Educate Together school vs. Catholic School

atwal

Hi Parents,

Would you please let me know which can be a better option for a child (Junior infant) to start the education. I heard ET can be multi ethnic, better integrating school. But what about the quality of the education. I do not have any problem to send my child to a catholic school either. Which one should be a better option if both are available. I am not an Irish Citizen. I would be spending next 2-4 years in Ireland, but would be glad if my child gets a good start in this country and his education and english improves a lot.

Thanks,

Atwal

ArthurDent

Both catholic and Educate Together schools will follow the same curriculum so from an educational point of view they should be similar. I would visit both schools and see which "fits" best with what you want your child to experience. ET schools generally don't have uniforms and everyone is on first name terms - is this something you are comfortable with? If your son/daughter doesn't have English as a first language he/she would be entitled to extra support for the first 2 years - it might be an idea to see which school is best set up for this. Also if you are not catholic you might be more comfortable with the ethical curriculum on offer in ET schools in place of denominational instruction. All that being said there are good and bad ET and catholic schools (in my opinion the principal is v improtant in setting the tone of the school) so go and visit each one before you decide. Best of luck with your decision

atwal

Thanks for the reply.

But does the school offer such support if my child's first language is not english?
I am in catch situation. Catholic school sounds good in terms of some discipline. but ET sounds good in terms of my child getting absorbed initially.

Thanks,

atwal.

ArthurDent

atwal wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

But does the school offer such support if my child's first language is not english?
I am in catch situation. Catholic school sounds good in terms of some discipline. but ET sounds good in terms of my child getting absorbed initially.

Thanks,

atwal.

All schools can offer language support - but to have a teacher employed full time in that role you need to have 14 students that qualify (ie from families that English is not first language spoken at home) and not have received more than 2 years support already.

Re discipline - ask to see both schools positive behaviour policy/code of behaviour - that should give you an idea

Hi OP,

What age is your child, what are are you living in, and do you have his/her name down in the schools already?

atwal

My Child is 4.5 years now and goes to local Montessori. He understands english and speaks in english sometimes but it's not perfect. Sometimes does not understand slang accent for which he is not that much used to. But academically at this age he is ok. Can write 1-100, A-Z, Number Spellings, some tables for 2,3 and 4, drawings, spell his own name, can speak few poems, month names, week days . can draw objects. Just few concerns about the english.

Thanks,
Atwal

atwal

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi OP,

What age is your child, what are are you living in, and do you have his/her name down in the schools already?

Tyrrelstown.

yes we have registered the name to both the local schools and few other schools in other vicinity

thanks

atwal.

20goto10

Hi Op. Catholic schools will give preference to Catholic children. So if you are not a catholic you may not have much say in it. A lot of Irish parents will baptise their children just to get them into school. It's a total disgrace I know but thats Ireland for you.

atwal

atwal wrote: »

Tyrrelstown.

yes we have registered the name to both the local schools and few other schools in other vicinity

thanks

atwal.

The reason I asked is because in my area, the ET schools are near to impossible to get in to, it's first come first served and if you don't have your childs name on the list the day they are born, they've a much slimmer chance of making it in, a national school however has to give all children in their catchment area first preference regardless of when their names were put down, siblings etc.

I am assuming though, that as your child is 4.5, he will be starting school in september and therefore has already been offered places.

I was one of the first generation of ET students in the first ever ET school. I loved it. That said, my daughter is not going to the same school.

I do think that if your child is thriving in montessori then the teaching methods in the ET school would probably suit him best, however, this is opinion is based on the schools in my area, the catholic schools aren't great, but in other areas they are fantastic.

I think you need to make the decision based on the specific schools in question. For example, I think that the montessori way of teaching is best, but that is not the same as saying that Montessori schools are all better. I hope I'm making sense!

atwal

Montessories in our area doesnt teach much. it's mostly play time there. it's just homely studies gave him all the knowledge. my child has problem understanding the irish accent. Hope better she catches it fast , would be better .