May 2023
It is hard to believe our 6th Class pupils are in the final term of primary school. We are so proud of them, and all they have achieved here with us at Ard Rí Community NS.
In order to support the children in their transition to post-primary school our Board of Management have organised a workshop for the pupils with a local group called Wolf Academy. Cormac and Daryl Noonan and their team of coaches provide a range of workshops to inspire and empower young people. The workshop will take place on Wednesday 31st May.
The objective for their Primary School workshop is for pupils to reflect and understand themselves more. Through various exercises the children will tune into what they like about themselves, compliment themselves on what they are good at, their positive personality traits and nice things they’ve done. They will explore and reconnect with their senses and learn to be more present in the moment, mindful and calm. There will be discussions about emotions and how different situations make us feel and there will be games to exercise a sense of gratitude and other positive emotions.
We hope this will be a very positive experience for our pupils and we are looking forward to working with Wolf Academy to support the development of our 6th Class children on an annual basis as they prepare for the next stage in their education.
Best wishes,
Cailín, Claire & Darragh
January 2023
Dear parents and guardians of 6th Class pupils,
Children starting Post Primary school in September will have their Assessment Tests on different Saturdays from the end of January through February. Your child’s school will contact you shortly with specific details.
It is very important that the pupils understand that there is no work they need to do in preparation for this test. These are not Entrance Exams. The students have already been accepted into First Year. Remind them that they cannot fail, the assessment just informs the school of their individual strengths and the type of learning that supports them best.
Please check what time your child’s test is at and arrive 15 minutes early. Schools have different requirements on the day. Some require you bring stationery, some ask you bring wired headphones, some ask you bring a snack and a drink for a morning break. Prepare for this in advance, you do not want a panic in the morning when headphones don’t work etc. Children should be well slept and have a good breakfast before they go in. Choose an outfit which will make a positive first impression.
Schools are using Cognitive Ability Tests for this assessment. As far as I know, they use a test by GL Assessment (or similar). Some schools use a digital version which will be carried out on a computer, others use a paper test. This short video gives a good insight into the C.A.T.
I hope all pupils are excited about the prospect. For many it will be their first time in the school building. They will meet the school management, their year head, teachers and they might even see some familiar faces or make some new friends.
Cailín and Claire will be doing some work with the children in the coming weeks. This will mainly focus on visualisation. They will discuss what to expect from the day, test environment, staying calm, what to do if you can’t answer a question etc.
I wish our pupils the best of luck. We are extremely proud of you all.
Go get ’em,
Cailín, Claire & Darragh
September 2022
Dear Parents of 5th & 6th Class pupils,
Choosing a Post-Primary school is a big decision. Children from Ard Rí CNS have been accepted at every school in Navan. It is great to see all schools are holding an Open Evening event this year. Please find links to school websites and Open Evening times below.
Remember: Parents are responsible for making applications on behalf of their children.
Enrolment can only be secured for pupils in 6th Class however I encourage you to gather as much information as you can from 5th Class so you can make the best decision for your child.
Beaufort College:
Open night for incoming 1st years for the school year 2023-2024 takes place on Monday 26th September from 7-9pm.
Coláiste na Mí:
Open night for incoming 1st years for the school year 2023-2024 takes place on Thursday 29th September.
St Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School:
Open night for incoming 1st years for the school year 2023-2024 takes place on Thursday 6th October from 6-8pm.
Loreto St Michael’s Secondary School:
Open night for incoming 1st years for the school year 2023-2024 takes place on Wednesday 28th September from 6-8pm.
St Patrick’s Classical School:
Open night for incoming 1st years for the school year 2023-2024 takes place on Monday 3rd October from 7-9pm. (Please note only parents attend St Pat’s Open Evening)
Coláiste Ríoga:
Open night for incoming 1st years for the school year 2023-2024 takes place on Wednesday 5th October 4.30-7.30pm.
