Support & Medical Advice
Support, Guidance and Medical advice for parents.
Guidance on infection control
Prevent the spread of infections by ensuring: routine immunisation, high standards of personal hygiene and practice, particularly handwashing, and maintaining a clean environment. Please contact the Public Health Agency Health Protection Duty Room (Duty Room) on 028 9055 3994/7 or visit www.publichealth.hscni.net or www.gov.uk/government/organisations/Public-health-england if you would like any further advice or information, including the latest guidance.
Support and Guidance
On-going support and guidance are given to students by their class teacher, form teacher and Head of Year.
Parents / Guardians are encouraged to contact their daughter’s form teacher to relay information or to discuss any difficulties.
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A note delivered by your daughter to her form teacher may be sufficient.
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You may want to contact your daughter’s form teacher directly. You should phone the school main office and ask to speak to the relevant teacher. Please note that for confidentiality purposes the teacher may not be able to speak to you immediately, if they have a class with them. They will return your call.
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You may wish to arrange an appointment to come into school to discuss any queries or concerns.
School Counselling Service – Familyworks
A counsellor from Familyworks Counselling Service is available in school one morning a week.
If your daughter has a concern of any nature and would like to talk it over with the Counsellor, she should ask her Form Teacher or Head of Year to arrange a meeting. There is also a self-referral box available located close to the Library. A parent may also request an appointment with the counsellor on behalf of their daughter.
The Senior Teacher i/c of Student Welfare – Mrs M Judge, oversees these arrangements.
Confidentiality is a central feature of the service and counselling sessions are carried out in confidence unless a Child Protection / Safeguarding issue emerges.
Safeguarding and Child Protection
Mount Lourdes has a Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy which is sent out to parents biannually.
A copy is available from the Main Office.
In keeping with our Safeguarding and Child Protection procedures, parents / guardians of students new to the school will receive a copy of the school’s Acceptable Use / On-line Safety policy
The staff in Mount Lourdes accept a pastoral responsibility towards all students and recognise that all young people in their care have a fundamental right to be protected from harm. They aim to do whatever is reasonable to safeguard and protect each student’s safety and well-being.
Designated Teachers for Child Protection
Designated Teacher: Mrs M Judge
Deputy Designated Teachers: Mr J Devine & Mrs S Cullen
These teachers can be contacted at any time during school hours.
The designated teachers for Child Protection are supported by other members of the school’s Safeguarding Team:
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Chair of the Board of Governors: Monsignor P O’Reilly
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Designated Governor for Child Protection: Mr G McCabe
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Teacher Governor: Mr D Murray
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Senior Teachers: Mr G Quinn and Mrs J McGeoghan
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Head of Learning Support: Mrs M Keaney
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ICT Co-Ordinator: Mrs M O’Reilly
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All staff receive annual child protection training and students can speak to anyone in school if they are worried or concerned about themselves or someone else.
Photographs
In school, we use photographs / images featuring students for displays, presentations, school prospectus, school magazine, news articles, social media, school website, etc.
If you do not wish your daughter’s photograph / image to be used by Mount Lourdes as suggested, you should indicate so on the permission slip given when your daughter joined the school.
When the occasion arises, students should remind staff that they are not to be included in school photographs / images.
Anti-Bullying
We pride ourselves on having a happy school where everyone respects others’ views and opinions and feels part of the school community. We place great emphasis on dealing effectively with behaviours that cause stress to others. If you have concerns about bullying behaviour you should talk to your Form Teacher and your parents/guardians about it.
Homework
Homework plays an essential part in helping all students achieve their full potential. It helps to develop student responsibility by encouraging independent learning and encourages life-long learning.
Homework is set primarily to:
• Develop the habit of independent study.
• Reinforce and extend what has been learned in the classroom.
• Build on the Assessment for Learning approach used in the classroom.
• Provide an indication of student progress.
• Help students prepare for future lessons and assessments.
When homework has been completed, the remaining time should be devoted to personal study or revision. Students are discouraged from having access to their mobile phones during homework time.
Homework activities may include reading, essay writing, summarising, learning, preparing a presentation, carrying out research, listening to a podcast, making something, revising, answering questions, catching up on work missed due to absence from lessons.
Homework Diary / Student Planner
All students are given a Mount Lourdes Grammar School planner each year at the beginning of the new school year. This planner is a means to record homework and of communication between school and home.
If the planner is lost, it must be replaced at a cost of £5.00
Parents / Guardians are expected to check their daughter’s student planner regularly and sign it accordingly.
Students should check their timetable / student planner each evening and ensure they have the necessary books, equipment and work completed for the next day.
The Homework Diary/ Student Planner should be brought to every lesson and the following practices are encouraged:
• Record homework on the date it is given.
• Record the due date of the homework.
• Keep the homework diary neat and tidy.
The Homework Diary / Student Planner also contains some important information for parents/guardians regarding School Policies and Procedures and useful reference material for individual subjects.
It is the responsibility of every student to ensure that they catch up with any work missed through absence from class.
How can I help my daughter with her learning?
Getting involved with your daughter’s education can make a significant difference to her chances of success. Research has shown that students whose parents are involved get higher marks, have a better attitude towards learning and develop more confidence. As your daughter gets older she needs to become more independent. However, offering lots of encouragement will get her off to the right start:
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Be interested and talk to your daughter about what she has learnt in school.
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Encourage your daughter to complete her homework as soon as it has been assigned.
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Turn off the television and mobile phones while homework is being completed.
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Ensure your daughter has the right books and resources.
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Discourage your daughter from copying without editing when she is asked to carry out research.
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Help your daughter to become an independent learner. Explain how to look up information rather than simply giving her an answer in order to get the task finished.
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Encourage your daughter to talk to her teacher about her learning.
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Read carefully any comments that your daughter’s teachers make about her work.
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Make every effort to attend Parent Teacher Meetings.
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Encourage a balanced approach to schoolwork and achievement.
Mount Lourdes encourages parents/guardians to become fully involved in their daughter’s education. However, please do not be tempted to do her homework for her. If your daughter is to progress, we need to know how much she understands and can do independently.
Canteen
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The canteen is open for breakfast from 8.30am to 8.50am.
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At lunchtime in the canteen students may choose from a varied menu of hot and cold food such as soups, stews and curries, sandwiches, paninis and wraps as well as hot and cold drinks.
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The canteen uses a biometric (fingerprint) cashless system which is currently being upgraded. In addition to allowing students to top up their accounts for the purchase of food in the canteen, the upgraded system, which is planned to be operational for September 2023, will offer parents an online payment facility for this purpose.
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Students who are eligible for free school meals will have £2.80 automatically added to their accounts daily.
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Students who bring a packed lunch to school can eat in the canteen, or at the picnic benches outside.
As a health-promoting school, we encourage students to eat sensibly.
The canteen menu will be available on the school website in September 2023.
Free School Meals
The application process for the Free School Meal allowance and School Uniform grant can be accessed through the Education Authority website www.eani.org.uk
Bus Passes
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If eligible, your daughter’s bus pass will be issued to her on her first day in Mount Lourdes.
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The bus driver will not expect your daughter to have a bus pass on her first morning.
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Please advise your daughter to keep her bus pass safe and present it to the bus driver on her journey to and from school.
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If your daughter loses her bus pass during the school year, she must report the loss immediately to Mrs McCaughey (Administration Staff).
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Translink charge a fee for a replacement pass.
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Post 16 students apply for a bus pass via the website www.eani.org.uk
Travelling to school by Car
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In the interest of the safety of all students using the school, parents should not drive onto the school grounds when dropping off or picking up their daughter.
Important Contacts in Mount Lourdes
Form Teacher
Every student in the school belongs to a Form Class. Students will meet their Form Teacher for Registration and Morning Assembly at 8.50 am.
Years 8 to 10 will have two classes and Years 11 to 14 will have one class of Learning for Life and Work per week with their Form Teacher. This is a good time to ask questions about matters that concern students. The Form Teacher is here to help students settle into school and to make it easier for them to make progress in your studies.
If your daughter is having difficulties of any kind, it is important that they tell their Form Teacher as soon as possible.
Parents/guardians should note that the Form Teacher is also your first point of contact if you have any queries or concerns about your daughter.
Head of Year 8: Mrs C Conroy
Head of Year 9: Mrs L McGrath
Head of Year 10: Mrs A Mulligan
Head of Year 11: Mrs L Quinn
Head of Year 12: Mrs C Greene
Head of Year 13: Mr M McGuinness
Head of Year 14: Mr A Convie
Principal: Mrs S Cullen
Vice Principal: Mr J Devine
Senior Teacher i/c Pastoral Care: Mrs J McGeoghan
Senior Teacher i/c Student Welfare: Mrs M Judge
Senior Teacher i/c Learning and Teaching: Mr G Quinn
SENCO: Mrs M Keaney
Student Counsellor: Miss Aine Martin (Familyworks)
Reception: Ms M Greene
Housekeeper in charge of Sick Bay: Mrs R Doran (Staffroom /Sick Bay)
Bus Passes: Mrs A McCaughey
Lost Property: Ms M Cosgrove
Contact us
Office hours 8.15am – 4.30pm
Mount Lourdes Grammar School
Belmore Street
Enniskillen
Co. Fermanagh
BT74 6AB
Tel: 02866322265
Website: www.mountlourdes.com
Email: info@mountlds.ennniskillen.ni.sch.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mountlourdesgrammar
Please ensure you have the Parent App downloaded to your mobile device / phone.