Education. Respect. Inclusion.

St. Brigid’s Ballysax provides students with excellent academic programs and a nurturing environment with close student-teacher relationships. We offer a stimulating curriculum and a supportive environment to ensure our students experience success every day.

St Brigid’s National School is located in Ballysax, The Curragh, Co. Kildare. We have seven classes from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. On the staff, we have seven mainstream class teachers including our Teaching Principal, Ms Esther Reddy, three full time Special Education Teachers and a shared Special Education Teacher, three SNAs and school secretary.

History of St. Brigid’s National School, Ballysax

St Brigid’s National School/ Scoil Naomh Bríd (or known locally as Ballysax School or The Bush School), was officially opened in 1994, on a generous site of land provided by local farmer, Mr Andy Cullen. This was the culmination of many years of work and planning by the then principal, Míchéal Ó’ Céilleachair, the staff, the Board of Management and the Parents’ Association and was warmly welcomed by all families in the neighbourhood. It was then a five classroom school, but has expanded over the years. It now has 8 classrooms, rooms to accommodate Special Education Teachers and the children they teach, a staffroom, a school office and a school hall.

The predecessor to the current building was a four classroom school, on a site about 500 metres away which was opened in 1916. It was also St Brigid’s National School, but it was in the nearby townland of Brownstown, and was locally known then as Brownstown School. When it opened in 1916, this school, although one building, was actually two independent schools – one half for girls and one half for boys, each half with its own principal and assistant teacher. Boys and girls did not mix inside the building and were not allowed to play together on the yard! This carried on until the school became a co-educational school in 1968.

However, the very first school in the area (Cut Bush School) was blessed and opened by Fr John Murphy in June 1839, meaning that the history of education in this area can trace its roots back to being one of the oldest schools in Ireland. It was a small slate-roofed, two storied building built on a small piece of land owned by the Moran family, whose family still lives in the area today. The school had two classrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. Access to the classrooms was by way of an outside cement stairs, with an iron banisters. Living quarters for a teacher was also included in this little 12 metres by 6 metres building, with a kitchen downstairs and a bedroom upstairs. This building can still be seen today, but now it houses very smart residential apartments. The plaque on the wall remains, and although it has become faint and weather beaten, one can still make out the lettering:

ERECTED BY REV. J. MURPHY

June 1839

Mission Statement Of St Brigid’s NS, Ballysax

St Brigid’s NS, Ballysax is a Catholic co-educational Primary School under the patronage of the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin.

The Board of Management, Staff and Parents/Guardians work in partnership to provide a caring, nurturing and welcoming environment for the children of the school, in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust, where each individual is valued and difference respected.

We are committed to providing a high quality learning environment that promotes a healthy work ethic and that encourages each child to work and develop to their full potential, intellectually, socially, spiritually, emotionally and physically. This reflects the school motto “Play together, Learn together, Grow together” /” Ag imirt le chéile, Ag foghlaim le chéile, Ag fás le chéile”.

We are committed to ensuring that pupils develop an awareness of Irish culture while fostering an appreciation of the environment of the Ballysax and Curragh area in which the school is situated.

Our curriculum aims to enable each child:

• To achieve her/his fullest possible overall potential as a unique individual by developing as a social being in cooperation with others and in so doing to contribute to the good of society
• To prepare for further education and lifelong learning

This school seeks to cherish and challenge children in a safe, secure and attractive learning environment. We aim to provide quality learning experiences that are engaging, enriching and enjoyable through a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum.

The school sees itself as an integral part of the parish community and in partnership with parents and the church, seeks to nurture the Catholic faith through religious education, preparation for the Sacraments and through the ethos of the school. This ethos is best exemplified through the quality of all relationships in the school, which are based on dignity for each person: child, parents, teachers, staff and all visitors to the school.

We value most highly our relationship with parents/guardians and the local community and seek to continue to work in partnership with all sections of our school community to ensure the best interests of each child are served.

St Brigid’s National School, Ballysax seeks to be a warm and welcoming place, respectful and accommodating of diversity in race, culture, religion, gender and ability. We strive to provide an inclusive environment responsive to the needs of all. We aim to promote equality in all areas and to provide extra support for any child with additional needs.

The school is a learning community. We promote and value lifelong learning for all, including staff. We encourage everyone to work in partnership, reinforcing for children the shared values of home and school.

 Play together, Learn together, Grow together

Ag imirt le chéile, Ag foghlaim le chéile, Ag fás le chéile