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National School Recommendations

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  • 27-08-2015 3:35pm
    #1
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭


    I've just bought a house in Nurney & am hoping to move into it by next year after some extenstive renovations.
    I have a little boy who is 3 and a half at the moment so will be enrolling him in school soon however as I am not from the area I'm not familiar with the local schools so I'd really like to hear some reviews on the surrounding national schools.
    He is baptised Catholic if that makes any difference.

    TIA


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    #2
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,498 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    It very much depends on what you want? Mixed , single sex, multi-denom, Irish medium?


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    #3
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    byhookorbycrook wrote: »
    It very much depends on what you want? Mixed , single sex, multi-denom, Irish medium?

    I think the only school I wouldn't like is an Irish speaking one other than that I don't have a preference so long as he gets a good level of education.


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    #4
    brianblaze
    Registered Users Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭brianblaze


    Well, is the kid baptised or any of that Jesus-ey type stuff?

    There is an educate together school in Carlow if not


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    #5
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    brianblaze wrote: »
    Well, is the kid baptised or any of that Jesus-ey type stuff?

    There is an educate together school in Carlow if not

    He is baptised.
    Do you know the name of the Educate Together school??


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    #6
    iano.p
    Closed Accounts Posts: 817 ✭✭✭iano.p


    Ms2011 wrote:
    He is baptised. Do you know the name of the Educate Together school??


    It's just carlow educate together athy road. It's a good school the building is only a few years old so it's very clean.


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    #7
    brianblaze
    Registered Users Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭brianblaze


    iano.p wrote: »
    It's just carlow educate together athy road. It's a good school the building is only a few years old so it's very clean.

    Great staff etc too. Sorry I didn't see the baptised thing.

    Get in touch with em and see what they're like for next year. I think they fill up quickly


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    #8
    Bog Man 1
    Registered Users Posts: 307 ✭✭Bog Man 1


    If you bought a house in Nurney send your Children to school in Nurney and do not commute out of your area . It is important to be part of your rural community as much as possible . My children now adults went to Tinryland school and coped very well when they went to secondary school . If you are in Nurney village they could walk to school rather than making rural roads more dangerous by commuting them in and out everyday . Nurney and Newtown schools look lovely and I am not sure if they have prefabs .
    Educate together is at the Athy road side of Carlow so do you really want to drive through the town twice a day actually four times a day presuming you are returning home .
    I think the advantages of Rural life and education should be embraced for both parent and child .Sure you could drop them at the school and ten minutes later be at home with a cup of coffee watching Jeremy Kyle .


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    #9
    radharc
    Registered Users Posts: 966 ✭✭✭radharc


    I agree, if you intend staying in Nurney there is nothing that will integrate you into the community as quick as a child in the local school.


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    #10
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    Thanks for the input, there is a national school within a 5 minute walk from the house which I am considering.
    The thing that's putting me off it is it's size if I'm honest. It doesn't appear to be much bigger than a small bungalow so I worry how 8 seperate class years would fit in it & what amenities it would have to offer though I do intend on meeting the principal soon to discuss these things.
    Anyone have any experience with this school?
    Also I don't mind venturing further afield if a good school dictates.


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    #11
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,498 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    What do you term as a "good" school to mean?

    If your child is baptised and you wish for them to make the sacraments, be aware that all preparation for the sacraments and faith formation is done outside school hours in Educate Together schools. They will still learn about religions, but not focus on one religion or learn any religious dogma.

    I wouldn't worry about multi-grade classes, even in a "straight" class, children will be working in different groups all the time.

    What kind of amenities do you want?

    Links to a whole school evaluation for Nurney here:
    http://education.ie/en/find-a-school/School-Detail/?roll=17796P

    A less comprehensive form of WSE called an MM-L for the Educate Together
    http://education.ie/en/find-a-school/School-Detail/?roll=20295K


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    #12
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    Thanks for those links.
    I suppose a good school to me would have proactive, enthusiastic teachers and content but challenged pupils.
    The school he would go to if we stayed in Dublin has it's own greenhouse where the kids learn about healthy eating & growing their own. They've a basketball court, football & baseball pitches, a fully equipped PE hall & access to the local swimming pool & things like this.
    I'm not necessarily looking for all of this, I guess I'm probably comparing what I'm used to where I am atm though his life outside school will be better than where we are now so maybe that's the pay off.
    I've no experience with multi-grade schools so I'll have to look more into that but it's by no means a deal breaker.


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    #13
    byhookorbycrook
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,498 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    I am pretty sure no school in Carlow has a baseball pitch! Lots of the schools garden/grow stuff, but again,greenhouses aren't common. A school can have all the shiny bells and whistles you like, but it will only be as good as its staff. The principal would be a good place to start, but some principals talk the talk and that's it . (That's not aimed at any school, btw, but as a general rule of thumb) I'd make an appt to meet with the principals of any school you are interested in (just not the first week back!! ) and try to time your meeting close to a collection time, you can pick up a good idea of the school at the school gate -though be aware that some (thankfully very rare) parents can be negative, so don't go on the opinion of just one !


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    #14
    Ms2011
    Registered Users Posts: 3,129 ✭✭✭Ms2011


    byhookorbycrook wrote: »
    I am pretty sure no school in Carlow has a baseball pitch! Lots of the schools garden/grow stuff, but again,greenhouses aren't common. A school can have all the shiny bells and whistles you like, but it will only be as good as its staff. The principal would be a good place to start, but some principals talk the talk and that's it . (That's not aimed at any school, btw, but as a general rule of thumb) I'd make an appt to meet with the principals of any school you are interested in (just not the first week back!! ) and try to time your meeting close to a collection time, you can pick up a good idea of the school at the school gate -though be aware that some (thankfully very rare) parents can be negative, so don't go on the opinion of just one !

    That's a good idea about visiting at collection time, will do that when I met the principal, thanks!


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