Grace Park ETNS
OUR FACILITIES
Autism Classes and Inclusion at Grace Park ETNS
We are proud to have two Autism Classes in Grace Park ETNS and are delighted to have received sanction to open two additional Autism Classes for the 2026–2027 academic year.
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We provide a range of sensory and movement spaces to support pupils’ wellbeing and regulation, including our Calm Cube, Meadows area, Movement Room, and Sensory Room. Every classroom also features a Calm/Cosy Corner where children can access support when needed. Our approach to teaching, learning, and assessment is grounded in the principle of regulation first. We recognise that behaviour is a form of communication and are committed to responding with understanding, compassion, and unconditional positive regard.
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Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. All children enrolled in our Autism Classes are linked with a mainstream class, providing opportunities to learn, socialise, and integrate with their peers throughout the school day. We also adopt a reverse integration model, enabling children from mainstream classes to spend time within our Autism Classes, fostering meaningful relationships and a strong sense of community across the school.
Our staff engage in ongoing professional learning to ensure best practice in autism education and inclusive teaching. We work closely with local and national autism support organisations, including AsIAm, Embrace Autism Dublin 9, and Drumcondra Autism Friendly Village, to strengthen support for our pupils, families, and wider school community.
We celebrate neurodiversity throughout the year, with staff and pupils playing a leading role in our annual Neurodiversity Month celebrations. Their insights and recommendations help us continuously develop a school environment where every child feels welcomed, valued, and empowered to thrive.
P.E. AND SPORTS
Sports and Physical Activity at Grace Park ETNS
Sport and physical activity play a central role in school life at Grace Park ETNS. We are fortunate to have excellent facilities, including a large sports hall with indoor basketball hoops and an Astro-turf play area, outdoor basketball court in our school yard, both of which are used regularly for PE lessons and sporting activities
We are proud to offer a variety of school sports teams, including Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer Teams, Boys’ and Girls’ Gaelic Football Teams, Camogie and Hurling Teams, Basketball Teams, and Athletics Teams, among others.
Our teams train during school break times with the support of dedicated staff volunteers and take part in a wide range of local and national competitions, leagues, and sporting events.
Over the years, our pupils have enjoyed many sporting successes. A particular highlight was our Boys’ Gaelic Football Team winning the Cumann na mBunscol final at Croke Park during the 2024–2025 academic year, a memorable achievement for the entire school community.
Big Congratulations to our Boys' Soccer Team who just won the FAI Dublin Schools League, a great achievement.​
​Through sport, we aim to foster teamwork, resilience, confidence, inclusion, and a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to participate, develop their skills, and experience success.
LIBRARY
Library at Grace Park ETNS
At Grace Park ETNS, every day is World Book Day. We recognise the importance of reading for pleasure and are committed to fostering a lifelong love of reading in all of our pupils. We ensure that children are exposed to a wide range of high-quality texts across a variety of genres, helping them to develop confidence, imagination, and a genuine enjoyment of reading.
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All of our classrooms have well-stocked class libraries containing a rich mix of fiction and non-fiction texts. Children have opportunities to read for pleasure every day through initiatives such as DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) Time, independent reading, and teacher read-aloud sessions, creating a strong culture of reading throughout the school.
Our cosy School Library, which links directly to our rooftop garden, is a much-loved space within the school. The library offers a diverse collection of books to suit all ages, interests, and reading abilities, including texts in a variety of languages such as Gaeilge, French, and Spanish. Every class has a dedicated weekly library visit, giving pupils regular opportunities to explore new books, discover favourite authors, and develop their love of reading.
The library is also home to our school pet fish, Derek, who is a familiar and popular member of the Grace Park ETNS community.
Through our commitment to literacy and reading for pleasure, we aim to inspire curious, confident, and enthusiastic readers who carry a love of books and learning with them throughout their lives.
ARTS EDUCATION
The Arts at Grace Park ETNS
The Arts are at the heart of life in Grace Park ETNS, bringing colour, energy, and joy into our school every day. Visual Arts, Music, and Drama are not just subjects we teach—they are part of how our children learn, express themselves, and connect with others.
We are fortunate to have a wonderfully creative staff team whose imagination, talent, and enthusiasm help bring the Arts to life across the school. We see every day how the Arts support children’s wellbeing, confidence, and sense of belonging, and we weave creative opportunities into all areas of the curriculum.
ation, and a lifelong love of the Arts.
Drama also plays a joyful role in school life, giving children space to imagine, perform, and tell stories in powerful ways. Some of our pupils have also taken part in competitions such as the Our World Irish Aid Awards, using drama to share important messages and ideas with creativity and confidence.
In 2026, we were delighted to host our first Singathon Fundraiser for Arts Education—a joyful day of music, community, and celebration. We hope this will become a cherished annual tradition for our school.
Music is a particularly special part of our school community. We are proud to have a range of choirs, including our Senior Peace Proms Choir, led by Liana and Rachael, and our Junior Choir, led by Paul. These choirs fill our school with music throughout the year, performing at events and sharing their love of singing with great pride and joy. Our staff choir also adds to this sense of togetherness and celebration.
Creativity is celebrated in so many meaningful ways. Each year, our Student Council organises a much-loved Art Show, where we come together to admire and celebrate the artistic talents of all our pupils. A beautiful tradition in our school is the Sixth Class mural, where our oldest pupils leave a lasting gift behind them as they mark the end of their journey in Grace Park ETNS.
Above all, our approach to the Arts is rooted in encouragement and joy. We place real value on process over product, creating space for every child to explore, experiment, and express themselves freely. In doing so, we aim to nurture not only creativity, but confidence, imagination, and a lifelong love of the Arts.
OUTDOOR LEARNING
Outdoor Learning at Grace Park ETNS
In Outdoor Learning at Grace Park ETNS, we simply love being outside. It’s a special part of our school week where learning comes alive in nature. Our approach is inspired by experiential learning and influenced by the Forest School ethos, helping children learn through hands-on experiences in our beautiful outdoor environment.
As we explore, we get to know the plants, trees, and wildlife that are native to Ireland. Children grow a real sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them, noticing the changing seasons and the small details in nature that are easy to miss indoors. Over time, they develop a strong connection with our outdoor spaces and a shared understanding of how important it is to care for and protect our natural environment.
Outdoor Learning also gives us a lovely opportunity to connect with Irish culture and heritage. We explore old Celtic and Irish traditions and enjoy the stories and folklore that have been passed down through generations. Our sessions are filled with singing, playing, chasing, building, laughing, and sharing—learning together in a joyful and relaxed way.
Outdoor Learning is led by Gillian, our wonderful Outdoor Learning teacher, who is currently working towards her Forest School Leader accreditation. Each class enjoys a block of Outdoor Learning sessions with Gillian, usually around six weeks each term, giving children regular time to explore our school grounds and All Hallows as the seasons change.​
These experiences help children grow in confidence, curiosity, and care for the world around them, while also creating happy memories of learning together outdoors.