Gorey Educate Together National School

The school’s Enrolment Policy and Code of Behaviour are listed on our homepage.  Other policies are detailed below, as follows:  Administration of Medicines, Attendance, Use of Mobile Phones and Personal Technology, Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) policy.

The Administration of Medicines in Gorey Educate Together

While the Board of Management has a duty to safeguard the health and safety of pupils when they are engaged in authorised school activities, this does not imply a duty upon staff to personally undertake the administration of medicines.

The Board of Management requests parents to ensure that teachers be made aware in writing of any medical condition suffered by any pupil in their class.

• Non-prescriptive medicines will neither be stored nor administered to pupils in school.

• Prescribed medicines will not be administered in school without the written consent of parents and the specific authorisation of the Board of Management. Staff should not administer medication without the specific authorisation of the Board. The Board’s authorisation is subject to the agreement of the relevant member(s) of staff.

• Prescribed medicines should be self-administered if possible, under the supervision of an authorised adult.

• The prescribed medicine should not be kept by the pupil, but in a designated cupboard/drawer out of reach of pupils. (However, certain medicines, such as inhalers used by children with asthma, must be readily accessible at all times of the school day.)

• Parents of a pupil requiring prescribed medication during school hours should write to the Board authorising a member(s) of staff to supervise the self-administration of the medicine and/or, administer the medication to the pupil.

• Written details are required from the parent/guardian to the Board of Management giving the name of the child, name and dose of medication; whether the child should be responsible for his/her own medication; the circumstances in which medication is to be given by the teacher and consent for it to be given; when the parent is to be notified and where s/he can be contacted. It is the parent’s responsibility to check each morning whether or not the authorised member(s) of staff is in school. It is the parent’s responsibility to make arrangements with the authorised staff for carrying the medication each day the child is involved in out-of-school activities (swimming, trips, etc.)

• Where children are suffering from life-threatening conditions, parents should outline clearly in writing, what can and can’t be done in a particular emergency situation, with particular reference to what may be a risk to the child.

• In emergency situations qualified medical assistance will be secured at the earliest opportunity

• Parents are further required to indemnify the Board of Management and authorised members of staff in respect of any liability that may arise regarding the administration of prescribed medicines in school. The Board of Management will inform the school’s insurers accordingly.

• Where possible, the family doctor should arrange for the administration of prescribed medicines outside of school hours.

• Where permission has been given by the Board of Management for the administration of medicine the smallest possible dose should be brought to school, preferably by the parent, with clear written instructions for administration, giving the name of the pupil.

• Changes in prescribed medication (or dosage) should be notified immediately to the school with clear written instructions of the procedure to be followed in storing and administering the new medication.

• Requests for the administration of medication should be renewed at the beginning of each school year.

Parents should ensure that these procedures are clearly understood before submitting any request to the Board of Management

This policy will be reviewed as and when necessary.

Board of Management of Gorey Educate Together National School September, 2007.

Attendance at Gorey Educate Together National School

The Board of Management encourages punctuality and regular school attendance. 

Gorey Educate Together NS opens at 8.50am and roll call takes place shortly after 9.00am.  In accordance with the Rules for National Schools, if a child is not in the room when their name is called they must be marked absent.  Absent marks in the school rolls must not be altered in any circumstance.

The Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 requires the school to notify the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) if a pupil is marked absent on the roll for 20 or more days in a school year, or if it is otherwise concerned about a child’s attendance.

Parents are asked to write notifying the teacher of the reason for a child’s absence within three days of the child’s return to school. The teacher will note the reason for the absence.

The Deputy Principal (in consultation with the classteachers) will attempt to identify pupils who are at risk of developing school attendance problems.  Appropriate contact will take place between the school and the parents/guardians of these children.  The Principal or Deputy Principal may inform parents orally or by letter of her/his concerns about the child’s attendance, and seek to meet to discuss the matter.  Where the Principal decides to inform the NEWB of his/her concerns he/she will also notify the parents/guardians of this by letter.

Late arrival, after 8.50am, is very much a related issue.  The school will continue to encourage parents/guardians to get their child/children to the school on time.  As above, appropriate contact will take place between the school and parents/guardians on this matter.

To comply with Section 20 of the Education (Welfare) Act, the school shares information with other National and Second Level schools on transferring pupils.

Board of Management, Gorey Educate Together NS September 2007

Use of Mobile Telephones and other (Personal) Technology in School

The possession and use of mobile phones by school pupils is now extensive, even in the primary school sector.  Use of mobile phones (particularly with the advent of increasingly sophisticated equipment and camera phones) presents a number of problems, including:

• (i) Mobile phones can be valuable items and might render a pupil vulnerable to theft;

• (ii) Mobile phones (and their cost and level of sophistication - or otherwise) can make pupils objects of envy or disparagement and could have implications with regard to discipline and potential bullying;

• (iii) Even when apparently silent, the use of mobiles phones for texting purposes could be potentially undermining of classroom discipline;

• (iv) Use of the newer phones with integrated cameras could lead to child protection and data protection issues with regard to inappropriate capture, use or distribution of images; and,

• (v) Many of the above issues also pertain to I-pods, Game Boys, PSPs, etc. They can be very intrusive, distracting and anti-social in a school environment.

The school’s Board of Management accepts that it is not realistic to have a policy which prohibits pupils from taking phones to school. Not only would it be impractical to forbid pupils from carrying them (when the latest phones are so slim that they could be hidden easily), but it is believed that a number of parents would be concerned for health and safety reasons if their child were not allowed to carry a phone at all (and might therefore be unable to contact their parents in respect of any situation that might arise.)

However, it is the Board’s policy to prohibit the unauthorised use by pupils of mobile phones while on school premises, grounds or off site activities e.g. school swimming, as follows:

1. The Board discourages (and asks all parents to discourage) pupils from bringing mobile phones to schools on the grounds that they are valuable and may be lost or stolen.

2. Where a pupil does bring a mobile phone to school, the phone must remain switched off during the school day and may not be used, for any purpose, on school premises, grounds or during off-site school activities (such as school swimming or sports activities.) The only exception to this would be in an emergency or with the express approval of a member of the teaching staff.

3. Similarly, the use of electronic games, personal stereos, etc is not permitted during the school day (including arrival, class time, breaks and dismissal.) 

4. Where a pupil is found by a member of staff to be using a mobile phone or other electronic device, as above, for any purpose, the phone will be confiscated from the pupil and returned only to the parent, guardian or carer. Staff members will attempt to keep the device in a safe place - however, the school will not be liable for the replacement of lost, stolen or damaged devices.

5. The school incorporates this policy into the Code of Behaviour and will treat breaches as they would treat any other breach of the Code.

6. The school will include a statement on this policy in the School Information Handbook, which is issued annually to parents.

Board of Management, Gorey Educate Together NS April 2007

Relationships & Sexuality Education Policy

Please note that some explanatory tables are not included in this web version: the complete RSE policy is available from the school office. 

This policy is set out in accordance with the Department of Education and Science requirement for National Schools to provide a broad Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE) programme, of which Relationships & Sexuality Education (RSE) is an integral part.

The policy document was drafted by an RSE Policy Committee (2 parents, 2 teachers, 2 Board of Management members) during the spring term, 2008.  Comments and suggestions on the draft from the wider parent and staff community were encouraged during the summer and autumn terms 2008.  The Board of Management of Gorey Educate Together National School considered all of the above, before revising and ratifying this document as school policy at their February 2009 meeting. Implementation will commence during the autumn term 2009.

The Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum

This school delivers the SPHE curriculum in accordance with Department of Education and Science guidelines. 

The SPHE curriculum is structured in such a way as to treat the social, personal and health dimensions of a child’s life in an integrated manner. It provides for the development of a broad range of values, attitudes, skills and understanding relevant to the child’s health and well-being, to other people and to the society in which s/he lives. This foundation will inform the child’s actions, behaviour and decisions in the many situations that s/he may encounter and have to deal with as part of everyday life and living. 

The 3 strands of the SPHE curriculum are: Myself, Myself and Others, and Myself and the Wider World.

The content outlined in the SPHE curriculum is implemented in this school through a combination of formal and informal approaches: formally through discrete SPHE time designated on school timetables (including Stay Safe, RSE, and (from 2009) Walk Tall lessons) and informally through the everyday happenings in the school.

Relationship to the Ethos of this School

SPHE permeates all aspects of school life, and its development and implementation are significantly influenced by our multidenominational, child-centred, democratically run and coeducational ethos.

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

RSE is the part of the SPHE curriculum that provides children with structured opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes, values, beliefs and practical skills necessary to establish and sustain healthy personal relationships as children and, subsequently, as adults.

RSE is a spiral programme from junior infants to sixth class, building-on and returning to similar topics each year to suit the age of the children. 

It is school policy to teach to nine RSE themes each year, as detailed in Resource Materials for RSE (inspection copy available from the school office and the school’s Parent-Teacher Association secretary.)

The teaching approaches used will include: classroom discussion, group-work, games, art activities, using stories and poems, class round/circle time, quiet time, a visitor to the classroom, video, educational drama and debate.

For more detail see ‘Resource Materials for RSE’  (inspection copy available from the school office and the PTA secretary) or visit www.ecdrumcondra.ie/programmes to view the ‘Going Forward Together’ information booklet.

Possible sensitive issues

Many aspects of RSE are common to other school programmes.  For example, ‘the family’ might be central to oral language work in English or Gaeilge, or a life-story project in history.

The RSE programme also includes a number of possible sensitive issues, listed below.  It is school policy to deal with these issues through structured  lessons, as naturally as possible and without undue emphasis.  Listing the issues here, along with the classes in which they are first taught, enables parents to prepare their children in advance for a particular topic, if they so wish (see section on parents/guardians as primary educators.)

Lesson Title	Class	Topic or Language
Caring for New Life	Senior Infants	Language: baby in womb for 9 months, breast-feeding.
My Body	Senior Infants	Language used: penis, vagina.
How My Body Works	First Class	Language: urine passes through the penis in boys and the urethra in girls.
The Wonder of New Life	Second Class	Language: baby leaves its mother’s  womb through thevagina.
Preparing for New Life	Third Class	Language: umbilical cord, navel.
My Family	Third Class	Language: gay, lesbian,           heterosexual, homosexual.
The Wonder of New Life	Fourth Class	Topic: the developing foetus.
Growing and Changing	Fourth Class	Topics: physical/emotional changes in puberty. Menstruation (taught to fourth class girls only.)
My Body Grows and Changes	Fifth Class	Topics: puberty (revised,)       menstruation (taught to boys and girls,) reproduction.
The Wonder of New Life	Fifth Class	Topic: reproduction.
Relationships and New Life	Sixth Class	Topics: sexual intercourse in the context of a committed, loving   relationship; reproduction.

Topics such as sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, masturbation and abortion and are not covered in the primary school RSE programme.

This school’s RSE policy acknowledges different relationship types, as follows:

When preparing for and delivering the RSE Themes This is My Family (Junior and Senior Infants,) My Family (First-Fifth Classes) and Families (Sixth Class) the teachers will take the different family patterns represented within the classroom into account.  The family situations that particular children may choose to share with their class (such as: father, mother and child; foster parents and child;  father, grandparents and child; mother and child; father, father and child; mother, boyfriend and child; etc.) will be included in the lesson activities as naturally as possible and without undue emphasis.

Some children use the word ‘gay‘ from a young age.  The use of the word ‘gay’ in school will be addressed by staff, as follows.  Infants - Second class: Redirect the child in a natural way, without undue emphasis.  Refer the child with questions regarding the term to his/her parents.  Third - Sixth class:  The staff member may offer a brief interpretation of the term, as follows:  ‘Sometimes two men or two women make a life together.  They love and care for one another.’  This interpretation would be presented as naturally as possible and without undue emphasis.  The vocabulary ‘gay,’ ‘lesbian,’ heterosexual,’ and ‘homosexual,’ may also be used.  Refer the child with further questions regarding homosexuality to his/her parents.  Use of the term ‘gay’ as a slur (or in any inappropriate context) will be challenged by staff.  We promote a school environment that is safe, effective, positive and respectful - Ref: Code of Behaviour.

Parents/guardians as the primary educators of their children

Informal education for RSE begins from the moment the child is born.  Everything a parent does as they interact with the child gives messages about human relationships in the broadest sense. For example, how the parent smiles at, talks to, cuddles and bathes the baby; how they dress and toilet-train the toddler; how they talk to the child about his or her body and how it works; how they encourage and answer questions; how family members get on with one another - all these colour children’s attitudes  towards themselves, towards others and towards the wider world.

Gorey Educate Together NS supports and complements the rights and responsibilities of parents in its approach to the teaching of RSE:

¨ this policy document is provided to parents/guardians when their child joins the school.  It lets them know what RSE is about and where they can find further information.

¨ this document provides an outline of the RSE lessons and when they are taught, enabling parents to prepare their children in advance for a particular topic, if they so wish.

¨ the classteachers provide copies of specific ‘Home-School Links’ letters to parents in advance of the teaching of the lessons listed on the previous page of this document.

¨ the school makes inspection copies of RSE lesson materials available to parents through the main office and the PTA secretary.  Parents are encouraged to engage with their children on the content of all of the RSE lessons.

¨ the school informs parents about RSE Information Evenings, (hosted annually by the Co Wexford Education Centre, Milehouse Road, Enniscorthy.)

¨ the school honours the right of parents/guardians to withdraw their child from specific RSE lessons.  It is the responsibility of the parent to inform the principal in writing of this decision.  Such a decision must be confirmed in writing on an annual basis.

Answering questions

This policy document guides the school staff on how to respond to children’s questions regarding RSE lessons:

¨ for some topics, an age appropriate ‘contract’ between teacher and class should be devised, where it is agreed that personal questions would not be asked or answered.

¨ where a child seeks information that is beyond the content of this school’s RSE  programme and/or not considered to be age appropriate for the general body of pupils, the teacher should not answer the question, but refer the child to his/her parents.

¨ staff should not invalidate questions, but use limits.  Examples: ‘I will do my best to      answer your

questions, but I may not be able to answer all of them.’  ‘Would you be able to ask your mum or dad about that?’  ‘That’s something you’ll learn about as you get older/you’ll learn about in fifth class.’ 

‘We agreed in our contract for this lesson that we wouldn’t ask anyone personal questions.’

¨ teachers can inform parents what questions are arising in class and how they were answered/not answered, as necessary.

¨ for older children a ‘question box’ can be used as part of a structured RSE lesson.  Teachers can follow-up on the written questions at a later date, thus allowing time to prepare suitable answers, consult with colleagues, etc.

Co-education

This is a coeducational school.  We will teach boys and girls together, except for the following lessons: 

Fourth class girls and boys will be taught the lesson on physical changes during puberty separately, giving each group the same information and lesson.  [Exception: only the girls will receive information on menstruation.] 

Fifth and sixth class boys and girls will be taught the lessons on puberty and reproduction separately, giving each group exactly the same information and lesson (including menstruation.)  The boys and girls will then be brought back   together for discussion and follow-up lesson.

Multi-class situations (E.g. 3rd and 4th classes in the same classroom)

Many RSE topics can be taught to two or more classes together, (as is the case with some other subjects.)  The staff will, however, make organisational arrangements for the teaching of certain material to a specific class, where this is necessary.

The 2009-’10 school year

The RSE programme will be taught in our school from September 2009.  Parents and teachers of children in the older classes will need to cooperate in ensuring that any ‘catch-up’ on information regarding unfamiliar topics or language goes well.  The teachers will give additional time to introducing particular lessons (checking prior knowledge, introducing vocabulary, etc.) 

Outside speakers/facilitators

Where trained outside speakers or facilitators are used, they will deliver their content in the context of this policy document and in the context of the ethos of our school.  A teacher will remain present in the classroom with any outside speaker.

(Classteachers may opt out of the teaching of possible sensitive issues.  In such cases, the principal will make arrangements with another teacher or an outside speaker to teach the topics.)

Further information on RSE

Resource Materials for RSE (Four books: Infants, 1st/2nd classes, 3rd/4th and 5th/6th)  Inspection copies are available from the school office or the PTA secretary.

Website: www.ecdrumcondra.ie/programmes  (A range of resources available, including the booklet ‘Going Forward Together: An introduction to RSE for parents.’)

Education Centre, Milehouse Road, Enniscorthy:  The centre runs courses and information sessions for parents and teachers on an annual basis.

Resources for parents

Parents may find the following books useful.  They are available on short-term loan from the school office.  (Please review the material carefully and ensure it would be useful in your home situation.)

What’s happening to me? (boys) Usborne Books.

What’s happening to me? (girls) Usborne Books.

Let’s Talk About Sex, Walker Books.

Where Willy Went: The Big Story of a Little Sperm, Red Fox Publishing.

Mummy Laid an Egg, Red Fox Publishing.

Hair in Funny Places, Red Fox Publishing.

What’s Inside Your Tummy Mummy? Red Fox Publishing. 

Busy Bodies: A book about puberty for you and your parents,  Health Service Executive. 

Some frequently asked questions (see www.ecdrumcondra.ie/programmes for the ‘Going Forward Together’ booklet:)

Why do we need RSE?

Many children get information and misinformation about relationships and  sexuality from television “soaps”, in the playground, from older friends- in many settings and in many ways that parents cannot control and may not be too happy about.  Furthermore, children may be picking up messages from television, videos and films such as “aggression works”, “it’s okay to be dishonest if you’re not caught”, I can do exactly what I want, now!”.

There is a need to help children and young people to listen, to distinguish between differing points of view and to express themselves in an appropriate way.  An Advisory Group established by the Minister for Education in 1994 to advise on the introduction of RSE into schools quoted the following examples from research and common observation:

¨ children receive informal and unsupervised information about relationships and sexuality

¨ such information may be inadequate and inappropriate

¨ young people are already exposed to a variety of sexual practices and attitudes through the media, particularly television, film and magazines

¨ children are maturing physically at even earlier ages

¨ the roles of women and men in society are changing

¨ the nature of family life is changing in a way that places many pressures on children and young people.

For these reasons, and because education is about developing skills for life as well as skills for learning, the Advisory Group concluded that there was a need for a soundly based programme of RSE in schools.

Will RSE help children to make responsible choices?

Yes.  The choices and decisions we make in our lives are influenced by the values we hold. We receive these values from our religious and cultural traditions but also from our family, school and community.  The methods used to teach RSE create opportunities for children and young people to discuss attitudes, beliefs and values about many issues and to develop the skills to make informed and responsible choices and decisions.

Will RSE lead to a loss of innocence in children?

No.  However, we should distinguish between innocence and ignorance. Lack of correct and appropriate information can leave your child vulnerable, confused and anxious.  On the other hand, providing information, combined with opportunities for discussion and decision-making within a moral framework, can be very helpful and valuable.