KidzZone article in The Echo
The following words are taken from the KidzZone article in The Echo newspaper from 17th March 2020.
One little school that punches way above its weight
Gurraneasig NS, Kilbrittain, Co Cork: 62 pupils, seven staff
Garrán an Easaigh means grove of the cascad- ing waterfall — and that is exactly where our oasis is nestled.
The current school opened its doors in 1961 and has grown and flourished over the years, including an extension which officially opened in 2008.
A short meander down towards Howe Strand and you will encounter the ‘Old School House’.
Opened in 1877, it is reputed to be one of the first national schools in Ireland.
Our mission: “Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí” (Praise the youth and she will flourish)
We ask our children to be kind and honest. We listen to each other and endeavour to up- hold a positive inclusive learning environment.
We acknowledge the importance of student voice and have a very active student council. We use hands on learning methodologies and we endeavour to use our beautiful sur- roundings as learning opportunities.
We have an outdoor classroom in the school grounds, PE in the summer months is often conducted on our local beach of Howe Strand and the school is currently piloting a Forest School Programme.
We also have a vibrant gardening programme whose innovative committee has cre- ated a Community Food Exchange Pro- gramme and a fully occupied Bug Hotel.
We offer our students a diverse range of activities which include Table Tennis, Spikeball, Tennis and most anticipated by all — Surfing.
Being in such close proximity to a beach gives us lots of advantages and the school really emerges from its chrysalis in summer months. Howe strand brings a certain magical element or ‘draíocht to Gurraneasig NS.’
Responsible citizenship is cultivated from an early age through school participation in the Green School Programme, Beach Clean- up, National Spring Clean and the Amber Flag programmes.
Parents are regarded as partners in their children’s education: an ethos which underpins all school activities. Parents are invited to share their expertise and special interests with the student body through biannual workshops which included horse grooming, a day in RTÉ studios, beach yoga, engine mechanics, woodworking, and herbal medicines to name but a few.
Our famous past pupils include Jennifer Barry, star of The Young Offenders.
Our plans for the future are to further entrench the school’s dedication to make our students’ learning experience a positive one, educationally, physically and mentally.
