Paradise Place ETNS Newsletter
7 September 2025
Dear parents, carers, staff and friends,
Welcome back!
We are delighted to see all of the children back at school and a very special welcome to our new Junior Infant children and families and the children who have joined classes across the school. We hope you have all enjoyed your first week with us.
Welcome to our new staff too - Andreea and Marianne who have joined the team this year.
Meet the Teacher
We will host our annual 'Meet the Teacher' events on the week beginning 15th September. See the image below for timings for your child's class.
Industrial Action - Strike Action over
I am pleased to let you know that the strike action has finished and our school secretary Liz and our caretaker Colm will be back at school this week. Thank you for your support of them both over the last week or so - I know the appreciated all the kind words and gestures.
The strike action was taken against the Government by Fórsa union members (secretaries and caretakers) nationwide to seek the same pension and leave rights as other school staff. We would still encourage all parents/carers to sign the support pledge if you haven't already. The link is in the picture below.
Our school expectations
Every class has a 'Morning Circle' at the start of each day. It is important that your child arrives at school on time so they do not miss this important time.
In our classes this week, we are talking about our three expectations for children at school - Ready, Respectful, Safe. You can talk about them together at home too.
Ready - this means being ready for school and arriving on time. It means showing the adults that you are ready for learning by listening carefully and having everything you need for your learning (books, pencils, colours) ready when your teacher asks.
Respectful - this means showing respect to other children and all of the adults at school. It means speaking kindly, using polite language, showing good manners and sharing with your friends.
Safe - this means taking care to use your body sensibly and keep your hands and feet to yourself. It means staying where an adult can see you, walking sensibly in your line and on the stairs and letting someone know if you see or hear something that is unsafe.
Free public transport for 0-8 year olds
Click on the picture below to register your 5-8 year old for a free Leap card. This gives them free public transport on buses, trains and Luas.
You’ll need to upload:
- The parent or guardian’s passport, driving licence, learner permit, or National ID card
- The child’s birth certificate or passport
Attendance at school
All the research tells us that coming to school every day is so important for children's learning and for their social connections and relationships at school. Please do all you can to ensure your child is at school every day. And at school on time gets bonus points! Be on the line at ten to nine :)
We want to improve our school attendance and are aiming for 95%+ which takes into account a 'usual' amount of childhood illness and means that children shouldn't miss more than 8 days of school across the year from September to June.
We've had a great start this week and a special well done to Andy's 4th Class with an exceptional 100% and to Sean's 4th Class with 97.6% and Andreea's Class with 96.3%. Brilliant!
Payment for resources
Thank you to the families who have already made a €20 contribution to fund art and craft materials, photocopying and other school resources so that we can be sure we have everything the children need in their classrooms. You can make this payment online via the Aladdin app. We appreciate your support.
Secondary School Transfer
Thank you to all the parents/carers of children in 6th Class who joined us this morning to meet with representatives from our local secondary schools. We hope you found it helpful. Secondary schools will be having their open days over the coming month and we will share details with you as we get them. You will find more information on school websites and we encourage you to visit the different schools to get a feel for what you and your child would like.
Applications will open on 1st October in most schools and most have a closing date at the end of the month - so you need to make sure you get your application submitted in good time. As always, we are here to help. Kate, our Home-School-Community Liaison Teacher (HSCL) will check in with you over the next few weeks to make sure you know how everything works.
The Ark - Children's Council - would your child like to join?
The Ark are looking for children to join their Children's Council. This is a great opportunity for children in 4th or 5th Class - click the link below to find out more.
Dates for your Diary
Week of 15th Sept - Meet the Teacher meetings - check above for days/times
Friday, 24th October - School Closed - Polling Station for Presidential Election
27th - 31st October - School Closed - Mid-Term Break
25th and 26th November - Parent-Teacher Meetings
1st December - Staff Training, Child Protection - School Closure Day
19th December - school clsoes at 12 noon for two-week holiday.
Contact us
Email: office@ppetns.ie
Website: www.ppetns.ie
Location: Paradise Place, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, Ireland
Phone: +353 1 8300 841
Twitter: @ppetns
