Afterschools

IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschools has been in operation for over 17 years. Children are collected daily from both Newmarket Boys and Girls National Schools by bus, which is facilitated by Local Link. Children receive a nourishing meal, provided by Duhallow Community Food Services, and one-to-one support and supervision with homework. Once homework is finished children enjoy a range of child led activities; art, baking, games and fun, walks around the ground of the James O Keeffe, Pitch and Putt, STEM activities, mindfulness, yoga; or they may choose unstructured free play after a structured day in school.

Not only does the Afterschools provide care for working families but families also send their children for the homework support, as they do not have the provisions for online learning at home, they themselves may struggle with literacy, numeracy, or they may be facing social issues. The Afterschools is a safe, inclusive and fun environment that supports children to develop socially, emotionally and educationally according to their interests and abilities. We have invested in a number of tablets to facilitate online homework and learning.

September 2021 saw the Afterschools expand its service to meet the needs of local families and is now operating a Breakfast Club from 7am Monday-Friday. Children can relax in our sensory/chillax room, participate in activities and games and are provided with a variety of breakfast options before being dropped to school.

The Breakfast Club and Afterschools is an essential service for parents in Newmarket and surrounding regions who otherwise would be excluded from participation in work or training due to a lack of childcare.

Rachel O Callaghan, Afterschool’ s Practitioner, assisting Alex Healy and Batt O Callaghan with their homework.

Rachel and Faye enjoying a baking activity; making and decorating chocolate discs.

The children of the Afterschool’ s were delighted to feature in Sheila Fitzgerald’ s Christmas Single, which aired on Sky and was played over the local radio stations.

Environmental Activities

IRD Duhallow Newmarket Afterschools was the first childcare facility to receive a green flag in Ireland in 2009. We are now working towards our 6th Flag for the Theme Global Citizenship- Energy. This maintenance theme allows us to revise the Energy theme we previously completed, while looking at issues surrounding energy on a global scale. Every year the Afterschools participates in National Spring Clean Day an anti-litter campaign that takes place in April.

We were delighted to participate in the Gaisce Bulbs For Bees campaign this year. We received a pack of bulbs from IRD Duhallow. The children learned how the pollinator friendly bulbs we planted in October will flower in spring and will provide the hard working bees with some sweet, sugary, carbohydrate-rich nectar, which they depend on for energy and pollen. They thoroughly enjoyed getting stuck in to the planting and are excited to see what will flower next year. They planted Grape Hyacinth and Crocus.

As part of a LEADER funded Barn Owl Project the children of the Aftserschools learned about the cultural and historical significance of Barn Owls, the importance of conservation and to appreciate wildlife. Animal Magic also visited and the children got to see and hold Barn Owls.

Camps

The Afterschools runs camps during mid-term; the Spooktacular Halloween Camp and the Egg-citing Easter Camp. This year, as part of the LEADER funded Barn Owl Project, staff from IRD Duhallow facilitated an information session Barn Owls and Animal Magic visited the afterschools during the Halloween Camp.

Throughout the summer we run a number of camps with a variety of themes; these include Little Chefs and Artists, Nature Detectives and Whizz Kids.

Little Chefs and Artists children enjoy baking and cooking things from start to finish and a variety of arts and crafts. During Nature Detectives, we spend majority of the day outside exploring and appreciating our natural surroundings. Whizz Kids is all about science experiments, computers and literacy with a Literacy teacher facilitating literacy games and activities and Touch Type Read Spell (TTRS) while in the computer lab; these activities are especially beneficial for children with dyslexia or reading difficulties. Camps are open to all children, not just those enrolled in the Afterschools.

Animal Magic visiting the Afterschools as part of the LEADER funded Barn Owl Project.

STEM Activities are always a firm favouritehere the children are making slime.

Typical Daily Schedule

2.00 Junior and Senior Infants are picked up by bus or dropped off by parents. 2.10 Homework and Play 3.00 1st – 6th class are picked up by bus or dropped off by parents 3.15 Dinner is served (We can cater for special dietary needs) 3.40 Homework time 4.30 Activities/Free Play 6.00 Closing Time