St Joseph’s National School, Kilcock

We provide a stimulating environment with programmes specifically developed for primary school aged children based onsite in St Joseph’s National School. Our programmes are both flexible and affordable and children are cared for in a safe familiar environment by fully qualified & Garda Vetted staff.

Before School Care: 7:30am – 9:00am  Monday to Friday

Children can come and get their morning off to a healthy start. We provide a nutritious breakfast and the kids enjoy playing games, reading, relaxing, construction or simply catching up with their pals from Sherpa Kids.

After School Care: 14:30 – 18:00 Monday to Friday

We include a tasty snack, homework club and daily exercise along with our structured programmes which vary each day offering arts and crafts, music, drama, sports, games, science projects, cooking and lots of other fun activities based around a weekly theme.

Holiday Care: 09:00 – 14:00 Monday – Friday ( we also provide a before or after camp care service for parents who require more hours).

Sherpa Kids Multi Activity Summer Camps provide a high quality, affordable alternative to childcare during the summer months. We offer a fun and safe environment for kids to explore their creative side through arts and crafts, music, drama, and cooking while ensuring they stay active through sports, games and lots of other fun activities.

What do our camps offer?

·    Fully Qualified Garda Vetted staff

·    Excellent facilities for all of our activities – We don’t need to worry about the rain!

·    Fun, safe and familiar environment for children to explore

·    Arts and Crafts

·    Music & Drama

Sherpa Kids Before School Care, After School Care & Holiday Care in St Joseph’s NS in Kilcock

·    Sports and Games

·    Cooking

·    Outdoor Activities

·    Technology

·    Science Projects

·    Reading

·    Chill Out Time

·    Free Play

·    Daily Exercise

To download a copy of our Parent handbook click here

To  download a copy of our enrolment form click here

To download a copy of our newsletter click below

St-Josephs-Ballyshannon- Newsletter – May 2016

Ballyshannon and Kilcock Newsletter January 2017

Programme CoOrdinator  – Laura O’Neill

Hi everyone! My name is Laura O’Neill. I have 6 years experience of working directly with children and I have developed my career through getting experience both in Ireland and abroad in a range of different positions, from children’s camp leader to being a class tutor and infant coordinator. I love working with children, and to see how they grow and develop has always been a passion of mine. The most important for me is to provide a safe, fun, happy and stimulating environment that caters and includes all children of different ages and abilities. My aim is to provide a setting where the children in my care can become the best they can and create happy memories that they’ll have forever.

I have completed an Honours Degree in Early Childhood Education and Care and just this year a Masters in Child, Youth and Family Studies. I feel that both courses have provided me with the knowledge needed to help and cater for the needs of children, their families and also work colleagues.

Programme Assistant – Rosanna Duignan

Hi my name is Rosanna Duignan I have over 20 years’ experience working with children of all ages and abilities. I have always enjoyed working with children and spent many a happy year as a Cub Scout leader. While taking time out to raise my family I still continued to look after children in my home. I recently upgraded my skills in special needs assisting in which I gained a distinction. Having completed this course I feel I could demonstrate a better understanding of all children’s different capabilities and needs. I am very enthusiastic and passionate when it comes to my work with children and their welfare is always my top priority. I have always tried to instil a sense of learning through fun and to make the child’s experience most enjoyable while in my care. My goal is to provide a happy safe and exciting environment for each child to grow and develop here at Sherpa Kids.

Principal of St Josephs N.S. Kilcock

From the very first moment I met with Karl Barry I knew he had something special to offer and I was not disappointed. Karl outlined his childcare service, ‘Sherpa Kids’ and I thought this is just too good to be true – how wrong I was? It is all true and even better than he outlined, if that is possible?

‘Sherpa Kids’ service complements the school day perfectly, whether full day, half day or even a closed day – Sherpa Kids are always there, five days a week, all year round. They are with us for a year and they grow daily as their reputation spreads. We now have children from all three schools in the town and beyond. The families and children are delighted with the Service and I have yet to hear any comment other than praise for Sherpa Kids.

Karl’s professionalism and attention to detail trickles down to his staff who are highly trained and passionate about the children they care for. The children love going and parents are delighted with Sherpa Kids – both for the ‘regular’ and ‘drop–in’ service. Sherpa Kids immediately fitted in with the ethos and culture of St. Joseph’s. I have never to be concerned about the children in their care and they operate almost entirely independently of the school, which is of course every Board of Managements dream.

I would highly recommend talking to Karl and Sherpa Kids if you would like to offer the perfect model of child care for schools, parents and children. Having them on-site with us makes it seamless for staff, children and parents alike. I wholeheartedly recommend them to any parent, child or school.

Karl Barry is a consummate professional, with a lovely warm manner and a sense of humour which is so essential when working with children. He deserves to succeed with Sherpa Kids and I wish him the very best and am confident he will grow from strength to strength.  

Parent Testimonials, St Josephs N.S. Kilcock

My wife and I have been using Sherpa to mind our three children before and after school since January of
this year. We are so delighted with our decision because the children are so happy. They really look
forward to going to Sherpa because of all the great activities that they do there and also because they
feel really safe and secure. We have found the staff at Sherpa to be fantastic; exceptionally kind and
caring toward the children. Sherpa as a service are very flexible and accommodating which really helps
also. We would have no hesitation in recommending this organisation for your childminding needs.

John and Máire.

We found Sherpa kids to be excellent, the flexibility it offered to us was invaluable. The staff were professional and great with the kids.

Finnian McKeon, Parent Kilcock

Just a quick note to say that we are very happy with Sherpa. Our son Callum loves going on a Monday. I often have to wait a few minutes for him as he is having too much fun and doesn’t want to go home! The flexibility of the service is fantastic. My husband had to do a course at short notice and when I rang on the Tuesday afternoon to put Callum in for the Wednesday morning there was no problem. Keep up the good work!

Sinead White, Parent