The Heath National School is a catholic school in the parish of Portlaoise, under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin, currently Bishop Denis Nulty. The school was originally built in 1834. Prior to this there were a number of Pay Schools in the area during the Penal Laws. These schools disappeared once free education became available. The 1834 building was built as a one classroom school and served the community of The Heath for over one hundred years. It was replaced in 1958 by a new two classroom school built on a site a short distance away.
This new school was built in the Boyd Barrett design which was the common design for National Schools throughout Ireland at this time. A third classroom was added to the building in 1963. The next change to the building occurred in 1981 when a fourth classroom, a general purpose room and a staff-room were added.
Continued growth in population in the area has seen the school develop into an eight classroom school in recent years with demand for places exceeding availability every year. Two new extensions have been added each comprising of four classrooms in 2013 and most recently in 2015.
The school is guided by its Catholic ethos and its five core beliefs and values. The school encourages and challenges all the school community to live these beliefs & values every day.
Our five core beliefs are:
This new school was built in the Boyd Barrett design which was the common design for National Schools throughout Ireland at this time. A third classroom was added to the building in 1963. The next change to the building occurred in 1981 when a fourth classroom, a general purpose room and a staff-room were added.
Continued growth in population in the area has seen the school develop into an eight classroom school in recent years with demand for places exceeding availability every year. Two new extensions have been added each comprising of four classrooms in 2013 and most recently in 2015.
The school is guided by its Catholic ethos and its five core beliefs and values. The school encourages and challenges all the school community to live these beliefs & values every day.
Our five core beliefs are:
- We are all loved and cared for
- Together we learn
- Kindness is a gift to be shared
- We are special, we are talented, we are thankful
- The goodness of God is in all people
- Nurture
- Persistence
- Consideration
- Rejoice
- Respect