Junior School News April 2026

Saskia, Amelia and Elly went to Sutton Park to participate in the AIJS Spelling Bee last month. The day was packed with fun and they all tried their best and enjoyed the learning experience, as they learned from their mistakes and met new people.

The waiting was over, and on Thursday, March 26th, it was finals day! Our J6 team, confidently captained by Jane, set foot on the back pitch in 3 Rock Rovers and they were ready for action. All week long, the excitement was building, chants were being rehearsed, red and white face paint was prepared, posters were being designed and everything was almost ready! Following Wednesday afternoon’s practice, our team was prepared and had their attention focused on enjoying playing and supporting each other, in what was their first ever final! Loreto Junior School, the former winners of this title, were their opposition.

As it turned out, it was a bright, sunny and chilly start to the day, but by the time our final came around, things were hotting up pitch side with both our warm up squad and team in top form and our goalie, Ruby, buzzing to get going! It was a skilfully played match, with end to end dribbling, and passing, reverse stick techniques on show too, and many shots at goal, just missing or being saved on both sides. Then a breakaway in the second half, down the right side into Jane, Erin and Ilona, then back to Jane for a rebound shot that zipped swiftly past their very good goalie! Alex were ahead by 1 goal, but were constantly put to the test by a brilliant Loreto side.

Yet more targeted attempts by our girls, and saves, and as time was ticking  by….then the whistle went, refereed by Kenny and Caroline renowned international referees, and the shouts of joy could be heard all the way down to Rathfarnham village as the team captured the win and the trophy. 

Many congratulations to you all.  A wonderful achievement and a massive thank you to all who enthusiastically supported our girls throughout the season.          

 B Team 

• Captain - Jane
• Goalkeeper - Ruby
• Isabel                    
• Amy 
• Julia
• Eliana
• Erin                       
• Jessa 
• Ilona
• Jessica
• Emilia 
• Eve 
• Ali 
• Cara
• Orla
• Emilia 
• Juliet 

Thank you to the J6s, Ms Costigan, Mr Fitzgerald, Ms Bergin and JACA for organising the Easter Bake Sale. A special thank you to Gabriel, who judged the baking competition.

Congratulations to the following Junior School girls who were awarded prizes at the Junior School Easter Bake Sale:

Individual Category

• Preschool Lower: Emma
• Preschool Upper: Elise
• KG Lower: Georgia
• KG Upper: Alexandra
• J1: Flora
• J2: Chloe
• J3: Margaret
• J4: Raina
• J5: Holly
• J6: Grace

Group Category

Preschool Lower-KG Lower

• 1st Prize: Amelia and Chloe
• 2nd Prize: Ava and Nesa

J1-J3

• 1st Prize: Maggie, Hannah and Lara
• 2nd Prize: Avnee, River and Alyssa
• 3rd Prize: Chloe and Lola

J4-J6

• 1st Prize: Bébhinn, Sadie, Hannah and Abigail
• 2nd Prize: Cara, Aimee and Georgia
• 3rd Prize: Eliza, Daveen and Cindy

This April, Preschool Lower has been learning about farm animals and insects. During this time, we have learned about life cycles, how to care for animals and where animals and insects live. We created beautiful artwork and explored in our tuff tray. We used animals for counting games, learned the sounds which the animals make and sang songs! 

For assembly, J2W created class posters to share their ideas on how to show kindness and respect to all around us. They also shared a song to encourage everyone to use their words to build each other up and to be supportive friends. Well done, J2W.

J3R have been busy bees as of late. We have been learning all about pollinators and why bees are so important for the planet. We also did some beautiful sunflower art to kick off the summer term.

The girls have begun taking part in the Cycle Right programme and are learning valuable cycling skills whilst having lots of fun.

In maths, we are working on measures and have been exploring the concepts of weight, capacity, area and length.

The J3 girls got lucky in the JACA raffle and managed to win a basketball session with coach Ciaran, as well as a dance session!

We went on an exciting trip to Belfast on 15th April to visit the Titanic museum. It was a long bus journey, but we played cards, sang songs and chatted and it wasn’t too bad. We walked around the museum and learned a lot of interesting facts about the Titanic. There was a ride that showed us what it was like to be a worker building the Titanic. We enjoyed seeing the different types of cabins on the ship and searching for relatives who may have sailed on the Titanic in a database. There was also an area where you could see the wreckage of the ship through the floor.  

We got to go to the gift shop and buy some Titanic souvenirs. That was really fun but there was a lot to choose from.

We also did a team-building workshop called ‘abandon ship’ and we had to choose nine objects from a box to bring on a lifeboat to help us survive on the Atlantic until we were rescued. That was a lot of fun.

The J4s were the first classes to go on a trip to Belfast and we had a great day out.

Having worked with Alexandra College for over 10 years now, it’s been a real privilege to watch music grow within the school community. Over the past 8 years in particular, our Rockjam Summer Camps have become a regular highlight, and each year it’s fantastic to see so many Junior School girls returning, full of enthusiasm and creativity.

Our camps take place in the Music Block from 29 June to 14 August, which becomes a hub of energy, imagination, and collaboration throughout the summer. While music is at the heart of what we do, the camps are about much more than just learning an instrument.

Each group works together as a band, creating their own original song. From there, they take things even further — developing a storyline and filming their very own music video. It’s a process that encourages teamwork, confidence, and self-expression, and it’s always amazing to see how quickly ideas come to life when the girls are given the space to create.

What stands out most to me after all these years is the atmosphere. There’s a real sense of support and encouragement among the students, and every camp is bursting with creativity — whether it’s writing lyrics, coming up with video concepts, or performing together as a band.

As shown in the camp flyer (see image above), the camps run throughout the summer with small groups working together to create music videos, with all instruments provided and a full week of musical adventure from Monday to Friday, 10am–3pm .

We’re very proud of the long-standing relationship we’ve built with Alexandra College, and it’s always a pleasure to return each summer.

If you’d like to learn more or book a place, you can visit: www.rockjam.ie

We look forward to welcoming many familiar (and new!) faces again this summer.