Naíscoil na Seolta

Public benefits

Aim 1: Direct Benefit: The direct benefits flowing from purpose 1 include Protecting a language that has been listed as critically endangered by UNESCO together with increased appreciation and knowledge of the Irish language among the preschool children who will attend the Naíscoil together with their parents/ guardians. Aim 2: Direct

Benefit: The children will develop their literacy, numeracy, language and social skills through the use of play conducted by means of the Irish language. Aim 3: Direct Benefit: The direct benefits of this purpose are to enable children from a variety of communities to mix together in order to foster mutual understanding within the context of developing an understanding of the Irish language by allowing children to socialise with children from other communities that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to interact with at this age. It will also give preschool age children a solid foundation from which they can go on to attend either an Irish medium or English medium primary school. Aim 4 Direct Benefit: Children will develop a basic understanding of the Irish language which will facilitate their eventual progression to a Bunscoil and ultimately bilingualism and they will also gain an understanding in the difference in phonetics between the English language and the Irish language which is most easily grasped at this age. Aim 5 Direct Benefit An appropriate safe and supportive play environment will be created for the benefit of all the children. The facilities will provide parents an opportunity to meet with each other which will reduce isolation that parents can feel, particularly among parents who are choosing to raise their children in and through the Irish language in this part of the country It will give parents the opportunity to meet other parents from a range of different community backgrounds therefore increasing understanding between the communities Aim 6 Direct Benefit We will better understand the needs of the children and their families so that we can continually improve our approach to their education; In particular families from the Protestant and Loyalist communities who wish to raise their children through Irish language are currently a relatively small, but quickly growing subsection of this part of Belfast. Currently their existence isn't widely understood, much less their particular needs and the challenges they face. The establishment of the Naíscoil will provide a centre for them and give them further representation within East Belfast. Aim 7 Direct Benefit By meeting the standards of the bodies under which we operate we will provide the best education possible for all the children in our care. These benefits can be demonstrated by the numbers attending the naiscoíl, feedback from beneficiaries/ parents/ carers and also through independent reviews by external bodies. The beneficiaries are children of pre-school age in East Belfast, their parents and carers. We do not see any harm derving from any of these benefits. Private benefit: The preschool will employ two members of staff who will be paid and who will develop their own skills further by working in this environment but this is incidental and necessary to the achievements of the preschool's objectives.

What your organisation does

The Naíscoil will provide pre-school education through the medium of Irish to children five mornings each week during term time. It will adhere to the curriculum as set out by the Dept. of Education.