Update from Department of Education

Dear parents/guardians,

Please see the following update from the Department of Education in regards to the traditional end of year events.

Sixth class graduations/class celebrations
The final months of the academic year are a time of excitement and occasion for all children and in particular those children in sixth class, as they look forward with anticipation and celebration to the traditional rites of passage which generally include extra-curricular and co-curricular activities as well as ceremonies to mark the end of the school year.
While it will not be possible for schools to carry these out in the traditional format again this year, schools can continue to hold end of year graduation ceremonies for sixth class pupils and should maintain any such ceremonies within the existing pods and bubble structure. Schools will be in a position to hold this ceremony in the school and while there has been a further easing of restrictions, schools will not be in a position to facilitate the attendance of parents or other family members.

Sports Days

Sports days are an enjoyable part of the end of school term activities and help to form happy childhood memories of time spent in school. Schools can hold school sports days, without the attendance of parents or family members.
Schools must ensure that sport days and all sporting activities are in accordance with the school’s COVID-19 response plan with particular emphases on holding such activities within the existing pods and bubble structure.

Tours

While from 10 May the easing of public health restriction provides for travel between counties, schools are encouraged to minimise the use of buses for school tours this year, to keep it local and avoid long trips. Where buses are
involved in a school trip, it would be better to avoid whole year groups going on the same trip.
Decisions in relation to educational trips are a matter for each individual school authority and it is the responsibility of each school authority to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place while children are participating in school trips and that all such activities are in line with public health guidelines.

I appreciate that these Department updates are disappointing. As a staff, we will plan for these traditional events to happen in a Covid-19 friendly environment. We are planning our Sports Day with this in mind. A date will be communicated with you in due course. We are also planning our 6th Class Graduation with the various restrictions in mind. The date decided for the graduation is Monday June 21st. Again, we will be in touch with more details at a later stage.

As regards, school tours, the children in 6th class will have the opportunity to go on their traditional tour to Causey Farm. This is planned for Friday June 18th. Unfortunately it will not be possible to bring the children in the other classes on tour this year due to circumstances outside of our control.