General Information
Opening Hours
The school’s opening hours are as follows:
The school’s doors open from 9.20 a.m. to receive pupils. The official school times are:
9:20 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Early Intervention Class (ASD), Junior & Senior Infants)
9:20 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (All other classes)
Morning Break: 10:50 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Lunch break: 12:45 – 1:15p.m.
Location of the school
Scoil Mhuire Naofa is situated on the outskirts of Carrigallen, Co Leitim, on the Longford Road. The land on which it was built belonged to the local parish of St. Marys/St Felim’s Diocesan Trust and the school is linked to the church by a very footpath which runs alongside the school. We are also linked to Happy Feet Creche via a gate in our yard.
The current school first opened its doors to pupils and teachers in 1990. It replaced Bredagh School which is now Happy Feet Creche.
Layout of the school
The school opened in 1990 with four classrooms, a general purpose room and attendant facilities. Very quickly this proved inadequate for the needs of a growing school population and a number of extensions followed leaving the school with 5 permanent classrooms, a resource room, a general purpose room, a school office and principal’s office, staff room and kitchen as well as toilet facilities throughout the school including a disabled toilet.
At the side of the school, there is a separate building for learning support, which currently a SET room and Special Class (ASD). There is also a small building for storage to the rear. The school has three modular buildings, one at the front, one adjacent to Happy Feet Creche and one at the back of the school. The building at the front is our Early Intervention Class (ASD). The other building has a mainstream classroom and a shared SET room as well as toilets. Our third modular building has a two special classes, two SET rooms, a play therapy room and toilets.
We are currently in the design phase of a substantial extension to the school which includes mainstream classes, SET room and a permanent SEN Base of 3 classrooms, with kitchen, sensory rooms, storage rooms and bathrooms. A large multipurpose room is also part of the extension. Additional changes are being included to provide offices for the secretary and principal, new Set Down area and additional parking. A central lobby area will be created at the main entrance to the school.
Access to the school
The main access to the school is via an entrance on the town side of the school building, as viewed from the road. Access is controlled from the secretary’s office. There are exits at either end of the building and beside the school mural. There is limited disabled access throughout the school.
Parking at the school is very limited due to the expanding nature of our school.
There are three gates providing access to the school. The double gates next the playground provides access to our Set Down area for vehicles. The gate at the pedestrian crossing provides access for pupils who travel on buses/special transport and those who walk/cycle to school.