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School Information

A Brief History of Our School

St Brigid’s National School was built in the late 1950s. At this time, Finglas was a newly established area with a population that had resettled from Dublin’s inner city. Archbishop McQuaid officially opened four schools in the complex in 1959 – an Infant Boys School, an Infant Girls School, and two Senior Girls Schools. Each school had their own principal and was under the trusteeship of the Holy Faith Order.

The number of schools reduced from four to three when the two Senior Girls Schools amalgamated. In 1996 the Infant Boys and Infant Girls Schools amalgamated to become St Brigid’s Infant School as it is today. In October 2001 the trusteeship was transferred to the St. Lawrence O’Toole Trust of the Archdiocese of Dublin.

School Type

St. Brigid’s Infant School is a Catholic National School for infant boys and girls under the patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin. The school caters for pupils approximately age 3 years to 7 years from Early Start to 1st Class. There are two Early Start classes, four Junior Infants classes, four Senior Infants and four First Classes.

The school aims to promote the full and harmonious development of all pupils: cognitive, intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and other people and promotes a Christian philosophy of life.

Staffing

There are 21 teachers including an administrative principal, 5 special education teachers, 1 English language teacher, 2 Early Start teachers, 2 childcare workers and a Home School Community Liaison teacher. Currently there are 5 Special Needs Assistants. There is a school secretary and a full-time caretaker. A number of external staff visit the school on a regular basis to work with the children including a Drama Therapist, Keyworkers and a GAA coach.

The school is designated as disadvantaged and therefore can avail of the various schemes and projects initiated by the DES programme such as the Home School Community Liaison scheme and the Early Start programme. The school also has a Breakfast Club which is staffed by Inclusion Support workers and parent and community volunteers.

The Health Centre, situated opposite the school, has a Speech and Language department that liaises with the school.

As well as 12 classrooms and 2 Early Start units there is also a Parent and Toddler Room, Creche, Parents’  Room, Breakfast Club Room, and Library. St Brigid’s Infant School shares a multi-purpose hall with St Brigid’s Senior Girls School. There are two hard surface yards with sheltered areas and a large green area.

Mission Statement

In St. Brigid’s Infant School, the children are the focus of our energy. In partnership with the parents, children, the wider educational, social and professional communities and each other, we endeavour to provide an inclusive, safe school environment and a child centred education. Our mission is to lay the foundations for life-long learning while fostering respect, responsibility and acceptance thus enabling all children reach their full potential.