History & Ethos of the School - Happy Children learning in a safe environment
Leap National School is located at the centre of Leap village in the townland of Kilmacabea in scenic West Cork. In Irish
the school is known as Scoil An Chroí Naofa. The school is on the busy N71 route and was opened in 1985.
Prior to that the children were educated in the old school in Ballyhiloe, which is on the Rosscarbery side of the village.
The school is at the heart of the local community. It is situated next to St. Mary’s Parish Church and benefits from the use
of the church car park for safe delivery and collection of the children at school time.
Mission Statement
Scoil an Chroí Naofa is a co-educational, Catholic, primary school which strives to provide a well-ordered, caring, happy
and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural needs of the pupils are identified and
addressed.
While Scoil an Chroí Naofa is a school with a Catholic ethos, it also has due recognition for all other religions.
Scoil an Chroí Naofa will strive to promote, both individually and collectively, the professional and personal development
of teachers through staff development programmes.
Scoil An Chroí Naofa will encourage the involvement of parents through home/school contacts and through their
involvement in the Parents’ Association.
Scoil an Chroí Naofa will endeavour to enhance the self-esteem of everyone in the school community, to imbue in the
pupils respect for people and property and to encourage in them the idea of being responsible.
Scoil an Chroí Naofa will promote gender equity amongst the teachers and pupils.
Déanfaimid iarracht Gaeilge a labhairt.
The school motto is:- Happy Children Learning in a Safe Environment.
the school is known as Scoil An Chroí Naofa. The school is on the busy N71 route and was opened in 1985.
Prior to that the children were educated in the old school in Ballyhiloe, which is on the Rosscarbery side of the village.
The school is at the heart of the local community. It is situated next to St. Mary’s Parish Church and benefits from the use
of the church car park for safe delivery and collection of the children at school time.
Mission Statement
Scoil an Chroí Naofa is a co-educational, Catholic, primary school which strives to provide a well-ordered, caring, happy
and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural needs of the pupils are identified and
addressed.
While Scoil an Chroí Naofa is a school with a Catholic ethos, it also has due recognition for all other religions.
Scoil an Chroí Naofa will strive to promote, both individually and collectively, the professional and personal development
of teachers through staff development programmes.
Scoil An Chroí Naofa will encourage the involvement of parents through home/school contacts and through their
involvement in the Parents’ Association.
Scoil an Chroí Naofa will endeavour to enhance the self-esteem of everyone in the school community, to imbue in the
pupils respect for people and property and to encourage in them the idea of being responsible.
Scoil an Chroí Naofa will promote gender equity amongst the teachers and pupils.
Déanfaimid iarracht Gaeilge a labhairt.
The school motto is:- Happy Children Learning in a Safe Environment.
School Crest
- Our school crest is based on the story of how Leap got its name. History tells of a time in Ireland when
- Catholics were forbidden to attend Mass. A Fr. O’ Donovan had been celebrating Mass at a secluded
- mass rock in the hills behind the village. The story goes that the red coats came upon the gathering. Fr.
- O’ Donovan jumped on his horse and fled the scene with the red coats in pursuit. He came to a deep
- ravine at the bottom of the village through which the Mallachnagamhna River flows on its way into
- nearby Glandore Harbour. The ravine is still visible today. Fr O’ Donovan’s horse jumped over the
- ravine, thus ensuring the priests escape from his captors. The old name for Leap is Léim Uí
- Dhonnabháin or O Donovan’s Leap.
- Our school crest shows a pupil leaping over the deep ravine. At the bottom is our logo “Mol an óige”
- which means praise the young. This comes from the old Irish seanfhocal “Mol an óige is tiocfaidh siad”
- which translates as praise the young and they’ll succeed.