Our next block of afterschool activities will run from Monday 13th April – Friday 22nd May

There will be no after-school activities week commencing 27th April. One-stop will run as usual this week.

Please book One-stop Club, Art, Tennis, Tri Heroes and Multi-skills via the Payments section on SchoolMoney.

Please note places are limited for these activities.

REMINDER:

Our last day of term is Thursday 2nd April; School will close at 12.00 noon for all pupils. Ther will be no hot break or dinners on this day and children are permitted to wear their own clothes.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is aware of the meningococcal disease outbreak recently reported in South East England. The UKHSA is leading the response to the outbreak and there is no increased risk to the population in Northern Ireland. However, this incident highlights that it is important for everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and the steps to take if they are concerned.

Meningococcal infection doesn’t spread very easily. The bacteria can only be passed to others after a long period of close contact, for example living with someone in shared accommodation or through prolonged kissing. While meningococcal disease can affect all ages, recent outbreaks have shown that older children, teenagers and young adults, particularly those in shared settings such as schools, colleges and universities, are more likely to be affected.

Meningococcal disease is uncommon but can become serious very quickly, particularly in teenagers and young adults. Early recognition of symptoms and prompt medical assessment are essential.

A range of resources are available to support awareness:

  • PHA press release: www.pha.site/MeningitisKent

  • Information on meningitis symptoms and vaccinations can be found on NI Direct: www.pha.site/meningitis-nidirect

  • The Meningitis Research Foundation has produced clear and accessible guidance for the public on signs and symptoms, and when to seek urgent medical advice: www.meningitis.org/about-meningitis/symptoms/young-adults/

  • Leaflets on MenACWY vaccine

     o Teenage immunisations for ages 14 to 18: www.pha.site/teenage-immunisations

     o Are you aged up to 25 years and starting university for the first time?: 

                                                                            www.pha.site/MenACWYstudentsguide

If someone is unwell and meningitis or septicaemia is a concern:

• Seek urgent medical advice (via GP, Out of Hours service, or Emergency Department as appropriate)

• Do not wait for all symptoms to appear or for a rash to develop

• In an emergency, call 999

Reminder: 

School is closed to pupils on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th March. Enjoy the long weekend. See you all on Wednesday 18th March.

As part of our celebrations in the lead-up to St Patrick’s Day, the children are warmly invited to wear something green to school this Friday.

We will be holding a special assembly dedicated to our Patron Saint, and pupils in P4–P7 will also enjoy a fun St Patrick’s Day quiz in the afternoon.

In support of Trócaire, we kindly ask for a voluntary donation of £1.00 per child.

This year our school is again participating in the Big Walk and Wheel, organised by the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, the UK’s largest inter-school cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting challenge. We are asking all children to take part in this challenge from Wednesday 18th March - Friday 27th March.

On each day of the challenge schools compete to see who can record the greatest number of pupils, staff and parents who walk, cycle, scoot or park and stride to school. A school’s best five days will determine their final position. We also have some great prizes to win in our school.

This is a fantastic opportunity for our school to continue working towards becoming more environmentally sustainable by reducing carbon emissions caused by traffic and is a positive step towards reducing car congestion around the school. It is also a healthy option for our pupils. We will also be using the challenge as a means of achieving our next Eco-Schools Green Flag award. We are looking forward to two great weeks of active school travel.

To celebrate the end of our Big Walk and Wheel Challenge we will hold a BIG BREAKFAST in the hall on Friday 27th March.