Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
Each year we hold whole school Maths Week, Code Week, Science Week and Engineers Week where students are immersed in their S.T.E.M learning.
Science Foundation Ireland Gold Award 2023-2024:
We are delighted to have been awarded the Gold Award from the Science Foundation Ireland in the Curious Minds Awards 2023-2024 in recognition for our work in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
Curious Minds Awards
The Discover Primary Science and Maths (DPSM) programme has been rebranded as Curious Minds. Through the SFI Curious Minds programme schools get to develop the innate curiosity of children through a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to STEM learning. Curious Minds is part of Science Foundation Ireland’s Education and Public Engagement Programme, which aims to increase interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
We have achieved and been awarded a DPSM award each year for the last 12 successive years for our whole school work in science, maths, technology and engineering.
BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition
The Primary Science Fair has been an exciting part of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition for over 15 years. Over the years our school have had projects selected for the RDS Primary Science fair and classes have enjoyed the amazing experience of presenting their projects which they have been hard at work on in school.
Development of pupils’ ideas is central to science education. They use ideas formed from previous experience to make sense of things that happen around them. Ideas may be limited and inconsistent with formal theories. Science education helps them to modify ideas and develop more scientific understandings. Meaningful learning occurs when pupils construct their understanding by modifying their existing ideas in the light of new insights gained from scientific investigations.
Intel Mini Scientist Competition
The Intel Mini Scientist is a competition for Primary school students in which they develop science related projects that are exhibited at fairs within their own schools. Winning projects selected at this school level exhibition then go on to take part in the Mini Scientist Regional Final event with the possibility of continuing on to the Grand Final event. The competition, which is open to 4th, 5th, and 6th class students, supports the Primary Science curriculum and is a great way to encourage enthusiasm and practical learning in the area of science.
We celebrate and take part in the INtel Mini Scientist competition each year with fantastic entries from students 4th – 6th classes. We have a whole school exhibition in our school hall. See photo highlights below from entries over the past few years.
Visit www.intel.ie/miniscientist for information about the program.
Engineers Week
Each year we celebrate Engineering Week where we have many different activities, guest speakers and workshops throughout the school. Each year we have an Ultimate Design Challenge where students are tasked to design and construct. This years 2024-2025 Design Challenge was to Design and Create a Marble run. Previous years have seen designs of Parachutes, Boats, Bridges, Cranes and aeroplanes.
Robotic Workshops
Each year we have Lego Robotic Workshops with Learn IT Ireland with our senior classes and Bricks 4 Kidz workshops with our junior classes.
Learnit comes to the classroom with a wide choice of workshops, from one-off themed science weeks for the whole school to bespoke, customised packages for one or two classes. Covering all of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects, their LEGO Education based workshops give our students the opportunity to become engineers, researchers, analysts, designers and more.
Through practical and hands-on approach, students learn to take measurements, analyse data, make predictions, solve problems and design solutions. Every child takes part, working in teams to build and test their projects.