Specific initiatives in our school aimed at combating education disadvantage :

• Access to school meals programme. This year we are in a position to offer a healthy lunch to all of our pupils. Pupils receive their healthy lunch daily. They are provided with a wide variety of choice and have the facility to change their lunch choices regularly.
• Homework club. This is for classes third to sixth and takes place after school Monday to Thursday for half an hour.
• Attendance-booklets or notes explaining absence.
• Attendance awards system.
• Assistance with payment for school swimming.
• Bus trips within and outside of Portlaoise.
• Assisting targeted individuals for selected educational trips.
• Book rental scheme.
• School completion programme (clustered with Portlaoise College and Mountrath Community School.)
• Jolly Phonics.
• Gardening Projects
• Linking with Treo Nua
• Engagment with the B.L.O.C.K. Project
• Laois Co. Co. Children’s Task Force – County Dev. Committee [link with Joe Thompson on transition programme.
• Literacy Lift Off in First Class.
• Guided Reading.
• First Steps writing, reading and speaking and listening.
• Ready Set Go Maths.
• Maths recovery.
• D.E.A.R. time in all classes.
• H.S.C.L – This includes classes/courses, home visits, involvement in classroom initiatives (maths for fun etc.), involvement in policy review, involvement in Local Committee and reception and transfer programmes for targeted parents/ guardians.
• Sports/field games- offer learning opportunities which are enjoyable and fulfilling, which encourage creativity, imagination and self expression and promote skills. In our field games our policy is not to limit panels to certain numbers but all are encouraged to train and play for the school.
• School programme on the transition from primary to secondary education.
• Specific provision may be made for traveller pupils and pupils for who English is not their first language. While the school focus on addressing needs of targeted children, this is done in an integrated way. Our philosophy and approach to education disadvantage informs other policies in the school including enrolment, discipline, special needs, attendance etc.