Elementor General Information

The school office is located inside the main entrance to the new extension. Office hours, during school term, are 8:30 am. to 4:00 pm. Students who need to conduct business through the office are expected to do so outside of class time.

The school day begins at 8:57 am. and ends at 3:55 pm. Lunch break is from 1:20 pm. to 1:55 pm. In addition, there is a morning break from 11:05 am. to 11:20 am. Please note that the school cannot accept liability for students entering the school grounds before 8:15 am. or remaining on the grounds after 3:55 pm. Students who arrive earlier than 8.15 am. are allowed enter the school grounds on the condition that their conduct is acceptable, given that minimum supervision is available.

Students who arrive late for class without an adequate explanation will be assigned Penalty Sheets for completion.

Every student is expected to purchase and bring to all classes a school diary/journal – available from the school only. The purpose of this journal is to keep a record of homework given and done as well as acting as a source of communication between the school and the home. It will be inspected on a daily basis by the class teachers and should be signed by a parent/guardian each evening. All requests for leave from school, as well as explanations for absences, should be entered by parents/guardians on the appropriate pages at the back of the diary.

Please note that parents/guardians should supply a sample signature in the space provided on the first page. Any replacement diaries which may need to be purchased will be provided at a cost which includes a penalty fine.

The school uniform is as supplied by the usual stockists in Ballaghaderreen. It is to be worn unaltered (especially in the case of the girls’ kilt, which is to be worn knee length or lower and not modified into a skirt). When an exception has been granted, girls may wear standard navy-blue uniform slacks. All girls’ uniform slacks must contain a unique identifying “St Nathy’s College” labels. Considerable difficulties arise if students do not wear the school uniform. The school insists on the proper uniform being worn before a student is admitted to class. It also reserves the right to send a student home who does not comply with its uniform policy and will not accept responsibility for the safety of a student who has been sent home under those circumstances. It is strongly advised that, where it seems likely a uniform may have to be laundered mid-week, a second one should be acquired in advance.

A standard college uniform jacket is compulsory for all students. No other jacket will be allowed to be worn. A crew neck school jumper (with embroidered College crest) has been phased in over the past number of years – old V neck jumpers are no longer permissible. For 2016/2017 all new students must wear the new jumper. Black leather shoes and black socks are compulsory for all students. Sneakers/runners/plimsolls/any other footwear other than black leather shoes are not acceptable.

To avoid possible difficulties in the future, parents/guardians are expected to give their full co-operation with school uniform policy. In general, a neat and tidy appearance is required of students. As such, it is not permissible for students to dye their hair (or have highlights) and, in the case of boys, to have excessively long or untidy hair or to cut their hair in “split-levels”.

As the school is legally responsible for all students throughout the entire school day once marked present in the morning, it is not possible to allow students to leave the school grounds during the morning or lunch breaks. Parents/Guardians of students who live locally and wish their son/daughter to come home at lunchtime, are required to sign a legal form (available from the school office) accepting all liability for their child during his/her absence from the school, as well as guaranteeing his/her punctual return for class in the afternoon.

This form should be returned to the school office, fully completed, as early as possible during the first week of September. In addition, parents/guardians must make arrangements with the school office satisfying it that they are in a position to pick up and return these students each day at lunchtime. It is school policy that all other students remain on school grounds during lunchtime.

Leaving Cert. students may go downtown at lunchtime provided the necessary forms are signed by a parent/guardian and handed into the office and that school management is satisfied that good behaviour will be shown at all times by the year group.

Students who fail to arrive back punctually for afternoon class will automatically have the school’s permission to leave its grounds at lunchtime withdrawn for a period of five consecutive days and/or have penalty sheets assigned for completion.

The College has a fully stocked canteen shop for all students. To discourage students from leaving the school grounds (at any stage during the school day) without the knowledge and approval of the school office, it is school policy to impose a two-day suspension from class on any student who leaves without the necessary permission.

With the growth of student numbers it has become increasingly difficult to supply each pupil with a locker to store books etc. As a result, it will only be possible to provide lockers to first, second and third year students who wish to avail of them as well as to needy senior students.

The cost of renting a locker for the year will be €25.00 (€5.00 of which will be refunded at the end of the year on condition that the key is returned safely and that the locker is left in good order). Second and Third year students who wish to avail of locker facilities should already have complied with the conditions outlined last May. Students are not to write graffiti or place stickers either externally or internally on lockers. It is also a condition of hire that students will not swap or share lockers with others or attempt to gain access to lockers during class time.

Any violation of these conditions will result in withdrawal of locker facilities and the loss of the financial deposit. Students who lose the key to their locker can obtain a replacement from Room 1C at a cost of €5.00. Students who defaced the locker assigned to them last year will be subject to payment of a €5.00 fine before being allocated another for the 2016/17 school year. Locker keys (where a locker has been assigned) will be distributed during the first week of September.

Please note that the school does not accept responsibility for items lost or stolen within the school. Students are asked to leave valuables (especially cash) into the office for safekeeping.

St. Nathy’s College offers assistance by way of book grants to a small number of disadvantaged families who would otherwise experience severe financial hardship in purchasing school textbooks.

The operation of a book grant scheme each year depends entirely on financial resources being provided by the Department of Education. Applications for this grant will be assessed on an individual basis. Please note that possession of a Medical Card does not automatically entitle one to a book grant. Priority will be given to First and Fourth year students where the number of books required can be significant. The value of the grant awarded, if any, will be determined by individual needs and by the number of other successful applicants.

Application forms for this grant can be obtained from the school office from August onwards. Completed forms are to be returned not later than Friday, August 26th. Books obtained by way of a book grant will be stamped with the College Stamp and will remain the property of the school. These books are to be kept in good condition and returned to the school when finished with. Failure to do so may militate against future book grants being allocated.

All books required by students are available from “First Class Office” located at No 6 The Mill Business Park, Ballaghaderreen. “First Class Office” is open Monday – Saturday, 8:30am – 6:00pm. It is strongly recommended that parents/guardians of First & Fourth year students visit this bookshop prior to school re-opening to acquire the necessary texts outlined on the book lists.

“First Class Office” operates on a strictly cash basis. In the interests of safety, parents/guardians are advised not to give large sums of money to students who may lose it. To reduce the costs to parents/guardians, students are asked to buy as many second hand books as possible which are available from older students who have completed the course. Book lists are available from the school office upon request or from the “First Class Office” or on the school website.

Each student is asked to contribute €16 each at the beginning of the school year to help cover the cost of photocopied and other materials (teachers’ notes, exam papers, practical subjects, etc.) supplied to them by teachers during the year. This €16 is to be given by the student to his/her tutor along with the €9 fee for the school diary. Therefore, the combined cost of photocopying, materials and diary is €25.

All students are insured by our general school insurance policy. However, there can be situations where injuries occur and the school cannot accept liability. In such instances the student cannot claim from our insurers for necessary medical treatment etc., etc. and, as a consequence, financial hardship may result in the family. For example, the standard school insurance policy does not cover the cost of medical attention, doctors’ fees etc., etc.

if the school deems such attention to be necessary in a given situation during the school day. Under such circumstances bills for medical expenses incurred are forwarded to parents/guardians for payment. To avoid such a prospect it is possible to obtain an optional personal insurance policy for a relatively low fee (€9.00) that would cover all medical expenses incurred in treating such injuries irrespective of liability. Parents/Guardians are strongly recommended to avail of this personal accident insurance policy for their children. Please note that parents/guardians also have the option to avail of the 24-hour personal accident insurance cover for the child(ren) for just €13.00.

Students who are timetabled for Physical Education (compulsory for all Junior Students – Department of Education requirement) or who participate in College Football / Basketball etc., etc. are expected to obtain this insurance. Parents/Guardians who wish to avail of the scheme are asked to forward the completed form, along with the appropriate fee, to the office not later than Friday, September 23rd – the earlier the fees are forwarded to the insurance company, the earlier the students are insured.