Information on secondary schools in Dublin?

Chuchoter

If you can, ask as many people with kids in the schools you're thinking of what they think. You would be very surprised that a lot of private schools with good reputations are not anywhere near as good as you would think.

Also, proximity is a massive factor. I would love to be in the local school because all my friends would live nearby and I'd never have a long trip home from school. My brothers school is a half hour bus ride, but its so exhausting and confusing trying to organize things. The other thing to consider is where are the people in the school from. If you are living in town A but most of the school lives in town B, its hard to make friends because everyone else is always calling over to other people's houses impromptu and you're not there.

Gloomtastic!

Sandra.c wrote: »

Was at an information day yesterday in Mt Temple, and interestingly even though it is under Protestant Management - Catholic children are in the majority. Yes, if you are Protestant and in a feeder school you will be given priority, but it doesn't mean that most kids going are Protestants.

I believe this may be changing.

The criteria for getting into Mt Temple are:
1. A member of the Protestant faith.
2. A sibling attending Mt Temple
3. A pupil in one of several feeder schools in the area.

Due to the recession, Protestant families who would normally send their kids to fee-paying schools, are opting instead for the free education at Mt Temple. This means that in the year coming. 2011-2012 numerousl pupils who have been attending one the feeder schools have not got a place if they don't meet the first two criteria.

coffee_cake

I went to stratford college in rathgar, it's a very small school which has no religion except for the jewish students (which basically meant the rest of us had classics class while they had hebrew class, and we got half days on friday instead of wednesday), fee paying. I had no idea what religion half the students were and we didn't care
I liked it and I recommend it since you said you wanted non religion and mixed

Kildrought

Not strictly true - the school declares clearly that it's ethos is based on the Jewish faith and places are given first to Jewish students.

coffee_cake

Kildrought wrote: »

Not strictly true - the school declares clearly that it's ethos is based on the Jewish faith and places are given first to Jewish students.

Right yeah sorry, I just mean it didn't really have any effect other than what I said. There were so few jewish students I don't think getting in would be a problem

Napoleon111

Hi all,
Just came across this thread today and find it interesting. The reason i have been browsing this site is I will be having my first child in a few months (totally s$&t scared by the way!). One of the things that crossed my mind when i found out, on top of everything else, is that I would like to give my child the best education experience possible, whether that means a fee paying school or not, i think its still very much open to debate. One thing i do know is that when i was younger (i have 4 other siblings), my mother literally sacrificed everything for me (not so much with the rest, i dont know why!) and my education. I went to st.columba's for 5 years (costs are roughly 20keuro a year, so close to 100k for my secondary education). I'm 23 now, finished there in 2005. When the recession took hold a few years back, my mother (who was divorced and alone) pretty much lost everything, and even at the moment, the bank is looking to reposses her home (as its part of the busines, but neither here nor there). The one thing she always said to me and my brothers and sisters is that she didnt care what it meant for her, once we had the best opportunities possible (which i think is the same for all parents). Now, whether that meant spending 100k for my education (and then not being able to give my younger brother the same level education as me cos she cant afford it, is again, questionable) gave me the best opportunity in life? well who knows! but the fact that I got my girlfriend "accidentally" pregnant at 23 (shes 25), maybe thats a sign on what happens if you spend too much time in a co-ed boarding scholl!
Now, on to the school. Well to be honest, whilst i was there at the start i hated it, some of the rules are archaic to say the least! chapel every morning, and for an hour on sunday? it was a protestant school (I come from a very catholic background), but that never made a difference, it didnt matter if you were black, white, jewish, muslim, catholic, protestant. Everyone had to attend the chapel everyday, whether you took part, was up to you, but I suppose in a sense it was one of the few times when the whole school was together, and it wasnt always religion based, if you know what i mean. We often had people coming in to share their experiences, and we would be told stories that are essentially morally good, as opposed to being religous.
The teaching was excellent, the friends I have made there I will have for life, and having such a multi-culture feel to it, I have had the opportunity to literally travel to world to visit my friends (from some of the furtherst corners of the earth).
I think the support that was given in terms of learning, and then later on in terms of career choices etc and college choices, they were a massive help.
To be honest, I dont think i would be where I am now if it wasnt for the sacrifices my mother made for me, and the opportunities I have had because of my education.
I think I am in a lucky position to have a v.good job for my age, that leads me to believe that I can actually financially support a child (although that is yet to be known for sure!)
I suppose what I am saying is, you will read some very different things on st.columbas, but from my own personal experience, I loved every minute of it and i wouldnt change a thing if i could go back in time.
The caveat is though, that for some families it is simply not possible to spend 20k a year on school. I will be putting my childs name down when they are born, whether I will be able to afford it come the time, thats a different matter!
All the best,
Nap

spurious

By far the biggest influence on how your child will do is parental involvement, interest and encouragement.
It doesn't matter if money is spent or not.
Sounds like your kids are ahead of the game already.