Parklands Ballycullen D24 - Schools? Opinions?

Hi All, New to the site.

Looking at moving to Parklands in Ballycullen. Any opinions on the area- have read some old threads but would like a recent opinion.

We don't have children yet but they might be on the horizon- what primary school are in the area? Views on the school?

Thanks in advance

PetuniaT

I believe a new educate together school is being built on Ballycullen drive. I can't post links here but if you google educate together firhouse you'll find the site

seamus

Closest school is Holy Rosary in Ballycragh. Which I personally would not send my children to. As above, there are also two new schools being built locally - an Educate Together and a Gaelscoil. So that'll ease the burden on Holy Rosary.

Parklands itself is OK. There's some petty crime goes on, burglaries, etc, but no more than most other places. Some anti-social behaviour in the park in the evenings and around the pub on the weekends, but again nothing major.

The area is basically halfway between "nice" areas and "rough" areas, so you get a mix of that.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I am worried about the catchment areas for primary schools- Ballycullen seems to be left off everyones lists!

Im prepared for the 'normal' levels of trouble - you will find it no matter where you look. I guess Im looking for people to tell me they feel safe in the area. Im not from D24 myself.

Is there a good sense of community?

fussyonion

seamus wrote: »

Closest school is Holy Rosary in Ballycragh. Which I personally would not send my children to. As above, there are also two new schools being built locally - an Educate Together and a Gaelscoil. So that'll ease the burden on Holy Rosary.

Parklands itself is OK. There's some petty crime goes on, burglaries, etc, but no more than most other places. Some anti-social behaviour in the park in the evenings and around the pub on the weekends, but again nothing major.

The area is basically halfway between "nice" areas and "rough" areas, so you get a mix of that.

What's your reason for this statement?

seamus

fussyonion wrote: »

What's your reason for this statement?

It's a big school of nearly 600 children mostly existing in prefabs.

Aside from that, and as snobby as it sounds, there will be a large contingent of children in that school whose parents don't value education as much as I do, and therefore the standard of education available to the other children is poorer than the standard available in other schools 10 minutes closer to the city.

seamus

seamus wrote: »

It's a big school of nearly 600 children mostly existing in prefabs.

Aside from that, and as snobby as it sounds, there will be a large contingent of children in that school whose parents don't value education as much as I do, and therefore the standard of education available to the other children is poorer than the standard available in other schools 10 minutes closer to the city.

What schools are you referring to seamus? I would be worried that catchment area rules would rule out a childs chance to attend the best school available in a reasonable area. Are you from the area yourself?

I really do appreciate the honesty- I would have the same 'snobbish' views- why not give your child the best you have available to them?!

[QUOTE=Deleted User;94427109 I would be worried that catchment area rules would rule out a childs chance to attend the best school available in a reasonable area.
[/QUOTE]

I refer to a reasonable distance from home in the above.

seamus

The educate together will probably be pretty decent, they're in temporary accommodation at present. The planned gaelscoil may be private? There is Scoil Carmel and Scoil Treasa, which I'm told are good schools.

I'm not sure exactly what catchment area Parklands is in though - it may be outside of the catchment for the above schools.

Slightly outside of the catchment area is St Colmcilles in Knocklyon. I actually went there and it would be highly regarded as a primary school.

spockety

Gaelscoil na Giúise and Educate Together Firhouse are both going to be built beside each other on land beside firhouse community centre, which is basically directly beside parklands. They are on the dept of education building programme for this year, and temporary prefabs are going up on April.

The schools will both be taking in two classes each per year, so about 120 kids. They will also be brand new state of the art buildings etc. Parklands will therefore be extremely well served for primary schools!


http://www.gaelscoilnagiuise.ie

http://www.firhouseetns.ie

They are both multi denominational. If you are looking for a catholic ethos then holy rosary is closest, with scoil Carmel also up on the firhouse road. Holy rosary isn't in prefabs as someone said, they actually got a brand new school building last year, but they are a designated disadvantaged school so depending on your level of snobbishness (fine by me when it comes to your kids!) you might not choose it.

witchgirl26

Hi OP. Can't tell you bout the schools in particular but I moved to the area, not knowing it at all, about 2 years ago & really like it. Never had an issue in the time I've been there & is fairly quiet.

I live just down the road from Holy Rosary & can confirm that they have a lovely big new building now that looks really well done. Also there doesn't seem to be many issues with the kids coming & going from school that I've seen.

seamus

spockety wrote: »

Holy rosary isn't in prefabs as someone said, they actually got a brand new school building last year

Haven't been down there since the local elections in May last year, so I didn't know this. Glad to hear it.

daUbiq

seamus wrote: »

Closest school is Holy Rosary in Ballycragh. Which I personally would not send my children to. As above, there are also two new schools being built locally - an Educate Together and a Gaelscoil. So that'll ease the burden on Holy Rosary.

Parklands itself is OK. There's some petty crime goes on, burglaries, etc, but no more than most other places. Some anti-social behaviour in the park in the evenings and around the pub on the weekends, but again nothing major.

The area is basically halfway between "nice" areas and "rough" areas, so you get a mix of that.

I would send my children to that school.

daUbiq

Deleted User wrote: »

What schools are you referring to seamus? I would be worried that catchment area rules would rule out a childs chance to attend the best school available in a reasonable area. Are you from the area yourself?

I really do appreciate the honesty- I would have the same 'snobbish' views- why not give your child the best you have available to them?!

There are just as many parents in Firhouse who don't care about their children's schooling... Seriously, it takes a particular type of stuck up idiot to think that just because a primary school is in a more expensive area it is a better school.. I grew up near there and went to the Holy Rosary primary school, it has caring capable teachers with a very good principal. It's a better school now with a new modern main building but if you believe the other schools are better because of their location you should send your children there; don't be surprised if they're happy to perpetuate this snobbish nonsense you call honesty.

daUbiq

daUbiq wrote: »

There are just as many parents in Firhouse who don't care about their children's schooling... Seriously, it takes a particular type of stuck up idiot to think that just because a primary school is in a more expensive area it is a better school.. I grew up near there and went to the Holy Rosary primary school, it has caring capable teachers with a very good principal. It's a better school now with a new modern main building but if you believe the other schools are better because of their location you should send your children there; don't be surprised if they're happy to perpetuate this snobbish nonsense you call honesty.

I never suggested one school would better over another due to location- simply looking for opinions on the matter.

Thanks for the input - I wont respond to being called a 'stuck up idiot' when you have no idea who I am or where in our fine city I have come from.

Cheers

seamus

daUbiq wrote: »

There are just as many parents in Firhouse who don't care about their children's schooling... Seriously, it takes a particular type of stuck up idiot to think that just because a primary school is in a more expensive area it is a better school.. I grew up near there and went to the Holy Rosary primary school, it has caring capable teachers with a very good principal. It's a better school now with a new modern main building but if you believe the other schools are better because of their location you should send your children there; don't be surprised if they're happy to perpetuate this snobbish nonsense you call honesty.

It's all about scale. I imagine most parents in Firhouse would rather pay for school than send their child to St. Thomas's in Jobstown.

And someone in Dalkey would never send their child to Ballyroan Boy's school in Rathfarnham.

Who's being a snob? Well, everyone, probably.

Schools are a tough one, primary schools in particular. It's very difficult for parents to get any kind of gauge as to whether a school is actually any good, without making assumptions based on the area in which the school is located, or without just picking the schools that you already know. Nobody wants to put their 4/5 year old into a school for a year and find out they're having an awful time and have to move them.

Is it fair to judge the suitability of a school based on its location? Probably not. But there's not really any other way to do it.

Well said Seamus!

witchgirl26

Just to add something about schools - I went to a primary school that would have been in a "privileged" area (not massively but seen as such). It was good, teachers were good etc but a lot of the equipment we had was a bit basic.
My dad was the principal in a school in a "disadvantaged" area and the facilities the school had were brilliant. Better computers, better library etc.
"Disadvantaged" area schools often get a bit more investment as they are trying to encourage attendance and give the kids a really good chance.
Honestly don't know which category the schools in Ballycullen fall into (it changes over time) but I wouldn't rule out schools personally until I'd walked around them & seen what they have to offer.