St. Oliver Plunkett N.S.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to our September newsletter. It’s been a wonderful start here at St. Oliver Plunkett N.S., with the classrooms full of energy, learning, and laughter once again. Our pupils have settled back brilliantly, and it’s great to see so much enthusiasm across all classes.

This newsletter gives just a snapshot of the many activities and learning experiences that have taken place over the past month.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and involvement in school life. We look forward to an exciting and productive term ahead!

Le gach dea-ghuí,

Ian Corbett

• Parents Association AGM: Monday, 6th October at 8pm
• Witches Walk: Thursday, 23rd October at 9.30am
• School Closed: Friday, October 24th (polling station)
• Halloween Mid-Term Break: Monday, 27th - Friday, 31st October
• School Closed: Thursday, 13th November (staff training on new Child Protection Guidelines)
• Parent-Teacher Meetings: Wednesday, 18th & Thursday 19th November

We encourage all families to stay connected and up to date with the latest school news and activities by following our school’s X account. It’s a great way to stay informed about upcoming events, achievements, and everything happening in our school community. Don’t miss out – follow us here!

Admissions for September 2026 are now open!

Parents and guardians who wish to apply for a place in St. Oliver Plunkett N.S. can find all relevant information and application forms on our school website under the “Enrolment” section.

We look forward to welcoming our new pupils and families to our school community next year!

On Sunday, 28th September, parishioners gathered to bid farewell to Fr. John, who has retired after 21 years of dedicated service to the Carbury Parish community.

Fr. John celebrated his final Mass in Derrinturn Church, followed by a lovely reception in Carbury GAA where parishioners, teachers and students from each of the three schools had the chance to thank him for his many years of kindness, leadership, and commitment to our parish and schools.

We join the wider parish community in expressing our sincere gratitude to Fr. John for his wonderful contribution over the years and we wish him every happiness and good health in his retirement.

The Department of Education has launched a new Primary Curriculum Framework for all primary schools in Ireland. This new framework sets out how teaching and learning will develop in the years ahead. Its main aim is to give children richer, more engaging learning experiences that support their wellbeing, development, and love of learning.

The new curriculum will be introduced gradually in all schools. To help teachers get ready, staff will take part in professional training over the coming months.

To allow for this training, the school will be closed on the following dates:

• Tuesday, 20th January 2026

• Tuesday, 21st April 2026

We appreciate your understanding and support as we prepare for these exciting changes, which will benefit all our pupils in the years ahead.

Further information for parents and guardians can be found HERE.

We were delighted to celebrate SNA Appreciation Day in our school this month. Our pupils and staff took the opportunity to say a big thank you to Trisha, our wonderful SNA, for all that she does each day.

Trisha’s kindness, patience, and care make such a difference to our school community. We are so grateful for the support she gives to our pupils and for the positivity she brings to every classroom she visits.

Thank you, Trisha, for everything you do!

You may have noticed the new “School Zone / Ceantar Scoile” markings painted on the road outside our school. These bright and bold markings are designed to remind motorists that they are entering a school area and to slow down and drive with extra care.

We would like to sincerely thank Cllr. Brendan Wyse and Mr. John Bryan for their help in bringing this project to completion. Their support has made a real difference in helping to improve safety for all children, parents, and staff at St. Oliver Plunkett N.S.

We were delighted to welcome back coaches from Broadford GAA Club to our school recently for a hurling/camogie taster session with each class.

The pupils had a fantastic time learning new skills, trying out drills, and enjoying a fun introduction to the sport.

A big thank you to Gareth and Kerry from Broadford GAA Club for giving their time so generously and for inspiring our pupils to get involved in hurling and camogie. We really appreciate their enthusiasm and support for promoting sport and activity in our school!

Well done to Amelia, Leah, Grace and Katie who represented St. Oliver Plunkett N.S. at the St. Mary’s Inter-Primary School Quiz in Edenderry last week. The event brought together teams from a number of local schools to test their general knowledge, teamwork, and quick thinking across a wide range of topics.

Our pupils did a fantastic job and showed great enthusiasm, cooperation, and school spirit throughout the evening. We are very proud of their effort and the way they represented our school so positively.

A big thank you to St. Mary’s Secondary School for organising such an enjoyable and well-run event; it was a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to challenge themselves and make new friends.

Our Junior and Senior Infants have been busy exploring the season of Autumn this month. They enjoyed going on a nature hunt around the school grounds, spotting colourful leaves, acorns, and other signs of the changing season.

In English, the children had lots of fun with the nursery rhyme “Humpty Dumpty.” During Art, they got creative and worked together to put Humpty back together again.

It’s been a month full of learning, laughter, and creativity for our youngest pupils.

This month, 1st and 2nd Class have been busy learning all about the theme of Transport in SESE. They explored how transport has changed over time and compared vehicles from the past with those we use today.

In English, the children wrote about their favourite vehicles, while in Art, they used recycled materials to design and build their own creative transport models.

For Numeracy, the class carried out a traffic tally, counting and recording the different types of vehicles passing the school.

It was a fun and hands-on topic that brought learning to life across many subjects!

It’s been a busy and exciting month in 3rd and 4th Class, with lots of hands-on learning and creativity!

The pupils celebrated Dot Day with some fantastic art pieces that encouraged creativity and self-expression. They also collected soil samples as part of a science investigation to see how soil and water mix.

As part of a fun STEM challenge, the class designed and tested paper planes, learning about forces and flight along the way. They even got outdoors to pick blackberries, linking their learning to the autumn season.

The class have also been enjoying hurling sessions and making great use of their new Maths boxes for interactive, hands-on numeracy work.

What a great start to the year for 3rd and 4th Class!

In 5th and 6th Class, pupils have been busy developing their explanation writing skills, with a special focus on learning how the President of Ireland is elected — a very timely topic as we head toward the next election!

The class has also been working on building a culture of reading. Everyone has chosen a “good fit” book and found a comfortable spot to enjoy during DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) time, helping to make reading a daily habit.

In Art, pupils explored depth and perspective, creating beautiful drawings of hayfields that disappear into the distance using a vanishing point. The results were fantastic!

It’s been a creative and inspiring month for our senior classes.