Wednesday letter October 7th 2025
APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION FOR JUNIOR INFANTS
SCHOOL YEAR 2027–2028
Application Form – Junior Infants 2027-2028
Application Form – AS Class 2027-2028
| The school will commence accepting applications for admission on | 28th September 2026
|
| The school shall cease accepting applications for admission on | 23rd October 2026 @ 3:00 pm
|
| The date by which applicants will be notified of the decision on their application is | 13th November 2026 |
| The period within which applicants must confirm acceptance of an offer of admission is* | 27th November 2026 @ 3:00 pm |
Applications must include:
1. Completed application form
2. A copy of the birth certificate
3. **A current utility bill dated within the last 3 months** (only for applicants living within the parish)
Click the link to view the Parish Map
https://hollyparkbns.ie/sites/default/files/image-uploads/Foxrock.pdf
**A current utility bill includes ESB, Gas bill, refuse collection bill, home phone bill, etc. Please do not send personal bills. ie, Bank statements, Mobile phone bills or insurance forms, etc**.
https://hollyparkbns.ie/our-school/policies/admissions-policy
Parents and Guardians seeking placement for their child in a new special class or special school for the school year 2027/2028, should now notify NCSE.
Please complete the online form. https://www.ncse.ie/parents/current-application-processes/parents-notif…
If you do not have the required documentation yet, please submit the form anyway. Supporting documentation can be provided until the 15th of September or as soon as possible after that date. Your local SENO will contact you directly if you have completed the form without the required documentation attached.
You can complete the form on our Parents Notify webpage.
Sports Blitz - Friday 9th October
We are gearing up for our fundraising Sports Blitz, which will take place this Friday, 9th October. The Sports Blitz is the Parents' Association's main annual fundraiser for our school. The PA have organised a huge variety of sports and activities which will take place throughout the day - soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis, volleyball, hockey, basketball, High5 Sports, yoga, archery, dancing. Thank you to all the clubs, coaches and parents who are generously giving their time to make this special event possible.
Sponsorship cards were sent home with the boys last week. A QR code is included on the cards, making it easy for families to submit sponsorship payments online. When making payment via the QR code, please remember to include your son's name in the message and write 'Paid Online' on his sponsorship card. All sponsorship cards must be returned to their teachers. Your continued generosity allows the PA to provide valuable resources, events, and improvements that benefit all the boys throughout the year. Your support is greatly appreciated.
We are really looking forward to a fun and active day in Hollypark BNS this Friday!
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
As you may be aware, media reports indicate that trade unions representing primary school staff across Ireland have recently voted in favour of industrial action. In our school, staff are represented by Forsa (Special Needs Assistants) and the INTO (teachers).
Please note the following key dates and details issued to us by the Unions.
Thursday, 1st October,: Forsa (SNAs) begin work-to-rule action
Monday, 5th October: INTO (teachers)begin work-to-rule action
Wednesday, 14th October: Mandated full day of industrial action. If this proceeds, the school will be completely closed on this date.
I have attached a poster provided by the INTO which explains the scope of this action in further detail. We will keep you updated on any further developments, particularly regarding the potential school closure on 14th October.
OPENING OF THE YEAR MASS
On Thursday, October 8th at 10 am, 3rd-6th classes from Hollypark BNS and GNS will attend Foxrock Church for the opening-of-the-year Mass. The boys should be in their full uniform. If your child (from 3rd-6th) is not attending the Church, please collect him and sign him out at 9.20. We will return to school at 11 am and your son can be signed back in.
All parents, grandparents, and family members are welcome to attend
BOOK FAIR 2026
We are delighted to announce that our annual Scholastic Book Fair is back this November.
The Book Fair will be open from: Monday, November 9th-Friday, November 13th
Times: Open daily from 8:30-9:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ( Finishes on Friday morning)
Thursday evening from 6:30 -8:00 pm.
The commission we receive from the fair will go back into books for your son’s class library and our school library. For every euro spent, we will receive 60c back in books for our school. We will also purchase new sets of class novels.
CONGRATULATIONS KILMACUD!
A huge congratulations to the Kilmacud Senior Ladies Football Team on their fantastic County Final victory last weekend! Despite the challenging weather conditions, an incredible crowd turned out to cheer them on.
A special thank you to all the Hollypark mums, dads, grandparents, boys, and girls who braved the elements to show their support; your energy and encouragement truly helped drive the team over the line.
This remarkable win marks five consecutive Dublin County Final titles for the Kilmacud Ladies, an outstanding achievement and a testament to their skill, determination, and teamwork.
We wish the team every success as they now progress to the Leinster series, and we look forward to welcoming them to Hollypark very soon, with the Brendan Martin Cup in hand!
HALLOWEEN DRESS UP
Halloween will soon be upon us once again, and we are looking forward to seeing the boys dressed up for our annual Halloween dress-up day, which will take place on Friday, October 23rd.
Some boys have already begun their costume planning, and we are excited to see the variety of costumes they will be wearing, from spooky to silly and everything in between. Please find below the guidelines and requirements to follow for the smooth and safe running of the day:
- No accessories, e.g., nothing they need to hold in their hand or things that can be put down for others to pick up and handle.
- No long capes, dangly material, or anything that may be a tripping hazard.
- Costumes should be comfortable and practical for sitting in the classroom for the day, e.g., no inflatable costumes.
- Be mindful that the costume won’t scare a younger student. If you think a Junior Infant will be frightened, then tone it down or reconsider.
Less is more when it comes to costumes, and keeping it simple can often be the most effective. It is a very exciting day for the boys and with your continued support and understanding, we hope to make it another success.
Parents' Association - Notice of AGM
We are delighted to welcome all Hollypark parents to our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 20th October at 7.00 pm.
This year's AGM will be a little different, with a special opportunity to tour the school and get a real feel for the environment your son spends his schooldays in, including the classrooms and facilities. It will be a great opportunity to meet and connect with other parents in the Hollypark community.
We will also hear from our special guest speaker, Sharon Keegan, founder of Peachy Lean, an entrepreneur who appeared on the BBC's Dragons' Den, where she secured investment from three Dragons. Sharon will share her personal journey from starting a business around her kitchen table to building a successful company, with a particular focus on confidence, resilience, motherhood, family, overcoming adversity and the importance of community and support.
We are looking forward to an honest, inspiring and entertaining evening - and a great opportunity for us all to come together, meet other parents and celebrate the Hollypark
community.
Hollypark AGM Tickets, Tuesday, October 20 • 7 PM - 9 PM | Eventbrite Click the link to book your place. (free admission)
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Professional Learning Days: School Closure Dates
*2 new dates added
Below are the full-day school closure dates assigned to our school by Oide for the academic year.
The full-day school closures assigned to your school for 2026/27 are shown below:
| Date | Subject / Purpose | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 18/09/2026 | Child Protection Procedures | Full School Closure |
| 05/11/2026 | *Assigned Curriculum Area: STEM | Full School Closure |
| 04/03/2027 | Language Awareness | Full School Closure |
| May 2027: Date to be confirmed | *Assigned Curriculum Area: STEM | Full School Closure |
| Sports Blitz | Friday, 9th October | Whole School |
| Halloween Dress Up Day | Friday, October 23rd | Whole School |
| Midterm Break | 26th Oct - 30th Oct | Whole School |
| 6th Class Christmas Show | Tuesday, 8th December | 6th class |
| Junior & Senior Infant Christmas Show | Thursday, December 10th | Jun & Sen Infants |
The Realities of Children’s Digital Lives
*Booking is now open!*
Join us on Monday, 12th October at 7:30 pm in Hollypark GNS School Hall for Mick Moran’s talk, The Realities of Children’s Digital Lives.
The talk will explore the opportunities and harms of the online world, with practical guidance on what we as parents can do to navigate this ever-changing landscape and support, protect and empower our children.
Mick Moran is one of the high-profile experts featured in Gráinne Seoige’s upcoming documentary, Deepfake Ireland: The Naked Truth, airing on 5 October, ahead of his appearance at Holly Park GNS.
☕ Teas & coffees from 7pm
🎟️ To book our event, follow the link here:
https://tinyurl.com/HPonlineTalk
Please note: this is strictly an adults-only event due to the talk's content.
Senior Infant Boys' and Girls' playtime!
The boys and girls in Senior Infants gathered together last week to play in the yard! They had great fun using chalk, playing with bean bags and swapping stories from both schools. This is part of a wider initiative to give children from both schools opportunities to mix socially!
This week is a special week for these great boys: Daniel Maunsell, Sam Coghlan,Jacob Sullivan, Sean Moran, Dylan McGuinness, Bobby O' Grady, Adam McDevitt, Rocco Marino, George Balfe, Caelan Reid, Darii Vaskul, George Kelly, Odhran Dunne, Bruce Fitzgerald, and John Flood. Have a wonderful celebration, boys!
Beir bua agus beannacht,
Principal
7.10.2026