The Blue Star Programme has confirmed that the programme will be running for its eleventh year over the 2021-2022 school term. The registration process for interested primary schools across Ireland is now open. The Blue Star Programme teaches primary school pupils about European cultures, diversity and the EU through creative activities and projects which complement the national primary curriculum. The aim of the Programme is to foster better knowledge and understanding of the EU and how it affects our lives among Irish primary pupils through fun, creative classroom projects and activities.
How does it all work?
Pupils of all ages, from primary schools all over Ireland, are challenged to get creative and think about Europe by carrying out projects in relation to four key elements: the history, geography, culture and creativity, and Institutions of the EU.
The Blue Star Programme is designed to be as curriculum-friendly as possible so it can fit in with lesson plans already in place. It also aims to draw in the wider school and local community to get involved.
Most of all, this is a really fun Programme that encourages pupils and teachers to be as creative as possible in their project work, particularly in the use of online technologies and tools.
How to participate?
If you are interested in participating in the Blue Star Programme, there are 4 stages to complete:
- Registration: Interested schools must fill in a Registration Form to sign up for the Blue Star Programme. Registration closes on 5 October 2021 – information on how to submit the form is on the form itself!
- Completion of Blue Star Programme work throughout the school year: In order to successfully complete the Blue Star Programme, participating schools must complete all four elements of the Programme (historical, geographical, cultural and creative, and institutional) and hold an event to mark Europe Day (9 May). For more information on what is involved in each of these elements, see here.
- Blue Star Programme Report and/or Blue Star Online Quizzes: Schools must submit a Blue Star Programme Report by 18 May 2022. The purpose of the Blue Star Programme Report is simply to show how participating schools covered all four elements of the Blue Star Programme. The Blue Star Programme will also host 4 online quizzes towards the end of the Programme on each of the four elements, to test your pupil’s knowledge! Participation in these quizzes will suffice for completion of the Programme, with full details to be provided to teachers who register with us.
- Awarding of Blue Star Certificates of Achievement and European flag: Once schools have completed the Programme and submitted their Report/completed the Quizzes to confirm this, schools are awarded Blue Star Programme Certificates of Achievements, signed by the Minister of State for European Affairs, and first-time schools are awarded a European flag.
The Blue Star Programme’s COVID-19 Plan?
The Blue Star Programme is conscious of the challenges that schools still face with COVID-19 . They are delighted to see so many participating schools complete the Programme over the past year, working both in classrooms and remotely. Blue Star will continue to be fully adaptable to these circumstances, with an ever-growing online capacity to the Programme. They are happy to discuss with schools on an individual basis, how they can complete the Programme during these challenging times.
Further information on the Programme can be found here: https://www.bluestarprogramme.ie/
