The Extra-curricular activities programme (ECA) at Stepaside Educate Together National School is a wonderful opportunity for your child to try new activities directly after school and right on school grounds. We offer an array of activities ranging from Arts & Crafts to sports such as soccer and tennis.
To learn more about our ECA programme for 2023/24, please read the following information carefully.
ECA Terms
ECAs run for two separate terms.
Term 1: Will run from Monday, 2nd October, through Friday, 9th February
Term 2: Will run on Monday, 19th February, through Friday, 21st June.*
*Please note these dates are subject to change.
ECAs only run when school is in session. There are no ECAs on half days, holidays, or during school breaks.
Registration Process
We use Eventbrite to register “interest only” in ECA classes. By registering your interest, your child(ren) will be put on a waiting list for each class they are interested in. We only have a set number of places in each class. Those classes with more interest than space available will use a lottery system to allocate placement into the class.
The process will be the same for both the first and second terms. If your child(ren) receives a place in Term 1, they will not be given priority for Term 2. This policy aligns with our school’s ethos and is the fairest we can be to all the students wishing to partake in the ECA programme.
Registration for Term 1, 2023, will begin on Monday, 11th Sept, and remain open until 8 PM, Thursday, 14th Sept. An email will be sent out to all parents/guardians with the Eventbrite links.
Please pay close attention to the closing date of our Eventbrite registration, if you miss the deadline, your child(ren) will only be given a place if there are spaces still available after everyone who pre-registered has been enrolled.
Enrolment Process
1) Everyone must register their interest through Eventbrite. You may register interest for as many classes as you would like your child(ren) to attend.
2) If there are enough spaces in a class available for everyone who has registered interest, we will allocate spaces to everyone who registered an interest.
3) If there is more interest than spaces in a class, those spaces will be allocated through an automated lottery system.
4) Once the class is full, the lottery system will create a waiting list. These places may be allocated if parents opt out of a place or in the case of non-payment.
5) Once all places have been allocated, an invoice will be sent to the email address provided. You must open the invoice to view which ECA class(es) your child has been enrolled in. This invoice will list all classes your child has been allocated, along with the total price for the term.
- If you do not see a class you registered interest for, then a place was unavailable, and your child was not enrolled in this class. They have been added to the waitlist.
- If you no longer wish to enrol in one or more of the classes listed in the invoice, please email eca@stepasideetns.ie, and let us know which classes you wish to keep and which you would like to release back to us. We will make the change and issue a new, updated invoice.
- We will do our best to ensure your child(ren) is not double booked, but occasionally, we may put your child into two classes on the same day. If you find this has happened, please email us and inform us which class you prefer to keep.
6) Payments must be made within 48 hours to guarantee your place. Please be sure to check your inbox and spam, as we cannot make any exceptions to the 48-hour rule. The sender of the invoices will be: "Stepaside ETNS service@paypal.com". If an invoice expires before payment is made, you will lose your place(es), and the next person on the waitlist will be contacted.
*If your child gets into every class they registered for, but you only wanted a couple of classes, you do not have to accept every space. Please follow the instructions above in section 5.
Placement in ECA Classes are not confirmed until payment has been received in full.
Payments can only be used through the invoice system. We regret that cash payments will not be accepted.
If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to read through our Terms and Conditions and Code of Behaviour.
Any queries can be emailed to the Extra-Curricular Activities Committee:
ECA FAQ:
What activities are being organised for the 2023/24 school year?
Class Descriptions
1:10 CLUB
The “1.10 Club” is held daily and facilitated by “Explorers.” The children will spend most of their time outdoors, playing in the yard. On days with inclement weather, the club will move indoors where your child will be given a variety of activities including building blocks, colouring, and games.
Class Note: You must book a minimum of two days (does not need to be consecutive days), if you fail to book two days and a second day is no longer available, your spot will be cancelled.
ADVENTURE CLUB (5th & 6th Classes)
Adventure Club is a hiking/outdoor activity class brought to us by Adrian Nolan. For two hours, Adrian will work closely with the students to teach them survival skills and wilderness techniques. They will spend their time in Fern Hill building shelters, constructing bows, arrows, and slingshots, learning to safely build fires, and learn basic survival skills, all while practicing a “leave no trace” attitude.
Class Note: The class will be held outdoors, rain or shine, and only canceled in the event of high winds. Please ensure your child has proper footwear, warm clothing, jackets, hats, and gloves. They may want to bring an extra pair of shoes to school to change into and a smaller bag for the class. Children are welcome to leave their school bags and shoes in the lobby for the duration of the class.
ARTS & CRAFTS Jr/SR Infants
Arts and Crafts for our Jr/Sr Infants will be taught by parents and PAC members Emma McKenna and Laura Peters, each of whom runs their own craft businesses. Each week, the children will be encouraged to have fun with art and develop their motor and creative skills via various tasks. They will be crafting and creating in this active make-and-do class.
Class Note: Children are encouraged to bring an apron or old top to protect clothing, as some projects can get messy.
ARTS & CRAFTS 1st-6th
Arts and Crafts for the 1st-6th classes will be led this year by 4th Class teacher Kate. Kate will teach new techniques each week, helping children tap into their creativity. From painting to drawing, each child will come home with a new piece of artwork each week.
BOOK CLUB
We are excited to introduce this year Book Club, with teacher Mia (Jr. Infants). This class is designed specifically for students in 3rd & 4th classes and will be held in the library each Monday. In book club, students will talk about their favourite books and together find a book to read and discuss over the term.
CHESS CLUB
Chess Club will be led by teachers Damien (4th class) and Leona (6th class). The children will learn basic rules and strategies and practice playing against one another.
CODING
Coding will be once again taught by teacher Leona (6th class) and parent Kevin Miller. With the use of in-school iPads, the children will learn concepts and methods of coding by utilising block-based development tools. They will be using the building blocks taught on Code.org, and dive deeper as the term progresses.
HIP HOP
Motion 2 Motion School of Dance is once again offering Hip Hop classes this school year. Keep fit & have fun while building confidence by learning dances to the newest chart-topping songs! Each class allows children to shine like the superstar they are and help them to grow as performers. The students will learn many new skills, including correct technique, choreography, and stretching.
Class Note: Please ensure your child has proper footwear (runners) and plenty of water as this is a very active class.
HOCKEY (3rd-6th class)
This class is run by our teachers Ailish and Jessica D. Ailish has coached primary hockey in the past, and both enjoy teaching and playing the sport. Children will learn the basics and improve their fitness in a fun environment.
Class Note: All students must come prepared with a mouth guard, shin guards, proper footwear (runners), and plenty of water as is a very active class.
IRISH DANCE
Faye Marshall of Marshall Academy of Dance will be returning to teach Irish Dance to our school. The children will learn the basics from warm-up to the steps, leaps, and forms seen in the traditional “Riverdance” style.
Class Note: Please ensure your child has the Irish dancing pomps. These pomps can be bought in O’Farrells Sportshop Stillorgan or Danceworld Ranelagh. They are the basic Irish dance pomp with the laces. Faye swaps the laces to elastic on the first day so it’s easier for the children to put them on and off each week and the laces don’t open.
KUNG FU
We are excited to introduce Kung Fu brought to us by Master Yang Dong. Master Dong has developed a range of exercises aimed at primary children based on Kung Fu and Tai Chi animal movements. These are non-contact forms that introduce children to the physical benefits of Chinese sports in a safe, highly enjoyable way.
MIXED SPORTS
Mixed Sports will be run by teachers Paudie (3rd class) and Niamh (2nd class). Over the term the students will be introduced to several different sports by learning the rules, practicing skills and drills, and playing a match near the end of class.
Class Note: Please ensure your child has proper footwear (runners) and plenty of water, as this is a very active class.
SCIENCE CLUB
Science Club is taught by our ECA Supervisor and parent, Emanuela Caprio. Emanuela has a background in pharmacy and science research. The students will learn science terms and create several simple but fun experiments.
Class Note: Some experiments may be messy; please ensure your child wears clothes that can get dirty.
SOCCER:
This year, soccer will be led by teachers Paudie (3rd class) and Ciarán (1st class). The children will practice the basics of soccer, including warm-ups, drills, and a match at the end of each class.
Class Note: Please ensure your child has proper footwear (runners) and plenty of water, as this is a very active class.
SPEECH & DRAMA
Speech and Drama class is provided by, Erika Doolan, owner of Theatre Academy Ireland. Both speech and drama will be taught through games and exercises. Speech may include tongue twisters, breathing exercises, voice projection, and various other activities to help improve diction and confidence on stage.
TENNIS
Tennis is brought to us once again by Lyall and Laura of LC Tennis. They are looking forward to another successful term of teaching at our school. Children will learn basic skills and terms while playing friendly matches against one another.
Class Note: Equipment is provided, but children are encouraged to bring their own tennis rackets when possible.
YOGA
Anne-Marie’s Yoga Bears is returning again this year. Yoga is a fun way for kids to calm their racing minds and bodies through Yoga and Mindfulness activities.
Class Note: Children are encouraged to bring their own yoga mat and wear shoes they can fasten themselves.
FAQ’s
What time will the classes be held?
- Junior and Senior Infants will run from 1:10-2:05 PM.
- Classes will run from 2:10-3:10 PM for the 1st-6th Classes.
- Adventure Club runs from 2:10-4:30 PM.
Where will children be collected from after the activities:
- Junior and Senior Infants will be collected from the small yard near the bike racks.
- 1st-6th Class: For outside activities, the children can be collected from the yard where the activity takes place, ie. Mixed Sports students will be collected from the Basketball Court.
- For all indoor classes, children will be brought into the small yard for pick-up.
- On rainy days, all classes may be collected directly outside the door closest to the bike rack.
What is the Term Duration?:
Term 1: 2nd October-9th February, 16 weeks.
Term 2: 19th February- 21st June, 15 weeks ***
***subject to change
What is the cost?
Please refer to the above timetable for class fees.
**An additional Processing Fee of €1 will be added to each complete transaction to help cover the cost of payment fees.
Apart from reading this section, how can I get ready in advance?
Please read through our Terms and Conditions and Code of Behaviour.
My child got a place in Term 1, will preference be given to us next term?
No. Upon review of our ECA Policy and to keep in line with our school's ethos, if your child is given a place in Term 1, there will be no guarantee they will get a place in the same class in Term 2. Each term will be a fresh start to give all students a fair opportunity to participate in the ECA programme.
My child has an SNA in school, can they join the activities?
For pupils who have been assigned an SNA during the school day, it is acknowledged that they may need increased support in extra-curricular classes. SNA’s are not currently available during ECA hours. Inline with our ethos in keeping our programme inclusive, if your child does need additional support, each parent may provide their own SNA or be present for lessons. Each provider will be accommodating and inclusive of all pupils; however, if issues arise, the Provider will speak to the parents and discuss the best course of action.
Is there an ECA Supervisor on Duty?
Yes, the school employs an ECA Supervisor who is available to help for the duration of ECA. The supervisor will help collect children for their ECA classes, make sure they are picked up after class, and help the Providers with anything they may need, such as calling a parent for a sick child, taking children to and from the toilets, or sitting with a child who is misbehaving.
Our current supervisor is Emanuela Caprio, a parent to one of our students. Emanuela has been in the supervisor role since March of 2022. She is Garda vetted and has many years of experience as a childminder. The children adore Emanuela, and she is always available to answer any questions.
I’ve already informed the school about my child’s specific circumstances, do I need to inform the ECA provider also?
Extra-curricular activities happen outside of school hours and so operate under their own policies and practices. Due to GDPR rules and regulations, the school cannot, under any circumstances, share contact information, medical information, or information on the personal circumstances of the child with the PAC or with an ECA provider. It is the responsibility of the parent to inform the ECA Provider of any special circumstance.
What if a class is cancelled ?
We make every effort to try to keep the amount of cancellations to a minimum. However, if a class needs to be cancelled, the ECA Provider will contact the parents and inform you at least 2 hours before school collection time. In most cases, our ECA Supervisor can provide an alternative class for the children. This class may include art, drama, and/or outdoor activity. If there is no one to supervise the children, parents must pick up their children at their regular school pickup time. Refunds will be given upon request.
