Home School Community Liaison Teacher

The Redeemer schools share a Home School Community Liaison teacher.  This position was initially filled by John Moloney, subsequently by Tom Murphy, Patsy Murphy, Frank Mullen and the current incumbent Sinéad Shields.   

Sinéad supports parents in the education of their children.  She develops teacher and staff attitudes in the area of partnership and the whole school approach.  She encourages self help and independence by promoting parents’ education, development, growth and involvement.  Additionally, she encourages parents to become a resource for their own children, in their home, for other children in the classroom, and in the wider community.  

Sinéad networks with and promotes the coordination of the work of voluntary and statutory agencies.  This increases effectiveness, eliminates duplication, and leads to an integrated delivery of service to marginalised families and their parents.  

The work of ‘The Local Committee’ helps forge these links by identifying school-related issues at the community level that impinge on learning.  They address these issues by working collaboratively with other interested groups.

Redeemer Parents' Association

The Parents' Association is the structure through which parents/guardians in a school can work together for the best possible education for their children.

Educational research on the involvement of parents in schools shows that children achieve higher levels when parents and teachers work together.  

Redeemer Boys’ N.S. and Redeemer Girls’ N.S. have had an active parent association for many years.  They are affiliated with the National Parents’ Council and the committee receive training annually.  The current chairperson is Sylvanna Murray. 

Redeemer Parents’ Association organise various fundraising events throughout the year including the Book Fair and Flag Days.  All money raised is used to provide extra resources and fun activities for the children in both Redeemer schools.   They organise fantastic Halloween, Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day parties for the children.  Additionally, they invite pupils, parents and school staff back for refreshments in the school hall following Communion and Confirmation ceremonies.  Events organised by the Parents’ Association culminate in June with the annual Sport’s Day enjoyed by the schools and the whole community.   

The School Completion Programme

The School Completion Programme has been in operation since 2002 and is a Department of Education and Science initiative that aims to have a significant positive impact on levels of pupil retention in primary and second level schools and on the numbers of pupils who successfully complete the Senior Cycle.  The School Completion Programme is based on the concept of a collaborative programme that works in partnership with community, youth and sporting organisations and with local representatives of national statutory bodies such as Community Guards, Juvenile Liaison Officers, Social Workers, Health Board personnel, Area-Based partnerships etc.

The School Completion Programme focuses heavily on local communities responding to local needs

Vicky Carrie is the School Completion Officer shared between the Redeemer schools and she provides pupils with the following:

• In school supports delivered during school hours. They are delivered directly to targeted young people at risk of early school leaving or to whole classes, using a “whole-school” approach
• After school supports delivered after school hours. They are frequently delivered in conjunction with other agencies and often focus on the personal and social development of young people. After school supports are directed to targeted young people at risk of early school but a whole-school approach is also utilised
• Holiday supports delivered during holiday time, for example, midterm break, Easter and summer holidays. Holiday supports are provided to young people at risk of leaving school early in order to provide a consistent educational experience for them all year round. Holiday supports are often delivered in conjunction with other external agencies, particularly youth services
• Out of school supports delivered to young people who have left the formal school system. The aim of these supports is to re-acquaint young people with education and learning and support them in their decision to re-enter the formal education system.

Incredible Years

The Incredible Years programmes for parents, teachers, and children reduce challenging behaviours in children and increase their social emotional learning and self-control skills.  They have been found to be effective in strengthening teacher and parent management skills, improving children’s social emotional competence, emotion regulation, and school readiness, and reducing behaviour problems.

Evidence shows the programmes have improved behaviours of up to 80 percent of the children of participating parents and teachers. If left unchecked these behaviours would mean those children are at greater risk in adulthood of unemployment, mental health problems, substance abuse, early pregnancy/early fatherhood, criminal offending, multiple arrests and imprisonment, higher rates of domestic violence and shortened life expectancy.

As part of the Incredible Years Programmes:

• Parents and teachers use various strategies to help children regulate their emotions, improve their social skills, and do better academically. It can also mean a more enjoyable family life.
• Parents or teachers meet as a group with two trained facilitators. They are given opportunities to collectively and individually develop new strategies for managing their children and working together in collaborative partnerships.
• Children can also receive training in small groups or classrooms by trained teachers or therapists and learn how to follow rules and cooperate, express emotions, problem-solve, manage anger, and make good friends.

Group aspects include: setting personal goals, role play practices, self reflection, facilitator feedback, and home or classroom activities. Facilitators use video scenes to encourage group discussion, problem-solving and sharing of ideas.  Parents and teachers are given handouts, activities to practice with children, and reminder notes to put on their refrigerator or blackboards. 

  Download Incredible Overview

 Download Incredible Years factsheet

The After School Service

The After School Service is a popular feature of the programmes and projects on offer at “Cox’s Demesne Youth & Community Project” (The House). It is funded by the National Childcare Investment  Programme and is delivered in close co-operation with the Redeemer Boys and Girls school.

Overall Aim – “To offer a quality child-centred service to children aged 4-12 years in Cox’s Demesne, enabling their personal, social and educational development"

The Service consists of The Activity Club for 4 – 6 years and it takes place in the Redeemer Boys School. Activities include art & crafts, drama, storytelling & play.

The Homework Club caters for 6-12 years and also takes place daily in the Redeemer Boys School where the children receive assistance and help in completing their homework. Transition year students from Dun Lughaidh Secondary School help out and provide positive role models.

Part Time After School Care – this provides an opportunity for 28 children to receive afterschool care each day. This involves homework support which takes place in the school and then they come to “The House” where they receive their dinner and engage in developmental activities e.g. computers, cooking, arts & crafts and personal development groupwork.

The homework Club provides children a place to do their homework under adult supervision

The Friday Project

The Friday Project is operation for over 20 years and operates in partnership with both the Redeemer Boys & Girls school. Ten young people take part and attend the project every Friday from 9.00am to 3.00pm. The day is structured and programmes in small group settings are designed to promote self-esteem, develop new skills and to enhance their education. Activities include personal development groupwork, computer skills, arts & crafts, cooking, sports and outdoor pursuits. There is a rotation policy each school term so that more young people can avail of the opportunity. In the course of one year up to 20 young people can participate.