Meán Fómhair- September 2024

After a lovely Summer break the boys and girls returned in September excited to see their friends, their new classroom and of course, to stay in school until 3 o’clock!! The children settled straight back into school, coming up with our new class rules and routines. We listened to lots of lovely stories like ‘My Class is a Family’ and ‘I promise’ by Lebron James to help us with our own class promise. The boys and girls talked loads about kindness and respect and how we can be bucket fillers from our story ‘How to Fill a Bucket’. We have had lots of fun doing art and PE . In SESE the children have been exploring all things Autumn, we even had a visit from Hattie the Hedgehog before she goes into Hibernation. The children have been great Autumn detectives filling our nature basket with beautifully coloured leaves and shiny conkers! Maith sibh, boys and girls!

Mrs Walsh

Take a look at some of our September moments below.

Deireadh Fómhair- October 2024

What a jam packed and exciting month we had in October. From Maths Week, a jersey day, our beginning of year service to finishing it all off with our Freaky Friday and hot chocolate party, the children were very busy in school having lots of fun. We had a fantastic maths week this year, it all kicked off on Monday the 7th of October with a fun Maths dance in the school court with the whole school. 1st Class got to take part in their very first maths quiz in the hall. We went on maths trails, used our maths eyes and finished off the week with the big one, the BINGO Zoom, hosted by our very own Ms. Walsh. The children went to the church on Thursday 17th October and performed their Monday Morning using their lámh. They made sang beautifully and made their teacher very proud. On Friday 25th of October, 1st Class was filled with Wednesday Adams, Grim Reapers, Military, Injured Hurlers, Where’s Wally?, Zombies, princesses, cats, ghosts, Super Potato and lots lots more. These funny creatures and characters all enjoyed a hot chocolate party and movie in the afternoon before they all left for their midterm break.

Take a look at some of our October Moments below.

Mrs Walsh

Samhain- November 2024

What jam packed busy month we had this month. We started November off with Science Week and all things Science. The children donned the lab coats and loved experimenting each day and trying out their friends experiments. We had an exciting visit from The Reptile Zoo from Co. Kilkenny where the children learned a little bit about reptiles and even got to touch some of their slithery friends. We had a fun Science Quiz in the hall. The children worked hard this month learning about 3D shapes, tens and units and patterns in maths. Picker Pals arrived in 1st Class too. The children are taking their environmental role very seriously and are looking forward to taking action and making a real difference in their local environments. Each week the children will take home their pack and go on their litter-picking adventure. They will report back to the class about where they went and what they found. I can already see some enthusiastic advocates for our Green School Committee in years to come. We have been holding off on saying the ‘C’ word in class and I can see the children are fit to burst with excitement. We wait in anticipation to see if any of Santa’s cheeky helpers will arrive next week and we cant wait to say ‘CHRISTMAS’ and to create lots of magical memories in December.

Have a look at some of the fun we got up to this month.

Mrs Walsh

Mí na Nollag- December 2024

FINALLY we could say the ‘C’ word!! CHRISTMAS arrived and not only that, so too did our cheeky elf-Sprinkles!! She got up to lots of mischief in 1st Class. The boys and girls practiced and practiced for their Christmas Carol Service. They were AMAZING on the night. What an evening of festive cheer and spirit. From gymnastics to Christmas art the fun did not stop there. We had a class pyjama party too. The children were so excited for this. Take a look back at some of our magical moments from December.

Mrs Walsh

Eanáir -January 2025

Feabhra- February 2025

Spring is in the air and it is not only the buds on the trees and flowers that are blossoming, so too are the children in 1st Class. We began the month, by learning about St Brigid. The class made St Brigid day crosses and listened to her famous magic Cloak Story. Love was in the air and the children were busy bees creating their Bee Mine Valentine Art. Later in the month, we all had a spring in our step as we explored our school grounds and investigated what signs of Spring we could see and find.

Márta agus Aibreán- March & April 2025

First Class Celebrate World Book Week and Seachtain na Gaeilge!

March was a magical month in 1st Class full of stories, costumes, competitions, music, and Gaeilge galore! From World Book Week to Seachtain na Gaeilge, we packed in a huge amount of fun and learning, and the children were at the heart of it all.

World Book Week was one of the highlights of the term. The excitement kicked off with the favourite, design your own real life Book Cover. There was amazing entries for this competition! It was a joy to see the creativity and imagination on show.

Throughout the week, we took part in quizzes, book tasting sessions, and a door-decorating competition. Our classroom door was transformed into a scene straight out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, our class novel. Think golden tickets, Wonka bars, and plenty of chocolatey magic! It was a true team effort, with every child contributing to the design and we were so proud of the final masterpiece.

We also explored new books, shared our favourites with friends, and even wrote our own mini stories. 1st Class really showed their love of reading and storytelling all week long.

As if that wasn’t enough excitement, we also celebrated Seachtain na Gaeilge in style! The children learned new Irish songs and phrases, took part in fun games, and worked hard preparing for our performance in the school hall. Their singing, dancing, and Gaeilge-speaking were fantastic, they really did themselves and teacher proud on stage!

Well done to all the boys and girls in 1st Class for a month full of creativity, teamwork, and fun. You brought the magic of books and the spirit of Gaeilge to life!

Click the magical book below to see our Book Cover Competition Entries 2025: First Class

Take a look at all the photos below 🙂

Bealtaine- May 2025

First Class Mail

First Class have been busy learning all about the art of letter writing and postcards and what a wonderful time we’ve had! As part of our lesson, we decided to put our new skills into practice by writing a very special letter to someone we all admire… our amazing principal!

The children worked hard to plan and write a thoughtful thank-you letter, expressing all the reasons we’re so grateful for the care, kindness, and fun our principal brings to school every day.

But the learning didn’t stop there! We took a little trip to the local post office to post our letter. The children were so excited to see how stamps work, how letters are sorted, and where they go after being popped into the big green postbox.

To everyone’s amazement, the letter arrived at the school the very next day! The children were thrilled to hear that their message had travelled so quickly and safely. There were lots of smiles as our principal read the letter aloud and thanked the class in return.

It was a lovely way to combine writing skills, real-life learning, and a big dose of kindness. Well done, 1st Class, you’ve got mail… and manners!

First Class Sets Sail for Adventure at Pirate’s Cove!

What a day to remember! The sun shone brightly in a perfect blue sky as First Class set off on their lon awaited school tour to Pirate’s Cove. The excitement was bubbling over as everyone boarded the big bus, ready for a day full of fun, laughter, and adventure.

From the moment the wheels started turning, the journey was filled with cheerful chatter, songs, and eager questions about what Pirate’s Cove would be like. And it didn’t disappoint!

The children had an amazing time bowling, go-karting and the most popular, the bumper boats. There were games, ice creams and lots of giggles along the way. It was a day full of sunshine, happy faces, and memories that will last a long time.

A big thank you to the teachers and staff who helped make the day so special. 1st Class had a fantastic time at Pirate’s Cove, we think they may have even turned into real pirates by the end of it!

Meitheamh- June 2025

First Class Wrap Up an Incredible Year with Active Week Fun!

What a way to end the year! June was packed with so many fun moments, laughter, and of course, hard work. First Class made the most of every minute in our final weeks together and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to wrap up the year!

Our Active Week was nothing short of amazing. From start to finish, the children had an absolute blast taking part in a whole range of exciting activities. There was something for everyone, whether it was the precision of gymnastics, the rhythm of dance, or the energy of athletics. We also tried our hands at cricket, had a go on the balance beam, and even got our hula-hooping skills to new heights! But the fun didn’t stop there we also had a fantastic introduction to jiu-jitsu, and the children were full of enthusiasm as they learned new moves.

The sun shone down on us every day, making it the perfect week for outdoor activities. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any more exciting, we had the ultimate Staff vs. Students Dodgeball Match! The energy was electric as the staff went head-to-head with the school in a very competitive game and this year, the staff took home the victory. But the competition wasn’t over yet! In the second round, it was Staff vs. 6th Class, and they managed to secure a win. It was all in great spirit, and everyone had an incredible time cheering on their teams.

To finish off the week, we gathered for our Active and Whole School Assembly, where we celebrated the achievements of everyone — from the little ones in junior infants to the big kids in 6th class. It was a perfect way to reflect on what an outstanding year we’ve had together.

This year in Piercestown National School has been full of unforgettable moments, and we couldn’t be more proud of 1st Class for their hard work, kindness, and enthusiasm. What a fantastic way to end the year full of energy, smiles, and new memories to cherish!

Our Last Week in 1^st Class

By Mrs T Walsh

The crayons are stubby, the posters well-worn,
The classroom looks sleepy, a little love-worn.
We’ve read and we’ve counted, we’ve painted and played,
You’ve amazed me each day with the progress you’ve made. 

From lining up neatly to learning to share,
To sounding out words with such patience and care.
You’ve grown in your reading, your writing, your sums, 
You’ve made me so proud with the person you’ve become.

Some days were wiggly, some lessons were tough,
But you kept on trying, you’re made of strong stuff!

We laughed and we learned, we danced and we sang,
Our classroom was filled with joy that rang.

Now summer is coming, adventures await,
And 2nd Class is knocking and it’s going to be great!
But wherever you go, whatever you do,
Know that I’ll always be cheering for you.

So here’s one last hug, a smile, and a cheer. 
Thank you for making this such a special year.
You’re all in my heart, each bright, shining star,
My wonderful 1st Class, just perfect as you are.

Mrs Walsh ❤️