Enrolment 2026-2027
New applications are being accepted for the school year 2026/2027 between the 26th of January and the 20th of February 2026
Please take the time to read the policies below including:
Admissions Policy and Annual Admissions Notice, Code of Behaviour, Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP) and amended version- (to take into account newer, online learning protocols and methodologies since March 2020), Distance Learning Policy, School Attendance Strategy and Information for Parents, as well as details of RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) and Stay Safe Lessons. (See below also- General Information for Parents)
We are a vibrant, child-centred school where wellbeing, learning and opportunity go hand in hand. We place a strong emphasis on physical activity and outdoor learning, helping children to stay active, healthy and engaged throughout the school day. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of sports including rounders, basketball, Gaelic games, soccer, Olympic handball, hockey, orienteering and our annual 4k walk or run. Children in the senior classes also take part in a six-week block of swimming lessons.
Daily “busy breaks”, both indoors and outdoors, support children’s concentration, wellbeing and enjoyment of learning. We are proud to have an outdoor classroom and outdoor furniture, allowing lessons to move beyond the classroom and make the most of our surroundings, particularly during the spring and summer months.
We are also very fortunate to offer free hot school lunches to all pupils and to have excellent digital resources to support teaching and learning, including class sets of Chromebooks and a set of iPads. These enhance creativity, collaboration and digital skills across all class levels.
Our school provides a warm, inclusive environment where every child is known, valued and supported to reach their full potential.
You will need to fill out and return the :
Application for Enrolment Form which includes information required for POD (Pupil Online Database) form and includes acceptance of the Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP) - this one relates to online and internet use. The amended AUP contains extra points since we moved to online and hybrid learning since March 2020.
If preferred, we can post out copies of the enrolment application form to you.
Please email [email protected] or call 074 9137315.
Our school address is: St. Joseph's NS, Rathdonnell, Trentagh, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal F92K403
We look forward to hearing from you!
Please take the time to read the policies below including:
Admissions Policy and Annual Admissions Notice, Code of Behaviour, Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP) and amended version- (to take into account newer, online learning protocols and methodologies since March 2020), Distance Learning Policy, School Attendance Strategy and Information for Parents, as well as details of RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) and Stay Safe Lessons. (See below also- General Information for Parents)
We are a vibrant, child-centred school where wellbeing, learning and opportunity go hand in hand. We place a strong emphasis on physical activity and outdoor learning, helping children to stay active, healthy and engaged throughout the school day. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of sports including rounders, basketball, Gaelic games, soccer, Olympic handball, hockey, orienteering and our annual 4k walk or run. Children in the senior classes also take part in a six-week block of swimming lessons.
Daily “busy breaks”, both indoors and outdoors, support children’s concentration, wellbeing and enjoyment of learning. We are proud to have an outdoor classroom and outdoor furniture, allowing lessons to move beyond the classroom and make the most of our surroundings, particularly during the spring and summer months.
We are also very fortunate to offer free hot school lunches to all pupils and to have excellent digital resources to support teaching and learning, including class sets of Chromebooks and a set of iPads. These enhance creativity, collaboration and digital skills across all class levels.
Our school provides a warm, inclusive environment where every child is known, valued and supported to reach their full potential.
You will need to fill out and return the :
Application for Enrolment Form which includes information required for POD (Pupil Online Database) form and includes acceptance of the Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP) - this one relates to online and internet use. The amended AUP contains extra points since we moved to online and hybrid learning since March 2020.
If preferred, we can post out copies of the enrolment application form to you.
Please email [email protected] or call 074 9137315.
Our school address is: St. Joseph's NS, Rathdonnell, Trentagh, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal F92K403
We look forward to hearing from you!
| admissions_notice_rathdonnell_ns_2026-2027.pdf |
| admissions_policy.pdf |
| Enrolment Form |
| Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) - covid updates |
| Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) |
| Code of Behaviour |
| Statement of Strategy for School Attendance |
| bí_cineálta_policy_to_prevent_and_address.pdf |
| rathdonnell_ns_eal_policy_2023.pdf |
| Revised Parental Complaints Procedure |
General Information for Parents
General Information
Parents are welcome to arrange to speak to a teacher via a phone call or email if there is something they wish to discuss.
The pupil diary is useful for informal home-school communication. Parent Teacher meetings are scheduled in November of each year. Date to be confirmed.
On a practical level for families, the school endeavours to keep costs for parents and children down. Parents purchase a school badge which can be sewn onto school jumpers. Both mainstream class teachers regard good copy-book work as important and a good record of yearly work is presented in them, containing the children's own drawings and written work. Fiddles and accordions are provided to the children at no extra cost, which they return on leaving the school. However, children are welcome to purchase their own musical instruments, should they prefer.
Team teaching is an important part of our work. The support teachers deliver lessons in numeracy, oral language and SPHE as well as working with children on an individual basis.
Parents are asked that teachers be made aware of any learning difficulties/needs or medical conditions or allergies, which their child might have. This information should be filled out on the enrolment form. If medical needs change during your child’s time at school, eg. medication, allergies-don’t forget to let the teachers know.
A reminder that road safety at morning and evening time is vital for all. The area outside the school can get busy. We would ask you to avoid parking over the footpath, also perhaps to avoid turning in the nearby neighbouring driveways.
The school benefits from a local community fundraiser held annually. This is in its 10th year now. We in Rathdonnell NS are grateful to the Trentagh Fun Day Committee for all they do on our behalf. We appreciate the support of our parents who buy tickets, go to meetings or support the event by attending or by helping out.
The school continues the long tradition of linking with the school community. Parents, family members and neighbours can enjoy Christmas Concerts and Plays, Seachtain na Gaeilge Ceolchoirm and Tráth na gceist events to name a few. Two showings of the Christmas Plays are arranged to facilitate working parents- one during the school day and one in the evening usually at 7pm. In the summer term we host the annual Science Open Day and End-of-year school mass. Parents help out with baking and teas at these events, which is appreciated.
Our school has a Healthy Eating Policy. Please make sure that sweet treats, biscuits, sugary drinks are not in the lunch boxes.
Birthday invitations: We would appreciate if birthday invitations could be distributed outside of school please and thank you for your co-operation with this.
The school opens to receive pupils at 9:10am. Children make their own way into the school. The infant day ends at 2pm and all other classes finish at 3pm.
The school uniform consists of navy trousers / skirt / pinafore, blue shirt / polo shirt, navy tie with red stripe, navy V neck sweatshirt / jumper. The tie can be bought in County Seat. The badge with the school logo costs €4 and can be purchased from the school.
Tracksuits/ sport gear/ runners can be worn on PE day.
Since Covid 19 particularly, information for parents/ letters/ updates are communicated via email or by text. Please check your inbox regularly.
Parents are welcome to arrange to speak to a teacher via a phone call or email if there is something they wish to discuss.
The pupil diary is useful for informal home-school communication. Parent Teacher meetings are scheduled in November of each year. Date to be confirmed.
On a practical level for families, the school endeavours to keep costs for parents and children down. Parents purchase a school badge which can be sewn onto school jumpers. Both mainstream class teachers regard good copy-book work as important and a good record of yearly work is presented in them, containing the children's own drawings and written work. Fiddles and accordions are provided to the children at no extra cost, which they return on leaving the school. However, children are welcome to purchase their own musical instruments, should they prefer.
Team teaching is an important part of our work. The support teachers deliver lessons in numeracy, oral language and SPHE as well as working with children on an individual basis.
Parents are asked that teachers be made aware of any learning difficulties/needs or medical conditions or allergies, which their child might have. This information should be filled out on the enrolment form. If medical needs change during your child’s time at school, eg. medication, allergies-don’t forget to let the teachers know.
A reminder that road safety at morning and evening time is vital for all. The area outside the school can get busy. We would ask you to avoid parking over the footpath, also perhaps to avoid turning in the nearby neighbouring driveways.
The school benefits from a local community fundraiser held annually. This is in its 10th year now. We in Rathdonnell NS are grateful to the Trentagh Fun Day Committee for all they do on our behalf. We appreciate the support of our parents who buy tickets, go to meetings or support the event by attending or by helping out.
The school continues the long tradition of linking with the school community. Parents, family members and neighbours can enjoy Christmas Concerts and Plays, Seachtain na Gaeilge Ceolchoirm and Tráth na gceist events to name a few. Two showings of the Christmas Plays are arranged to facilitate working parents- one during the school day and one in the evening usually at 7pm. In the summer term we host the annual Science Open Day and End-of-year school mass. Parents help out with baking and teas at these events, which is appreciated.
Our school has a Healthy Eating Policy. Please make sure that sweet treats, biscuits, sugary drinks are not in the lunch boxes.
Birthday invitations: We would appreciate if birthday invitations could be distributed outside of school please and thank you for your co-operation with this.
The school opens to receive pupils at 9:10am. Children make their own way into the school. The infant day ends at 2pm and all other classes finish at 3pm.
The school uniform consists of navy trousers / skirt / pinafore, blue shirt / polo shirt, navy tie with red stripe, navy V neck sweatshirt / jumper. The tie can be bought in County Seat. The badge with the school logo costs €4 and can be purchased from the school.
Tracksuits/ sport gear/ runners can be worn on PE day.
Since Covid 19 particularly, information for parents/ letters/ updates are communicated via email or by text. Please check your inbox regularly.
Child Safeguarding Statement
The Board of Management wishes to inform you that The board's annual review of the school's Child Safeguarding Statement was completed at the Board meeting of 30/06/2026.
| css_1_child_safeguarding_statement_and_risk_assessment_rathdonnell_ns.pdf |
| css_2_review_of_the_child_safeguarding_statement_and_risk_assessment_rathdonnell_ns.pdf |
| css_3__notification_regarding_the_board_of_managements_review_of_the_child_safeguarding_statement_and_risk_assessmentrathdonnell_ns.pdf |
September 2021
| flu_vaccine_for_children_aged_2-12_hse.pdf |
| safety_statement_return_to_school_protocols_may_20._rathdonnell_ns.pdf |
| distance_learning_policy_st._josephs_ns_rathdonnell.pdf |
Parent Teacher Meetings
Parents may find the following link useful.
Parents may find the following link useful.
Peace IV
We have now five years completed under the Peace Shared Education project with Trentagh NS and were delighted to have Holy Cross N.S., Dunfanaghy, join us last year as well! We are looking forward to the coming weeks and months.
Activities over the past four years have included: include learning through sport, environmental education/ historical field trips, STEM workshops, Lego and Coding, (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and Art activities. The seniors visited the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh and the Juniors enjoyed trips to the local library, Town Park and the Glebe Gallery. We also had joint school tours and sports days.
All children from Junior Infants to rang a sé participate, with age-appropriate levels of instruction and activity for both Junior and Senior groups. This continues to be a valuable opportunity in terms of both funding and cross-community engagement. Click on the links below to find out more.
Click below for the most up-to-date link:
www.sharededucation.org.uk/news/and-house-we-moved-gravid-ease
School Tours Policy
| school_outings_policy_st._josephs_ns.pdf |
Rathdonnell NS GDPR Privacy Notice
| rathdonnell_ns_privacy_notice_gdpr_june_2018.pdf |
RSE and Stay Safe lessons
Age-appropriate Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is mandated for delivery by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) from Infants to sixth class in Primary School and throughout Secondary School. RSE aims to teach children about relationships, sexuality and their own growth and development. This project will support parents and guardians, the primary educators of their children, to have parallel conversations about these topics at home, in a way that can reflect their own family values. The local library has excellent books to help parents talk to their children about changing and growing. To accompany the library books, a ‘Sammy the Caterpillar – Guide for Parents and Guardians’ booklet has also been produced, which explains why it is important to start these conversations with children at an earlier age and build on the information as children grow. The guide, which we will send home, lists the books available to borrow for a variety of stages up to the age of 19, and gives suggestions for what children need to know and tips to get these conversations started.
St Joseph's National School Digital Learning Plan DRAFT
| digital-learning-plan-template.docx |
