Mission Statement

In St. Benin’s National School our mission is to provide a nurturing Christian environment in which our pupils will begin a process of life-long learning and holistic growth.

Our vision for the children in this school is that they will become endowed with a positive sense of their own self-worth; that they will be aware of and develop their own unique abilities and possibilities; that they will be caring, tolerant and flexible Christian citizens with a sense of empowerment to contribute on a local, national and global scale.

Aims:

Social

Interaction between adult and child will be based on mutual respect. The teacher will show in attitude, word and deed that he/she values each child. The children will act accordingly among themselves. Co-operation and collaboration will be encouraged through sporting activities, games, class projects, quizzes, school garden, drama, seasonal celebrations and environmental projects. The area of conflict resolution will be explored.

Academic

In the academic realm, we aim to develop the children’s capacity to think clearly, creatively and critically. This entails equipping them with skills such as: the ability to absorb information aurally and graphically, the ability to read fluently with comprehension to articulate what they have learned with clarity in spoken and written work, to use Information Technology to facilitate independent learning, to handle calculations competently, to engage in problem-solving and to transfer the skills acquired to real life situations.

Emotional and Personal

In order to promote emotional development, the child needs to have experience, which endow him/her with a positive self-image and sense of self-worth. We hope to work towards this by use of praise and encouragement and by building on the child’s strengths and abilities. We aim to channel the expression of emotions in acceptable ways. We also recognise the importance of making children aware of how to maintain physical and mental health and well-being. The programme of Social, Personal, Health Education in the school will formally address these issues.

Moral and Religious

A combination of elements will contribute to the children’s moral development. Respect and tolerance for person and environment will be encouraged in the day to day life of the school and in its code of discipline. Awareness of injustice and inequality will be developed. The children will be given a sense of their own role in combating these problems. We hope to develop a sense of independence and responsibility, so they will be equipped to exercise good moral judgment, withstand peer pressure and other pressures in later life and go on to become informed and empowered Christian citizens.

Cultural

We aim to further the cultural aspect of citizenship through the use of Irish as the daily language of the school. We teach Irish songs, tunes and poems. Our national games are promoted. Old customs and practices are passed on. Irish dancing also forms part of the curriculum. Awareness and respect for our local and national heritage is inculcated.

Physical

Sport will play an important role not only in the child’s social development, but centrally in the promotion of physical well-being. The children will be exposed to a variety of sports, thereby enabling them to participate at their own level in a wide range of leisure activities and use leisure time constructively. The emphasis will be on participation rather than competition. The children will be made aware of the importance of a healthy life-style. Promotion of exercise, hygiene matters, good eating habits, risks involved in smoking, alcohol and drug abuse will be all explored.

Aesthetic

We aim to develop an appreciation of beauty in all its forms; nature, music, visual art, dance, poetry, drama etc. In offering a variety of experiences to the children we hope to heighten their sensitivity. Nature walks, theatre visits, school plays, listening to works of great composers, school trips will all impact on their imagination. In addition, they will be afforded the opportunities to explore their own creativity in art, craft, role play, music making, dance and composing their own poetry and stories.