Schools in Maynooth

yellow hen

Hellrazer wrote: »

Exactly and with 4 kids gone through the school Id feel I have enough experience to recommend the school over all the others in Maynooth.

You absolutely have that right based on your own experience. However, to claim that a school is 'hands down' better than another without any substansiating evidence is foolish and also possibly untrue. I'm sure you meant no harm and it's great to feel that a school served your children so well but your comment was more than a bit disparaging to other schools.

For what it's worth my child is in another prinary school in maynooth which I feel is excellent but i cannot claim it to be better or worse than another school. It's also important to note that some schools and their ethos suit some children better than others.

washburn73

granturismo wrote: »

June 2019 has the first year of MCC students sit the leaving cert, so only time will tell if a difference developes between the two schools once both move to their new buildings.

At the moment, in my opinion, both schools are suffering from the overcrowding in the current location.

So, there’s no difference at all between the two secondary schools?

Same teachers, same resources, etc.?

I’m assuming (perhaps incorrectly!) that the Post Primary is ‘older Maynooth’ families, whereas the Community College has a greater proportion of ‘new residents’ - would that be accurate? Perhaps slightly different demographics?

Do both schools have the same ethos, etc.?

Basically, I’m just trying to figure out which one gives my child the best chance at a good education (and, I know, that’s as much on the parents as it is the school/teachers).

All advice welcomed!

L1011

washburn73 wrote: »

So, there’s no difference at all between the two secondary schools?

Same teachers, same resources, etc.?

I’m assuming (perhaps incorrectly!) that the Post Primary is ‘older Maynooth’ families, whereas the Community College has a greater proportion of ‘new residents’ - would that be accurate? Perhaps slightly different demographics?

Do both schools have the same ethos, etc.?

Basically, I’m just trying to figure out which one gives my child the best chance at a good education (and, I know, that’s as much on the parents as it is the school/teachers).

All advice welcomed!

Same everything. Both have the same ethos - some former senior staff had convinced everyone that MPPS was somehow a Catholic school but it was, politely, bull**** - both are multidenominational.

granturismo

washburn73 wrote: »

So, there’s no difference at all between the two secondary schools?

Same teachers, same resources, etc.? Yes

I’m assuming (perhaps incorrectly!) that the Post Primary is ‘older Maynooth’ families, whereas the Community College has a greater proportion of ‘new residents’ - would that be accurate? Perhaps slightly different demographics? Thats how it seemed to me at this year's leaving cert graduation ceremony and our experience of applying for 1st year, 3 years ago.

Do both schools have the same ethos, etc.? In practice, yes, my children are in MPPS and there was never a hint of any Catholic ethos apart from a nun counsellor (and possibly a priest counsellor) who my kids never had any contact with

Basically, I’m just trying to figure out which one gives my child the best chance at a good education (and, I know, that’s as much on the parents as it is the school/teachers).

All advice welcomed!

At the moment, either school but it would probably be easier if there are at least some friends starting in the same school. It remains to be seen if a split developes when the campus moves to the new site.

Cakes and Ale

One way to approach the question of primary schools might be to look at the reports: the Gaelscoil had one this year.

https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/20058T_WSEMLLP_EV_9568_20190310.pdf

L1011

Cakes and Ale wrote: »

One way to approach the question of primary schools might be to look at the reports: the Gaelscoil had one this year.

https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/20058T_WSEMLLP_EV_9568_20190310.pdf

And its not appreciably more positive than the WSEs for the other schools; indeed in some areas its arguably worse

ETNS 2016 - https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/20292E_WSEMod_1183_20161129.pdf

GNS 2016 - https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/report1_00779U.pdf

BNS 2013 - ancient history tbh - https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/report1_17341U.pdf

ghostdancer

washburn73 wrote: »

So, there’s no difference at all between the two secondary schools?

Same teachers, same resources, etc.?

I’m assuming (perhaps incorrectly!) that the Post Primary is ‘older Maynooth’ families, whereas the Community College has a greater proportion of ‘new residents’ - would that be accurate? Perhaps slightly different demographics?

Do both schools have the same ethos, etc.?

Basically, I’m just trying to figure out which one gives my child the best chance at a good education (and, I know, that’s as much on the parents as it is the school/teachers).

All advice welcomed!

it's been answered above, but they're essentially the same. According to a teacher I know there, the split is basically for administration purposes (she said it was because of limits on pupil numbers/pupil:teacher ratios on paper, although I've no idea how true that is). She teaches across both streams.

At present, your child has the same chance in either, from my understanding.

Call me Al

washburn73 wrote: »

So, there’s no difference at all between the two secondary schools?

Same teachers, same resources, etc.?

I’m assuming (perhaps incorrectly!) that the Post Primary is ‘older Maynooth’ families, whereas the Community College has a greater proportion of ‘new residents’ - would that be accurate? Perhaps slightly different demographics?

Do both schools have the same ethos, etc.?

Basically, I’m just trying to figure out which one gives my child the best chance at a good education (and, I know, that’s as much on the parents as it is the school/teachers).

All advice welcomed!

Re older Maynooth families, the enrolment policies distinguish with children of past pupils getting a preference in MPPS. This doesn't feature on MCC enrolment policy hence children of current Maynooth families who are new to the area are largely filtering into there.

Right now all kids are lumped in together in their overcrowded classrooms, with no distinction being made between MPPS/MCC. Two distinct schools will open in Sept 2020, albeit on the same campus. Nobody can really say yet if this will lead to a difference in educational outcomes. Give it a few years and then you'll know. Ethos both seem to be the same.

Orion

Call me Al wrote: »

Re older Maynooth families, the enrolment policies distinguish with children of past pupils getting a preference in MPPS. This doesn't feature on MCC enrolment policy hence children of current Maynooth families who are new to the area are largely filtering into there.

Not 100% true but certainly possible. My kids are in MPPS. The number of kids of past pupils doesn't come near to filling the school so next item is people living in the catchment - so basically anyone 5th generation Maynooth to new arrivals.

Call me Al

Orion wrote: »

Not 100% true but certainly possible. My kids are in MPPS. The number of kids of past pupils doesn't come near to filling the school so next item is people living in the catchment - so basically anyone 5th generation Maynooth to new arrivals.

Well I know from those leaving my children's catchment area school to attend Maynooth that only those children with a parent as a past pupil were accepted into MPPS. All of the others are allocated to MCC with most now on a waiting list to transfer across to MPPS. So there may be some places left but but certainly not in any serious quantity.

And I think it's a very unfair distinction to make in any enrolment policy.
But that's another day's argument.

Orion

I personally know a lot of families that didn't have a previous child in MPPS and got places. That was year 1 on MCC - it will be different every year more than likely.

I agree about the enrolment policy. Can understand if you have a child currently in the school but not ones that have left.

washburn73

Call me Al wrote: »

Well I know from those leaving my children's catchment area school to attend Maynooth that only those children with a parent as a past pupil were accepted into MPPS. All of the others are allocated to MCC with most now on a waiting list to transfer across to MPPS. So there may be some places left but but certainly not in any serious quantity.

If both schools are essentially the same (teachers, facilities, ethos), then why elect to transfer from MCC to MPPS?

Call me Al

washburn73 wrote: »

If both schools are essentially the same (teachers, facilities, ethos), then why elect to transfer from MCC to MPPS?

I don't know why they're doing so. Personal choice maybe.
The schools are essentially the same right now.
But talking with parents of kids starting they say they aren't going to be the same once the two buildings are up and running, and that's scheduled for 9/2020 I think. They say once open the two schools will be very distinct from each other, so I take that to mean that there won't be sharing of teachers or mixed sports teams.

Call me Al

Orion wrote: »

...

I agree about the enrolment policy. Can understand if you have a child currently in the school but not ones that have left.

We aren't just talking about the children (brothers and sisters) who have left... it refers to the parents!
Like come on! How old can these past pupils be..

Orion

Call me Al wrote: »

We aren't just talking about the children (brothers and sisters) who have left... it refers to the parents!
Like come on! How old can these past pupils be..

Ah yeah - the old alma mater bullsh1t

Orion

The new Gaelscoil has been refused planning permission to open on the building site up in Moyglare. Completely the right decision. Stagg is now talking about it being deferred to 2020 which is just him getting his name in the papers. An Foras Patrunachta says they are exploring other options to rent space until they have a permanent location. Manor Mills (where the Gaelcholaiste was going to go) could be an option.

https://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/news/426530/permission-is-refused-for-temporary-school-in-maynooth.html

angeldelight

Manor Mills is even less suitable for junior infants than secondary school pupils... what a disaster

washburn73

So, just glanced at the 'School League Tables' published in today's Irish Independent.

MPPS: 195 Leaving Certificate Sits in 2019, of which 87% proceeded to third level

vs.

MCC: 18 Leaving Certificate Sits, of which 28% (i.e. 5!) made it to third level education.

Based on those results, MCC easily has the worst 'scores' in the county and better only 10 other schools in the entire state (out of 700+)!!

Surely, there has to be something skewing those figures? What am I missing here?

If that's even remotely accurate then it's a damning indictment of the school. Can't believe it to be anything like that given all the previous comments on this forum. So what's the real story?

L1011

18 students means even minor distortion makes figures unreliable. Those will have been students that didn't do TY. From my experience many of those that didn't do TY were deliberately pushing towards long academic college courses and many ended up repeating - and some of the others were absolute messers that wanted out ASAP. Between those two that was the bulk of the TY skips.

When you get a year that has TY students, e.g. next year, the stats will be more informative.



Also, the % figures are useless really. I went to MPPS and have a BSc - and will be doing an MA in an unrelated subject next year; but will have shown as not having gone to third level in those stats because I did the BSc in my mid 20s. Suspect that was more useful to me than taking whatever course I was offered in a regional IT...

ghostdancer

the MCC ones could be a class of LCA?
18 seems very low for a "regular" class. that would explain the low number going on to 3rd level.

the MPPS figure is about 7 classes of 28, which seems far more normal. all 7 classes would have been MPPS when they started out in 1st year I think?

both "schools" share the same teachers and classrooms, so any attempts at distinction between them are still relatively worthless IMO.

Orion

washburn73 wrote: »

If that's even remotely accurate then it's a damning indictment of the school. Can't believe it to be anything like that given all the previous comments on this forum. So what's the real story?

The two schools are in practice the same school (all teachers, resources, classrooms, etc shared) so it is just skewed stats.

L1011's point about skipping TY is a good one - hadn't thought of that.

If you add the two together which is more realistic it's 81% progression combined. That is slightly below average for the school over the last 12 years.

washburn73

ghostdancer wrote: »

the MCC ones could be a class of LCA?

LCA?

washburn73

I know the statistics quoted by the Irish Independent have certain anomalies (e.g. excludes students going to British universities other than Queens and University of Ulster) but just thought that 28% is particularly low for any cohort.

The other anomaly in the MCC figures is that of the 5 reported students (out of 18 Leaving Cert sits) that went on to third level, none went to an IT or similar institution - i.e. 1 to Trinity, 1 to DCU, 3 to Maynooth. MCC were one of the very, very few schools not to have any students proceeding to any of the 11 Institutes of Technology or the 7 other colleges listed in the report.

Makes me think that there is significant context missing from those figures for MCC.

I know that the schools (MPPS and MCC) are effectively the same, at least up to September 2020, so would have thought their underlying 'league table' results would have been broadly similar.

RobbieTheRobber

washburn73 wrote: »

LCA?

Leaving cert applied