“You will accomplish more by kind words and a courteous manner than by anger or sharp rebuke.” St. Angela Merici
ACTIVITIES
MUSIC
Music has always played an important role in the Ursuline tradition.
There are lots of choirs for students to get involved in. Each year, students from St. Ursula’s take part in the Peace Proms. This is a cross-border choir involving children from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which culminates in a fantastic concert. The Big Sing is another fabulous choir that students can get involved in. Students perform in an annual concert with other schools from Waterford. Junior Choir is open to First and Second Class students and takes place after school. The choir learn a beautiful repertoire of songs, and perform for their parents and the other students during the year. Students are also able to take part in the Sacred Heart Christmas Carol Service.
Another much-loved activity is the weekly assembly. Classes prepare poems, songs and narratives, which they perform at Junior or Senior Assembly every week.
At Christmas time, Junior and Senior Infants perform Christmas plays. Occasionally, students from Fourth to Sixth class will come together to perform a Mega-Show. Recent shows include Joseph and Cinderabba.
Students of Fourth Class are given an opportunity to learn the tin whistle. They make great progress during the year, and we always look forward to hearing them perform.
Ukulele lessons are a recent addition to our comprehensive range of musical activities. Students from fourth to sixth class are learning to play the ukelele from professional musicians. The lessons take place during school-time. This is a nationwide programme funded by U2. The ukuleles are provided to the school as part of the programme.
GYMNASTICS
While all our students engage with gymnastics as part of the school curriculum, some classes go the extra mile and put on a mega-gymnastics display for both students and parents. This is always a colourful, impressive event!
AISTEAR
Junior Infants take part in Aistear, where they learn through play. Aistear takes place in small teacher-led groups, and focuses on a different theme every month.
Read more about the Aistear Framework here
BASKETBALL
Senior Basketball is available for students of fifth and sixth class. It takes place after school. Our Senior Team won the Waterford League in 2019.
Junior basketball is available for fourth class students. The Junior Team won the Waterford League in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
CYCLING
Junior and senior infants are trained in balance bike skills. Students in fifth class get lessons in both cycling and cycling safety. Bicycles for both of these activities are provided by the school.
READING
Reading has always been promoted and encouraged in St. Ursula’s. We have a large, superbly stocked library with a modern scan system, which the students visit weekly.
St. Ursula’s Annual Book Fair is always a very exciting time. The hall becomes a treasure trove of books for a week, and children and parents are allowed to visit the Book Fair and buy books.
Book Club is open to students from third and fourth class and takes place in the library after school. Students have an opportunity to read and discuss their favourite books, and to suggest reading material for future meetings.
SCHOOL TOURS
Every class in St. Ursula’s goes on an annual school tour. Destinations include open farms, beaches, Ferrycarrig, The Irish National Heritage , Lismore, UL Sports Arena, The Watershed Kilkenny and WIT Arena.
SPORTS DAY
Sports Day is always a very exciting day in St. Ursula's. It takes place in May each year. All students get to take part in a sprint race and a novelty race. There are lots of fun activities such as bouncy castles, obstacle courses and other fun events.
The students always look forward to a visit from the Ice-Cream Van , which is kindly sponsored by the Parents' Association.
SOCCER
St. Ursula's works closely with the Football Association of Ireland.
Each year, coaches from the F.A.I. visit the school to coach different class levels. Fourth class students take part in Futsal, while fifth and sixth class take part in the Spar 5-a-side F.A.I. competition, as well as the Jack Kennedy and Willie Moran tournaments.
Our school has won many soccer titles, and even reached an All-Ireland finals!!
COOKERY
Students in St. Ursula's are lucky to have a lovely kitchen where they can cook. Junior infants often get to make lovely treats as part of Aistear. The gardening club harvest the produce from the vegetable garden and help classes to make delicious soups and salads. Other classes like to make buns, bread, cookies. Another favourite is a Pizza Party, which classes often get as a reward!
ATHLETICS
St. Ursula’s takes part in the annual Waterford Primary School Track and Field Championships and the Waterford Cross Country Championships, where we always win lots of individual and relay medals. We have won the cup for Best Overall Girls’ School on numerous occasions.
Students from first to sixth class participate in running club every Friday during class time. The aim is to try to complete a marathon distance (42KM) before the end of the school year.
QUIZ CLUB
Quiz Club is available for students in fifth and sixth class. It takes place at lunchtime. Students get to learn lots of interesting and fun facts and to take part in quizzes both inside and outside school.
DEBATING
Children in 6th class have the opportunity to get involved in the Concern Primary Debating competition.
Learning to debate teaches children how to apply critical analysis and how to prepare an argument using facts and research. It also teaches students valuable communication skills such as how to deliver a speech and how to effectively defend the points they make.
G.A.A.
St. Ursula's Primary School is affiliated with Cumann na mBunscol.
Every year, Waterford College of Further Education provides our school with G.A.A. coaches. The coaches visit the school to complete a six week coaching course with different class levels. This year, first class are benefiting from the coaching programme.
Camogie coaching is available for fourth, fifth and sixth class students, and takes place after school. Many of the players are chosen to take part in an Inter-School Blitz.
Gaelic football coaching is also available for students from fourth to sixth class. It takes place after school, and a number students go on to play matches and compete in competitions.
SCHOOL NATURE TRAIL
We are very lucky in St. Ursula's to be situated in the beautiful grounds of the Ursuline Convent. To take full advantage of the grounds, we have designed dedicated nature trails for each class level, where students can learn all about the wonderful nature that is literally, on their doorstep!
GARDENING CLUB
Every class in the school gets an opportunity to visit the school vegetable garden and plant some produce there. The gardens are looked after by the Environmental Team, which is open to students from fifth and sixth class. Members of the Gardening Club help to prepare the garden for planting, assist classes in planting vegetables, and take classes on tours of the garden.
DRESS-UP DAYS
We love Dress-Up Days in St. Ursula's. Whether it's our favourite character for World Book Day, supporting our National teams, or dressing-up for Halloween or St. Patrick's Day, everyone loves to get creative!
TENNIS
Tennis takes place during the summer term, and is available for students across a number of class levels.
STAYING ACTIVE
Here in St. Ursula’s Primary School, we are committed to developing every aspect of our students. While Student Wellbeing is very important to us, so too is the physical health of our students. We have a wide number of initiatives designed to keep our students active:
Active lunches take place every week. The Sports Committee rotate a variety of sports equipment, to ensure that all classes have an opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities.
Infant Fit Club is a fun way for infants to get involved in being active. This takes place during class-time, and is in addition to P.E.
Active Week is a dedicated week which takes place every year. During Active Week, we commit to engaging in a wide range of movement and exercise every day.
Active Homework is a favourite with the students! Every Thursday we replace written homework with a range of exercises.
Playground elastics are a recent initiative. Not only do they get the students moving, but we are also helping to revive games from the past!
DRAMA
St. Ursula's provides lots of opportunity for students to engage with drama: Students perform for other classes at weekly assemblies. Concerts and performances take place at Christmas and at various times during the year. Occasionally fourth to sixth classes put on a mega-show. In recent years they have performed Joseph and Cinderabba.
At Christmas time, the Red Kettle Theatre Company performs an interactive show. This is always a greatly anticipated event. The Clan Cuana Theatre Company also pay annual visits to the school to perform the old Irish Legends.
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT
Many classes in St. Ursula’s get to take part in the Junior Achievement Programme.
Junior Achievement aims to "to inspire and motivate young people to realise their potential by valuing education and understanding how to succeed in the world of work".
Read more about the Junior Achievement programme here.
RAINBOWS
Rainbows is a bereavement support group for children who have experienced significant loss in their lives. Details of the application process are available from the school.
SPELLING BEE
St. Ursula’s takes part in the Waterford Spelling Bee every year and the competition is regularly hosted in our school. The winner goes on to represent Waterford at the National Spelling Bee.
SWIMMING
Students from second to fifth class avail of swimming lessons in the Kingfisher swimming pool. These lessons take place during school-time.
IRISH DANCING
Sr. Maureen Boland runs the Waterford Academy of Irish Dancing. Classes for infants take place on Thursdays from 1.45-2.45. Classes from First to Sixth Class take place on Thursday from 2.45 - 4.00.