Glasheen Boys School, Cork.

dungeon

My son is due to start school in 2011. I have heard great reports about this school. I have been on their website too. We also have a girl who should be going to school in 2012 or 2013. We would very much appreciate any tips or advice. Thank you in anticipation.

Fairdues

Hi there dungeon. Not sure if you have seen another thread on here about schools near U.C.C.. There are quite a lot of very good reviews of Glasheen on that so you should take a look.
My son is in Glasheen Boys and I am delighted with it. They have interactive whiteboards in all classrooms and it's a really lovely school. They keep parents informed of everything that's going on through regular newsletters. The school is on a fantastic run of success with interschool quiz competitions. I know they won the Cork area finals for the past 3 years. They are in the Hurling Finals as well and thay do lots of sports. For those not into sports, there's much more.
The school is really great for keeping regular progress checks on the children. They also run what they call literacy liftoff in junior classes and I have heard brilliant things from all the parents about it.
The children go swimming from 2nd class and they have the most amazing concerts. There's a great school band and a young, energetic staff. There is a wide range of afterschool activities in Glasheen School, as well as an optional Homework Club. As well as that, there is an after school care facility and a preschool on the school grounds, which I found really handy. A friend of mine had to move her little boy when she moved house. He didn't settle in his new school so she moved him back to Glasheen Boys school.
There is a Girls school also on the same grounds but I don't know as much about it as I have no girls. Parents I meet at the school and aftercare seem to be very happy with it too though.
I'm probably forgetting lots of things but I would give Glasheen Boys a very high recommendation.

dungeon

I noticed that there was a reply to my question. Fairdues, that's really helpful and thank you also for pointing out the other thread about schools close to UCC. We are a little concerned that our son's name isn't registered in the school yet so we'll get working on it first thing in the morning. Since I posted the earlier question, I googled Glasheen Boys and there seems to be lots of excellent stuff going on in the school. I really am very grateful for your help.

Johnnyjump

I was in school in Glasheen and my brother is still in the school. It's a brilliant school and I have fantastic memories. My brother is really getting on very well. The place looks awesome, the teachers are really sound and the lads do really well in competitions. They seem to win nearly all the quiz competitions in Cork and they are brill at hurling, football, science and so on.

Myhairspray

I only saw this thread now. My son and daughter went to school in Glasheen and we were very grateful to the Boys and Girls schools. This thread is about Glasheen Boys School so I'll concentrate on that.
While my son is now in secondary school, we will always have wonderful memories. The school has an excellent reputation. It has had a wonderful run of success and there have been many very proud days for the school in the past few years. They have often appeared in the newspapers with news of big wins, various improvements and so on.
Some of my friends still have sons in the school at the moment and they too are very pleased. I remember trying to decide where to send my son and it was actually a friend of mine who had children in the school who recommended Glasheen Boys School to me. I will always be grateful to her.
Best of luck to you dungeon.

dungeon

Thank you everyone for your replies. I've registered my son for 2011 and called to the school today. They said that they already have a huge number for 2010 but that I should be ok for 2011. I am delighted.

The school was extremely impressive, very colourful and a welcoming place to visit. I wish schools were like that when I was in school.

They are in a Hurling Final next week so the boys seem to be all excited. Yes Fairdues, I saw loads of Quiz trophies when I was there. Quite a list of achievements.
Thanks for all the feedback. Things are looking good.

parkerpen

My son is in school in Glasheen and we are very happy with it. We were trying to decide between three schools but opted for Glasheen in the end. They have outstanding facilities and excellent teachers. When I visited the school for my son's junior infant Christmas concert I just knew that we had made the right choice. There is a lovely friendly welcoming atmosphere there.

parkerpen

:P:):cool:I heard today that Glasheen Boys School is holding its Open Day for their new incoming Junior Infants on this Thursday. I presume that if you want to see the school on that day or another day this week, that they would be happy to accommodate you.
By the way, they won in the Hurling Finals yesterday in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. There was loads of excitement.

Fairdues

Me again! I was just going to say that Glasheen Boys School won the Hurling Final last Monday. (I have realised that Parkerpen beat me to it). The other lads in the school all went by bus to support them to Pairc ui Chioamh. They were brilliant apparently.
There have been some changes to the school website recently. We also got our Summer newsletter this week with lots of news about what's going on in our sons' school.

Geog

Glasheen Boys is an excellent school, by all accounts. I went there to vote in the elections earlier today and it really looks completely fantastic.

I know of many families whose children go there and are very happy. They have amazingly colourful displays of the boys winning loads of competitions and in every one of them the boys all look so wonderfully happy and content.

Fairdues

Me again! I posted a while back with the news that Glasheen boys school had won the Hurling Final. The boys' school went on to win the Barber Cup in Tennis in Sundays Well tennis Club last week. There is huge excitement about it as there were several other Cork schools involved.
Glasheen has won the hurling , tennis and loads of the interschool quiz competitions so they have done exceptionally well.

dungeon

Hey guys. Thanks for all the news about Glasheen. It's ok. I'm already sold. Looking forward to my little guy starting there in 2 years. I'm hoping to book him into the preschool there for 2010. Brilliant to hear about all the successes the school is having.

Johnnyjump

The Lough Leagues Hurling Competition was on this week. It's on every June and is held over three nights. 8 or 10 of the local schools take part and it's children from 4th class are playing. Glasheen Boys school has won the competition for the past number of years,. This year they won it again and didn't concede a single point in any of their games.
Hurling seems to be on the up and up in Glasheen Boys school. Maybe there are a few future Cork Hurling stars there at the moment. There was a huge crowd to cheer them on as usual. Well done Glasheen.

overmantle

Great reports about all the successes in Glasheen Boys' School throughout the past year on tonight's Evening Echo. Beautiful photo also of their winning team at the Lough Hurling competition. There's news too of all their quiz wins, tennis, hurling, athletics and lots more.

byhookorbycrook

http://www.rollercoaster.ie/t2t/mc.asp?ID=205596&G=25&forumdb=5

overmantle

Looks like there are good reports on that website too about Glasheen schools. Thanks byhookorbycrook.

Fairdues

I missed the newspaper articles about Glasheen Boys School but my mother kept the papers and showed me the articles tonight. Very impressive. Well done to all the kids, parents and of course all the teachers, on a great year.
I heard just before the holidays that lots of new pupils want to join the school but a few of the classes are full. There is space in Junior Infants , I think, but I could be wrong. Once again, I would highly recommend it to you Dungeon and any other interested parents.

Fairdues

I met somebody today who is hoping to enrol her son in Glasheen for the coming year. When I hear how she gets on, I'll let you know. It's holiday time so it might be a few days before she hears but I know that the school is always great to return messages, even during holiday time.

bigbrotherfan

I read what Fairdues said and s/he's right. My circumstances changed in recent weeks so I was in a complete panic because my ds (darling son) is to start in big school in September. I had to move and so my son has to find a different school to the one I had signed him up for. I had heard brilliant stories about Glasheen but thought I hadn't a hope of getting a place. Luckily, because they're having 2 classes and a few kids are not going now until next year, they have a few vacancies in Junior Infants. I know that some of the classes are full but I'm just thrilled that I was lucky.

Fairdues

Delighted to hear that, bigbrotherfan. You're making a good choice there. Good luck to you and your little boy. He'll love it.

Johnnyjump

Just noticed this thread is still going. I mentioned earlier that I'm a past pupil and am always really proud to say that. It was and is a great school. The place looks brilliant and the teachers really care about you. They still know my name, remember everything about me. My brother keeps me uptodate with all that's going on there and it seems to be getting better and better every year. The facilities in the school are now fantastic. There is something for everybody there. It's not just all about sport or academics or Quiz competitions or extra-curricular stuff. Wouldn't mind being back there.

Myhairspray

Hi Sinner. I presume you have seen this thread. It's one I contributed to earlier when a question was asked about the Boys school in Glasheen. This will probably be of interest to you too. Hope it all works out for you. It's a difficult time for you when trying to decide which was what I found as I too was not from the immediate area. Having said that I was really happy with my choice. Also lots of people from outlying areas choose to come to thesse schools because of the great facilities and excellent reputations they enjoy.

Fairdues

I second that. As a parent, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all the new pupils, parents and families who started in the school this week. Hope you'll all be very happy.

Johnnyjump

Sorry. Just said that I should answer the question on this thread too as it has been asked on a thread about Glasheen Girls - Where do Glasheen pupils go to Secondary school?- I went to Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh, where most of my classmates went. Apparently, Glasheen was the founding feeder school for Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh. Others went to Pres and some to Colaiste an Chriost Ri. Others may go to secondary further away if that is where they live. There are always guys who come to school in Glasheen who don't live near the school but choose to come there anyway.The girls usually go to Mount Mercy or St. Als.

bigbrotherfan

It's over two weeks since my ds started school in Glasheen. I'm thrilled and he absolutely loves it. The school is all I had expected and more. He seems to have settled really well and I just hope it continues. I keep waiting for him to throw a tantrum but it hasn't happened. He idolises his teacher and is all chat about 'his' school. The place is really bright, welcoming and cheerful.
Sorry I didn't get back to you all sooner.

Fairdues

Hope all continues to go well for your little ds. After a horrible start to the month weatherwise, we've been blessed since then. It's great to see the little ones going for walks with their teachers in the sunshine and having such fun. The place looks gorgeous and is really inviting. Another friend of mine has a little guy in one of the Junior Infants and he's loving it.

bigbrotherfan

Hi everybody. DS is still enjoying his new school.I brought my Mum up to the school to vote in the recent referendum. She was thrilled with how well the school looked. It's so modern and clean looking. Anybody we met there was saying the same. When bringing DS to school in the mornings, I'm always rushing so this was a great opportunity to see the place properly. I genuinely can't say enough about the place and I'm really happy with my choice of school. This time last year I was so unsure of what was going to happen so I'm hope I can give encouragement to any other parents who may be apprehensive about sending theor DS or dd to big school.

Johnnyjump

After winning this year's scith na Scoil Hurling Final in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in June, I want to say well done to my old school on reaching the Football Finals in Pairc Ui Chaoimh later this month. Good luck to Glasheen Boys. Theyre on a phenomenal run.

Johnnyjump

Just saw my last post. Since then, Glasheen Boys won the Football Finals in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. I also heard that they are being granted a national award by An Post for the National Savings scheme. They are doing fantastic things there at the moment and I'm proud to be able to say I'm a past pupil of the school. I still know lots of lads who go to school there so I've heard all about their interactive whiteboards and all the other facilities. A great place to be and a place that will always hold happy memories for me.

tonsiltickler

Just saw this thread overview, 23 in college now, have very fond memories of the school, great place and nice teachers( the ones i had anyway).

Hope that helps,
Cheers

dungeon

dungeon wrote: »

My son is due to start school in 2011. I have heard great reports about this school. I have been on their website too. We also have a girl who should be going to school in 2012 or 2013. We would very much appreciate any tips or advice. Thank you in anticipation.[/QUOTE

I'm back. My son will be 4 in February and we had originally planned to send him to school in 2011. Thats what I thought when I asked the original question last year. We now realise that he will be ready in 2010 for big school and his preschool teacher has also advised us to send him.

I'm very happy we got our offer of his place in Glasheen last week. We made an appointment to call to the school and he cannot wait to start. Its a gorgeous school and we were glad to get a place before the enrolment starts in February.

I also wish to thank the many contributors on boards who helped me to make up my mind.

bigbrotherfan

Well done to all the boys from Glasheen. Their Under 11 and Under 13 teams made it through by winning both of their local heats to take part in today's Finals in Cork. We got a text earlier telling us that the two teams have now won their way through to the All Ireland Finals. They have been in the All Ireland Finals every year for the past few years but to get their two teams through was brilliant. They must be so proud. Lots of luck to them all and well done to their parents and teachers.

desper8hsewife

was interested to read this thread as have a son in the area and have enroled him in a number of schools in the locality for 2011. hav had contact from a number of schools, includin glasheen boys, in last few weeks, wondering if im still planning on sending him. so guess its decision time. all the really positive things bout the school mentioned in this thread are really swaying me, so thanks for that. really good to see how many parents and past pupils have gud things to say and fond memories - wish my own memories of school wer as fond.

i ve heard a lot of gud things from my neighbour too, who has a son in the school at the moment. hav been talkin alot to her in past few weeks tryin to make up mind, and over all she s v happy with her son there. but one thing she mentioned concerned me. and her a little. her son is now in 4th r 5th, i cant remember and the teachers teaching these classes are all men. i was wondering is this the norm in schools, or is it just in all boys schools, or just glasheen. cos it seems to me to be an old fashioned way to put all the male teachers teaching the higher classes - and i really dont want to send my boy to an old fashioned school - i have enough bad memories of schools in the 1970s.

Anyway, i was just wondering, can any of the parents or past pupils that hav been postin to this thread tell me if this is the case in glassheen still, and if they find it a concern or worry - or is it all in my head? thanks for this.

rebellette

I'd highly recommend Glasheen as a school. My son goes there and both he and I have found it to be excellent. The school is involved in so many activities and the boys have loads of opportunities to get involved.

Ur right that all the men are teaching in the higher classes. My son is now in the senior classes there and has had a male teacher for the past few years. While his teachers in the early years were fantastic I really wish that he had a male teacher earlier. It would have been great for him to have a male role model in the younger classes especially as there are so many male teachers in the school. I know that in other schools they mix the male and female teachers among all classes.

Apart from this the school is excellent - the teachers and principal are very friendly and welcoming.

desper8hsewife

thanks for that rebelette, thanks for ur view. as i said, i didnt know if it was a standard thing in schools r just this one school. i mean its a concern to me but not a deal breaker. i know what ur saying bout havin male role model at younger age. that would be important to me 2 - wudnt hav the most reliable of them at home. he s at such an impressionable age right now - i know i mammy him enough to death myself - wud b gud for him to hav a man to look up to instead of me all the time sooner rather than later! but I ve heard such great things about the school that it prob won't put me off - but its gud to get the views of parents that have been through the system. uv given me a lot to think about when making my decision. thanks for that.

parkerpen

U've got to be joking, Desper8hsewife. Old fashioned school?? Have you seen the place? It's soooooo modern. I know lots of schools where there are no male role models at all and that's a pity. There's a great balance in Glasheen where my son is. I know of other schools though where all the men teach from 1st class up and the women teach infants only.In Glasheen there are a few younger female teachers teaching some older classes but theres a real cool man teaching 3rd. Overall, I can't say anything but the best about the school. When I was choosing schools I was trying to decide between 3. I know I made the right decision - no question about it.

desper8hsewife

Thank you parkerpen for your reply. I'm very sorry if it sounded like i was insultin the school in question - that was not what i meant to do. in fact i did mention several times all the great things i have heard about the school and the fact that it is probably the front runner of all the schools that i have my son enroled in.

Obviously everybody has there own situation and everyone has different things that are important to them when chosing a school. without telling everyone who reads this my own personal business and situation, all i can say is a strong male role model for my son is very important for me as who he (sometimes) has at home, is not very stable or the best of role models. but thats neither here nor there. I know he s growing up in a world that maybe has loads of female role models and not many male. thats why it would be important to me that he gets that else where, maybe at school.

I did not mean to suggest the school was old fashioned. i have in fact been there a few times, and hav always thought it was very colour ful with lots of computers and stuff like that. to quote yourself "sooooooo modern".the principal was a very nice man and everything i saw, i liked. i was only asking was what i was hearing about the men teachers true.

obviously my neighbour has it wrong. i did not know there were female teachers teaching 5th and 6th in the school. i stand corrected. her son must hav just have had missed them or been in the other classes. i stand corrected.

but anyway where the female teachers teach is not really my point. i am more worried about my son having a man teacher at a young age. from what you say parker pen, my son would be 9 r 10 by the time he meets a man teacher, and that seems a long way away in my eyes. two or three years ago when i did the rounds of the local schools enrolling my son, there was a man teacher teaching junior infants in one of the nearby school (don't know if i should name the school, but i can). he seemed a friendly man and a gud teacher - the kinda positive role model i wud like my boy to see. obviously this impressed me. like, maybe other things werent the same as glasheen school, like with the building and computers and stuff but as i said up the page, we all hav different things that are important to us and this is one for me.

finally i just want to say parkerpen, your silly sounding comment about there being a "real cool' man teacher teaching third tells me one of a few things - a) you are that "Real cool" man writing comments about yourself b) you fancy that real cool man or c) you are a man. Either way the chances are that you are male and then your son is lucky enough to have a strong role model at home that cares about his education enough to read and leave comments on posts like this. this my son does not have. so mayb its a situation you cant really understand.

as for those schools with only women teachers teaching infants - and men from 1st to 6th, i kinda think that thats a fictional school (unless you want to name it of course), cos from what i hear schools like that are gone years and years. which is why i made my comment about glassheen seeming old fashioned with man teachers in high class and women teachers in young classes. obviously i stand corrected on that matter - know i know women teachers are teaching up high classes too in glasheen. i just think that the school might use the men teachers they have better - as you said your self - some other schools dont have any male role model - and i really agree, that is a pity. even girls schhools in my opinion should have male role models for there pupils. i think every child, at a young age, should have expierence of a man teacher - cos alot of the time, as for my boy, the dont have that at home. but who i am i to know, its just my opinion

I hope parker pen you understand where i was coming from and that i was not slaggin glasheen. from what i hear it is a very good school. and thank you for clearing up those issues for me. it will all help me in making up my mind.

happy paddys day!

parkerpen

Points taken Desper8hsewife. We're agreed on the main thing here, Glasheen is a fab school. Believe me, I was where you are now and was trying to choose between 3 schools. I am soooo happy that I chose Glasheen for my DS. Once again, we're lucky to have a balance of male and female teachers. To be honest, I don't know the "cool" male teacher in 3rd class. Its just that he teachs my neighbours son and theyre always raving about him. Hes real kind to the kids and does tons of sport with them.
Main thing is Desper8hsewife that I salute your honesty about your home situation and your fears about a suitable male role model at home. Don't beat yourself up about that. Over the course of the 8 years in primary school, your son will get a good healthy balance of teachers, be they female or male, with a variety of talents, which your son will be exposed to.
All I can say that you seem to be coming down in favour of Glasheen and I know you'll make no mistake by sending your son there. Its a fab school.

bigbrotherfan

I see that some of the schools in our locality are being discussed again this year. Perhaps this thread would also be of interest, as it was to me when I was deciding early last year. My son is in Senior Infants in Glasheen Boy's School and we are really delighted with the school and everything about it.

shivs

Glasheen sounds great, but its a DEIS school (ie LOADS of extras given). We live in Togher and and seemingly it's not in the same band as Glasheen, so obviously Glasheen has way more resources.

I dunno, but would hate to bypass our closest/parish school and really don't understand why Glasheen gets funded more than Togher?

bigbrotherfan

Yeah, Shivs, your right. Glasheen boys is a great school but it's not just about resources. There is a very positive and welcoming atmosphere which is far more important to me. The school is very colourful, which is more down to imagination than funding.

shivs

bigbrotherfan wrote: »

Yeah, Shivs, your right. Glasheen boys is a great school but it's not just about resources. There is a very positive and welcoming atmosphere which is far more important to me. The school is very colourful, which is more down to imagination than funding.

You are so right re. atmosphere etc. and that comes from the people involved in the school. My only issue is that some schools struggle so badly, while some are so well resourced ie DEIS schools. So surely the stresses of trying to organise a few fund-raisers for a new keyboard/whiteboard etc are eliminated, so the staff have far more time to do their job, without having to give up time to paint class rooms (I kid you not.......)

Fairdues

Me again! When I was alerted that this thread is active again, I thought I would give an update on recent activity. The boys from Glasheen won the annual Credit Union Cork Quiz again this year. It was held this weekend and Glasheen has won this Quiz for the past number of years. The boys are also through to the football finals. They won the hurling finals in June 2010 so they are keeping their fingers crossed for a double. As a parent, I am very proud of the boys and the success of the school.

D4RK ONION

I think this thread has run it's course. Thanks for the update

Locked.