About Us
Winners of The Floral Pride Schools Competition under 60 pupils category 2014 .
Diffreen National School
Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim
Telephone 071 9855944
Roll No. 171250
Parish: Cloonclare-Killasnett.
Diocese: Kilmore.
Patron : Bishop Leo O’Reilly.
History
Diffreen National School opened on April 24th 1939 to replace two existing schools,
Diffreen N.S.( Roll No 6680 opened 1870) and Glasdrumman N.S. (Roll No.6064,opened 1882).
On July 2nd, 1973 pupils and teachers were transferred to Diffreen N.S. from Glencar N.S.
(Roll No.13345, opened 1887) which closed.
The Board of Management
The Board is managed by an eight member Board of Management consisting of
(i) Two direct nominees of the Patron.
(ii) Two parents of children enrolled in the school.
(iii) The Principal Teacher.
(iv) One other teacher on the staff.
(v) Two extra members proposed by nominees (i). The term of office of a particular Board is three years.
Board meetings are held at the discretion of the Chairperson.
The Chairperson of the Board is Rev.Fr.Tom Mannion.
Members of Board of Management
C
Chairperson: Fr. Seán Maguire
Parents’ Representatives : Deirdre Malone
Cormac Gilligan
Teachers’Representative: Denise Gallagher
Partons' Nominees: Vincent Devaney
Principal: Laura Tully-Nicholson.
Community Nominees: Brian Rooney
Mary Kerrigan
Staff
Junior Infants
Senior Infants Denise Gallagher
Rang i
Rang ii
Rang iii
Rang iv Laura Tully- Nicholson
Rang v
Rang vi
Ancillary Staff
Cleaner: Joan Kerrigan
Times of Assembly, Dismissal, Break and Lunch Period
9.20am. Doors Open
Teachers in School
9.30am. Class Begins.
11.00am-11.10am Break.
12.30pm.-1.00pm. Lunch.
2.00pm. Infants go home.
3.00pm.All children dismissed.
Vision Statement for Diffreen National School
Our school exists to promote the balanced growth and development of each pupil.
..We see education as going beyond a grounding in the basics to include programmes which actively
nurture the moral, emotional, spiritual, aesthetic and creative faculties of each child.
Our school is committed to an holistic approach to education. We recognise the uniqueness of each child
in our care and we strive to develop his/her full potential, in a nurturing and mutually respectful
atmosphere.To this end, we work in partnership with parents and the wider community.
Diffreen National School – Objectives of Our School.
The Objectives of our school are divided into three main categories
(1) Moral
(2) Social
(3) Curricular
Moral
To help each child realise that he/she is chosen and loved by God – called to become the best person
that he/she can be. We are a Catholic School and part of our duty is to impart a good knowledge of the
Catholic Faith to the pupils in our care.
Social
To create in the school an atmosphere where each child is helped and encouraged to grow in appreciation
of himself/herself as a unique person, with a definite contribution to make to his/her own class and to
the school.That the child should be beginning to acquire a set of moral values: Honesty, Responsibility,
Kindness,Respect for himself/herself and others.That teachers and children regard the school as a
place where they are happy and in which they enjoy working.
Curricular
While we attend to the basic 3R’s our aim is that all children will be capable of functioning on their own,
having mastered the literacy and numeracy skills.To equip the children to avail of further education so
that they may go on to live a full life as an adult in society.
Aims of the Curriculum
(a) Gaeilge
(1) Líofacht cainte a chothú ins na daltaí.Déantar seo trí na ceachtanna chómhra agus trí usaid na Gaeilge
mar theanga caidrimh.Déantar gach iarracht mar sin géaréisteacht a chothú ins na daltaí.
(2) Oilíunt choir a chin ar na daltaí Gaeilge a léamh agus a thuiscint agus é a scríobh.
(b) English
(1) To develop the child’s ability to listen to and understand the spoken word.
(2) To develop the child’s own oral capability.
(3) To equip the child to read, understand and appreciate written material and to communicate effectively
in written form.
(c) Mathematics
(1) To awaken the child’s interest in mathematics
(2) To lead the child to discover the basic structure and content of mathematics.
(3) To lead the child to a realistic level of computational skills.
(4) To lay the foundation for post primary mathematics.
(d) History
(1) To lead the child to a realisation that the world of today derives from the world of the past, and
that proper understanding of today’s events requires knowledge of the past.
(2) To lead the child to discover the contributions to civilisation of various peoples and times, leading
to a more intensive study of Ireland’s past.
(e) Geography
(1) To guide the child to a knowledge of and interest in the geography of the world through exploring in
ever widening circles the geography of the locality, the county, the country and the planet.
(f) Environmental Study-incorporating health education and nature study.
(1) To enable the child to differentiate between his/her experiences, to organise his/her knowledge and to
form a satisfactory concept of the environment.
(2) To cultivate a humane attitude towards living things and to view nature as a work of God.
(3) Children are encouraged to recognise themselves as unique and of special worth.
To lead the child to understand that they are responsible for their health and development.
(g) Art and Craft
(1) To provide outlets for the child’s natural creative and artistic ability.
(2) To develop the child’s appreciation of design, colour, pattern and texture.
(3) To foster imagination, observation and hand-and-eye skills.
(4) To develop confidence.
(5) To aid muscular development.
(6) To integrate Art and Craft with every aspect of the curriculum e.g. Religion, History and
project work etc.
(h) Music
(1) To cultivate the interest of the child in music and song, and to afford opportunities for him/her to
participate in music-making, both oral and instrumental.
(i) Physical Education
(1) To help the child develop an interest in physical education as a leisure time activity.
(2) That the programme would stimulate interest in games.
(3) Through physical education the child would develop good health and hygiene habits and promote
the organic well-being of the child.
(4) To give joy and satisfaction to the child whether he performs alone or in a group.
(5) Physical Education in Diffreen National School is weather dependent.
Health & Safety
Supervision
The children are supervised during normal school hours, therefore , we inform parents at the beginning
of the school year that:
(1) There will be no supervision in school or school grounds before 9.20am. or after 3pm.
(2) Children who may be unwell may not stay indoors at break-times.
(3) Children may never leave the school between 9.20am. and 3pm. without the permission of the Principal.
(4) Should it be necessary for a pupil to leave school early for any reason, parents should request this
in writing.Otherwise the child will not be allowed out of school unless collected by parent.
(5) In the event of a teacher being absent the teacher on duty will decide how best to supervise the
pupils in both divisions.
(6) To ensure that children are supervised at break-times, both teachers will be on duty.
(7) Children are designated particular areas in which to play. This is explained to them by the class teacher.
(8) Rules for play must be adhered to as stated in School Rules.
School Boundaries:
The gates to the front of the school and the rear of the school mark the school boundaries.
While the school has responsibility for the children in the school grounds during school hours
9.20am.-2.00pm.Infants 9.20am.-3.00pm.Other Classes,
the school has not responsibility for children outside the school boundaries.
Policy re School Accidents:
The details of all serious accidents in the school or in the school grounds are recorded in the
Accident Report Copy.
· If it is a routine fall/minor accident the teachers on duty look after the child.
· First Aid kit is in the hall way
· Parents are contacted, and if there is a reply, arrangements are made for the child to be collected. If parents have
no transport, the school takes the child home.
· School gets permission from parents to take the child to hospital if necessary.
· In case of serious injury, the child should not be moved until the extent of the injury is determined, and provision
is made to move the child without adding to the injury.
· If a sudden emergency should arise, the child must be taken to the hospital as soon as possible.
To send for an ambulance, dial 999.
· Be sure that the person accompanying the child to the hospital has:
(a) Child’s Name
(b) Age
(c) Address
(d) Telephone number (if any)
If you can’t get in touch with parents, the Gardaí will contact them for you.
If a child has to be taken to hospital or hospitalised, an Accident Claim Form for Allianz Corporate Ireland.
Home /School Relationships-Parents
We appreciate the indispensable role of parents in education of their children and
value their co-operation. To promote good home/school links, parental co-operation
and support, and to inform parents about arrangements for educating children in our care we:
(1) Invite parents and children to visit the school before the child is enrolled.
(2) Invite parents once a year to meet the class teacher to receive a report and discuss their child’s progress.
This takes place in the first term. A time is allocated for each parent.
(3) Encourage parents who wish to enquire about any matter concerning their child to contact the school and
arrange an appointment during the school year.
(4) Involving parents in their children’s religious education in class and school liturgies and especially
in preparation of their children for Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
and of Confirmation.
(5) Other opportunities for Parents/Teacher contact are
a) Fundraising
b) Concerts
c) Sports Day
d) School Football matches
e) School Tours
(6) Information is also provided through letters, information sheets and circulars.
Representatives
Fund-raisers or representatives of commercial firms will not as a general rule be permitted access to the school
or its pupils.Only in the event of very cogent reasons being advanced will exceptions to this rule be permitted.
Travelling entertainers will only be allowed to perform in the school if the Principal is satisfied that
the performance is of educational value.School photographers will be permitted to visit the school at
reasonable intervals as a service to the pupils and their parents.
