Latest News

A huge welcome to our new Primary One pupils. They were all very brave this morning and had a fantastic day! School staff will be working very hard over the days, months and years ahead to ensure our little people are very happy and receive an excellent schooling experience.

Important Safety Reminder

Sun 23 Aug 2020

In advance of pupils returning to school tomorrow, it is requested that everyone plays their role in ensuring that hygiene and public health measures are followed to allow a safe return to school.

If your child or someone in your household has tested positive for Covid-19 or is displaying symptoms you must follow guidance issued by the PHA below.

It is essential that you contact the School Office to inform and discuss the nature of the absence. The School Office will be open from 8am- 4.30pm each day.

PHA guidance is as follows:

if you have symptoms of coronavirus or a positive test, you will need to stay at home for at least 10 days;
if you live with someone who has symptoms or a positive test, you will need to stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person in the home started having symptoms;
however, if you develop symptoms during this 14-day period, you will need to self-check in accordance with Test and Trace guidance and stay at home for 10 days from the day your symptoms started (regardless of what day you are on in the original 14-day period);
10 days after your symptoms started, if you do not have a high temperature, you do not need to continue to self-isolate. If you still have a high temperature, keep self-isolating until your temperature returns to normal. You do not need to self-isolate if you just have a cough after 10 days, as a cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.

Do not send your child to school if your child or anyone you live with has any of the following symptoms:

a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature);
a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual);
a loss of or change in sense of smell or taste.

If your child or anyone in your household has any of the symptoms above you must get a test for Covid-19.

Please remember to exercise social distancing when dropping off/ collecting children and avoid congregating in groups. School staff will be on hand to reassure pupils and guide them to their classrooms. All children will have their temperatures taken prior to entering the school building.

Covid-19 is still in our communities and we need parents, pupils and wider society to stay vigilant to “Keep It Out” of our school.

Return to School Note

Mon 17 Aug 2020

Please visit 'Newsletters' on our school website or click the link below to view Return to School Note. Please take time to carefully read the note which is lengthy but should prove informative in addressing your queries. We greatly look forward to welcoming our pupils back to school next week. Contact the School Office during school hours for additional queries.

Return to School Note

Latest Information Regarding Reopening of Schools

Thu 13 Aug 2020

Please visit 'Newsletters' on our school website or click the link below to view the letter from the Education Minster Peter Weir in relation to the latest information regarding the reopening of schools.

Parents will receive an updated Return to School Note during the early part of next week as school leadership and governors take time to reflect and consult on the latest guidance issued from the Department of Education this morning. This Return to School Note will be issued on our school website, app and Facebook Page.

Due to today’s guidance, school meals will not be available during the first week back. All pupils should bring a packed lunch to school during the week of 24th- 28th August. The Summer Food Payment Scheme ceases on 31st August. School meals will be available for pupils from 1st September.

Letter to Parents and Carers from the Minister of Education

St Colmcille’s App

Wed 12 Aug 2020

The school has recently invested in a new app called TheSchoolApp from our website provider Primary Site. It is a free download- simply go to the App Store, search for TheSchoolApp and download. When the app is downloaded, search for ‘St Colmcille’s PS Downpatrick’ and all of our latest information/ news will be available at the touch of a button.

Our website and app will be very regularly updated and contain the latest news and events. Please try to visit often to keep informed of the latest news, calendar dates, school notes & newsletters and to view the Class Pages and Gallery Section to keep updated with your child’s progress.

Please be advised that due to Covid 19, some of our existing ‘Calendar’ dates at this stage can only be provisional and will be confirmed in due course.

📚⏰ First Week Back to School ⏰📚

Mon 10 Aug 2020

P2-7 children start back to school on Monday 24th- Friday 28th August on a reduced timetable from 8.45am- 12.30pm. Registration will close at 9.10am. School begins for our new P1 pupils on Thursday 27th August at 9.15am - 11.15am. Children will be directed to their entrance and exit points on the day.

School meals are available but must be paid for in full. Free School Meals begin on Tuesday 1st September. Any child not taking a school meal must bring a packed lunch.

An updated Return to School Note will be shared with parents via our School Website/ App and Facebook Page on Monday 17th August.

The information contained within our recent June Newsletter/ Back to School Note, available to view on the Newsletter Section of the website, is very accurate.

StopCOVID NI App

Mon 10 Aug 2020

Please see attached Public Health Agency information in respect of the StopCOVID NI Proximity App. Alongside other safety measures, use of this app is important to further protect our school community.