About
St. Joseph's N.S. Tullamore
St Joseph’s N.S. is a co-educational, Catholic junior primary school. It moved to its present site in Arden View, Tullamore in 1980. Prior to this St Joseph’s N.S was situated at Convent Road, now St Philomena’s N.S.
The school was refurbished in 2004 and four new rooms were added in 2008. A second extension was completed in 2016. At present, we have over 400 children attending our school. We have two classes catering for children with special needs, a Speech/Language class and twenty mainstream classes for children from Junior Infants to Second Class.
Everyday at St Joseph’s N.S. is like a blessing with the active students and talented staff members around.
Ms. Bridget Clear — Principal
St. Joseph's N.S. at a Glance
Vision Statement
Our school cherishes all pupils equally and to aid them in achieving their true potential we endeavour to:
- Offer a happy and positive experience of school that fosters a sense of uniqueness and self-esteem whilst maintaining a sense of fun and play.
- Promote a good attitude to and respect for peers and teachers and a sense of inclusion in the school community where parents already play an integral role.
- Encourage each child to develop to their full potential in all curricular areas and to be motivated in their learning.
- Instill a nurturing sense of awe, wonder and beauty and so lead our pupils to God.
- Demonstrate a commitment to promoting a healthy attitude towards physical development through exercise and diet.
- Value the diversity of our culture and environment and build a sense of citizenship where pupils have a sense of tolerance, responsibility and an awareness of their own rights and the rights of others.
Curriculum
Our school adheres to the Revised Primary School Curriculum introduced by the Department of Education and Science in 1999, complemented by the Religious Education Programme recommended by the Catholic Church for primary schools.
Curriculum Areas
We offer a comprehensive range of subjects designed to foster well-rounded development in our students:
Religious Education
Grow In Love ProgrammeLanguage
Gaeilge and EnglishMathematics
Social, Environmental, and Scientific Education (SESE)
History, Geography & ScienceArts Education
Visual Arts, Music & DramaPhysical Education
Social, Personal, and Health Education (SPHE)
Enrichment Activities
Beyond the core curriculum, our school offers a variety of extracurricular activities that further enhance the educational experience of our pupils.
Uniform
Our Parents’ Association introduced our current uniform in September 1993, and it has been a beloved choice ever since. In February 2014, we conducted a survey to gather parents’ opinions on the uniform. We are grateful for the overwhelming response and are pleased to share the results.
Survey Highlights
- Support for the Uniform: Out of 219 responses, 210 were in favor of the uniform.
- School Colors: 84% of respondents preferred the uniform in our school colors.
- Overall Satisfaction: 82% are happy with the uniform as it is.
- Logo Preference: 91% like having the “St. Joseph’s” name sewn on the jumper/cardigan.
- Girls’ Pinafore: 85% are in favor of the girls’ pinafore.
- P.E. Attire: Only 6% would prefer a branded track-suit bottom for P.E.
We take pride in how smart and colourful our students look in their uniforms, often receiving compliments during school tours.
Uniform Guidelines
Boys Wear:
- Tie
- White polo shirt or white shirt
- Jumper
- Trousers
Girls Wear:
- Tie
- White polo shirt or blouse
- Cardigan
- Pinafore
On P.E. days, children may wear a plain navy track-suit bottom with the blue jumper or cardigan.
Uniform Suppliers:
Darú Uniforms, Cloncollig, Tullamore.
The Drapery Shop, Patrick St., Tullamore.
Important Reminders
- Please ensure your child wears their uniform every day.
- Clearly mark your child’s name on all clothing items. Name tapes are available for sewing or ironing onto clothes.
- The school is not responsible for lost property.
- We gladly accept uniform donations in good condition throughout the year. Boys’ jumpers and navy trousers are especially in demand, particularly during the muddy season!
The School Day
School begins at 9.10 a.m. and finishes at 1.50 p.m. for Junior and Senior Infants and 2.50 p.m. for 1st and 2nd classes.
Breaks are now staggered to avoid too many children on the yard at the same time. Before morning break, children have a small snack.- Lunch is eaten before the lunch break.
Student Council
All the pupils in St Joseph’s play an important role in helping our school to organise fun learning activities and games.
Our Student Council works hard to spread the good news of what is happening in each class to the whole school and they have lots of ideas to help make learning fun for all children.
Parents’ Association
Our Parents’ Association organizes many events during the course of the school year.
Please check our X @StJosephsArden (twitter) page of events happening in our school. The Parents’ Association AGM is held in October each year.
