Moving to Galway, schools?

KittyeeTrix

yeehaw wrote: »

3 sitting TDs went to Mary's.

Haha, Way to put OP off Mary's:D

cici21

Past pupil of the Jes here...I can't speak higher of the place. Had the best 6 years in school. Its the type of school where if your child can work for themselves they'll do very well. The ethos of the school is to develop the student in a holistic manner, in all areas including sport, academic,musical, artistic etc. Every pupil is seen as an equal and they try to build upon their areas of strength.
5th year play, TY, skiing holiday, retreats, sports. Had so much fun in the school. Also they have a strong rowing club.

Sniipe

yeehaw wrote: »

3 sitting TDs went to Mary's.

Which 3?

I went to St Mary's 1993-1998. Fantastic school back then; can't comment on how its going now.

deisemum

catsea wrote: »

I've been told Oranmore is a nice place

I went to school in Oranmore and some of the teachers that I had are still there plus I've got family and friends whose children are current pupils there and I'd strongly advise to steer clear of the place. The bullying in the place in unreal and some of it is at the hands of a couple of teachers so much so that their colleagues have comments on it to parents.

If a child needs some support then the school will not meet that need and the child will be ignored.

I know of a number of children including family who removed their children and these childrens education has come on so much that their parents are regretting that they didn't move them sooner.

EZeeBOS

I'm a past Student of Marys (Graduated in '09). I really enjoyed my years there, They have some of the best teachers in Ireland (Tom Nolan & Pat Healy to name a couple) and all the teachers are very aproachable.

They are big into Sports but if you are not into sports they have many other extra cirricular activites such as computers and art.

The principal is a very nice guy and if you go and explain you are moving to Galway, he will go out of his way to give your son a place.

They are very strict on bullying and since I have left, they have put a number of services in place where the parent will get a text message if the student is late/missing from school to ensure they get the best education possible.

Check out the school website, http://stmaryscollege.ie, they have a load of information and contact/location details.

UPDATE: Just checked out the Marys website and they now have a Virtual Tour so you can show your son the inside of the school without travelling down!

catsea

EZeeBOS wrote: »

I'm a past Student of Marys (Graduated in '09). I really enjoyed my years there, They have some of the best teachers in Ireland (Tom Nolan & Pat Healy to name a couple) and all the teachers are very aproachable.

They are big into Sports but if you are not into sports they have many other extra cirricular activites such as computers and art.

The principal is a very nice guy and if you go and explain you are moving to Galway, he will go out of his way to give your son a place.

They are very strict on bullying and since I have left, they have put a number of services in place where the parent will get a text message if the student is late/missing from school to ensure they get the best education possible.

Check out the school website, http://stmaryscollege.ie, they have a load of information and contact/location details.

UPDATE: Just checked out the Marys website and they now have a Virtual Tour so you can show your son the inside of the school without travelling down!

Aah...thankyou,

gaeilgegrinds1

How long are most school's waiting lists at this stage? Heard a rumour about a few and am shocked!

yeehaw

Sniipe wrote: »

Which 3?

I went to St Mary's 1993-1998. Fantastic school back then; can't comment on how its going now.

Noel Grealish, Derek Nolan, Sean Kyne.

Possibly Paul Connaughton too? And perhaps I am wrong about Sean Kyne? There is definitely 3...not sure which 3. Apologies for the uncertainty.

Eeden

Another vote for Colaiste Einde (Enda's). Their reputation has seriously gone up in the last several years. My kids (girls) go there and are getting on really well. My son will go in a couple of years.

The impression I get about the Bish and the Jes are that both are great, but that the Bish is very, very academically inclined, and that the Jes is great but hard to get into if you don't have a past pupil in the family. I think that the Jes has compulsory Transition Year. But I'm not sure how correct my information is.

If your son is academically inclined, or sporty, or in to art or music, he'll definitely be encouraged in Enda's.

Best of luck.

Beannie

I was looking for same info but for my two girls. Happy with what I've read so far!!

fuisce

You obviously weren't a boarder....

gaeilgegrinds1

Merlin College and Claregalway certainly worth a look. Work for a VEC myself and find the teachers generally very up to date. Good luck!

fuisce

Colaiste na Coiribe, best school in Galway by a country mile

mum.com

Hi,another mum here...looking for feedback for endas as of now please? have one child accepted for this year coming...want to be sure the long journey is going to be worthwhile :eek:

Eeden

My two girls went to Enda's and both did very well and more importantly (for me), they liked it there. My son is there now and is getting on very well and also likes it there. They have a new principal since the start of this academic year, whom I haven't had any experience with yet, but I would expect that not much will change (certainly not for the worse, anyway)! I'd definitely recommend it.

mum.com

thanks for the reply...would love to hear from any other parents! Cheers!

paulgalway

Both children, male & female both went to Enda's. Both now in NUIG.

They, and I, can not speak highly enough about the college staff and facilities.

There is a new principal in place, had dealings with her before her promotion and found her very helpful and understanding. Still asks after the kids ( by name) when I run into her around town.

They provide supervised evening/weekend study for LC and JC students and also a homework club.

Everything is in place to help students meet their goals/targets.

Would I send my kids there again ? Definitely.
Would they choose to go there again? Definitely.

Hope this helps.

mum.com

Many thanks,I appreciate the replies! Its a big decision for us..a long journey and an early start to avoid traffic,being he only barriers.

raj_091999

Hi I was wondering which are the recommended secondary schools in galway. II am currently living in loughrea but as dad got a job we have to move to galway. I have tried nearly all schools now E.G endas bish etc. also I am a 4th year student. They said they're all full. So my question is how is galway community college would it be recommendable as I heard it's more PLC courses?

GalwayGrrrrrl

Have you tried St Mary's college? It isn't the most popular so might have places. Mixed reputation depending on who you speak to.

_Whimsical_

raj_091999 wrote: »

Hi I was wondering which are the recommended secondary schools in galway. II am currently living in loughrea but as dad got a job we have to move to galway. I have tried nearly all schools now E.G endas bish etc. also I am a 4th year student. They said they're all full. So my question is how is galway community college would it be recommendable as I heard it's more PLC courses?

GCC teaches second level as well as PLCs. Having known a few people who've gone there I wouldn't recommend it but everyone's experience is different and I'm only giving 2 peoples point of view secondhand. From what I've heard they take a lot of students with behavioural issues and do genuinely great work with them but that for more academic students without those issues the atmosphere can be a bit hectic/rough and not focused on strong achievement in exams.

If that's offensive to anyone I'm sorry and I'm absolutely open to being corrected because I say that's second hand info.

Mrs OBumble

Every city has a school that's the best option for kids who are independent minded or who struggle with authority. Galway's is GCC. That doesn't make it bad - it just means it's better for some kids than other.

Smart kids who are independent-minded (eg ones who do research about schools for themselves) usually do well wherever they are.

nuac

Was in St Mary's aeons ago. Boarding then. Teachers were good, and I made many friends there.

Did fairly well academically. That may have had more to do with the nearly three hours supervised study each night rather than my own ability ( said he modestly)

Know present Principal. Good guy. Heard good reports from some present parents

Baggy Trousers

I have a nephew in Endas and he absolutely loves it. He is sports mad. I also had a niece who did the Leaving in Taylor's Hill last year and did very very well. I believe she loved her time there too.

Abbscoyne

raj_091999 wrote: »

Hi I was wondering which are the recommended secondary schools in galway. II am currently living in loughrea but as dad got a job we have to move to galway. I have tried nearly all schools now E.G endas bish etc. also I am a 4th year student. They said they're all full. So my question is how is galway community college would it be recommendable as I heard it's more PLC courses?

As a student who went to GCC for five years I would highly recommend to go there, GCC is not only a secondary school it is a place where true friendships are made not only with the students but with the staff. I have great time for all staff members. You can genuinely have a conversation with them and feel comfortable to tell them whatever is on your chest! All teachers will 100% help you with all subjects, the principal Mr Melia has completely changed the whole school around, the attitude, attendance, the learning but from the 'reputation' from years ago has stuck! It is not at all what people make it out to be, I had the best years of my life there. I was suppose to go to a school in salthill but I'm glad I didn't. In GCC you find yourself, you don't have pretend to be anything different. I also think you should look up the whole school review inspection

Nemecis

What is your opinion on Educate Together schools ?

Baggy Trousers

Nemecis wrote: »

What is your opinion on Educate Together schools ?

Very progressive. I think having 90% of our schools disignated as "Catholic ethos" is ridiculous and essentially a form of child abuse.
The Roman church should have zero say in our schools after what they did to Irish children for so many decades.
The Educate Together schools teach the children the essential beliefs of all major organised religions without brainwashing them in a particular strain.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Nemecis wrote:

What is your opinion on Educate Together schools ?

In relation to this thread, there are no educate together secondary schools in galway at the moment. The primary schools are very popular but can lead to problems getting into secondary as they don't feed into any secondary school.

Eeden

I could be wrong, but I think that some people look down a bit on Educate Together schools because they feel that many people who send their kids there are "not us" -- they are immigrants, or non-religious, or hippies, etc.

My kids all went to an Educate Together primary school and I was so relieved and lucky to have that choice. So many parents in Ireland just don't have the option. My kids loved it and they have all done extremely well since then (they are 23, 21, and 15 now). My main pride in them is their tolerance and respect for others; academically, they have done really, really well. I also feel that sending them to a mixed-sex school has been very important for their confidence -- none of them see the opposite sex as any sort of alien species.

Mrs OBumble

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

Very progressive. I think having 90% of our schools disignated as "Catholic ethos" is ridiculous and essentially a form of child abuse.
The Roman church should have zero say in our schools after what they did to Irish children for so many decades.
The Educate Together schools teach the children the essential beliefs of all major organised religions without brainwashing them in a particular strain.

Well start demanding that the government open non-religious schools then.

I'm not defending the church's appalling behaviour.

But the Irish state seems incapable of getting off its arse and opening a network of national schools, which is something most developed-world countries can manage to do.