St. Garvan’s National School St. Garvan’s National School Caroreigh, in the parish of Taghmon, provides a primary education with a Catholic ethos for children, from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.

Our Vision

To prepare the child for a future of life-long learning.

Our Mission Statement

We at St. Garvan’s NS wish to foster the holistic development of students and staff, in a caring and supportive environment. We aim to nurture the student’s physical, academic, social, emotional and spiritual needs. St. Garvan’s NS is an integral part of the Caroreigh community, in the parish of Taghmon, and in partnership with parents and the Church, we aim to enrich the Catholic faith through religious education, preparation for the sacraments and through our school ethos. We wish to promote an encouraging environment where all are given the opportunity to contribute their skills and talents. High standards are expected from all. We strive to be a warm and welcoming place, respectful and accommodating of diversity in race, culture, religion, gender and ability. We aim to promote equality and support pupils with special educational needs. Clear, effective and respectful communication among all stakeholders, students; staff; BOM; parents; and the wider community, is important to us, to help to grow and develop our school.

Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. (Praise the youth and they will flourish).

School Ethos

St. Garvan’s NS is a Roman Catholic school, under the patronage of the Bishop of Ferns, which aims at promoting the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the person of the pupil: intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and with other people. The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Catholic school provides Religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and promotes the formation of the pupils in the Catholic Faith.

School Team

Community spirit is what SGNS runs off of, and we are so lucky to have a great community around us in Caroreigh. At the heart of our school lies our students. SGNS boasts young, bright, bubbly students who are full of wonder and spirit. We are continuously complimented on how polite and friendly the student body is. We are immensely proud of the children who attend. The students learn in a multi-grade setting, taught by a team of vibrant, enthusiastic teachers, who go above and beyond for their class. We have a strong special education needs department, including some Special Education Teachers and some Special Needs Assistants, which enhances our emphasis on inclusivity and allows all students to achieve academic and personal success. In September 2024 our school continues to grow as we open a class for children with Autism. SGNS is proud of our ancillary team who are the foundation on which the school is built. Our secretary, cleaner and caretaker are extremely important members of the school community. The school literally would not run without them!
The Board of Management is the overall authority of SGNS. They are child-focused and constantly push the school forward to seek further success and improvements in teaching and learning. They meet regularly to keep updated on events and activities and plan for the future.
The Parent’s Council is another body whose donation of time and support is invaluable to the school. They fundraise annually to provide the children with lovely opportunities such as treats and activities. Without their support, the student’s educational experience would be limited.
The local community of Caroreigh supports the school in ways that are visible and invisible. Groups such as Taghmon Camroaa GAA, ABC Club Playschool, Teach Spraoi, Camross Hall Committee, Taghmon Action Group, Tidy Towns Committee, ICA, Camross Players etc. lend their support, wisdom and resources to enhance community links. As the saying goes “it takes a village to raise a child” and Caroreigh is blessed to have such a tight-knit community supporting SGNS.

School Events and Activities

We have a varied and jam packed calendar each term, to provide our students with a well-rounded education experience including lots of extra-curricular opportunities. Listed below are only some of the activities that we offer annually, with a lot more initiatives that alter each year:

• Students Council
• Green Schools Committee
• GAA
• Rackard League
• Lunchtime Clubs (including non sporting clubs: art club, Lego club, choir)
• Music classes & Choir
• Drama and Theatre productions
• Grandparent’s Day
• Sports Day
• Dance Classes
• Swimming Lessons
• Library Trips
• Annual School Tours
• Sing Out Loud
• Sacramental Retreats

We participate annually in many local, national and international campaigns such as: STEM week, Seachtain na Gaeilge, Anti-Bullying Week, Friendship Week and charitable fundraisers for special educational needs such as Autism Awareness.

Childcare

SGNS is lucky to be serviced by fantastic local childcare facilities. ABC Club is located directly across the road from us and offers pre-school services along with before school childcare, after school child care and fun camps during the holidays. Contact Anne-Marie 0879334143 for
more information. https://www.facebook.com/AbcClub.preschool.taghmon/
Teach Spraoi, located in the nearby village of Taghmon, also provides after school childcare services. The Teach Spraoi bus collects the children from SGNS and brings them to the centre in Taghmon. Contact 053 9183882 for further information. https://www.childcare.ie/county-wexford/taghmon/creche-montessori/teach-spraoi-community-childcare

A Note from the Principal

A Chairde,
As Principal of St. Garvan’s NS, I am immensely proud of the staff and students. The dedication of staff to the students is second to none. Likewise, our student’s enthusiasm and positivity add to a wonderful school environment. The children’s happiness is integral to our philosophy of learning in the school, as embodied by our school motto: Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. (Praise the youth and they will flourish).
We strive to be inclusive of every student despite race, gender, culture, ability, religion and special educational needs. I am very grateful to the parents’ body, Parent’s Association, Board of Management and other local community members in Caroreigh and Taghmon for their continued, loyal support, in our endeavours to create the best learning experiences for the children. Please visit our website www.stgarvansns.ie which services students, parents and staff alike, as well as others in our local community and beyond, who would like to learn about our school and community in Caroreigh. I am delighted to continue to serve the St. Garvan’s NS in my new role, and I look forward to help steer the ship into its next era of education.
Please feel free to contact me if you would like any further information or a tour of our lovely school.
Mise le meas,
Ms. Keelin Egan, Principal
St. Garvan’s NS

Contact Details

St. Garvan’s NS,
Caroreigh,Taghmon,
Co. Wexford
Y35E773
(053)9134294
Email: secretary@stgarvansns.ie
Website: www.stgarvansns.ie
Instagram: @caroreighns
Facebook: @St. Garvans NS, Caroreigh
Twitter: @CaroreighNS

A History of the School
The first record of a school in Caroreigh was a Hedge School in Kilgarvan in 1835. Later the Old School was built behind the Church in the village in 1852 (funded completely by the local community). The New School was built in 1949, consisting of two classrooms; and since then we have had numerous extensions totalling six classrooms, two offices, a staff room and general purpose hall. We have come a long way since the Hedge School in Kilgarvan.
If you would like to find out more, a full, detailed account of our school history can be accessed here https://www.stgarvansns.ie/school-history.html . (Thanks to Michael Doyle & co. for granting us permission to publish the article, taken from Taghmon Historical Society’s – Recording the history of the parish Journal No. 2, 1997.)