Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment. You can also find live updates on our school Twitter @StItasPS

• Press Release: 'The Science of Flight P5 Challenge'

  Tue 20 Mar 2018

  PRESS Release: 'The Science of Flight P5 Challenge'

   

  Tuesday, 20 March 2018

   

  Our Lady and St Patrick’s College is celebrating after receiving a £4,078 grant from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

   

  The Engineering Education Grant Scheme (EEGS), which is run by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, aims to engage young people aged 5-19 in learning about engineering and to develop the professional skills of those involved in supporting Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning and careers awareness. The EEGS also supports projects that improve wider engineering literacy.

   

  For the past three years, Our Lady and St. Patrick’s College, Belfast has been working in partnership with teachers from St. Ita’s and St. Joseph’s Primary School in Carryduff to deliver a STEM project linked to supporting the P5 curriculum, culminating in a skills activity day in the College during summer term. This additional funding will allow the College to offer St Joseph’s Primary School, Ballyhackamore with the opportunity to get involved in this year’s event.

   

  The ‘Science of Flight P5 Challenge’ was developed to further strengthen curricular links between the College and local primary schools, whilst also demonstrating how important technology and STEM is in the modern world. This has been complemented by building excellent links with Bombardier, whose employees add a ‘real life’ dimension to the itinerary for the day by delivering a company presentation, hosting a Q&A session with the pupils and then acting as mentors during the ‘construct and build’ stage of the model planes.

   

  The IET and IMechE are partnering with the Year of Engineering, the Government-created and industry-backed year-long campaign to encourage more young people to pursue an engineering career.

   

  Dermot Mullan, Principal at Our Lady and St. Patrick’s College said: “The place of STEM subjects in education, both primary and post primary level, is essential to increasing the supply of young people into the local STEM sector. Our teachers and schools collectively have a pivotal role in highlighting how relevant STEM subjects are in the current and future job market. This project provides participating pupils with the opportunity to utilise their STEM skills in a fun, interactive and stimulating ‘Construct & Build’ Challenge Day. This crucial funding will allow us to expand the project further for 2018 – truly inspiring the next generation of engineers.”

   

  Peter Finegold, Head of Education and Skills at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “The Science of Flight P5 Challenge is a fantastic example of the kind of projects the EEGS scheme aims to promote. The UK is facing a critical engineering skills shortage and showing young people how creative and exciting engineering can be a key way of inspiring the engineers of tomorrow.”

   

  David Lakin, Head of Education at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, said: “In order to tackle the engineering skills gap we need more graduates and apprentices to enter the profession, and this can only happen if more school-age children – girls as well as boys – are attracted to, and choose to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects. The IET is investing considerable resource in EEGS to support vital projects like The Science of Flight P5 Challenge, which highlight the exciting, creative and rewarding world of engineering careers to young people”

• World Book Day in St. Ita's

  Sat 17 Mar 2018
  

• Update: After School Activities

  Wed 07 Mar 2018

  Update: After School Activities Block 2

  As a result of school closures due to the extreme weather conditions  the 'After School Activities' program has been amended.

   

  Please click on After School Activities Block 2 for more information.

   

  Thank you

• School Closure

  Fri 02 Mar 2018
  Due to the treacherous weather conditions, St Ita’s Nursery and Primary School will remain closed tomorrow, Friday 2nd March. Please check for updates on our website and school Twitter account @StItasPS

• P7 Athletics team do so well!

  Sun 25 Feb 2018

  On Wednesday 7th February, a team of twelve pupils (6 boys and 6 girls) from Primary 7 travelled to the Lough Moss Centre to compete in the P7 Primary School Athletics Event. The team members were required to complete an obstacle race, sprint, standing broad jump, chest push, speed bounce and sprint relay. Times were recorded by the coaches and at the end of the competition the team winners were announced. We are very happy to say that the P7 girls finished in a magnificent FIRST place in many races including the sprint, sprint relay and standing broad jump and received beautiful medals. Sporty Rhianna Brady was personally congratulated as she won 4 first place medals and was faster than all the girls and boys in the whole competition. What an achievement! The boys were fantastic aswell and finished in second place in the sprint, speed bounce and sprint relay. A huge well done to everyone who was involved in this event and good luck to those who are selected to compete in the Finals.

   

  

• Mrs Holmes P7 Class Assembly

  Sun 25 Feb 2018
  

• St. Ita's Science Week was GREAT!

  Sun 11 Feb 2018

  Science Week in St. Ita's was so much fun!

   

  Pupils in St. Ita's enjoyed a fun and exciting ‘Science Week’ last week; it started on Monday 5^th February and culminated on Friday 9^th February with 'Sharing Assemblies' where each class spoke about the scienctific investgations they carried out throughout the week and the Scientist they researched. 

   

  The Scientists studied and the investigations carried out can be seen in the table below.

   

  Year group	Irish Scientist
  Nursery	John Clarke – Investigating the Potato
  P1	William Clanny The first Mining Safety Lamp Topic: Light and Dark
  P2	Hans Sloane Invented the first drinking chocolate Investigating Dissolving
  P3	Francis Beaufort The Beaufort Scale Investigating wind
  P4	Frank Pantridge Inventor of The portable defibrillator Electricity: Conductors and Insulators
  P5	Harry Ferguson The ‘Ferguson System’ Topic: Friction
  P6	William Thompson (Lord Kelvin) Kelvin Scale Topic: Keeping Warm – Insulators and Conductors Importance of scales
  P7	John Dunlop Investigating Friction – Balloon Rockets Pneumatic tyre

  

• After School Activities Block 2

  Sun 04 Feb 2018

   

  Please click on the link below to find out more information on After School Activities Block 2

   

  after-school-activities/

• Grandparents' Day 2018

  Sat 03 Feb 2018
  We would like to thank all the Grandparents who visited St. Ita's on Friday 2nd February. It was a very special day for us and we thoroughly enjoyed your visit to our school.  Thank you,

  

• St.Ita's fundraising events help to build a Well in Madagascar

  Wed 24 Jan 2018

  St. Ita's fundraising events help the ADSUM Foundation to build a Well in Madagascar.

   

  Please click on the link below to view the final report from the well at Tanakambana, the product of the hard work and  fundraising that took place in St Ita’s!

   

  Report on Well at Tanakambana/

   

  You can see from the report just how important our intervention was, as the community now has access to life changing clean water. Thank you for your generous donations to ensure the success of this project.