help them avoid abuse
- To respect and value the rights of others
- The language and skills they require to seek help
The programme also informs parents and teachers about preventing bullying and child abuse, whilst seeking to create a greater public awareness about the problems children can and do experience.
For information, please go to the Stay Safe website.
RSE Programme
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is an approach to teaching children about relationships and health. All primary school schools are required to teach RSE each year. Parents must give permission via Aladdin for their child to take part. We usually begin the programme block during the second term and it runs for a number of weeks on Wednesdays after second break. This gives an opportunity for those children who are not partaking to be collected.
It comprises of two distinct areas:
- Relationships
- Physical health and mental wellbeing
Schools must be mindful of the following facets of teaching RSE:
-Appropriate for children’s ages and development stage
-Sensitive to the needs and religious backgrounds of the children in the school
-Help all children grow up healthy, happy and safe
-Give all children the knowledge to make informed decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships
-Enable children to manage the challenges and opportunities as adult.
Useful Links:
Gaeilge / Irish
Ba mhaith linn go gcuirfear le féin-mhuinín na bpáistí agus iad i mbun cumarsáide leis an nGaeilge mar theanga bheo agus amach anseo sa mhéanscoil. Bhéimís ag sύil go mbeidh na páistí in ann an Ghaeilge a úsáid mar ghnáththeanga chumarsáide, chun iad féin a chur in iύil, a mhianta a léitiú, ceisteanna a chur agus a fhreagairt. Táimid eolach faoi riachtannais teanga na bpáistí agus na tuismitheoirí –cúlra na bpáisti éagsúla toisc go dtagann roinnt de na páistí ón dtíortha eile agus cé gurb í an Bhéarla an dara theanga atá acu tá an Ghaeilge tábhachtach le foghlaim agus is cuid ollmhór den gCuraclam í. Baineann ceol, peil, iománaíocht, rince, cluichí teanga agus imeachtaí taitneamhach le cultúr na Gaeilge sa scoil.
An buntáiste is mό a bhaineann leis na páist as foghlaim na Gaeilge ar scoil ná go mbeadh tuiscint acu ar an gcultúr Éireannacha, rud atá tabhachtach nuair atá cultúir idirnáisiúnta sa scoil. Baintear ύsáid as an nGaeilge chomh minic agus is féidir i rith an lae. Baineann muid an-taitneamh as Seachtain na Gaeilge, lá Gaeilge 24 agus Lá idirnáisúinta Eorapach na dTeangacha bliantúil.
Bí cinnte do chúpa focail a úsáid agus tú sa scoil, is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste!
(As Bearla / English Translation)
We aim to give the children confidence when using Irish as a living language throughout their lives and as a school subject in secondary school. We expect the children to be able to communicate, introduce themselves, express their opinions, ask and answer questions through Irish. We are mindful about special educational needs, cultural backgrounds, and English being a second language for a number of our pupils.
The biggest benefit that comes with learning Irish in primary school is that children gain an insight in to Irish culture. The exploration of culture is very important to us as an Educate Together school. Irish is used as much as possible throughout the day. We thoroughly enjoy Irish events. Some of our annual Irish events include Seachtain na Gaeilge-Irish Week, Gaeilge 24-Irish for 24 hours, and Lá idirnáisúinta Eorapach na dTeangacha -International day of European Languages. Be sure to use any Irish you may have when you visit our school.
As the saying goes, broken Irish is better than perfect English!