Who We Are
Scoil Oilibhéir is a big school with a big heart. We take immense pride in fostering a caring environment that nurtures not only academic growth but also the well-being of every child.
Scoil Oilibhéir is a large co-educational primary school situated in Ballyvolane, a northern suburb of Cork City. Since first opening its doors in 1983, the school has expanded and grown. At present the school has 550 pupils and a staff of forty two teachers and twelve Special Needs Assistants.
Despite being a large school with a wide variety of initiatives and opportunities, we maintain a close-knit community where every child is valued and supported. Our commitment to kindness and empathy is evident in every interaction, epitomised in the 3 R’s of Respect, Responsibility and Reaction. Compassion and understanding are at the foundation of our school spirit, ensuring that every pupil feels cared for.
Student voice plays a pivotal role in the future direction of our school. The Student Council , Green Schools Committee, Health Promoting Schools Committee, all comprised of senior class pupils, provide daily examples of the responsible, caring and resourceful nature of the children in Scoil Oilibhéir.
Our Mission
Scoil Oilibhéir aims to nurture responsible, capable, resourceful and caring people who live their lives in a Christian way, respecting and valuing difference.
The whole school experience will foster both a love of learning and an awareness of our culture and traditions, thus enabling all who learn and work here to live good and wholesome lives.
Equality of Opportunity
The recent designation of DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) status to Scoil Oilibhéir marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing equitable education for all pupils.
This designation opens doors to a range of resources and supports aimed at addressing the diverse needs of our school community. With DEIS status, our school gains access to additional funding for targeted interventions, such as:
Smaller Class Sizes
Free Hot Lunches
Home School and Community Liaison Teacher
School Completion Programme
Literacy and Numeracy Initiatives such as Literacy Lift- Off, Mata sa Rang, Team Teaching, Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery, Happy Talk
Well-Being Initiatives such as Friends for Life
Increased Parental Involvement
DEIS status underlines our dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every child can reach their full potential, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Varied Learning Experiences
Scoil Oilibhéir endeavours to provide each pupil with a wide variety of learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom. The school has a rich tradition in music, with all children having the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. The school choir and band make a special contribution to school celebrations, while also performing at local events such as Cór Fhéile na Scol and Feis Maitiú. The pupils have an opportunity to display their many talents through our annual Christmas concerts.
Within the classroom, teachers use a variety of teaching methodologies, making learning fun and relevant for the children. The creative talents of all our pupils are celebrated and shared through annual events such as Art Oilibhéir and the Book Fair. The school also places a high importance on the use of technology in education and all classrooms are equipped with an Interactive Whiteboard or a data projector. All pupils also have access to suites of iPads allowing them to develop their digital literacy skills.
Friends of Scoil Oilibhéir
Our Parents Association, The Friends of Scoil Oilibhéir (FOSO) are constantly looking to support us through a variety of fund raising initiatives. In recent years we have expanded our STEM (science, technology, engineering maths) resources thanks to the funds raised by the FOSO.
The extensive school hall is the heartbeat of our school where children enjoy PE, Christmas concerts, performances by our school choir and school orchestra as well as the annual Battle of the Bands between pupils and staff!
Within the classroom, initiatives such as Literacy Lift- Off, Mata sa Rang, Team Teaching , Peer Tutoring are adopted to meet the needs of all pupils, while also making learning fun and relevant for them. The creative talents of all our pupils are celebrated and shared through annual events such as Art Oilibhéir and the Book Fair. Student voice is very important to us in Scoil Oilibhéir. The Student Council , Green Schools Committee, Health Promoting Schools Committee, all comprised of senior class pupils, provide daily examples of the responsible, caring and resourceful nature of the children in Scoil Oilibhéir.
Sports & More
Sport has always been at the heart of life in Scoil Oilibhéir and with access to facilities such as the school hall, yard and adjacent playing fields, all pupils have the opportunity to be fit, active and enjoy working as part of a team.
The school boasts a wealth of sports equipment and in their weekly P.E. class pupils participate in a multitude of sports such as basketball, hockey, volley ball, rugby, tennis and badminton to name but a few. The school is well represented on the sporting field and we take great pride in the achievements of all our teams in:
Hurling and camogie
Football (boys and girls)
Tennis
Indoor hurling
Athletics
Even when the bell rings at 2:40 pm, the school continues to be a hive of activity, offering a Homework Club for pupils. In addition, many after school activities are based within the school including:
Guitar lessons
Piano lessons
Violin lessons
Speech and Drama classes
Mindfulness
Lego Club
Chess
Coding and Animation club
Irish Dancing
