Junior Builders

Junior Infants Explore Materials and Construction!

This month, our Junior Infants are diving into an exciting new topic – Materials! The children will be exploring the fascinating world of builders, architects, and construction as they discover how everyday objects and structures are made.

Through play, investigation, and hands-on activities, the children will be busy experimenting with different materials – wood, metal, brick, fabric, and more – and learning about their unique properties. They’ll get the chance to design, build, and create all sorts of wonderful constructions, from tiny towers to imaginative masterpieces.

As part of their learning, the children will also be developing important language skills. Key words and phrases such as solid, strong, rough, smooth, build, design, plan, construct, balance, and join will be introduced and practiced as they explore and share their ideas.

This topic will encourage lots of creativity and teamwork. Over the course of the month, we can’t wait to see our Junior Infants think like architects, work like builders, and let their imaginations run wild as they bring their creations to life!

Celebrating European Day of Languages

3rd Class recently led a wonderful assembly to mark European Day of Languages, celebrating the many ways people communicate – from spoken and written words to sign languages.

To prepare, the class surveyed families in our school community and discovered an impressive variety of languages spoken at home. Alongside English and Irish, families use Ukrainian, German, Romanian, Hungarian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Spanish, and Catalan.

Staff members also bring their own linguistic skills: Liliana speaks Portuguese, Justyna speaks Polish, and both Ms. Smith and Sandra speak French.

Our school is even more diverse, with families also speaking Afrikaans, Hindi, Filipino, Japanese, and Russian, reflecting cultures from South Africa, India, the Philippines, Japan, and beyond.

During the assembly, children shared greetings in languages such as Irish, Japanese, German, Ukrainian, Māori, Spanish, French, Hindi, and Italian. They also reminded us of the International Day of Sign Languages, showing that communication takes many forms.

The assembly ended with a joyful performance of “This Little Light of Mine”, celebrating how our many languages can shine brightly in our school community.

Our New Playground

A Playground Dream Come True at Nun’s Cross

On a bright and joyful afternoon, our school community gathered to officially launch the brand-new Nun’s Cross Playground—a project that has been years in the dreaming and months in the making. What once seemed like a distant hope has now become a vibrant reality, thanks to the generosity, hard work, and unwavering spirit of our entire community.

From a Whisper to Reality

When the idea of extra land was first mentioned, it felt more like a dream than a plan. But through the incredible kindness of Stephen Collier, who gifted the land outright to our school, that dream took root. Without his generosity, none of what we now celebrate would have been possible.

With the land secured, inspiration came from the children themselves, who helped shape the design. The PTA stepped up with boundless energy, raising an astonishing €25,000 through events, donations, and a GoFundMe campaign. Parents, families, and friends rolled up their sleeves, transforming sketches and ideas into something truly extraordinary.

A Community Effort

This project was never about one person—it was about many. From the very beginning, people gave their time, resources, skills, and encouragement.

• Keith Belton became the backbone of the project, offering his machinery, expertise, calm reassurance, and endless hours of hard work.

• Andrew Fox of Ashford Sand and Gravel generously provided materials, staff, and support that lifted the project beyond what we could have imagined.

• John Herraty, Des Martin, and the O’Sheehan family all gave crucial contributions of materials and funding.

• Our talented design team—Edwin Jebb, Alice Gibson, and Sam Fleming—brought creativity and vision to every stage. A special thank you goes to Alice Gibson, whose pond design with its waterfall, stream, and fountain has created a magical centrepiece.

• Sarah Green devoted countless hours to planting and landscaping, ensuring this space is not only beautiful now but will continue to grow, change, and inspire learning for years to come.

And then there were the countless parents, children, and friends who showed up with wheelbarrows, rakes, tools, and sheer determination. Each workday was proof of the unique spirit of Nun’s Cross—neighbours and families coming together with enthusiasm and joy to create something bigger than themselves.

What We’ve Built Together

The new playground is nothing short of a wonderland for our children. It includes:

• A sports pitch for games and teamwork.

• A giant sandpit for creative play.

• Gross motor equipment to help develop strength and coordination.

• Swings and slides for pure childhood fun.

• A stage, ready for performances and imaginative play.

• A stunning pond with a waterfall and fountain, offering not only beauty but also a space for outdoor learning and reflection.

As a lasting reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together, we were also proud to unveil a beautiful mosaic of the Nun’s Cross school logo, lovingly created by parent Carla Benedetti and her father.

Looking Ahead

The playground is not yet finished—it will continue to grow and evolve as new elements are added and as the plants mature. We look forward to forming a garden working group to help care for and maintain this special space in the years ahead.

But today, as laughter and play filled the air, we paused to celebrate. This playground is a testament to what can happen when generosity, kindness, and community come together.

To everyone who played a part—whether through donations, design, hard work, encouragement, or simply showing up—thank you. This playground belongs to all of us, and most of all, to the children of Nun’s Cross.

Here’s to years of play, learning, and happy memories in our new playground!

5th & 6th class girls GAA

We are so proud to celebrate the incredible achievement of our 5th and 6th class girls, who put on a fantastic display of skill, teamwork, and determination at yesterday’s blitz in Bray Emmets GAA club.

Not only did they play with great spirit, but they also won all of their matches! 🎉 Their hard work in training, commitment to supporting one another, and passion for the game truly shone through on the pitch.

A big thank you to their coaches, teachers, and supporters who encouraged them every step of the way. The girls showed what can be achieved when talent meets teamwork—and we couldn’t be prouder of them.

Well done, girls! You’ve made the whole school community proud. 💙👏

Running Club

Running Club is Back! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️
We’re excited to announce that Running Club is starting up again this week! Children from 3rd to 6th Class are warmly invited to join us every Wednesday morning for some fresh air, fitness, and fun.

The group will meet at the church before school and set off for a run together under the supervision of teachers. It’s a brilliant way to wake up your body and mind, enjoy some exercise with friends, and start the day with lots of energy and positivity.

Whether you’re a speedy sprinter or just love a gentle jog, everyone is welcome—so lace up those runners and come along!

First Day Of School

A Fantastic First Day in Junior Infants!
What an exciting start to the school year! Our new Junior Infants arrived with big smiles and bundles of energy, and they’ve already settled in so well. From exploring their new classroom to joining in games, songs, and creative activities, the children threw themselves into every moment. Best of all, they’ve already begun making lots of new friends! We are so proud of how confident and happy they were on their very first day, and we can’t wait to see all the learning and adventures that lie ahead this year.

Buddy System in Nun's Cross

Our Big Buddy System

Starting school is a huge step, and to make sure every Junior Infant feels safe, happy, and cared for, we have a very special tradition: the Big Buddy System!

When an older child becomes a Big Buddy, they take on a very important role—they become a friendly guide, a helping hand, and a caring friend for one of our new infants, their Little Buddy.

So what do Big Buddies do?

• Help little buddies settle in: A new school can feel like a big place, but with a Big Buddy by their side, our new infants quickly feel at home.

• Make friends together: A Big Buddy is often a little buddy’s first friend in school. They help them meet children their own age too, so that playtime is full of fun and friendship.

• Encourage independence: Sometimes little buddies need a bit of help at the start, and Big Buddies are there to show them how to do things until they can manage on their own.

• Care and look out for them: Most importantly, Big Buddies care. They keep an eye on their little buddy, making sure they always feel safe and supported.

How does it work?

• The first few days: Big Buddies spend playtime with their little buddy, helping them get used to the yard and classroom routines. They may even join them at lunchtime once the full school day begins.

• The first few weeks: Buddies meet for special activities like free play, art, or story time. Big Buddies also sit with their little buddy at assemblies and services to help them feel secure.

• The rest of the year: As the little buddies grow more confident, they won’t need as much daily support—but Big Buddies still check in every now and again, so their little buddy always knows there’s someone special looking out for them.

The Big Buddy System is a wonderful way to help our youngest pupils feel at home while giving older children the chance to grow into kind, caring role models. It’s one of the many reasons why our school community feels like a family.

Sorting in junior Infants

Super Sorters in Junior Infants!
Junior Infants have been busy little mathematicians this week, exploring the maths strand of sorting and making sets. With curious minds and keen eyes, they sorted, grouped, and organised objects in lots of different ways—by colour, size, shape, and more! It’s amazing to see how quickly they’re spotting patterns and making connections. Who knew maths could be this much fun?

Humpty Dumpty

Junior Infants Crack the Case of Humpty Dumpty!
Our Junior Infants have been cracking on with their learning this week! They’ve been busy singing, acting, and exploring the classic nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. But the fun didn’t stop there—when poor Humpty took his famous tumble, the children rolled up their sleeves and worked together to put him back together again. And you know what? We think they did a far better job than all the king’s horses and all the king’s men!

Creative Day 2025

This year’s Creative Day took place on 5th June. The children enjoyed a range of creative activities organised by our super Creative Committee and our parent volunteers. A fantastic day was had!

The activities on the day included tie dye, face painting, a talent show, clay tile mosaic making, story writing, creative games, craft making (slime and plant pot decorations), character drawing, coding and music with synthesisers. We had a ball! Check out our pictures below.

Clay

Jewellery making

Tie Dye

Slime making

Coding

Creative Games

Synthesisers

Drawing

Creative Story Writing

Talent Show

1st class tour to Clara Lara

Check out some of the action from the 1st class tour to Clara Lara

4th & 5th class tour to Kilruddery

On Monday 22nd of May our 4th & 5th class enjoyed their school tour in Kilruddery. During the day the class engaged in fun activities including den building, crack the code, marshmallow toasting, doing the Ireland’s Fittest Family course and archery. They had an absolute ball. See some pictures from the day below!

Active Week 2025

This year our Active Week took place from the 12th - 16th of May. We were truly blessed with the weather all week. During the course of the week we participated in co-operative games, walk/cycle to school, the grand national, Nun’s Cross Fittest Family, junior and senior stations, a slip ‘n’ slide, a visit from Golf Ireland and the week ended with the colour dash run. It was a week which was packed with fun and activity and we are very appreciative of Ms Bennett and her Active Committee who organised and supervised the activities throughout the week. We all had a blast! Take a look at our video below to see some of the action.

Coast Guard Landing Demonstration

On the 14th of May we were invited to Ashford GAA pitch to witness a demonstration of the Irish Coast Guard landing their helicopter. Our junior infants who had been learning about emergency services in our area attended along with pupils from 2nd, 4th and 5th classes. What a treat it was! While we were walking to the pitch we were excited to hear the sound of a helicopter in the air, keen to see if we could find where the noise was coming from. We were impressed by the helicopter landing on the pitch we play lots of games on, it was an amazing experience.

Bike Day 2025

On the 1st and 3rd our classes brought their bikes to school and engaged in bike riding and safety training with Hugh from Cycling Ireland. Hugh brought some bikes and balance along with him to make sure everyone had something they could practice their cycling on. We were interested to learn about the ‘M’ checks which need to be carried out on a bike before we hop on. Lots of progress was made by all children on the day, as they completed obstacle courses, braking and balancing challenges among other activities. Take a look at some of our cycling below.

2nd class visit to the Seal Sanctuary

Back in April our 2nd class were keen to take a field trip to learn more about seals, what better place to go than the Seal Sanctuary in Courtown. The children thoroughly enjoyed their day learning about seals and finding out about all the great work the seal sanctuary do to look after our seal population in the south east of Ireland. We would like to say a huge thank you to the guides who gave us our tour.

Easter Egg Hunt

The children in all classes enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt which was organised by our amazing PTA.

Each class enjoyed hunting around the school grounds for eggs. Many didn’t survive until home time!

We are grateful to have such a dedicated and hard working PTA who are working hard to raise money for our new playground space.

Cuman na mBunscoil Coughlan Cup

Today the boys from 4th, 5th and 6th class travelled to Bray to participate in day 2 of the Coughlan Cup. The boys made us tremendously proud throughout the tournament displaying some excellent skill, determination and team work. Both teams fought really hard until the end and their determination really paid off. Today our senior team won the Division 3 title and our junior team won the Division 4 shield. This is a huge achievement for this talented group of boys and for the school. Thanks also for our travelling support on the day.

Engineers Week in 3rd class

This week as part of Engineers week 3rd class complete an engineering challenge. They were challenged to create the tallest tower they could in 30 minutes using paper triangles. At the end of the 30 minutes we measured our towers with the metre stick. The winning team built a tower which stood at an amazing 35cms!

Check out our wonderful efforts below!

Buddy Reading for World Book Day

During World Book Day our 6th class visited their Junior Infant buddies where they read some of their favourite stories. It was a really enjoyable experience!