Rathmore National School

Helping Every Child Make the Most of Every School Day

Regular school attendance plays a vital role in your child’s learning, confidence and wellbeing. Being in school helps children build friendships, keep up with learning and feel part of the school community.

Our school is committed to supporting families to ensure that “Every school day counts.”

Be an Attendance HERO

We encourage all pupils to be an Attendance HERO, in line with the Government’s Every School Day Counts campaign:

• H – Here
• E – Every day
• R – Ready to learn
• O – On time

This simple message helps children understand the importance of coming to school regularly and being ready to learn.

To Encourage Good Attendance

Class Rewards (May & June)

To promote teamwork and encouragement within classes, the following monthly rewards will apply during May and June:

• Highest Attendance Class (each month):Pizza Party and PE Party
• Breakfast Bonus (each month) : Sausages, toast and juice.

Individual Rewards

• Each week, all pupils with full attendance will be entered into a weekly class raffle.
• Winners will be invited to visit the principal to select a prize from a lucky dip.
• This is our way of recognising effort and encouraging consistent attendance.        

Attendance HERO Posters

Attendance HERO posters will be displayed around the school to:

• Remind children of the HERO message
• Promote class and individual rewards
• Celebrate positive attendance in a fun and encouraging way

The Student Council from 3rd and 4th will visit classes to promote the initiative.

Supporting Families

We understand that some children may face challenges attending school regularly. Our approach is always supportive and understanding.

• If a child has frequent, unexplained or ongoing absences, parents/guardians may receive a confidential survey.
• This survey helps us understand:

Ø  Any barriers to regular attendance

Ø  How the school can best support your child and family

• Where helpful, follow‑up discussions may take place to agree supports or solutions together.

Working Together

Good attendance is a shared responsibility between home and school. By working together, we can help ensure that every child:

• Feels welcome and supported
• Has the best chance to succeed
• Benefits fully from school life

Thank you for supporting your child to be an Attendance HERO –
Here, Everyday, Ready to learn, On time!

On Sunday, 26th April, ten lucky hurlers from Rathmore National School were given the fantastic opportunity to represent Kildare at half-time during the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship clash between Kildare Senior Hurling Team and Dublin Senior Hurling Team in Parnell Park. 

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon and Parnell Park was packed with supporters from both counties, creating a brilliant atmosphere for the occasion. Upon arrival, the boys were treated like VIPs, receiving premium seats in the stadium along with a special goody bag. 

When half-time arrived, the Rathmore boys proudly took centre stage wearing the famous lily-white jerseys of Kildare. From the moment the sliotar was thrown in, the boys played with tremendous confidence, skill and determination. Thanks to some fantastic teamwork, sharp passing and excellent displays of skill, the Rathmore boys dominated their Dublin counterparts from start to finish. 

The boys notched up some superb scores throughout the game and secured the only Kildare victory of the day with an impressive final scoreline of 2-03 to 0-02. Every player gave a tremendous account of himself and represented his school, club and county with great distinction. 

We were all incredibly proud of the boys and delighted with the honour that was bestowed upon them. It was a fantastic day out from start to finish and one that will live long in the memory of everyone involved. Judging by the talent and determination on display, there is little doubt that many of these young hurlers will wear the lily-white jersey of Kildare again in the future. 

The Rathmore NS boys’ hurling team secured an historic back-to-back victory in the Kildare Mini 7’s Hurling Tournament on Thursday, April 16th. After topping their group in the qualifying rounds held at Naas GAA two weeks earlier, the team progressed to the finals at Hawkfield GAA grounds.

Rathmore faced a strong St Corban’s team from Naas in their opening match. Despite playing excellent hurling and leading in the closing stages, two late goals saw St Corban’s claim a narrow two-point win.

The Rathmore boys responded impressively in Round 2 against Ardclough NS. After an early Rathmore goal, Ardclough fought back and led heading into the final minutes. However, Rathmore showed great determination and teamwork, scoring a crucial late goal to secure victory.

Confidence continued to build as Rathmore delivered a dominant performance against Gaelscoil Uí Fhiaich, setting up a decisive final round. With St Corban’s facing Ardclough NS, Rathmore knew a win against St Brigid’s NS would be enough to retain their title. They rose to the occasion, producing their best performance of the day with skilful, free-flowing hurling from start to finish.

At the final whistle, Rathmore NS were crowned champions once again, proudly bringing the trophy back to the school for the second year in a row.

The children in Mr Bolton’s 6th Class have begun taking part in an 8-week Climate Literacy Programme, delivered by Sanja Dunne from Education for Sustainability. The programme takes place each Wednesday and aims to build the students’ understanding of climate change and empower them to take positive action.

Throughout the programme, the children will explore topics such as the science behind climate change, the impact of human activity on the environment, and the importance of biodiversity. They will also learn about sustainability, renewable energy, and practical steps they can take in their everyday lives to help protect the planet. The lessons are interactive and encourage discussion, critical thinking, and teamwork.

The children have really engaged with these important topics over the first few weeks and love having Sanja in the classroom. 

Huge thank you to the Jones family for bringing in their pet lambs for all the children to see. Everyone had a great time holding the lambs and running after them!