New Secondary School Greystones

North Wicklow Educate Together 2nd Level

Yes, Simon Harris emailed us earlier and told us the same thing. Educate Together have not been officially notified yet, the official announcement will be tomorrow.

If it's true (which seems likely) then congratulations to the CoI but we are naturally devastated.

Hopefully there will be good news for some of our sister groups!

Annasopra

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

Simon Harris announced that Church of Ireland have won the patronage ... apparently leaked early. I can't find the link to it now. He must have withdrawn it.

It looks like put the information on his website then withdrew it.

abacus120

Thrilled with the news,fingers crossed its true

LEIN

I'm surprised at the decision.

I thought that I read or heard that church run schools are being phased out?

I could be wrong on this and I'm open to correction.

Cheeky Chops

The report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism, which is advising Minister for Education and Skills, recommended the phased and gradual divestment of schools from the Catholic Church to other patrons.

LEIN

Makes sense, thanks CC.

loyatemu

disappointed for the ET team, I've supported their campaign since the first meeting. They really made a very strong bid IMO - they'll be getting some of the other schools that are being announced tomorrow but that's probably scant consolation for the local campaigners. Having said that, my kids are in St. Patrick's and I'm sure the CofI will run a good and inclusive school for the whole community.

(as an aside - Simon Harris, what a weasel eh? If it had been a FG minister making the announcement tomorrow you can be sure he wouldn't have leaked it...)

antoniolgj

Very happy with this news... God bless our children...

FirstIn

I'm delighted with the news.

As to whether it was leaked or a mistake/miscommunication, I couldn't care less.

Cheeky Chops

As someone who has a child starting at entry year (2014) I am delighted that COI got the patronage. East Glendalough is such a well run school and the new school will be using all their experience in setting up the new school. I want my child in a school that is not going to have teething problems like Greystones ET had. The chaos, infighting and militant behaviour is very well known in the early years.

Many of those that were advocating ET will not have children in second level for many years. 2nd level is not comparable to junior infants starting. There can be no time for learning how to run a school. It needs to be spot on from day one. There is no way I would send my child to a school that is run by a group that has no previous experience of second level education and in the first year of opening.

mirekb

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

As someone who has a child starting at entry year (2014) I am delighted that COI got the patronage. East Glendalough is such a well run school and the new school will be using all their experience in setting up the new school. I want my child in a school that is not going to have teething problems like Greystones ET had. The chaos, infighting and militant behaviour is very well known in the early years.

Many of those that were advocating ET will not have children in second level for many years. 2nd level is not comparable to junior infants starting. There can be no time for learning how to run a school. It needs to be spot on from day one. There is no way I would send my child to a school that is run by a group that has no previous experience of second level education and in the first year of opening.

Please don't rub salt into the wound

Cheeky Chops

mirekb wrote: »

Please don't rub salt into the wound

I was just saying my opinion as a parent that has a child starting secondary school in 2014.

LEIN

mirekb wrote: »

Please don't rub salt into the wound

Let's not get personal here, the decision could have gone either way.

Annasopra

Official announcement

http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/13432104687027440.html

recedite

Given that the new school is being entirely funded by the State, and in the event that the school is oversubscribed, will the Church of Ireland guarantee that there will be no religious discrimination in the admissions policy?

FirstIn

recedite wrote: »

Given that the new school is being entirely funded by the State, and in the event that the school is oversubscribed, will the Church of Ireland guarantee that there will be no religious discrimination in the admissions policy?

Are these guarantees given by other schools? Most of which have RC patronage. Do they discrimate against non RC kids? I'd imagine not, so the admission policy should work as per all other state funded schools. Why wouldn't it?

Or if someone points out that there is an admission preference given to RC kids for RC schools then ...

Annasopra

FirstIn wrote: »

Or if someone points out that there is an admission preference given to RC kids for RC schools then ...

There is

BraveInca

recedite wrote: »

Given that the new school is being entirely funded by the State, and in the event that the school is oversubscribed, will the Church of Ireland guarantee that there will be no religious discrimination in the admissions policy?

From the COI Greystones school bid website: "Both Newpark Comprehensive and East Glendalough schools are under the patronage of the Church of Ireland and provide a model for the second level school that will be opened in Greystones."

Those schools have a significant difference in their admissions policies, i.e. Newpark give equal priority to children who have attended Educate Together primary schools, whereas East Glendalough gives priority to Protestant children only.

East Glendalough:

Children of members of staff and children of Protestant clergy within the catchment area receive a special priority if a place is available. Thereafter, priority is given to the first 60 applications for Protestant pupils from within the catchment area (see Note 2). Certificates of Registry of Baptism (or, in exceptional cases, a letter from a Minister of religion stating that the child is an regular member of a Protestant congregation) and Birth Certificates should accompany applications. When all places are filled in any one year, applications are put on a waiting list.

When all priority applications have been catered for, other applications are considered, space and resources permitting. Second priority is given to Protestant pupils from outside the catchment area. Third priority is given to members of Protestant House Churches. Fourth priority is given to non-Protestant applications with sibling connections to the school. Fifth priority is given to "mixed marriage" applications where one of the partners is Protestant. Thereafter, all other applications shall be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Newpark:

To meet its obligations effectively the school has evolved a system of admissions which gives priority to those children for whom the school was established. To this end the school recognises a number of groups of children as coming within this framework in the south County Dublin and north Wicklow areas, namely
1. Those who have completed at least four years of their primary education at a Church of Ireland or other Protestant National School, or an Educate Together National School
2. Protestant children at other schools
3. Siblings of students who are attending or have attended Newpark Comprehensive School (the Day School)
4. Children of permanent staff members of Newpark Comprehensive School (the DAY School)

Cheeky Chops

From their FB page:

the Admissions Policy will be a matter for the new BOM. At this stage it's envisaged that it will be based on the commitment given to parents during the bid process i.e. priority on admission will be given to local children from the seven feeder schools in the Greystones/Delgany area (regardless of religion).

So in other words, they do not know yet. No point speculating IMO.

FirstIn

mango salsa wrote: »

FirstIn wrote: »

Or if someone points out that there is an admission preference given to RC kids for RC schools then ...

There is

There's your answer recedite. Rightly or wrongly, I wouldn't expect this school to be any different from the rest.

Annasopra

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

From their FB page:

the Admissions Policy will be a matter for the new BOM. At this stage it's envisaged that it will be based on the commitment given to parents during the bid process i.e. priority on admission will be given to local children from the seven feeder schools in the Greystones/Delgany area (regardless of religion).

So in other words, they do not know yet. No point speculating IMO.

Point well made

Annasopra

It looks like the main basis for the decision came down to numbers in the end

http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School/GreystonesAssessmentofApplicationsJUNE.pdf

Also the report highlights that the COI application was very clear in stating that it would not be a "protestant school for protestant children" but would be inclusive.

The Bishop Basher

Great news for the area and such a shame to see the bull**** on here. Only 2 schools nationwide were awarded to religious denominations, the rest to vec and et so everyone has had some success if not locally.

The admissions policy will be decided by the BOM but I imagine it'll be CoI preference and inclusive thereafter.

Also, state funded is a bit of a myth. All schools receive state funding but they rely on the voluntary contributions from generous parents in order to actually provide a decent education for the children.

Decision is made folks. Glad it went how I would have hoped but I take no pleasure in seeing others lose out.

I hope the future students have many happy and fruitful years there and go on to do great things and make Greystones proud....whatever their religious beliefs.

recedite

FirstIn wrote: »

Are these guarantees given by other schools? Most of which have RC patronage. Do they discrimate against non RC kids? I'd imagine not, so the admission policy should work as per all other state funded schools. Why wouldn't it?

These guarantees are and were given by both of the other two patrons that were involved in the bid; the VEC and ET.
They are not given by RC or other faith schools.

BraveInca wrote: »

"Both Newpark Comprehensive and East Glendalough schools are under the patronage of the Church of Ireland and provide a model for the second level school that will be opened in Greystones."

Those schools have a significant difference in their admissions policies, i.e. Newpark give equal priority to children who have attended Educate Together primary schools, whereas East Glendalough gives priority to Protestant children only.

East Glendalough:Certificates of Registry of Baptism (or, in exceptional cases, a letter from a Minister of religion stating that the child is an regular member of a Protestant congregation) and Birth Certificates should accompany applications. When all places are filled in any one year, applications are put on a waiting list.

When all priority applications have been catered for, other applications are considered, space and resources permitting. Second priority is given to Protestant pupils from outside the catchment area. Third priority is given to members of Protestant House Churches. Fourth priority is given to non-Protestant applications with sibling connections to the school. Fifth priority is given to "mixed marriage" applications where one of the partners is Protestant. Thereafter, all other applications shall be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Newpark:

That long list reminds me of the list of different racial categories operated by the government of apartheid era South Africa.

As for the notion that the parent's "voluntary contribution" will fund the school; that is nonsense. It funds a few little extras, like art materials or sports equipment. The vast bulk of funds, to build the school, to pay the teachers salaries, and a capitation grant per pupil towards ongoing maintenance costs will be borne by the State.

FirstIn

What i've learnt today;
Nearly 60% of kids attend second level schools run by religious orders. When running a school religious groups favour admission for kids coming from the same religious ethos. This is not something everyone is going to be happy with. In the vast majority of cases the disadvantaged group will be non RC
kids. It is important to realise this. How can one ask for a guarantee for non religious preference when all through the country in religious run schools there are preferences for children from the same religion as that of the patrons of the school.

dudmis

According to Gráinne Mc Loughlin on Facebook "the children from the seven primary schools in Greystones - all denominations and none will have first preference for enrollment into new school."

(http://www.facebook.com/groups/317929974968702/327336084028091/?ref=notif&notif_t=group_activity#!/groups/192585277450198/)

recedite

Well I hope Gráinne Mc Loughlin is right. I'm surprised the term "mixed marriage" has survived into 21st century Ireland in some quarters.
And I find it disturbing that it would be used as the basis for discrimination against the children of such a marriage.

FirstIn

As earlier said the BOM will make the decisions re admission policies. I can't see how Grainne can know for certain.

Given the size of the school, 800 - 1000 pupils the hope would be that nearly everyone that wants to go will get in.

With St David's and this new school all the Greystones kids should be catered for I'd imagine.

Overall, having another second level school in Greystones is a massive step forward. It's a real choice.

recedite

FirstIn wrote: »

nearly everyone that wants to go will get in.

Hopefully kids that don't fit neatly into either of the two traditional religious camps, Prod or Catholic, will not find themselves at a disadvantage in Greystones, as the population increases.
The new school is two massive steps forward, and one step backwards into the past.

Annasopra

Can we please halt the tit for tat arguments over admissions policy and wait until the BOM come up with something