Best secondary schools in Cork City?

blankguitarist

Hi guys, just preparing for teaching practice at the moment. I'm going to a school in Cork City, but since I'm not from the area I don't know which schools to apply to.

What would be the best mixed schools in the city, in terms of reputation and facilities?

Thanks in advance,

Magnets

Balmed Out

Im having a hard time trying to think of any mixed school besides Ashton and that wouldnt have the best discipline reputation so probably best to be avoided.....

Faith

Many of the mixed schools are either gaelscoils or grind schools, or else outside of the city centre! Ashton is the only one I can think of that is in the city. Actually, I think St. Aidan's is mixed, but it definitely wouldn't have the best reputation as a school.

blankguitarist

I don't know Cork City at all like. I'll be staying out near Silver Springs, so are there any near there?

Ardennes1944

near mayfield...erm no. does it have to be mixed? many single gender schools are better in the city. crosshaven or carrigaline have good mixed schools but there arent many in the city

blankguitarist

Well see, it's lads subjects I'm teaching, so a girls' school is no good to me. But I went to a mixed school myself, so it's what I'm used to.

Faith

There's a couple of schools in Glanmire, which is close to you. One's Colaiste an Phairsigh, which is a mixed gaelscoil, and there's Glanmire Community College which is mixed too afaik.

Ardennes1944

a good boys school. well i went to chriost ri in turners cross. a good school if a little worse the last few years, always performs well. presentation brothers and christian brothers are private schools, both very good. douglas com is also a good school about 10mins from the city centre

Why not just teach in a boys school?
If it's experience you're after it shouldn't matter anyway.

Are community schools ok for you, fair few of them about.

corkcomp

slightly O/T I know but I never realised you could pick a school? i always assumed teachers were assigned depending on where positions were available? maybe none of the schools mentioned here have vacancies?

blankguitarist

I will take a boys school if it comes down to it, just I'd rather something I'm more used to my first time out.

The college generally do assign you a school, but the list of areas I put down close to my homeplace are all taken, so I was given a list of schools all around Cork to choose from, and the only place I can get cheap accommodation is in the city, because I know someone living there.

Thanks for the advice lads, I'm taking it all on board.

cordub

blankguitarist wrote: »

I will take a boys school if it comes down to it, just I'd rather something I'm more used to my first time out.

The college generally do assign you a school, but the list of areas I put down close to my homeplace are all taken, so I was given a list of schools all around Cork to choose from, and the only place I can get cheap accommodation is in the city, because I know someone living there.

Thanks for the advice lads, I'm taking it all on board.

I hear GLANMIRE COMMUNITY SCHOOL is an excellent school mixed and really near silversprings too

blankguitarist

Yea, I took a look at it online last night and it looks very good. I'll put it at the top of my list.

Thanks

Toto Wolfcastle

My advice would be to apply to every school that offers your subject. Having a difficult school on your CV actually stands to you more when looking for a job than having a school with a good reputation.

Having said that, you'd get a mix of both in Glanmire Community College.

curly from cork

Balmed Out wrote: »

Im having a hard time trying to think of any mixed school besides Ashton and that wouldnt have the best discipline reputation so probably best to be avoided.....

In fairness that statement might have been true a good few years ago. Both my kids went through there in the last 8 years. Ashton is a very good school we never had any issues with discipline or lack of it . I just feel its an unfair tag to label a school with ( unless the OP has direct contact with the school ? In which case we ll agree to differ. ) I would think its a very good well balanced school in which to gain teaching practice. Their LC results in the last 10 years have been excellent . There is a new Principal since Sept this year.

Corkfeen

Coláiste an Phiarsaigh has a fairly high reputation too. A relatively high standard of Irish would be beneficial.

blankguitarist

blankguitarist wrote: »

........ so I was given a list of schools all around Cork to choose from...........

Easiest thing to do is list them really, it's pot luck waiting here for someone to coincidentally mention one of the schools in your list. If I was you I'd apply for all of them that are suiting you location wise.

hoodwinked

There is Colaiste Daibheid, its in the south terrace area of the city and its a mixed gender irish language secondary school.

spurious

Choose the most 'difficult' school you can. Survive there and your CV will scream that you can manage anywhere.

It's very easy teach in some schools and Principals know it.

pwurple

I'd love to know what the lads subjects could be?

Ballincollig community school has a good reputation.

pwurple

pwurple wrote: »

I'd love to know what the lads subjects could be?

................

Bit "weird" a chap having a huge preference to teaching in a mixed school I would think considering the subjects are thought to be for the lads.

Delphi91

blankguitarist wrote: »

Well see, it's lads subjects I'm teaching, so a girls' school is no good to me. But I went to a mixed school myself, so it's what I'm used to.

That's a very sexist comment to make!!! Just curious, what are the subjects?

Balmed Out

curly from cork wrote: »

In fairness that statement might have been true a good few years ago. Both my kids went through there in the last 8 years. Ashton is a very good school we never had any issues with discipline or lack of it . I just feel its an unfair tag to label a school with ( unless the OP has direct contact with the school ? In which case we ll agree to differ. ) I would think its a very good well balanced school in which to gain teaching practice. Their LC results in the last 10 years have been excellent . There is a new Principal since Sept this year.

My brother went there over ten years ago. There was a teacher who thought the geography first years history by mistake, he was an alcholic who there are 100s of stories about.
There was another teacher who people completely ignored and smoked out of the window. These are only two that pop into my head.
I know someone who did a hdip there 3 or 4 years ago and says that all the worst teachers arent there anymore but the general ethos is the same and that its academically not great taking into account the social background of the students with exceptions in the odd subject expecially some business/accounting teacher who is excellent.
Most who go there that im mates with would back me up but they would also say that it gives you a broader education in a lot of ways and those that im friends with at least have turned out fairly well

blankguitarist

There's nothing "weird" about wanting to be in a situation similar to what you're used to for your first time teaching in a secondary school.

And it's not really sexist to call certain subjects boys' subjects. They're the exact ones you're thinking of when you read that phrase, and they're known as that because the majority of students who pick them are lads.

I didn't mean to start some massive debate, just wanted more information from people who know Cork better than I do. Sorry if I offended you.

LenaClaire

blankguitarist wrote: »

There's nothing "weird" about wanting to be in a situation similar to what you're used to for your first time teaching in a secondary school.

And it's not really sexist to call certain subjects boys' subjects. They're the exact ones you're thinking of when you read that phrase, and they're known as that because the majority of students who pick them are lads.

I didn't mean to start some massive debate, just wanted more information from people who know Cork better than I do. Sorry if I offended you.

Sorry, I am still trying to get my head around what is a boys subject. It could be because I am not Irish, but this has honestly confused me. Are there subjects girls can not take here?

trebormurf

Generally girls don't pick subjects like woodwork, metalwork, construction etc

LenaClaire

I see, thanks. I have only been in two school districts that offered classes like that.

In one every was required to take woodwork and electronics class and the other one you could only take those classes if you went to a special technically focused school (actually a hard school to get into with a good reputation).

rebel girl 15

corkcomp wrote: »

slightly O/T I know but I never realised you could pick a school? i always assumed teachers were assigned depending on where positions were available? maybe none of the schools mentioned here have vacancies?

For the dip you can apply to schools afaik - doesn't apply to us as we are placed for our years TP

Ballincollig Com and Colaiste Choilm are two excellent schools in Ballincollig, I've a friend in Mayfield doing TP this year, very tough school at times.

Have been in both of those schools in Ballincollig, the community school is very new with excellent facilities from what I saw today. If you have a list of schools, let me know and I can probably find out a lot about the school if there is one of my colleagues there