We are thrilled to announce that our school has successfully achieved a Research Ireland, Curious Minds Award again in 2026.
We submitted a Log of Evidence which satisfied the judging committee that the children's work is of a standard that meets all the criteria for the Gold Award.
Our log provided evidence of children's very broad engagement with STEM in all of the following areas:
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- Maths
- STEM Showcase
Here is some feedback on our Log of Evidence from the Curious Minds judging panel:
Congratulations to everyone at Ballinakill Mixed NS on your award!
Your submission clearly shows that there was a huge amount of STEM work done in the school this year. The students at Ballinakill Mixed NS are very creative, and used their creativity throughout their STEM work. I was very impressed by their knitting, bridges and engineering projects. The budding Scientists showed a clear interest in nature and the environment, with classes learning about biodiversity and exploring the natural environment of the school grounds. Keep up the fantastic work and well done on your award! It's a real credit to the pupils, teachers and whole school community.
https://www.laoistoday.ie/2026/06/24/six-laois-schools-recognised-with-national-stem-awards/
https://www.researchireland.ie/news/2026-curious-minds-awards/