Pre-school (ECCE Scheme)

We participate in the Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) scheme. The ECCE scheme provides early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age.

The ECCE Scheme is offered 5 days a week for three hours a day. The preschool opens at 9:15am and closes at 12:15pm daily. The pre-school runs for 38 weeks of the year. The pre-school calendar runs in line with the academic calendar of Scoil Choilm National School.

Check when your child is eligible for the ECCE Scheme here.

Call or email us today to register with us.

Pre-school Curriculum

In line with Ireland’s national curriculum framework, Aistear and Síolta, we aim to promote an active hands-on learning experience for each child. We believe that children learn best through play and real-life experiences. We aim to deliver an action-packed curriculum for your children. Our weekly curriculum planning stems from the children’s needs and interests. We believe that a child led, interest-based curriculum results in the children having rich, interesting learning experiences.

Find out more about Aistear & Síolta here.

Sample Daily Routine

09:15             - Arrival

09:15 - 10:15 - Free play

This provides opportunities for children to think independently and develop their decision making skills. It provides opportunities for children to discover what interests them, and what they are good at.

10:15 - 10:30 - Snack Time
There are many benefits to shared mealtimes. It is an unstructured time that allows natural conversations between children and adults. Sitting together eating can spark conversations about different foods and this can help foster healthy eating habits among children.

10:30 - 11:00 - Outdoor Play

Outdoor play is an excellent way for children to develop in many areas such as social skills, confidence building, spatial awareness, sensory awareness and decision-making skills. We believe that it is important for children to connect with nature and explore the outdoors for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. If the children want to stay outside longer, we will usually follow their lead. In our outdoor area we have many open ended materials and sensory materials for children to feel a sense of adventure and use their imagination.

11:00 - 11:45 - Planned Activity

Our planned activities are guided by the emerging interests of the children in the class. Planned activities are a great way for the children to use their problem solving skills and concentration.

11:45 - 12:15 - Circle Time/Song/Dance/Movement