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Jonathan Swift NS

Welcome to the website of Jonathan Swift NS. Our school is a two teacher school, the Principal Mary Tyrrell teaches the senior room (3rd - 6th class) and Wendy Hanbidge teaches the Junior Room (Junior infants - 2nd class). Ms. Behan is the learning support teacher. 

Our Ethos.

The school endeavours to promote the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical and social development of all pupils in its care. The school aims to foster a sense of community between management, teachers, parents and pupils.

The school is under the patronage of the The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson. It promotes the ethos of the Church of Ireland.

A spirit of mutual respect is encouraged. The pupils are drawn by example and teaching to appreciate and respect people of different nationalities, different backgrounds and different religious affiliations or convictions.

Teachers and parents are partners in the children’s education, with co-operation and communication between home and school being vital ingredients in the educational process. We share the same aim – the well being of the children in our care.

The Code of Behaviour reflects the Christian values promoted within the school with an emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation.

The teaching staff aim at making the school a centre of excellence in which high professional standards are maintained and where pupils learn in a safe and happy environment.

Aims

The aim of Jonathan Swift National School is to create a community for learning, where pupils, parents and staff are joined in the pursuit of academic excellence and personal growth in a caring environment.

Each child will be encouraged to develop his/her full potential academically, physically, culturally, spiritually and socially.

We seek to develop each child’s full potential through a challenging and diversified curriculum.

We will teach basic skills, foster creative and critical thinking and provide a foundation for life-long learning.

Each child will be assisted in acquiring interpersonal skills and respect for self and others, the environment and the community as a whole; so that each may become a responsible, contributing member of our society.

It is vitally important that a stimulating and happy atmosphere, which is conductive to learning, is fostered within our school.

It is in the interest of pupils, parents and teachers that good relations prevail between school and home. Our school prides itself on the high level of co-operation between home and school. The staff of the school always welcome the opportunity to discuss with the parents any school-related problems which may arise from time to time. With mutual respect, trust and goodwill these occasional problems are readily resolved.

Extra Curricular Activities

Swimming
Provision has been made to allow all pupils to have the opportunity to attend, in accordance with the Aquatic Section of the new P.E. curriculum, classes at Naas (K.C.C.) Swimming Pool.

Speech and Drama
To enhance the drama area of Arts Education, pupils have the benefit of a professional Drama teacher. Lessons are provided in class groups. Other information regarding cost and arrangements is provided in a letter to parents each term.

Modern Language in Primary School. (MLPS)
Spanish is taught to the Senior Room pupils under the MLPS programme funded by the Department of Education and Science.

School Educational Tours
Visits to places/exhibitions/shows considered educationally beneficial and that support and enhance the curriculum.
Parents will be informed of all details.

Music
Music in our school gets extra emphasis and attention because we recognise the value of Music education to the overall development of each child, It contributes to the personal, social, mental and physical development of the child. It also contributes to co-ordination of mind and body, speech development and language development, listening skills and memory skills. It is a gift for life and offers lifelong opportunities for the development of imagination, sensitivity, inventiveness and enjoyment.
The children are taught recorder from first class to sixth classes by their class teachers. Violin is also taught by Mr. Phil Callery every Thursday in our school.

Sports

Children get coaching throughout the year in GAA, rugby, golf and tennis. In Jonathan Swift we feel children should get the opportunity to experience many different sports and as a result a love of sport will continue outside school hours.

Jonathan Swift

Jonathan Swift (1667 – 1745) was one of the greatest writers of his age and possibly the greatest satirist ever to write in the English language.

His association with St. Patrick’s Cathedral is well known, but perhaps not as well known is the fact that he also had an association with Dunlavin.

Swift was born on 30th November 1667 in Dublin. He attended Kilkenny Grammar School and later graduated from Trinity College in 1686.
He was offered several posts in the Church of Ireland and in 1700 was instituted as Vicar of Laracor (Co. Meath) and was presented to the prebend of Dunlavin. This basically meant that Swift was an honorary canon of Dunlavin and was also entitled to occupy a stall in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.Swift finished and published his first great work, A Tale of a Tub, during his Dunlavin tenure.Swift’s term in the prebend of Dunlavin came to an end in 1713 when he was installed as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The Church of Ireland primary school in Dunlavin is now called Jonathan Swift National School reflecting this area’s association with the literary giant

History of Dunlavin

Dunlavin is an architecturally and historically interesting small market town about 34 miles from Dublin.

Its Courthouse, mainly a library nowadays, was built in the 1740’s as a market house, a place for the sale of corn and potatoes. It played a sad and important role in history, one of them the famous Massacre of Dunlavin Green. After the war it became the local fire station and ten years later it caught fire. The story of the burnt station that burnt itself down made the BBC news broadcast! After a while the Wicklow County Council, not appreciating the historical and aesthetic properties of the Market House, proposed for it to be demolished. Thanks to the efforts of the local community against it, the Market House was instead restored in the 1970’s.