Anyone recommend Bushy Park National School?

Amik

I'm considering transferring my daughter there in September as it is nearby our house.

Good teachers? Good extracurricular programs? Or are most schools in town the same?

biko

It's mentioned here. Did you check on http://ie.ratemyteachers.com/school

Ficheall

I went there, and I seem to have turned out alright...

Chuaigh mise ansin, agus ar ndoigh, thainig me reasunta slan amach as...

ktod

Our son went there for 5th and 6th class when we moved back from the UK a few years ago. The head teacher is excellent, and we found the whole experience to be great, is progressive in thought and the teachers are young and up-to-date with current practices.

TheCosmicFrog

Went there myself. Although any remnants of the buildings where we were educated are now committed to memory and memory alone.

It seems to be very modern and up to the highest standards these days. It was a craphole even when I was there in the 90s.

Shame to see prefabs installed *since* the rebuild though. What's that about?

Amik

Thanks for your replies! It does seem like a descent school. A bit out of the town centre but close to home.

Is it true the secondary school my child will be able to enroll in later in life depends on what primary school he attended? If he does go to Bushy, can he later enroll in say Colaiste Iognaid?

LoopyL

You can try and get him into the Jes but its a very hard school to get into. My nephew attended the Jes primary for a number of years and was moved after his communion. then he decided he would like to go to the secondary but despite the fact that his aunt and 3 uncles all went to the Jes over a period of 10 years because his dad didnt attend there he didnt get accepted. so unless you have a connection with the Jes its very very hard.

Cheshire Cat

Bushypark is a great school. My 2 went there after we moved to Galway (both are in Secondary now). I don't think we could have found a better school for them.

New school building was opened in 2005 and extended recently. The prefabs have gone!

The school has a very dedicated principal, great teachers and a very active Parents' Association. Lots of after school activities are on offer.
Also liked the fact that they have an above-average quota of male teachers.

Don't think it matters where you went to NS regarding Secondary. Only a handful of each year from Bushypark seems to have gone to the Jes. In all cases it was kids whose parents were already educated there or who were well connected.

Medicine333

You would be hard-pressed to find a better primary school in Galway than Bushypark.

Tipsygypsy

If you go onto the Department of Educations website they have a section that you can look at how a school has done in their Whole School Evaluation which will give you a good idea of how the school rates according to department criteria. Useful to have a look at.

TheCosmicFrog

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

New school building was opened in 2005 and extended recently. The prefabs have gone!

Not the last time I was there (General Elections 2011). There was a great big two-storey prefab out the front of it, next to the PE hall, coincidentally where the two prefabs of yesteryear used to be... :cool:

Medicine333

TheCosmicFrog wrote: »

Not the last time I was there (General Elections 2011). There was a great big two-storey prefab out the front of it, next to the PE hall, coincidentally where the two prefabs of yesteryear used to be... :cool:

The prefabs are gone.

Cheshire Cat

TheCosmicFrog wrote: »

Not the last time I was there (General Elections 2011). There was a great big two-storey prefab out the front of it, next to the PE hall, coincidentally where the two prefabs of yesteryear used to be... :cool:

Medicine333 wrote: »

The prefabs are gone.

Yes, went earlier this year, after extension was finished.

slideshow bob

Most people seem happy with Bushy park national school. Teachers seem to be great. onyl school i know of that has a total ban on balls, games, even running and playing catch is banned from the school yerd. I know several families pulled there kids out and found far better schools elsewhere. but then look at Cheshire cat and youll see different strokes for different fokls. definitely meet the principle a few times before makign you're mind up.

Medicine333

slideshow bob wrote: »

Most people seem happy with Bushy park national school. Teachers seem to be great. onyl school i know of that has a total ban on balls, games, even running and playing catch is banned from the school yerd. I know several families pulled there kids out and found far better schools elsewhere. but then look at Cheshire cat and youll see different strokes for different fokls. definitely meet the principle a few times before makign you're mind up.

I find that hard to believe. I went there myself, and the education I received was fantastic. I always had excellent teachers who really cared about every student. As far as learning Irish is concerned, they have the best teachers-no doubt about it.

I know of parents who decided to send their children to Scoil Róis etc. and coming into secondary school opened my eyes to how prepared kids come from Bushypark were in comparison to kids coming from other schools. It was amazing.

Bushypark gave me everything I needed in terms of education, and it was a major factor with regards to my Leaving Cert. results.

I can never, and will never, understand why parents ever put up their noses at Bushypark and send their kids to lesser schools like Scoil Róis, St. Pat's etc.

factual lies

A friend of mind moved his son there last year and thinks it was the best thing he could have ever done for him. the standard of education his son is getting now is second to none apparently.

slideshow bob

correctng my post.

slideshow bob wrote: »

Most people seem happy with Bushy park national school. Teachers seem to be great. onyl school i know of that has a total ban on balls, games, even running and playing catch is banned from the school yerd. I know several families pulled there kids out and found far better schools for their children elsewhere. but then look at Cheshire cat and youll see different strokes for different fokls. definitely meet the principle a few times before makign you're mind up.

TheCosmicFrog

slideshow bob wrote: »

onyl school i know of that has a total ban on balls, games, even running and playing catch is banned from the school yerd.

Seriously? Jaysus, school is completely mad these days. All we used to do in Bushypark was play football or catch/tip-the-can. What do the kids do in the yard nowadays?

gaeilgegrinds1

Bushypark is an amazing school, I've only one qualm with it, almost all the grinds I gave were to children who there, the parents seemed to think the Gaeilge wasn't up to scratch. You don't get everything in any school though. If we lived closer I'd consider it for my two.

Funk It

Was there right throughout the 90's myself, and can't fault it at all. Was great for education and sports. Would be shocked if there was a ban on ball games, plenty good memories running out at lunch for a game of football on the tarmac court or the pitch up on the hill at the back.

FlashD

TheCosmicFrog wrote: »

What do the kids do in the yard nowadays?

Study math while using the textbook 'How to become a human robot'.

No wonder creativity is shockingly low in this country, can't even give the kids a football to play with.

What's the bet the next Apple or Microsoft genius will come from Ireland, yeah didn't think so.

kitstar

ssHi guys
First time posting. My little girl has been accepted to 2 schools in galway bushypark primary and the jes. Even though the jes is extremely difficult to get into my gut tells me to go with bushypark. So im looking for a sign to help me choose anyone any definate opinions either way thanks.

Mrs OBumble

Where do you live?

Is your gut usually reliable?

kitstar

Living in newcastle so equal distance too both. Gut is usually right but hard decision as i feel it will have such an impact on her future. Everyone talling me id be mad to pass up a place in the jes!

biko

We've had a few threads about schools. I will merge this thread with the most recent on Bushypark so people won't have to repeat what they wrote a year ago.

cats.life

does she have any pals that are going to those schools, i mean you mite get some feed back from the other mums.

kitstar

Have had good feedback on both schools thats how i narrowed it down to theese two but seem to have hit a wall trying to decide between the two.Not mad on sending her to an all irish school in the middle of town ie the jes but then bushypark has no secondary attatched. Would like her to go to a mixed secondary

Mrs OBumble

Hows your Irish comprehension then?

IMHO its not good for kids to speak a language their parents dont, too hard to monitor behaviours.

kitstar

Was terrible at irish so was my husband. Just cant think of one school in galway thats mixed and has a secondary attatched except the jes which is what i wud ideally like for herthats english speaking. How important do people think being in a mixed school is personally i feel its essential.

2rkehij30qtza5

TheCosmicFrog wrote: »

Went there myself. Although any remnants of the buildings where we were educated are now committed to memory and memory

Same as this only I went there in the 80's! I have a friend teaching there at the moment. It's an excellent school. Probably one of the best in the city. You need to live in the catchment area to get in though.

Mrs OBumble

kitstar wrote: »

How important do people think being in a mixed school is personally i feel its essential.

I think it depends totally on the kid's personality, and you probably can't decide at 5 which will be best for them at 13. Just 'cos you want them at a mixed school doesn't mean they will feel the same way. And you cannot even guarantee that you will still be living in Galway by then.

I believe, but don't have any links right now, that the research says that overall mixed schools are better for boys, and single-sex for girls, in terms of educational outcomes.

And I totally don't buy the arguments about learning to socialize with the opposite sex: any straight kid who has a healthy balance of outside activities and part time work when they're older will learn to mix as they go along with less hormone-based distrctions to getting educated.

What's more, sending them to an Irish language school will restrict the number of people from other ethnic groups who they get to know. IMHO, learning to mix with and understand other cultures is probably more important than the gender thing.


The bottom line ... I reckon your instincts are pretty important here.

kitstar

Totally agree with you about mixing with different cultures etc. she is in playschool now with a real mix of people and i love that. Think i am going to go with bushypark and deal with the secondary when the time comes.

Amik

Was surprised to see this thread I started pop-up in the forum today!

If it helps, I did decide to go with Bushy Park and have no regrets whatsoever. My child's teacher is fantastic and the school offers lots of excellent extracurricular activities -- piano, art, Irish dancing, etc. Surprising amount of homework which I'm very pleased with.

2rkehij30qtza5

kitstar wrote: »

Totally agree with you about mixing with different cultures etc. she is in playschool now with a real mix of people and i love that. Think i am going to go with bushypark and deal with the secondary when the time comes.

Just make sure your child's name is down on lists for secondary schools as Galway is notorious for the 'lists'! Don't leave it til the time comes!

kitstar

Ya have her enrolled in salerno and will also put her name down for endas but apparently you can only enrol there the year before they are due to start and then its a lottery system which is a pity cos that would be my 1st chooice for secondary have heard great things so shell hopefully have a couple of options also puting her name down for taylors.

Ficheall

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

IMHO its not good for kids to speak a language their parents dont, too hard to monitor behaviours.

Oh, come on!
Now is the optimal time for kids to be learning new languages, and you want to deny them that in case you can't monitor them?? What precisely do you think that they're going to be discussing trí Ghaeilge or whatever that they wouldn't be able to say when they're out of earshot anyway?

Would you stop them learning a musical instrument or playing a sport because of extra time away from home and opportunity for mischief?

Mrs OBumble

Ficheall wrote: »

Oh, come on!
Now is the optimal time for kids to be learning new languages, and you want to deny them that in case you can't monitor them?? What precisely do you think that they're going to be discussing trí Ghaeilge or whatever that they wouldn't be able to say when they're out of earshot anyway?

I never said to deny them the opportunity to learn it. But having a kid 100% educated in a language requires a certain amount of dedication from Can-Be-Arsed parents(*) to understand what's said at parent-teacher interviews, reading school newsletters, understanding reports, accompanying school trips, etc.

Also, effective parents of teens need to be able to monitor phone conversations, email, social networking sites etc. If a kid can put material in a language that a parent cannot understand, it creates a range of risks that the parent is not able to manage. Remember - kids are only learning deception techniques (eg lying about going to the library to study when you're actually going to a party): the average parent can out-smart the average kid until quite a way through the teens.

Ficheall wrote: »

Would you stop them learning a musical instrument or playing a sport because of extra time away from home and opportunity for mischief?

Nope, that's a totally different proposition, don't see that you can equate them at all. What's more sport or music is something that a parent can get interested in to build rapport with the kid, so it can become a common language.

Seaneh

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Also, effective parents of teens need to be able to monitor phone conversations, email, social networking sites etc. If a kid can put material in a language that a parent cannot understand, it creates a range of risks that the parent is not able to manage.

Translate.google.com to be honest.

I mean, chrome even offers to just translate the text in browser for you automatically.

Ficheall

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I never said to deny them the opportunity to learn it.

You certainly implied it, though.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

But having a kid 100% educated in a language requires a certain amount of dedication from Can-Be-Arsed parents(*) to understand what's said at parent-teacher interviews, reading school newsletters, understanding reports, accompanying school trips, etc.

BS. All available through English.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Also, effective parents of teens need to be able to monitor phone conversations, email, social networking sites etc. If a kid can put material in a language that a parent cannot understand, it creates a range of risks that the parent is not able to manage. Remember - kids are only learning deception techniques (eg lying about going to the library to study when you're actually going to a party): the average parent can out-smart the average kid until quite a way through the teens.

Do you feel the approach of keeping children as thick, for want of a better word, as possible is an effective technique for allowing an average parent to out-smart their kids?

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Nope, that's a totally different proposition, don't see that you can equate them at all. What's more sport or music is something that a parent can get interested in to build rapport with the kid, so it can become a common language.

I'm equating them because denying the child the opportunity for either, on the grounds you seem to be suggesting, is a little over-protective to say the very, very least.
What's to prevent a parent learning another language? It, too, funnily enough can become "a common language".

Mrs OBumble

Ficheall wrote: »

What's to prevent a parent learning another language?

Absolutely nothing. But some of them don't appear to consider the need to either have Irish already or learn it when they send their kid to an Irish-medium school.

Ficheall wrote: »

BS. All available through English.

[The "all available through English" comment relates to "at parent-teacher interviews, reading school newsletters, understanding reports, accompanying school trips, etc." which was too hard to quote.]


You are kidding, right? Surely all coversations(*) happening in and related to an Irish-medium school need to be in Irish? And yes, that extends right down to the technician fixing the telephone, and similar Otherwise it's balatently not Irish medium.

(*) with the except of foreign-language (including English) lessons, of course.

Ficheall

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Absolutely nothing. But some of them don't appear to consider the need to either have Irish already or learn it when they send their kid to an Irish-medium school.

That's because they don't need it. They also don't have to learn how to tap phones, read minds, or see through walls.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

You are kidding, right? Surely all coversations(*) happening in and related to an Irish-medium school need to be in Irish? And yes, that extends right down to the technician fixing the telephone, and similar Otherwise it's balatently not Irish medium.

(*) with the except of foreign-language (including English) lessons, of course.

I see you've done your research thoroughly.
No, they don't. To do so would impose unnecessarily strict limitations upon the functioning of the school. The school's purpose is to educate the children through the medium of Irish, there's no need to hold them back due to the inabilities of others. A good lesson, truth be told.

alysia

Im moving to galway in the summer, im not sure where the best place is to rent, Im attending the nui but the rent is very Expensive near the nui.. I have a car but the problem is I want my Daughter to attend bushy park ns and there is a Catchment area.. can anyone please tell me what areas are inside The catchment area??

2rkehij30qtza5

Best ring the school to find this out. The principal is v helpful