Our School

Scoil Naomh Iosaf, Baltinglass, while  in existence in its own entity since 1996, has evolved from the previous existing national schools with a long tradition in providing a quality education to the children of Baltinglass – St. Josephs Girls’ National School and St. Pius X Boys’ National School.

Scoil Naomh Iosaf is a coeducational mainstream primary school catering for the pupils in the general catchment area of the town and surrounds of Baltinglass. Situated in Parmore, Baltinglass (on the R747 towards Kiltegan), it comprises of a modern school building, including a large school hall as well as having spacious external environment including extensive hard-courts and green field playing areas.

Teaching Staff

The school has a staff of twenty teachers and one part time teacher – fourteen teachers serve fourteen mainstream classes from Junior Infants to Sixth class inclusive. The Learning Support teachers, resource teachers, part time resource/English language teacher and an Administrative Principal complete the teaching staff members.

Ancillary Staff

The School has the services of Special Needs Assistants while the Board of Management (BOM) employs a fulltime school secretary, two school cleaners, caretaker as well as seasonal employees to cater for and maintain the school grounds and building.

School Activities

The School organises a wide variety of activities each year including  swimming, cross-country, sports day, GAA coaching and the organising of school teams, inter school matches in football, indoor hurling and Basketball. Other events include  chess, Rainbows group meetings, quizzes and quiz teams, school concert, school Christmas shows, school choir, school educational tours, trips to local park, fire-station and library visits, news letters, parent teacher meetings, paired/shared reading, reading buddies, book fair, community games activities, art competitions etc. The senior pupils  organise an annual ‘Bring and Buy’ sale for a local charity. Parish meetings relating to First Communion and Confirmation are facilitated. An induction morning is held annually  for new pupils as well as a meeting for parents of new school pupils. The school facilitates in the provision of Speech and Drama classes and Traditional Irish instrumental music classes. Staff members facilitate the provision of  Summer and Easter camps for some its pupils. The school is also part of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

School Facilities

Scoil Naomh Iosaf is an ultra modern school with extensive playing areas for the children as well as having a large school hall extended at the school building stage. Over the past years the school’s BOM has acquired a large area of land allowing the school to extend its hard court areas as well as developing the acquired land into a large playing area. Playing areas are sub divided so that each class has its own area while the junior children (Junior Infants – First Class) have a separated playing areas away from the older pupils. The hard surface play areas are provided with playground markings. All the classrooms of the school have modern facilities including library corners, hand basins, carpet and wet areas, laptops etc. Almost all the classrooms have adjoining toilets and all class areas have  interactive white boards. The pupils also have access to iPads for educational purposes.  For security reasons, access to the building is controlled by a door buzzer system.

Our School Aims

Scoil Naomh Iosaf aims to:

1. Present our pupils with a carefully planned and co-ordinated curriculum that ensures sufficient opportunity for each student to acquire essential knowledge and skills, takes account of individual pupil needs, and meets the requirements of the Primary Curriculum.

2. Promote the academic, spiritual, emotional, physical, social, aesthetic and cultural development of the children in our care.

3. Encourage and develop personal qualities such as a sense of fairness, independence, self-esteem, self-respect and respect for others, and to help children learn and understand that courtesy, good manners and consideration for others are very important qualities.

4. Provide opportunities for success so that each child may enjoy a sense of achievement.

5. Nurture and sustain a happy, caring and secure learning environment for both children and staff.

6. Provide a range of learning experiences and opportunities to encourage pupils to reach their true potential.

7. Encourage children to enjoy themselves within acceptable social limits, to respect all reasonable authority and to respect themselves and others.

8. Co-operate with parents, involve them in various aspects of school life, and inform them of current educational practice so that home and school may work together for the maximum benefit of the child.

9. Promote liaison between the school and the local community.

10. Help children appreciate and respect their immediate and wider environment.

11. Develop a school community, which affords equal value to all its members, is seen to be just, and encourages mutual respect, honesty and concern for others.

12. Encourage the staff to further their own talents and expertise through professional development (both in-house and external) in the light of the foregoing aims and the curriculum and organisational needs of the school.