This week, we are preparing for the Grand Opening of our school campus - a joint event with our neighbouring school, Citywest and Saggart CNS. This event also marks the ten year anniversary of both schools, which is a pretty important milestone!

In preparation for the celebrations, we wanted to take a look back over the last ten years of Citywest ETNS and reflect on the history of our school. Take a trip down memory lane with us!

We are getting close to the Grand Opening of our campus and we are very excited! The Grand Opening event takes place next Friday, 27th May. This day will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the opening of both Citywest ETNS and Citywest and Saggart CNS. It also gives us the  opportunity to formally open our school campus, which we moved in to in January 2020. 

The day will be comprised of:
Formal Ceremony
We are delighted that the formal part of the ceremony will be live streamed. This will mean that all of the children will watch from their classrooms and parents can watch from home too. The link will be sent to parents in advance of the day.

Community Celebration

• Funfair rides
• Inflatable funfair games 
• Face painting 
• Walk around both schools 
• GAA sessions with coach 
• Giant games
• Family Picnics 
• Ice creams and coffee/tea for sale
• Candy floss for sale 
• Travelling library 
• Dance sessions 
• Intercultural food fair 

There will be lots for everyone to do and see. There will be queuing systems in place for all of the attractions, so please be patient. Families can come and go during the time, so if you cannot be here from 1pm, you are welcome to join the occasion later in the afternoon. 

It is shaping up to be a great day of celebration for our schools and community. 
We're looking forward to celebrating with you!

Throughout the 2021/22 school year, we have been gradually re-starting our after-school programme. For Term 3, we are delighted to welcome back some familiar providers, who we have not seen since March 2020 - Olé School of Languages and Anyone4Science. We are also delighted to see Chess class commence with Sarah O'T and Yoga start back with Sarah C. 

Details of each class can be found here!

Last week, we celebrated Seachtain na Gaeilge (SnaG) in our school. This is a fantastic week, where we celebrate our Irish language and culture. 

The week kicked off with Yóga Óga in the hall for our senior classes - Yoga through Irish! It was great fun and a  great chance to participate in an activity fully through Irish. 

On Wednesday, our junior classes participated in some Irish Dancing with Lisa Kelly, who runs our after-school class. This was lots of fun and a great success. Thanks, Lisa!

Classes participated in lots of other activities throughout the week, all with an emphasis on speaking as much Gaeilge as possible. Seachtain den scoth a bhí ann! 

Following two rounds of offers, all places in Junior Infants 22/23 have now been filled. In total, 101 offers were made and 50 places have now been filled. This leaves 82 names on our waiting list, as follows:

• Category 2 (non-siblings born between 1/6/17 and 31/12/17) 49 children
• Category 3 (non-siblings born between 1/1/18 and 31/3/18) 10 children
• Category 4 (siblings born between 1/4/18 and 30/6/18) 4 children
• Category 5 (non-siblings born between 1/4/18 and 30/6/18) 12 children
• Late applications (all applications received from 1/2/22) 7 children

Should those who have already accepted places let us know that they won't be accepting them after all, we will proceed through this list, in order, to fill those places. We are very sorry to disappoint so many families.

We understand that Rathcoole ETNS has places available for Junior Infants 22/23, as well as for Senior Infants and 1st class.

Category 2 (non-siblings, 4 by 31/12/21) = 49 children

Category 3 (non-siblings, 4 by 31/3/22) = 10 children

Category 4 (siblings, 4 by 30/6/22) = 4 children

Category 5 (all others who were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22) = 12 children

Category 6 (late applications) = 1 child

Category 2 (non-siblings, 4 by 31/12/21) = 49 children

Category 3 (non-siblings, 4 by 31/3/22) = 10 children

Category 4 (siblings, 4 by 30/6/22) = 4 children

Category 5 (all others who were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22) = 12 children

Category 6 (late applications) = 1 child

Every Thursday afternoon, we are delighted to see lots of children from across the school participate in Gaelic football training. The children have been learning new skills every week - kick pass, hand pass, catching, soloing and lots more. We can't wait to play our first match against another local school and see all of our skills come together! 

In Round 1 of offers for Junior Infants 2022, 84 offers were made and 42 places were accepted. The deadline for accepting offers has now passed.

We are now proceeding to Round 2 of offers. In Round 2, 17 offers are being made. These are for children who are in Category 2 of our new policy i.e. children who do not have siblings in the school, who were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22 and who turned 4 years of age by 31/12/21, starting with the oldest. Those being offered places in Round 2 have dates of birth ranging from January 2017 to May 2017. These families will have one week to accept these places.

Should places remain, we will proceed to Round 3 of offers. All families who applied will receive a decision email from us by 21st February.

Category listings on the waiting list are now as follows:

• Category 2 (non-siblings, 4 by 31/12/21) = 49 children
• Category 3 (non-siblings, 4 by 31/3/22) = 10 children
• Category 4 (siblings, 4 by 30/6/22) = 4 children
• Category 5 (all others who were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22) = 12 children
• Category 6 (late applications) = 1 child

Total 76 children on our waiting list

It's 1st February and it's a big day in our calendar, the day on which we send the first round of offers for places in Junior Infants for the new school year.

As for previous years, our school is heavily oversubscribed. We received 177 applications for 50 places in Junior Infants 2022/23.

These applications were categorised as follows, as per our Admissions Policy:

1. Old policy i.e. any child pre-enrolled for JI 2022 by 30/1/2020.
   1. 71 children in this category.
2. New policy Category 1 i.e. siblings who will be 4 by 31/3/22 and were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22.
   1. 13 children in this category.
3. New policy Category 2 i.e. non-siblings who turned 4 by 31/12/21 and were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22.
   1. 66 children in this category.
4. New policy Category 3 i.e. non-siblings who will be 4 by 31/3/22 and were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22.
   1. 10 children in this category.
5. New policy Category 4 i.e. siblings who will be 4 by 30/6/22 and were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22.
   1. 4 children in this category.
6. New policy Category 5 i.e. all other children who were pre-enrolled by 31/1/22.
   1. 12 children in this category.
7. Late applications
   1. 0 children in this category so far.

First-round offers were sent this morning for children in categories 1 and 2 above i.e. those who were pre-enrolled by 30/1/2020 and siblings who will be 4 by 31/3/22. Those families have one week to respond to the offer.

We will continue to offer places over the coming weeks and months according to the list set out above. Within each category, children are listed according to date of birth i.e. older children at the top of each category list.

We understand the frustration and worry that might be present for those awaiting an offer. Please understand that we are not in a position at this time to let you know your place on the waiting list. After the first 3 weeks, we expect movement to settle down and, if you have not received an offer by that stage, we would be happy to let you know where your child is on the waiting list.

On Tuesday 11th January, we were delighted to host Ireland AM, live from our school building. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to show off our new building, with camera crews recording live segments from our PE Hall and one of our classrooms. 

Caitríona (our principal) and Jessica (the chairperson of our PA) both spoke brilliantly about the challenges faced by schools all around the country due to Covid. You can watch the show here.