Scoil Cholmáin Tuairíní

September 2026:

Our new School Self-Evaluation (SSE) target is SEE -  Social & Environmental Education

At Scoil Cholmáin, we are committed to enriching learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum. As part of our current School Self-Evaluation (SSE) focus, we are targeting Social & Environmental Education (SEE), focusing on the history and geography of our local area and the wider world.

• Curriculum Alignment: This focus directly aligns with the Department of Education's redeveloped Primary Curriculum Framework, which reimagines History and Geography into an integrated, inquiry-based SEE curriculum.
• Hands-on Learning: Pupils will explore local heritage, environmental projects, and investigative skills that bring history and geography to life both inside and outside the classroom.

Watch this space as our pupils explore new projects, local history trails, and environmental initiatives throughout the year!

PREVIOUS TARGETS

2024-2026 - Music &  Wellbeing

WELLBEING:

We completed surveys with Pupils, Parents/Carers and Staff. Valuable  information was obtained across four key areas: 

• Culture and Environment 
• Curriculum and Teaching 
• Policy and Planning 
• Relationships and Partnerships 

The results lead to the development of the follow priorities / three key areas to focus on for action:

Key Area 1 - Policy and Planning  

Schools have appropriate wellbeing policies in place (for example Anti-Bullying Policy, Child  Protection Policy, Code of Positive Behaviour Policy, Dignity in the Workplace Policy, Critical  Incident Policy, Healthy Eating Policy) and are made available to staff, children and young  people, parents and relevant school community partners. 

Key Area 2 - Culture and Environment 

• The wellbeing of the whole school community is central to the school’s ethos and  school leaders and management actively promote wellbeing. 
• School leaders and management understand the link between physical activity and  wellbeing and facilitate physical activity and movement breaks within the school  environment. 
• The school environment is conducive to promoting healthy eating choices. Drinking  water is freely available and rewards other than food are used to motivate children and  young people. 

In the interest of strengthening the already respectful, working relationship we share  with one another, clarifying issues around communication pathways will be helpful.

• A Communication Policy will be drafted which outlines the various ways all  partners in education in Scoil Cholmáin, can communicate with one another.  This policy will be shared with all partners.  
• Healthy Eating Policy: A realistic, wellbeing focused and implementable guide is  required by all partners to clarify expectations and outcomes so work on this  policy will commence in the coming weeks. 

Key Area 3 - Curriculum and Teaching  

• Teachers use opportunities to promote wellbeing across the curriculum   

It is clear from all responses that the Arts, Physical Activity and Music are valued highly as educational experiences and wellbeing practices and that participation and exploration of  these curricular areas should continue to be at the core of the educational journey of pupils in  Scoil Cholmáin. 

To this end we aim to  

• Continue to offer a broad PE programme where outside coaches are attainable and  affordable  
• Explore more shared musical experiences and possibilities to enhance wellbeing  through singing and music 
• Continue to explore and collaborate on visual Arts projects in school and with outside  partners
• Keep playfulness and respect for all at the centre of our teaching and learning

MUSIC

• MUSIC

We aim to further develop our music curriculum.

• Children from Naíonáin Bheaga to Rang a Dó will continue to have weekly lessons with Alyson and complete the Colourstrings music programme.
• Children from Rang a Trí - Rang a Sé will continue to learn to play a musical instrument (the ukulele) with John.
• Record a song as a whole school incorporating musical instruments, dancing / choreography and singing.
• A renewed focus on song singing and whole school performances. 
• Creation of a bank of songs that all children in the school will be able to sing (a mixture of Irish, English and Religious songs).
• An end of year concert on the Astro to play and sing our repertoire of songs. 

2022 – 2024 CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)

CLIL involves teaching another curriculum subject, or aspects of another subject through a second language which is not that of the learner’s mother tongue. Scoil Cholmáin will implemented CLIL by teaching P.E through Irish. 

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has been defined as a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language (Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010, p. 1). It involves teaching another curriculum subject, or aspects of another subject through a second language, not that of the learner’s mother tongue (Irish in this instance). CLIL is recognised as a successful approach to language teaching and learning in Europe and internationally. Irish primary schools are a particularly favourable context for using CLIL as all primary teachers teach Irish.

Research evidence shows that language learning is more effective when it is combined with content learning in another subject other than the language being learned. CLIL has been shown to improve students’ language proficiency, without negatively impacting on the development of either the students’ first language, or their performance in the subject area being taught. CLIL enables learners to encounter language in context and to use it for authentic communication. The emphasis in CLIL is on learning the content of the subject and not on grammatical accuracy in the target language. CLIL views language as the vehicle for learning. 

We look forward to seeing the results across our school.