We believe in the power of our community
We work as a whole school community: parents, teachers and team, to achieve the best possible experience for all of our children attending John Scottus National School.
What parents say
My daughter finished in John Scottus in June 2022 after eight fantastic years there. The school’s approach to developing the whole child, has put her in great stead to navigate her new secondary school confidently and with resilience.
She continues to use the school rules as guidance in her everyday life and frequently practises the Pause. I am delighted that she had such a wonderful primary school experience and that is all due to the warmth of the entire school community, the academic rigour and the school ethos in practice.
I would highly recommend John Scottus as a nurturing, confidence building, learning environment for any family looking for an exceptional primary school experience for their child.
RFT, June 2022
Just a big thanks to the school and especially to Miss Skelton for all the support that you have given to my daughter. She has grown up from being a happy Junior Infant child to being an independent and confident teen. John Scottus National School provided a happy, caring, supportive, respectful and safe environment for pupils to flourish and thrive.
The transition to secondary school has gone well – when asked she said she wasn’t nervous about it ‘because Ms. Skelton had us well prepared!’ She is proud to say she came from John Scottus National School when asked about her primary school.
NG, Sept 2022
Our son received an excellent primary education at JSNS. We believe this was achieved through a unique combination of academic, social and sports activities which were delivered in a holistic and child focused manner.
In particular, we felt the ethos of the school was underpinned by small class size, response to the needs of the individual child and a regard for the full development of the child.
We found the teaching staff to be very approachable and responded in practical ways to any issues which arose. The introduction to philosophy at a young age was unique and we believe will pay dividends for our son as he goes through life.
Overall, our son was very happy and contented as he made his way through John Scottus Primary School and we believe gave him a great start in his life in education.
MOC, Sept 2019
Our daughter attended John Scottus for the past five years. During that time we were very happy with many aspects of the school including the small class size. I was always amazed at how the teachers especially Ms. Monaghan who taught Katie for three years had such a great understanding of my child.
Communication was always excellent and little things that can be a big deal to small children were easily sorted with a quick email or chat. Katie really enjoyed the arts and music which the school really promotes and we value as parents in addition to a strong academic foundation. The school also has a very nurturing aspect to it and really looks out for the well being of all the children. This was always apparent on any visits to the school during the day or after school.
I know Katie will bring the aspects of meditation and being resilient to her life as she gets older and I have no doubt they will serve her very well.
SM, Sept 2019
Our son spent his last two years of primary school in John Scottus and we cannot be more grateful to the school community: principal, staff and teachers, for the difference this change made to our son’s confidence and development as a person. He experienced a joyful, caring environment, a rich academic programme, and most importantly, a sense of belonging and self-worth.
During our visits over the two years, we always noted the way the work of the school was carried out with great intention: the aesthetics of the building, the calmness of the environment, and how the talents of the children were brought to the forefront and celebrated in an equitable manner.
The teachers used every opportunity available to them to extend and enrich the children’s learning. During his time, our son participated in many scientific adventures to the RDS, sang with the National Children’s Choir and developed projects for The Junior Entrepreneur Programme, to name a few.
In short, we are delighted we had the opportunity to send our son to this school. John Scottus is a rare find and an advocate for childhood in today’s busy world.
JB, Sept 2019
With regards to the school experience, we can certainly say that both Francesco and Maria Teresa have felt welcomed from the first day in the school. Upon their arrival, they got integrated very fast in their classes, despite they didn’t speak almost any English before.
Thanks to the help from the teachers and to the additional support received from their teachers, our children were able to fully attend classes after 3 months already. Within 6 months, they developed additional fluency in English and a richer vocabulary.
The school has been a real lighthouse for my children. They had a chance to learn a number of subjects, but also very important ethos principles such as respect for others, importance to follow the rules, to be kind to everyone.
Children were always happy to go to school, they loved their teachers and made there a number of friendships for life. We want to thank all the teachers, along with the entire staff of the school comprising Mrs Mallon and kitchen ladies, for having taken care of our children so well. The atmosphere at the school is really unique. We felt our children learned there a number of interesting subjects and, even more importantly, have been prepared for life.
RF, Sept 2019
John Scottus looked after our daughter as a whole person, not just as a student.
She left the primary at the end of sixth class with an assured sense of self and an empathy for her school friends. It’s great that she enjoyed the curriculum as much as she did, but it’s really everything on top of that that makes the school special.
GC, Sept 2019
Our daughter attended John Scottus from Junior Infants through to Sixth Class and loved every day of it. As parents, we valued the school’s uniqueness of being so small and its family feel, there is a lovely, warm atmosphere of respect and friendship at JSNS.
What is particularly noticeable is how well the staff know each child. The teachers are very approachable and communicate with parents often about their students. We couldn’t have asked for a better school for our child to grow up in, it is a school that focuses on developing academically strong, well-rounded and happy children.
EB, Sept 2019
What our students say
Best school ever! Its a place where pupils learn sums and do Irish and Sanskrit. Pupils come from different countries like Ukraine, France and India. Pupils go to the Secret Garden. At lunch and at snack we play in the yard. Pupils sometimes go to the aquarium and explorium.
Viggo, Marko, Ekagra & Luis
1st Class
John Scottus is such a great school. I learned so much there and it prepared me so well for my transition into secondary school both socially and academically. I had a great relationship with all of the teachers, not just my own.
I especially loved the end of year school trips and helping the younger classes with their reading programme.
Julia
Class of 2022
It is a school where pupils learn and so sums. We go on school tours. We get hot food. We do PE. We have sanskrit classes. We do philosophy. Children come from 4 to 13 year olds go there. The classes there are Junior Infants to 6th class. We have assembly every day.
Conor, Sofia, Matilda & Otto
1st Class
It is a place where pupils go to learn sanskrit, philosophy and Irish. We get hot food every day instead of bringing a packed lunch. After lunch when children get to first class they start going to the Secret Garden. Every year we go on school trips. We go to places like the aquarium and explorium. When pupils get to second class they go on overnight trips.Pupils come from all around the world, from countries like England, America and Italy. We love it here!
Evie, Aliya, Freya & Sean
1st class
Every weekday from Monday to Friday pupils from all around the world like France, China and America come to John Scottus National School to learn, play and have fun. There are a few different things in John Scottus and other schools in Ireland. A few differences like we have hot lunches in school. We have sanskrit and philosophy and all the classes go on swimming trips during the year.
Freya M, Lele and Leo
1st class