Our Cluster

The newly established School Excellence Fund encourages collaboration in the use of digital technology, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), leadership and creativity. It promises to be a very exciting initiative allowing schools and teachers the opportunity to work together and share good practices while focusing on developing the important skills that our children will need to thrive in the future. At the end of the last school year we submitted a digital proposal and we were delighted to announce that it was successful. We were honoured to have our schools represented in UCD at the launch by Minister for Education Richard Bruton of the Schools Excellence Fund (Digital).

The name of our learning cluster is STEM Kerry. The four schools involved in this three year project are:

Firies N.S.

Blennerville National School, Tralee

Presentation Monastery National School, Killarney

Murhur N.S., Moyvane.

The title of our project is ‘Machines and Mechanisms’. We are incorporating STEM into the school curriculum for various class levels.

Year 1 (2018-2019): Junior Infants to First class

Year 2 (2019-2020): Second to Fourth class

Year 3 (2020-2021): Fifth and Sixth class

We are working on developing 21st skills such as:

Working collaboratively

Critical thinking

Creative/ innovative thinking

Communication

It will involve hands on learning and is pupil-driven, using up-to-date technology. Children will become developers, creators and change makers of technology. Resources will allow for quality, hands-on teaching and learning for example LEGO, K’nex, Magformers, bee bots, iPads etc.

It allows us to build external partnerships, for example we have linked up with Liebherr. Liebherr manufacture components for many transportation devices e.g. cranes, trains, farm machinery, as well as for the wind, energy and agricultural industry. Children will get the opportunity to see the diversity of STEM careers in the local community. We have also connected with Farranfore & Killarney Train stations, Kerry airport and Killarney Fire station. The project will integrate real life situations with technology and children will gain knowledge and understanding of engineering.

As well as learning in school children will also be involved in outreach programmes of learning. We are building sustainable partnerships with Third Level (Mary Immaculate College, Limerick and Institute of Technology, Tralee IT). Students from all levels will work together on a shared learning experience.

We are being supported by the Education Centre Tralee, Department of Education and other educational networks.

PDST Support

We are delighted to have the support of Michael Lynch from the PDST who offers us wonderful guidance and advice on the progression of our project. Our Cluster meets regularly to discuss our progress and plan for our schools' future needs.