Large Group / School Pupils Accommodation

Golfwidow · 01-02-2014 9:13pm #1

I am a primary school teacher organising a European schools project with Germany, Spain, Poland and a few other countries. Whilst my school will welcome classes of students from our partner countries to visit us here in Ireland, these 10 - 12 year olds must use paid accommodation . Due to risk assessment issues here in Ireland our guests will not be facilitated to stay with Irish families -although this is commonly what is offered in some of our partner countries - typically saving enormous expense and enabling the pupils to experience another culture and language in the home setting of European pupils that they have been developing a relationship with through email , penpal letters, Skype and other inter-school project activities. Whilst I totally understand the argument against providing accommodation in our Irish students' family homes, this now leaves me with the big task of helping to organise the accommodation for two to three groups of approx 30 primary school pupils and their leaders/ teachers elsewhere. Many Irish hostels will not accommodate under 16s. So where can I even begin to look for somewhere that can facilitate such a group? There probably will not be any visits from our partners until 2015-2016 but we are close to commencing our arrangements. This is necessary with large groups. We are situated in Meath near North County Dublin so I'm thinking that accommodation around Dublin- Drogheda would suit . Can anyone please help with ideas?? Mods, if this post is in the wrong forum - please go ahead and move it!!

athtrasna · 01-02-2014 9:17pm

Will the visits be in term time? If not, I know some of the boarding schools eg King's College & Gormanston College rent out their facilities to groups.

Golfwidow · 01-02-2014 9:22pm

athtrasna wrote: »

Will the visits be in term time? If not, I know some of the boarding schools eg King's College & Gormanston College rent out their facilities to groups.

Yes, the visits will be during term time. I will contact Gormanston College. Great idea. Isn't their school population of "dormers" dwindling nowadays? They may be in a really suitable location. Also if some classes decided to visit nearer to June - the secondary students in Gormanston College may have vacated their rooms at that stage.

Golfwidow · 01-02-2014 9:36pm

Ah - just googled Gormanston College and they seem to only provide accommodation for boys??? So I'll need to find somewhere else - if anyone has any ideas???

athtrasna · 01-02-2014 9:39pm

Golfwidow wrote: »

Ah - just googled Gormanston College and they seem to only provide accommodation for boys??? So I'll need to find somewhere else - if anyone has any ideas???

The school went co-ed about ten years ago. I've attended summer schools there for years and the accommodation is definitely co-ed and the standard is massively improved since they started accepting female boarders.

Golfwidow · 01-02-2014 9:55pm

Thanks - will ring them on Monday

XMASSmrstobe · 07-02-2014 3:12pm

Hi,

not sure if there are any in the areas you are thinking about but try to find residential 'irish colleges' in the area. The tradition for Irish students to go to residential camps for 2-3 weeks each summer break as teenagers, means that there are some purpose built facilities that could be perfect for you.

Most are available in the west though - but there may be something I am not thinking about. Also remember that university term time is short and its accommodation could facilitate groups of school age children (UL runs summer language etc. camps from may with accommodation facilities) - DIT, DCU, UCD, TCD, Maynooth, and private colleges also have rooms Griffith etc. (sure i forgot some)

May be dead leads but worth trying....