Newsletter: Wednesday 17th September
- hollyparkwebsite
- Sep 17
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 22
Admission to Junior Infants September 2026
Application and Decision Dates for Admission to 2026/2027 school year
The following are the dates applicable for admission to Junior Infants 2026/2027
Note: the school will consider and issue decisions on late applications in accordance with the school’s Admission Policy.
*Failure to accept an offer within the prescribed period above may result in the offer being withdrawn
The school cannot accept applications for Junior Infants 2025 before this process commences.
Once the admissions process is open, applications may be posted to the school or delivered by hand. As original documents supporting the application must be included, applications cannot be made by email.
School Calendar 2025/2026
The 2025/2026 calendar is available on www.hollyparkgns.ie
Key Dates: Term One
Start & Finish Times
Important notice re School Communications
Aladdin Connect allows parents/guardians have secure access to messages and communications from the school. It also gives parents/guardians access to details of their child’s attendance, test results, report cards, and other selected information.
To ensure clear communication our school uses Aladdin Connect alongside the school website www.hollyparkgns.ie as the primary platform for all school communications. These include communications from staff, the Board of Management and the Parents' Association.
Please be advised that the school does not use Whatsapp to communicate school information to parents/guardians.
School Uniform
Girls should wear the school tracksuit on PE days only.
For health and safety reasons, girls must wear appropriate sporting footwear in order to avoid injury.
School uniform trousers, as an alternative to the school uniform skirt, are available from our uniform suppliers The Schoolwear House.
For health and safety reasons, stud earrings only are permitted. Dangly earrings (to include hoops) are not permitted.
Nail polish, lip gloss, make-up (including mascara), fake tan, fake eyelashes and fake nails are not allowed. Pupils will be asked to remove make up on arrival in school. Wipes will be supplied.
Sacramental Meetings
Fr Philip invites 2nd Class and 6th Class parents/guardians to the following Sacramental Information meetings:
First Holy Communion Thursday 2nd October @ 8pm Foxrock Church
Confirmation Thursday 9th October @ 8pm Foxrock Church
Wellbeing Week: 22nd - 26th September
We are looking forward to celebrating Wellbeing Week when we will enjoy:
Mindful Monday
Thankful Tuesday
Wellbeing Wednesday
Thinking Thursday
Fitness Friday - coinciding with European Active Day
Did you remember to bring in your plain white t-shirt for decorating!!!
We will be wearing our decorated Wellbeing T-Shirts to school on Friday 26th September as part of European Active Day.
Green Schools
The Green School Committee held its first whole-school assembly today.
The 6th Class Green School Reps prepared great introductory presentations about Food and Biodiversity in the context of Global Citizenship.
The committee will be conducting a survey next week with all classes to assess general awareness about issues of Food and Biodiversity in the school. We will be in touch with the results of this survey soon!
September’s Nature Spotter Sheet
This Spotter Sheet includes photographs of the Hawthorn Tree with haws (berries) the Red Admiral Butterfly, Blackberries and Brambles, the Forest Shieldbug, Ash Tree ‘keys’ (seeds) and Ripe Apples. All of these can be spotted in the local parks and green areas. If parents are too busy they might ask grandparents to help!!! Thank you!
Well done!
Homework
Homework should be within the capability of the attentive child, based on work already done. Homework enables parents to follow their daughter’s progress.
Homework should always be checked, and the journal signed daily by parent/guardian.
Homework is assigned for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings and is not generally assigned for the weekend.
Recommended Times for Homework
Junior/Senior Infants: Class Teacher will advise.
1st/2nd Class: 20 – 30 minutes
3rd/4th Class: 30 – 40 minutes
5th/6th Class: 40 – 60 minutes.
These are suggested times. In practice, the time taken will depend on each child.
If parents feel a child is taking an excessive amount of time to complete work, they should discuss this with the Class Teacher.
Please click here for Homework Tips.
Smart Phones and Smart Devices
The Hollypark GNS community strives, in line with best practice, to create a calm and safe sanctuary, free from the distractions and potential complications posed by social media and the use of personal smart devices. To this end, Hollypark GNS is a smart device free campus. Children are not permitted to use phones/smartphones or smart watches whilst on school grounds (including the yard and the astro pitch).
We strongly support our PA No Smartphone Voluntary Code.
5th and 6th Class
Children in 5th and 6th class who need to bring a device to school in order to facilitate their journey to and from school must seek written permission from Ms. Gunning by completing and signing a Phone Request Form. [Please see our school's Acceptable Use Policy, Appendix A (page 16)]. If given permission, children must hand the device to their teacher at the beginning of each day, and they may collect it when they are going home. The school takes no responsibility for these devices during the day.
NCSE INFO
Hollypark PA Updates
PA Hallowe'en & Jersey Sale
PA Fundraiser
Parents are invited to attend a Thermomix® Demonstration in the school next Monday 22nd September @ 7:30pm. The event is free, but if enough people attend, a Thermomix® will be donated to the school to be used as a raffle prize to raise funds for the school.
Traffic and Safety
One Way Traffic System
Traffic Safety
Please use the church car park at drop off and collection times and walk the last 6 minutes with your child.
80% of our pupils live within 2 kilometres of our school. Please encourage your older children to walk with their pals to and from school.
Please ensure that younger children are held by the hand when walking with them to and from school.
Please do not block the driveways of local residents when parking. Many of our residents – often elderly - are virtual prisoners in their own homes at drop off and collection times. And when they speak up are often subject to abuse.
Please park legally and with care.
As things stand, in the event of an emergency, it is unlikely that a fire tender or ambulance would be able to access the schools, or any homes in the vicinity, at drop off and collection times.
After School Activities 2025/26
Please contact providers directly for all updates.
Post-Primary Open Evenings
Dominican College Sion Hill Tuesday 30th September 4:30pm - 7:00pm
Rathdown Senior School Monday 15th September 3:30pm - 7:30pm
Holy Child Killiney Thursday 18th September 4:30pm - 7:00pm
Loreto Foxrock Thursday 18th September 6:00pm - 8:00pm
St Joseph of Cluny Thursday 25th September 5:00pm- 8:00pm
Blackrock Educate Together Tuesday 30th September 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Sion Hill Tuesday 30th September 4:30pm - 7:00pm
Loreto Dalkey Thursday 2nd October 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Rockford Manor Thursday 2nd October
Cabinteely Community School Thursday 2nd October 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Loreto Abbey Thursday 2nd October 4:00pm- 7:00pm
Cabinteely Community School is also running 'Sampler Saturdays' in September and October for 6th Class pupils in subjects such as Home Economics, Art and Woodwork. For further information please check: Instagram @cabinteelycs.
Birthdays this week in Hollypark!
Sofia Moran
Emily Farrell
Chloe Moran
Amelia Duffy
Rosa Conlan
Advertising on our school newsletter
If you would like to place an ad on our school newsletter, please email Suzanne at the office hollyparkgns@gmail.com for further details and pricing.
HPGNS
United in Friendship, Together We Strive!
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