## **Naiscoil an Iuir Annual Report and Financial Accounts** For year ended 30[th] June 2019 Date 01 June 2019 Submitted to Charity Commission: May 2022 The committee of Naiscoil an Iuir are please to submit their annual report and financial accounts for the period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 ## **Naiscoil details** ## _**Address**_ Naiscoil an Iuir, 74 Kilmorey St., Newry, Co Down, Northern Ireland BT34 2DH ## **Naiscoil Information** Naiscoil an Iuir was established in 1988, is a voluntary, not-for-profit preschool, providing education through the medium of Irish. We are a registered charity with the Northern Ireland Charity Commission (No 104684). Our last Department of Education playgroup inspection in May 2014 rated us as ‘Very Good’. In 2018 we had a further Department of Education inspection, and we are due a follow-up inspection which is still pending. We are registered by the Education Authority, Southern Region, as a PEAGS preschool. We currently provide space for up to 16 children, and may take non-PEAGS-funded children if spaces are available. A healthy ‘sos’ (break) snack is provided daily for our children. The preschool hours are 08.45 to 11.15, and children may choose to stay for an extra 1 hour 15 mins per day until 12.30 for a small weekly fee (currently £20 for 6 hours 15 mins, payable weekly, reviewed annually). Naiscoil an Iuir is non-denominational, and welcomes children from all backgrounds. Families do not need to be Irish-Speakers to attend. We are the Page 1 of 5 main feeder preshcool for Bunscoil an Iuir (Newry’s only Irish-Medium Primary School), with which we share premises. In 2018 we celebrated 30 years since our foundation. ## _**Committee members**_ Ann McGaffin (Chair) Sinead Magill (Secretary) Correna Harte (Treasurer) Patrick McKevitt Conor Sands Mairead Doran ## **Staff members** Aine Ni hIr, Ceannaire (Leader) Linda Devlin, Leas-Cheannaire (Deputy Leader) Chloe Ni Runaidh (Part-time assistant) ## **Meetings held (since charity registration 13/04/2016)** 13 April 2016 08 June 2016 28 Sept 2016 22 Nov 2016 14 Dec 2016 (AGM) 02 Mar 2017 07 May 2017 07 Nov 2017 08 Feb 2018 (AGM) 28 Mar 2018 12 Sept 2018 30 Jan 2019 12 Feb 2019 (AGM) 03 Apr 2019 Page 2 of 5 ## **Children currently registered (2019-2020)** Currently there are 16 children registered for funded PEAGS places. ## **Children Registered for next year (2020-2021)** 16 ## **Social Media** We have an active FaceBook site. This page is used by parents to interact, and by the staff to share stories and photographs. It is also a useful means of providing information to parents, and in the promotion of the Irish language and bilingualism in a child-centred way. ## **Publicity and Public Relations** From time to time we may submit news to local newspapers (such as a trip to the Dentist). Only children whose parents have consented to their images being used are included. ## **Fundraising** ## **General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)** In accordance with the recent requirements, we have reviewed our data sharing and data management policies and procedures, and will continue to keep this under review. ## **Altram** Altram is the regional support group for Irish-medium early years projects. It was founded in 1996 by local preschools in Derry, Belfast, Armagh and Newry. Altram was set up to: Support Irish-medium early years providers, improve the standard of provision in the sector, and to promote the importance of the early years in Irish medium education. Altram works closely with sectoral groups supporting both existing and emerging naíonraí. The Altram website is an online resource for naíscoil staff, committees, parents and children www.altram.org. Page 3 of 5 We had several visits from Altram in preparation for the ETI Inspection. In addition, an education workshop by Altram on the Roles of the Committee is took place during 2019. ## **Social Services** The group is registered with Social Services and is subject to inspection by Early Years Social Workers. The most recent inspection was during March 2019. ## **Children’s Graduation** A graduation ceremony is held annually at the end of the preschool year, to which parents and other family members are invited to attend. ## **Speech and Language Therapy Services** A speech and language therapist attend every second Friday and provides a group session. This has been noted to be an excellent service. ## **‘Turais’ / Trips** From time to time trips are organised for the children, with an emphasis on both education and fun. Examples include: Bagnall’s Castle, Dentists, Newry Library, Funhouse, and Friar Tucks. ## **Monthly ‘themes’** The Naiscoil has a theme of the month as part of their educational plan throught he medium of Irish, for example, ‘travel / the world’, ‘my body’, ‘our house’. ## **Additional information** ## _Public benefit_ Naiscoil an Iuir provides pre-school education for eligible children (i.e. 3-4 years old), delivering the full pre-school curriculum through the medium of Irish. PEAGS and privately funded places are available. The Naiscoil provides a good foundation for proceeding into either Irish of English medium primary school education. Children attending the Naiscoil have the benefit of an early Page 4 of 5 introduction to the Irish language. The Naiscoil acts as a feeder nursery to the Bunscoil an Iuir, with many Naiscoil pupils progressing into full time Irish medium primary education. The Naiscoil is non-denominational and welcomes all faiths and backgrounds. Parents with no knowledge of Irish language benefit from an introduction to the language. Benefits are demonstrated by DOE NI inspections, Social Services Early Years inspections and parent feedback surveys. The only private benefit is in providing employment to Naiscoil staff. It is not considered there is any harm from the purposes of the organisation. ## _Charitable purposes_ The Naíscoil is established to advance education of the public in An Iúir and its environs of Co an Dúin through the medium of Irish and without discrimination in particular to advance the education of children below compulsory school age by providing safe and satisfying group play and encouraging parents and guardians to understand and provide for the needs of their children. ## **Financial Accounts** Accounts in the form of receipts and payments are maintained by the treasurer. Page 5 of 5