Beacan Mixed National School
School Details
Location
About
St Joseph’s National School, commonly known as Bekan NS, is a rural, co‑educational primary school serving the village of Bekan in County Mayo. The school caters for approximately 164 pupils and employs a team of ten full‑time teachers, including mainstream, special‑education and support staff, to provide a balanced curriculum that nurtures academic, social and emotional development. A strong emphasis is placed on creating a safe and inclusive environment, with policies that promote physical, emotional, social and intellectual wellbeing for pupils, staff and families. The school’s facilities have recently been upgraded to enhance play and learning opportunities. The junior playground now features a climbing wall, basketball hoops and various game boards, while a new picnic bench serves the senior yard. A student council assists peers in inclusive play, and a dedicated counselling programme supports pupils experiencing anxiety. The curriculum highlights include a focus on comprehension within literacy and a new, play‑based maths programme that encourages creativity, problem‑solving and real‑life reasoning. Standardised testing results show the school performing at or above national norms in both literacy and numeracy. Extracurricular provision is vibrant, with regular sport, music and cultural activities such as handball, quizzes, museum trips and a junior Christmas concert. These events reinforce the school’s commitment to holistic education and the development of well‑rounded, confident young people.