Use of the Car Park

Ballygown National School Board of Management has provided two car parks at the school. A staff car park, developed in 2020, is situated at the rear of the school. The main car park adjacent to the school is for school purposes only. It was developed in 2010 and the motivation and focus for pursuing this project was out of very grave concerns for the safety of our children. Now that we have this marvellous facility safety must continue to be our focus.

We strongly encourage use of the car park. It is essential that all those who use it will do so with the greatest of care for themselves and everyone else. This policy has been devised with concern for the safety of the children in Ballygown N.S., along with all other users of the car park. Acting responsibly is the rule of the day. As an adult, it is entirely your responsibility to adhere to the rules of the road when using the car-park.

Parents are advised that the car park will be opened on school mornings at approximately 9.00 a.m. No responsibility can be accepted for the supervision of pupils in the car park at any time. Children are admitted into the school at 9.20 a.m. [*Special arrangements for the safe arrival and departure of pupils have been put in place as part of the Covid-19 Response Plan.] Classes commence at 9.30 a.m. Infants are released at 2.10 p.m. Parents should wait at the pedestrian gate or the front gate to collect the children. Children in all other classes are released at 3.10 p.m.

Please take serious note of the highlighted requests as this will be the expected behaviour of all users of the car park without exception.

1. As you turn into the school car park from the main road, be mindful of oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
2. Drive slowly and keep the traffic flowing.
3. NEVER pull up in the driving area to ‘drop’ or collect children, even if only for a quick stop, no matter how late/early you are. Stopping like this        will delay following cars and is a serious hazard.
4. The only way you are allowed to drop your child off is by parking in one of the designated cark- park places.
5. NEVER use the Disabled car-parking spaces unless you have the legal right to do so.
6. Please drive around the car park in a clockwise direction only.
7. Exercise extreme caution if reversing into or out of the spaces around the perimeter. Avoid interrupting the flow of traffic as far as possible. If       you park in the middle row, you should simply drive into it, so as you drive forward and out on leaving. There should be no need to reverse out         of this row.
8. Children should be made aware frequently of the need for extreme care in the car park and its environs. Children should only enter and exit            the car park via the pedestrian gate. They must not enter or exit via the main gate.
9. Under no circumstances are children to play in the car park. This would be a serious hazard.
10. Any child in 2^nd class or under SHOULD be escorted from the car to the pedestrian gate and vice versa, by an adult. Children from 3^rd class on        must be supervised according to their parents’ discretion.
11. Be mindful of cyclists entering/exiting the car-park as some pupils cycle to school. Pupils are advised to wear a High Visibility Vest and a                     helmet.
12. Parents may continue to drop off children outside the school after safely pulling in. Extreme care must be taken in this area and due                              consideration given to other road users. Unnecessary delays should be avoided to prevent congestion. Parking on the roadside opposite the            school is strongly discouraged.
13. Parking is strictly not permitted on or immediately outside the yellow box at the front gate. This must be kept free at all times for emergency         access and to give clear sight of the road to children exiting.

Please advise other drivers (child minders, relations, etc.) of the contents of this policy.