Hello and welcome to The Purple Bell. A School Aged Childcare service proudly based in Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir, catering for both the Gaelscoil and Carysfort National School in Arklow, Co. Wicklow.
The Purple Bell is a school-age childcare service rooted in the heart of the Arklow community, founded by Laura Pierce, who has worked with local children and families for many years. The Purple Bell offers a service that will go above and beyond in creating a warm, welcoming environment where children feel safe, valued, and will have the freedom to be themselves. Laura believes that the primary school years are a key stage in a child’s development and a time where friendships, confidence and a child’s identity begin to grow.
The Purple Bell will create environments that will ensure a child-led, inclusive, and play-based approach is celebrated throughout. The Purple Bell will provide homework supports, and lots of structured and free play activities that will be designed around the children’s own ideas and needs. There will be lots of community involvement too!
The Purple Bell currently caters for children attending Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir and Carysfort National School in Arklow, and are proudly based on-site at Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir. This central location allows us to maintain strong relationships with the school community and offer a convenient, reliable service for local families. Laura and her team will place great importance on building strong, respectful relationships with families and the wider community. They will work closely with parents to ensure each child feels supported while in their care. Regular communication, open dialogue, and mutual trust will be at the heart of everything they do.
My name is Laura Pierce, and I’m incredibly proud to have opened this service in a town that means so much to me. For the past 18 years, I’ve had the great privilege of working closely with amazing families throughout Arklow. It’s been an honour to be a part of so many children’s early years journey and to have built such strong, lasting relationships within the community. I truly feel fortunate to have been welcomed into the lives of so many wonderful families and many of whom I now consider lifelong friends.
I hold a First-Class Honours Degree in Early Childhood Education and Care and through many years of studying various courses, I’ve gained a deep understanding of what children and families need from a childcare service. My experiences in working in other beautiful services has given me not just knowledge, but a heartfelt appreciation for the trust families place in those who care for their children.
Now feels like the right time to take everything I’ve learned and create something of my own. A warm, supportive, and enriching environment for school aged children. The Purple Bell is more than just a school aged childcare service, it’s about providing a space where children can feel safe, unwind, build friendships, and explore their interests in a relaxed and caring setting that is created just for them.
I believe that school aged childcare plays a vital role in a child’s well-being and in supporting families. My goal for The Purple Bell, is to become a trusted and positive presence in our community. A place where parents feel confident leaving their children and more importantly where children feel happy coming in every day.
I’m so excited for this new chapter and I look forward to welcoming you to The Purple Bell.
Hi I am Niamh, I enjoy working with kids and love creating a positive, fun environment for them to learn and grow. I love to bake as a hobbie and love bringing this to the service, teaching children different skills, and exploring different recipies, especially on their treat days"
Fun facts about Niamh: she has won won medals and trophies in cycling races, which taught me her discipline and teamwork. Niamh favorite food is pizza, you can’t go wrong with that!
I’m Hannah,
I love working at The Purple Bell. I’m passionate about building positive, trusting relationships with children and creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable, confident, and included. One of my favourite parts of my role is getting all the children involved and giving them a voice, allowing them to have an input into the activities we do each day. It feels incredibly rewarding when children can look up to you and feel comfortable enough to talk to you, no matter what emotions they are feeling.
I also love building strong connections with parents. Seeing children happy, engaged, and excited to take part is what makes my job so special. I love watching their personalities shine, supporting their learning, and sharing lots of smiles and laughter along the way"
Fun facts about Hannah: She loves playing soccer, her favourite food is any kind of chicken and she doesn't like crisps!
My name is Faye, the kids in Purple Bell probably know me best as the teacher who asks everyday ‘what’s for dinner today?’ My favourite thing about working at Purple Bell is how everyday is full of adventures and magic and getting to see each child learn and develop everyday feels like the most rewarding job. When I am not in work you will find me walking my dog on the beach or at home baking"
Fun Facts about Faye: Her dog is her best friend and her favourite food is chinese food.
My name is Samantha, and I love my job working at Purple Bell. I genuinely love spending time with the children, creating fun activities, and sharing moments filled with laughter and smiles. Building positive relationships with the children is the most rewarding part of my role and brings me so much joy.
Fun facts about Sam: Her favourite food is Chinese, and she is a proud mammy to a 12-year-old son who shares her love of running.
My name is Amy and I am the Transport and Supply Manager for The Purple Bell. This involves ensuring the service is stocked with everything the kids need to have, in an enjoyable safe environment while they are in our care. I also get to choose their healthy snacks every day after lots of chats with the children on what they wish to have. My role also involves collecting the children from school and ensuring their safe arrival every day. This is my fabourite time of the day. I get to kisten to stories about their day in school and we chat about their interests and things they enjoy to do which helps me in picking the supplies for The Purple Bell.
I find it very rewarding getting to know each child’s personality and supporting them as they learn. One of my favourite parts of the day is seeing the children smile, laugh, and enjoy themselves while taking part in activities, games, and creative play with their friends.
Fun facts about Amy: She swam with sharks while in Australia, and her favourite food is Dutch food.