Dear parents/guardians,
We are sharing some of the information from the session with NPC and parents which may be helpful to parents of fifth and sixth class students.
As the move from primary school to secondary is a time of change for our children, Helen Butler from the NPC advised there are some details available from the NPC website at the following link https://www.npc.ie/images/
In addition, Helen and some KNS parents with experience shared the following practical tips which may be of benefit
- Prepare for costs – try to understand in advance where money may be needed both at the start of the school year and during the year.
- Spend time getting to know
- What subjects your child is doing
- What the school layout is (most schools have a video online)
- The names of the teachers
- Other parents
- Who their friends are
- Make several copies of the timetable – for home, study area, school bag / journal and locker. This will help with organisation
- Ensure students prepare school bag and subjects the night before … and any other items that may be needed . E.G. Home Economics may need ingredients, PE Needs PE Gear, etc
- Look at their journal at least once a week – often contains notes from teachers or other useful info
- Parents remain calm and listen .. don’t overreact and don’t ride the emotional rollercoaster that your child may be on
- Be patient and supportive
- Ensure bedtime routines are in place and children are getting enough sleep
- Introduce / Maintain screen and phone rules to ensure not impacting on sleep
- Get the books early – don’t leave until last minute
- Prepare for parent Teacher meetings and go to all teachers to get the ‘full picture’ …Parent teacher meetings were compared to an Olympic sport 😊
The following were tips from some wise secondary students
- Remember even if teachers are strict, they are on your side
- Friend groups change and that’s ok
- Remember time management … factor in how long it takes to get from one class to another or from the canteen to a classroom
- Organise your books – remember your timetable
- Don’t procrastinate with your homework .. just do it
- If you feel anxious or worried … don’t worry .. you are NOT the only person.. its normal
- Time goes by really fast so enjoy 😊
Other helpful resources are available at
www.stepup.ie – resources for the “stepup” to secondary school. These were prepared as a direct result of the surveys from Planet Youth below.
www.planetyouth.ie – organisation based in the west of Ireland who survey teenagers and publish reports on the lives and lifestyles of teenagers in the west
www.webwise.ie – resources focused on internet safety
www.ncca.ie – information on the junior cert curriculum – subjects & assessments
Lastly for parents of 5th class students, please find attached a list of schools in Galway city, contact details and links to the websites where you will find enrolment policies and application forms
Post Primary Schools List June 2023
This document was prepared by the PA, so may not be 100% accurate but may be useful in helping parents understand what schools are available and get access to admission forms for September 2024. Most schools accept applications in the October of 6th class for the following September.
Kind Regards
KNS Parents Association