A rota for supervision is drawn up by the Principal for each school year.

The School Day

The school gate is opened at 8.50 a.m. The supervision rota lists a teacher who should be supervising the children on the inner yard when the gates are open at 8.50 a.m. The children walk to their lines where they wait for the 9 a.m. bell when they are collected by the class teacher. If the weather is not suitable for the children to wait on the yard they will be allowed in to the classrooms. Class teachers will mind the children in their classrooms from 8.50 a.m.

The school day finishes at 1.40 p.m. for infants. The infant teachers accompany the children to 3 different exits where the children are collected by a parent or guardian. Children availing of Bus Éireann transport or children of staff may wait in school, where they are supervised by a teacher until 2.40 p.m.

The school day finishes at 2.40 p.m. In line with our policy on Croke Park hours each teacher will spend 10 minutes at the end of every day supervising the children in their class leaving.

Our supervision rota names a teacher for evening supervision. This teacher will supervise the children leaving along with the principal or the deputy principal.

Yard Duty

Three teachers supervise the yard at all times. The first teacher listed under inner supervises the inner yard. The second teacher listed moves between the inner yard and the outer yard. The third teacher listed supervises the outer yard.

Three L.S./Resource teachers are listed under the names of the teachers rostered for yard duty for break at 10.35 a.m. These teachers relieve the rostered teachers so they can take their break. From 10.45 a.m. to 11 a.m. the children take their break and are supervised by the rostered teachers. If the weather is unsuitable for going outside the pupils will remain in their classroom and the rostered teachers will supervise them there.

The Class teachers stay in their classes until 12.35 p.m. when the bell goes to go outside. Two sets of teachers are listed at lunch time. The first group of rostered teachers supervise until 12.45 p.m. The second group of rostered teachers supervise from 12.45 p.m. to 1 p.m. The second group of rostered teachers should take their break at 12.30 p.m. to ensure 15 minutes. If they have a class they will be relieved by a teacher who does not.

As the bell rings for the end of break and lunch the children go to their lines and wait there for their class teacher to take them back to class.

On wet days the children will be supervised by the teachers on the yard duty rota in their classrooms. This may also happen if the ground is frozen or if there are any other concerns about the children using the yard. If the weather becomes unsuitable during yard the children may have to return to class. A bell kept in room 9 will be rung by a yard teacher to signal an early return to class. Each classroom has a supply of activities for the children to use if they have to remain inside.

Junior infants have their own area of the yard reserved for them. The remainder of the inner yard and outer yard is divided up to be used by different class groups each year.

Injuries on the Yard

The teachers on the yard can administer first aid. If there is an accident that the teacher on yard duty feels is a serious concern they can consult the principal or deputy principal. First aid bags are kept in room 9 at the corner of the yard between the outer yard and inner yard, in the staffroom and in the sports equipment room. Ice packs are kept in the freezer section of the staffroom fridge.

The teacher on the inner yard should take the two first aid cards on the staffroom door to the yard. If the teacher on the inner yard has to leave the yard they should send card 1 to the other teacher shared between the inner and outer yard and card 2 to the teacher on the outer yard. If the teacher on the outer yard or the teacher shared between the inner and outer yard has to leave the yard they should inform the teacher on the inner yard as they leave who will share supervision on outer yard until their return. The principal or the deputy principal may be called to assist with supervision or with first aid if necessary.

Accident report forms which are in the staffroom should be filled out by teachers for any accident that happened during their supervision time or class time that the teacher or principal considers of note.

Eating on the Yard

The children are given 5 minutes before first break and 10 minutes before second break to eat and drink. Eating should begin at the bell or even before the bell in infants to ensure that the children are ready to go to the yard when the bell rings to go out. All children should leave promptly with the bell. Children are not allowed to eat food on the yard in line with our healthy eating policy.