Family moving home from Spain. Schools?

krdon089

Hi I am from Galway but have been living in Spain for several years and I am moving to Dublin in October. This would have been an easier process if I was coming back this month or in September but work dictated that October 1st is the earliest I can move.

My Son is 5 years old, and my questions are related to Primary schools in Dublin. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

He has already completed 2 years at school in Spain, kids start school here in the September of the year that they turn 3, so some as young as 2.

My son will be 5 in 3 days so I am wondering if he qualifies for starting primary this year.

Also he speaks 3 languages, Spanish, Catalan and English. Is there any primary schools in Dublin that teach Spanish or is there any systems in place where a child's languages are preserved? I know it is a long shot...but worth asking. It would be such a shame for him to loose the languages he already knows.

I have been looking in to Educate together schools, but I have no real preference to schools as long as they are good schools and good areas. The areas i am looking into are Lucan and some southerly areas like Dundrum etc. I would ideally like a 30 minute commute by bus/luas and/or the ability to cycle. Nice family areas would be nice: open to suggestions please as I do not know Dublin all that well.

I also have questions about Irish. I have heard mixed reviews that Educate Together do not have a strong emphasis on Irish. It is really important to me that he has Irish as living in London as a child exempted me from Irish and when I wanted to become a primary school teacher as a mature student I couldn't.

Is it extremely difficult to get in to Irish national schools in Dublin?

Will I just be given a school down to availability or will I have any choice. I am very confused altogether as you can probably tell.

Thank you for your time

byhookorbycrook

You won't be "given" any school. Here,you apply to schools yourself. You almost 5 year old won't be excluded due at age, children here can start at 4, though some schools prefer children to be older. I think you will need to contact schools as soon as they open to see if they will have spaces in October.

Unfortunately the government saw fit to abolish the European languages pilot scheme that ran in good number of schools, so non-fee paying schools do not have additional languages. That said, there may be after-schools Spanish taught in some schools, for an extra cost.

krdon089

OK so it is a matter of individually contacting each school, and seeing what spaces they have? As in Spain and England they have departments of Education that you apply to and through for school spaces. I take it this is not the case here.

Thanks for your advice. What a shame they took away the languages from Primary schools when their brains are so much more apt at learning them

Del2005

Have you sorted accommodation yet? That could be a bigger problem than school, especially in the areas you mentioned.

byhookorbycrook

Yes, it's up to you to apply to individual schools.

Moonbeam

every school in Ireland sets its own enrollment policy so you need ot contract them directly.
He will be going in to the class called Junior Infants.

There are a few international schools in Dublin -
http://www.internationalschooldublin.ie/
www.sac.ie
and Killians the german school.

That is about it.

The Glebe Montessori in Celbridge teach spanish as part of the curriculum.
(all fee paying)

Educate Together schools tend to have massive waiting lists of 4-5 years.

BonsaiKitten

A lot of new Educate Togethers have started up recently - Firhouse ET springing to mind. Agree though that they have long waiting lists.

katydid

krdon089 wrote: »

I also have questions about Irish. I have heard mixed reviews that Educate Together do not have a strong emphasis on Irish. It is really important to me that he has Irish as living in London as a child exempted me from Irish and when I wanted to become a primary school teacher as a mature student I couldn't.

All English language primary schools, be they religious or Educate Together, follow the same curriculum for Irish and have to put the same emphasis on it.

The_Valeyard

Nearly all schools have waiting lists due to demands in certain areas.


Is a gaelscoil an option for you? Granted the chances of getting one are slim, but there is a good gaelscoil in Leixlip and feeder gaelscoil in Lucan. But if irish important to you, then it could be an option.

Agree with you about the educate together, very mixed reports, like all schools depends on the area.

Moonbeam

Based on Lexlips enrollment criteria,I don't think that they will get a place and the schools in Lucan have massive waitings lists.
Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada has the massive advantage that they do not accept applications until the year before so no 5 year waiting lists.

So much of this depends on where you plan to live.