Last January, Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board became the Patron of our primary school, Naas Community National School (CNS). Naas CNS prides itself on providing excellence in primary education, is a fully inclusive, equality based and community focused school. With over 255 pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class, we are a bustling, busy place of learning. Over the last few years, our school has become recognised as a Centre of Excellence in the promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
On January 20th last, the children of 4th and 5th class exhibited at the RDS Primary Science Fair for the sixth consecutive year. This year, we chose to travel to Mary Immaculate College in Limerick to experience the Primary Science Fair as an alternative to the RDS location. The children's project was titled "Can you make a rainbow without using rain?" This project gave the children an opportunity to research light and energy in an exciting scientific environment. They collaborated with one another, exploring their own ideas with enthusiasm and many explanations, under the supervision of their class teacher, Muinteoir Sinead Lyons. They experimented with their ideas, examining many theories and hypotheses that they formulated based on their own research and established how to create a rainbow in the classroom without using rain. Their completed project was highly commended by the judges at Mary Immaculate College. We, at Naas CNS are very proud of our team of Young Primary Scientists. We were delighted and thrilled to be awarded a “Plaque of Excellence” for what is now the sixth year in succession. The whole school is currently working on our 6th submission for this year's Science Foundation Ireland Discover Primary Science and Maths Award and we will keep you posted!
Naas CNS is also developing a niche focus in the Creative Arts. Our 3rd class children recently performed as part of a National Children’s Choir at The Peace Proms with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland at the Simmonscourt Arena, RDS in Dublin. The children joined with other groups from around Ireland, forming a mega-choir of 2,000 children in a exuberant celebration of music, dance and song. The Peace Proms is a choral education program which involves 20,000 primary school children on the island of Ireland. This programme is Ireland’s most notable Arts Education initiative and is acclaimed as an example of inclusive relationship building between communities on this island. We are delighted to have played our part in this wonderful example of music, friendship and inclusion over the past 6 years.
Aside from our academic focus, we are also committed to relationship building within our community here in Naas. Craddockstown Nursing home is a favourite visiting location for our staff and children each month. Our elderly neighbours look forward to our visits where our staff and students entertain with prepared poetry, dance or singing and converse with them in the Day Room at the Nursing home. Our staff, parents and children and the staff of Caddockstown Nursing Home are very proud of this collaboration between old and young.
We strive to ensure that our children get a high standard of education while balancing academic and social aspects of their experiences within the school. Our staff are committed to creating and maintaining a happy and caring learning environment tailored to each child's abilities and potential. We are a youthful team of teachers in a child-centred environment, and the future achievements appear limitless at Nass CNS!
Naas Community National School: A Primary School Perspective
by Caroline Colleran, Principal