Ennis National School

Areas in which Ennis National School does well

• Great variety of social, lunchtime and extra-curricular activities

• Hospitality, friendly atmosphere and rapport between children and teachers

• Good school spirit/child centred school

• Ennis National School is a "Happy Place", nice feel, great buzz in it.

• Fun environment - excellent teachers.

• Clean and well maintained

• Good parent communication: texts, newsletter, website

• Respect for educational needs of children of all intelligences (not just academic).

• High level of education and attention to students progress both academically and personally. 
  
•  Teachers are fantastic.

• Fundraising and role played by staff

• Emphasis on Green Schools and Healthy Lunches

• Encouraging and rewarding pupils (principal's awards)

• Fab attitude of secretary, Emer.

• Teachers approachable - enthusiastic - caring and friendly.

• A fantasic caretaker. (School, classrooms open at 8.10am - much appreciated!)

• SNAs who keep an eye out for everyone's child.

• Technology - i.e. Interactive boards, computer room, web text and web site.

• Displaying the students projects/work is very good.

• Good integration of different nationalities.

• Once off payment for services at start of year.

• Strong emphasis on community & social responsibility.

• Diversity in student population.

• Religious Celebrations

• Visits to external places of interest, eg Garda Station, Glór, Library.

• Allowing children enter classrooms before school begins.

• Identifying bright children.

• Discipline level.

Areas ENS can improve on

• More after school activities ie sports clubs.

• Introduction of an aftercare programme where people could leave their kids after school

• School structure and building.

• Crack down on small few ....... bully

• More science projects like field work or a class to build things like a rocket etc.

• Introduction of a foreign language

• Guidelines for homework duration

• Providing school lunches

• Car Parking

• Limited play area

• Quality of books in the school library

• More practical learning, science, nature, home economics

• Change the classes around - there are currently children in sixth class who don’t know
• the names of other sixth class pupils

• Difficult for working parents to meet other parents

• Take part in summer camp and taking the students on a trip outside the county.

• Birthday invites not to be handed out in front of other kids.

• Health care issues - i.e. Pupils informed more of eating proper foods, cleanliness.

• Teaching children how to play together.

• Stretching childrens minds further if they are capable of it.

• No sweets should be given to children as a reward for learning.

• More "open days" of other activities to encourage parental involvement.

• More supervision when children leaving school to gate.

• For child security reasons parents should not be allowed into the classrooms in the mornings.
  
•  Teacher or supervisor should meet children in class each morning.

• Uniform change to either shirts all year or better again make red poloshirt full time uniform.

• Better advanced communication on events to plan days off work - tends to be last minute.

• Provide a student report (written or verbal) in late February/early March
• The parent-teacher meeting and the summer report are too far apart

• Irish written work and emphasis on the importance of Irish through the entire school.

• Would like to see parent/teacher meetings for all classes.

• Overall presentation of school, hygiene, smell could improve
  

• Children not allowed mobile phones.

• Danger of traffic in yard during school hours.

• Breaktime procedures.  I wasn't aware I needed a note to have her kept in when she wasn't well with.

• Accessing the "current" school through the front gate is a nightmare.

• Too much class time allocated to student training teachers (4-7  weeks previous years?)

• Childrens confusion over role of SNA in classroom especially in relation to rules and discipline.

Would like to receive information on

• Feedback from Board of Management meetings.

• Fundraising

• The school building project  - progress and definite date

• Uniform - what is acceptable - tracksuit bottoms or school trousers etc.
  
• Uniform rules, especially for older classes who play a lot of sport during school

• School Tours

• Sometimes we are only made aware of school initiatives or events when they are over.
  

• More updates/notes as to how my child is coping with schoolwork/classwork.

• More feedback in homework diaries.

• Weakness noticed by teacher to be notified to parents while there is still time to address it.

• Curriculum development for children as they go on in school.

• When the kids need to bring gear or items to school.

• We would like to be informed when children are on outings and trips
  
• We are concerned that childrens' photos are posted on the net without consultation with parents.

• Ways we might help at home with internet/books, etc.

• General school policy on non-teaching activities such as class outings... (cont.)
  
•  This seemed to vary considerably from teacher to teacher over the past few years.

• Parents' Information

• Our thoughts on how our children should and should not be treated during school hours.