PROBLEM SOLVERS: Pupils from Holy Cross Mercy Primary School are enjoying a new STEM club in their school. Pictured at the front were: Seán Looney, Amelia Spillane, Caelan Prendergast and Sadhbh Collins from senior infants with their classmates.

By Michelle Crean

Local school children are becoming logical thinkers and problem solvers at a much younger age thanks to the introduction of a new after schools programme.

Holy Cross Mercy Primary School hosts an afterschool STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) club for Senior Infant pupils where children are introduced to science experiments including making slime and building electrical circuits and engineering by designing and building various structures such as bridges and houses using maths.

Principal of Holy Cross, Ursula Coffey, welcomed the announcement of funding for all schools for the purchase of key technologies including iPads, smart displays and airplay devices for the school.

“It will allow us to build on and expand the amazing work being done in our school in the area of digital technologies for teaching and learning,” she said.

Holy Cross is a school of Digital Distinction with Technology and STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) playing a central role in learning throughout all classes in the school, she added.

“All classes have access to iPads with over 100 devices in the school. Parents and teachers communicate through their child’s Digital Learning Journal Seesaw and are updated daily with snapshots of their child’s learning. Children from Junior Infants right through to Sixth class learn 21st century tech skills within their classrooms with every child having access to iPads daily. The students will also work together on different aspects of coding including Scratch and Beebots to enable them to become logical thinkers, problem solvers, collaborative learners and to foster and encourage creativity.”

The Holy Cross Mercy also has a STEM Club for the older classes and  the new funding will provide resources for the club.

“The students will learn skills such as animation, coding, robotics and engineering with LEGO.”
Further information is available on their website www.mercyholycross.ieor their Facebook page. If you are interested in school enrolment for September 2019 please contact the school office on 064 663141.