Secondary Schools for girl in Blackrock

whitelady

Does anyone know about Sion Hill College, Rockfordmanor secondary school and New Park School? Any non-fee paying schools you could advice in Blackrock area?

TheVoodoo

Rockford Manor and new park are both non fee paying.

Personally, not being snobby, i wouldn't send my girls ( if i had kids ) to Rockford. From my experience, it does not have the best reputation.

That's just in my opinion and experience though. Doesn't mean that it wouldn't be the perfect place for your girls.

Does it have to be non fee paying? And in Blackrock?

Actually, I'd really recommend Colaiste Iosagain as a non fee paying!

whitelady

We live in Blackrock, would be good if child could go by foot to the school. Colaiste Iosagain is the Irish school, I don`t speak Irish, just wondering if my child could go to the Irish school if the parents don`t speak Irish?

themont85

whitelady wrote: »

We live in Blackrock, would be good if child could go by foot to the school. Colaiste Iosagain is the Irish school, I don`t speak Irish, just wondering if my child could go to the Irish school if the parents don`t speak Irish?

I know a guy who was in Colaiste Eoin whose parents didn't have a word of it. Getting in there though is highly contingent on being in Scoil Lorcan I think.

Rockford Manor- As Voodoo says, not a great reputation in the area. I have no direct experience with the school and know of nobody who went there tbh though. You'd do well to check out the school yourself. I'd struggle to put down on paper anything about the place that they stand out for if I'm being honest. They weren't far from my school and we had no association with them whatsoever.

Sion Hill has a long tradition and was once one of Ireland's best girls schools. Enrolment fell off during the Celtic Tiger but hopefully things pick up there again.

Newpark didn't have a great rep a few years back but is definitely picking up. It wouldn't be for me personally but they clearly have excellent sports facilities and they have a diverse range of opportunities for students. If you like the idea of mixed schools then certainly check it out.

Honestly do the homework and you'll find the right spot. Talk to the principal, you'll get a real sense from talking to them. With the right people in charge things can change very rapidly in a school.

Other options not mentioned would be Cabinteely (woudn't be for me either) and St Raphaels. Aren't Oatlands taking in girls now??

Also, apply for Muckross. Well worth getting the bus into Donnybrook from Blackrock for. Outstanding reputation and it's free.

whitelady

Thank you for so thoughtful reply

whitelady

I am confused are Colaiste Eoin and Colaiste Iosagain two different Irish schools? or it is one for girls and the other for boys?

homer911

whitelady wrote: »

I am confused are Colaiste Eoin and Colaiste Iosagain two different Irish schools? or it is one for girls and the other for boys?

They share the same campus. I understand the schols are separate until 5th year, when the boys and girls join together

TheVoodoo

Ah, As themont said, Muckross! I'd forgotten about that. Although the waiting list is quite long i believe...

C/Eoin and C/Iosagain are in the same location, but separated.

Seaswimmer

homer911 wrote: »

They share the same campus. I understand the schols are separate until 5th year, when the boys and girls join together

It depends on subject choice. Some classes are mixed depending on numbers but the main subjects are largely still seperate.
I had 1 girl who went through Iosagain, i have 1 there at the moment and a boy in colaiste eoin..
Getting in is difficult. Kids from local all Irish primaries (Scoil lorcain, scoil naithi, taobh na coille ect) get priority as do siblings , staff children, children of past pupils ect. There are always a few from local primary schools but i think there may be an interview or else a lottery for the remaining places.
They are fantastic schools if your child is academic and your only aim is to get maximum points for 3rd level. In my opinion the likes of Sion hill, Rockford and Newpark will provide a far broader education..

themont85

Seaswimmer wrote: »

It depends on subject choice. Some classes are mixed depending on numbers but the main subjects are largely still seperate.
I had 1 girl who went through Iosagain, i have 1 there at the moment and a boy in colaiste eoin..
Getting in is difficult. Kids from local all Irish primaries (Scoil lorcain, scoil naithi, taobh na coille ect) get priority as do siblings , staff children, children of past pupils ect. There are always a few from local primary schools but i think there may be an interview or else a lottery for the remaining places.
They are fantastic schools if your child is academic and your only aim is to get maximum points for 3rd level. In my opinion the likes of Sion hill, Rockford and Newpark will provide a far broader education..

In what respects may I ask?

Seaswimmer

themont85 wrote: »

In what respects may I ask?

1. Very narrow subject choice in Eoin/Iosagain.
2 Not much in way of extra cirrucilar activities.
3. Constant testing and exams to the exclusion of all else.
4. Sport is only for the very best in the school. No consideration for anyone who wants to play sport at a lower level.
5. No diversity in the school.. Kids are very much cherry picked and high acheivers. Certainly no special needs kids or even any children that are "different". One of the lowest rate of SNA's in the country. (none to my knowledge)
6. Some of the limited extra cirricular activities (music for example) are run by the children. Cliques form which makes it difficult for other kids to join in.

Dont get me wrong. I have a daughter who got 580 points out of it. All I am saying is that if your child is not inclined to be academic then these schools are not for them..There is pressure in colaiste Iosagain from day one to produce results...colaiste eoin seems slightly more easy going up to junior cert but then the pressure is on..

SerialComplaint

Seaswimmer wrote: »

5. No diversity in the school.. Kids are very much cherry picked and high acheivers. Certainly no special needs kids or even any children that are "different". One of the lowest rate of SNA's in the country. (none to my knowledge)

This certainly wasn't always the case. I know one wheelchair user (thirty-something, I guess) who had a very good education at Colaiste Eoin.

ted1

SerialComplaint wrote: »

This certainly wasn't always the case. I know one wheelchair user (thirty-something, I guess) who had a very good education at Colaiste Eoin.

A wheel chair user wouldn't require a SNA. If the person in the wheel chair is a friend i bet she'd be quite insulted

SerialComplaint

ted1 wrote: »

A wheel chair user wouldn't require a SNA.

Some do, some don't. Some wheelchair users need help with toileting, or with handing books and schoolbag and other equipment, depending on their age and their disability. Some don't.

As it happens, I wasn't particularly thinking about SNA either way. I was just making the point that Colaiste Eoin certainly has accommodated wheelchair users in the past.

uch

whitelady wrote: »

Does anyone know about Sion Hill College, Rockfordmanor secondary school and New Park School? Any non-fee paying schools you could advice in Blackrock area?

I have friends who attended Sion Hill & Rockford Manor and they had no problems, I now have friends with children attending both and the children have no problems, Newpark is officially a Protestant school and so Children of Protestant parents get priority, although this shouldn't be an issue as my son has several friends that attended Newpark that were not Protestant and loved the place.

Fratton Fred

uch wrote: »

I have friends who attended Sion Hill & Rockford Manor and they had no problems, I now have friends with children attending both and the children have no problems, Newpark is officially a Protestant school and so Children of Protestant parents get priority, although this shouldn't be an issue as my son has several friends that attended Newpark that were not Protestant and loved the place.

Were they forced to take part in human sacrifice or were they allowed to abstain?

Its the 21st century and faith still gets a mention when discussing schools.

Edit: sorry, that sounded like a dig at you, but it is intended as a dig to an education system that makes this an issue.

I went to Rockford, and I honestly wouldn't send a dog to the place.

Muckross, as mentioned, has an excellent reputation and is non fee paying, though it would require travel and I think their entrance exams are fairly tough.

I don't know much about Sion Hill except that I work very close by and the girls seem to be nice enough, but that's nothing to go on!

whitelady

Called to Colaiste Iosagain and was said that school policy not to accept applications until the girls commence 5th class. My girl in 2nd class now.

Seaswimmer

As a matter of interest is your daughter in a local primary school? Up to a couple of years ago they were taking girls from well outside the catchment area. From as far away as Rathcoole and lots of kids from the northside. i believe now that they wont accept you if there is an all Irish secondary school closer to you. Eg Colaiste Raheen (spelling??) Bray or Scoil Catriona Glasnevin..Priority is being given to local English speaking primary schools over Irish speaking primary schools from outside the area..

homer911

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Were they forced to take part in human sacrifice or were they allowed to abstain?

Its the 21st century and faith still gets a mention when discussing schools.

Edit: sorry, that sounded like a dig at you, but it is intended as a dig to an education system that makes this an issue.

Its an issue because its the only free protestant secondary school in south county dublin. There are plenty of free catholic ones.

Fratton Fred

homer911 wrote: »

Its an issue because its the only free protestant secondary school in south county dublin. There are plenty of free catholic ones.

There should be plenty of free schools for everyone, regardless of religious orientation.

whitelady

My daughter in Carystford National School, Blackrock

JD Dublin

Just my tuppence worth - my daughter went to Newpark, it's a good school, and the children loved it. All the students love it. One of the teachers from the national school whe went to tellingly said that Newpark is 'run like a college campus'. AFTER she left Newpark we heard about the drinking and the drug-taking - not saying the same doesn't go on in other schools, but there seemed to be more of it in Newpark.

Having said that, when our daughter got to college she had a lot of her growing up already done - boys didn't faze her, and she was very independant from day 1 - something I noticed from other kids that she met in college.

The ones that went to the private fee-paying schools were very closeted. 1st year in college seemed to blow them way off course immediately. While they performed better in the Leaving, and got in to better courses, more seemed to drop out because they couldnt hack the pace in 1st year, or decided that they didn't want to do the course ( I suspect a lot of them did the course because they had the points for it ).

Okay, rant over.

BTW some of the local children went to Muckross - I wouldn't recommend it because of the 1 hour commute involved. Maybe you are passing the door of Muckross to get her to school in some comfort, otherwise I would avoid the journey from Blackrock to Donnybrook. I also say this because you have the luxury of several schools in Blackrock. Many people spend an hour on a bus getting to school because there is no choice in their area.

In hindsight I would have sent my daughter to a fee-paying school because she missed out on doing Law ( her Leaving Cert points were too low ), but you know what? She's a happy, well-adjusted adult, in contrast to some of her pals who went to all-girl fee-paying schools.

If you have to avoid sending her to fee-paying and you want her to get in to college then the Collaistes on Stillorgan Road are worth the effort, but you will have to be advised by other posters as I don't know enough to advise you on that.

whitelady

Thank you for the advise!