Help please, it seems we are moving to Maynooth

Xpat1108

Please help, I’m not sleeping from worrying about this.

So, I find myself in this predicament ...

We moved home from abroad two years ago and just recently my husband found a good job but it involves another move for us all, to Maynooth.

We have 3 boys and the oldest will be going into 6th class in Sept and the next into 5th class and the next into 1st class. The oldest boy is in mainstream education but has some special needs so will need SNA hours and he is also just approved for assistive technology so a school that can handle this stuff would be preferable. We are RC but religion isn’t an issue.

Ive been calling some schools in Maynooth and they don’t seem to be very positive (with regard to the older boys especially) getting a school place in September. Not only do I need to think about getting a place for national school but we will also have to look at a place for secondary school as I think they enroll in Nov for the following year. Ive been told Maynooth post primary is out for sure unless I’m a past student but that Maynooth Community College might be more open for us ... but no guarantee.

Soooo lost, no clue of the area ... what would you do if you were me???

fmc3105

Did you try the Educate Together School in Maynooth, I have no personal experience of it having had only daughters who went to the girls school. There is no real difference between the Maynooth Post Primary and Maynooth Community College, they are currently located in the same building. There is a brand new campus being built at the moment for the 2 schools on the Moyglare Road, past the GAA Club. The first students apparently will move in in January 2019. Good luck with your move.

Xpat1108

I did try educate together and the boys School and they were lovely but are full for now ... is a Leixlip National School maybe an option or would that mean not getting a place in the community college? Are there feeder National Schools into it or should I have had their names down since birth ... are there any pretty big feeder schools that have a good reputation that wouldn’t be an awfully far drive away...
soooo many question, big responsibility to the lads to try get it right

GavMan

Xpat1108 wrote: »

Please help, I’m not sleeping from worrying about this.

So, I find myself in this predicament ...

We moved home from abroad two years ago and just recently my husband found a good job but it involves another move for us all, to Maynooth.

We have 3 boys and the oldest will be going into 6th class in Sept and the next into 5th class and the next into 1st class. The oldest boy is in mainstream education but has some special needs so will need SNA hours and he is also just approved for assistive technology so a school that can handle this stuff would be preferable. We are RC but religion isn’t an issue.

Ive been calling some schools in Maynooth and they don’t seem to be very positive (with regard to the older boys especially) getting a school place in September. Not only do I need to think about getting a place for national school but we will also have to look at a place for secondary school as I think they enroll in Nov for the following year. Ive been told Maynooth post primary is out for sure unless I’m a past student but that Maynooth Community College might be more open for us ... but no guarantee.

Soooo lost, no clue of the area ... what would you do if you were me???

Is the job in Maynooth? If not, where?
Where do you live now?
Is it an option for your husband to commute?

What about other areas of Kildare? Celbridge for instance? Ultimately, schools will be tight everywhere. If you live in the catchment area for a school, are they not obliged to accommodate you?

ixus

Scoil San Carlo Confey (North part of Leixlip) regularly take in short notice kids due to Intel.

Also, try Mulhussey and Kilcloon national schools in Meath just a few mins over border.

Plenty of space in the other Secondary school so don't stress there.

Vince135792003

Regarding primary school, I was under the impression that if you move to the locality you must be accommodated. Principals might come across less than enthusiastic (pupils numbers in order to retain teachers are less of an issue these days and children with additional needs can be difficult to accommodate mid way through a year).
However as far as I am aware they must be accommodating. My advice would be to chose schools in Maynooth close to where you live. Socially, it can make integration for children easier rather than going to school in a different place to where they live.

1world1people

Try the Educate Together in Celbridge (http://www.nketns.ie/) its fairly easily accessed through the back road from Maynooth.

Also, contact local TDs on this issue, I highly recommend Catherine Murphy to give you support here. http://www.catherinemurphy.ie/

Moonbeam

Have you got accomodation in Maynooth ? That could be a bigger issue then schools .
The boys school would be the obvious choice then the ET but they are only a small school.

Orion

I don't have much knowledge of the current state of primary schools anymore but register anyway - you should get a place in one of the 3 that take boys.

As for post-primary - if they attend primary and live in Maynooth they are in rule #2 of the admissions policy for MPPS. (see attached). That went to a lottery last year as I recall so they may get a place there. If not they will be pretty much guaranteed a place in MCC. Both schools are together with the same teachers and in the same building right now anyway.

Rathkenny

Orion wrote: »

As for post-primary - if they attend primary and live in Maynooth they are in rule #2 of the admissions policy for MPPS. (see attached). That went to a lottery last year as I recall so they may get a place there. If not they will be pretty much guaranteed a place in MCC. Both schools are together with the same teachers and in the same building right now anyway.

Apologies for hijacking this thread but why is there such a difference in demand between MPPS and MCC if they have the same teachers and the same campus?

Orion

Because the Minister for Education in his wisdom decided to create a second fully vertical school against the wishes of the community. MPPS is a long established school with a great reputation. Currently they have separate principals and in name only are separate schools although classes are mixed and they have the same ethos. However, the plan is that when they move to the new buildings that they will be separate schools sharing common areas like sports ground etc. All residents - apart from applications to the Aonad put down MPPS as their first preference for this reason.

Ideally we'd like to have a single school split between Junior and Senior cycles in the two buildings and there is still a campaign working towards that goal.

f@steddie

1world1people wrote: »

Try the Educate Together in Celbridge (http://www.nketns.ie/) its fairly easily accessed through the back road from Maynooth.

Also, contact local TDs on this issue, I highly recommend Catherine Murphy to give you support here. http://www.catherinemurphy.ie/

Is this the sort of thing we pay TDs to resolve?

Follow all the other advice on this thread before wasting TD time on a personal issue that there seems to be plenty of options for.

Orion

f@steddie wrote: »

Is this the sort of thing we pay TDs to resolve?

It actually is. The Govt approves new schools, school expansions and school buildings. ET in Maynooth is getting a new building and expanding to a 2 stream school. That is govt funded based on need in the area. Even getting the ET school 10 years ago was based on need and that was obtained through lobbying. This is exactly their job.

1world1people

f@steddie wrote: »

Is this the sort of thing we pay TDs to resolve?

Follow all the other advice on this thread before wasting TD time on a personal issue that there seems to be plenty of options for.

Trolls annoy me. TDs have comminty clinics just for this to give advice. This is what I expect from my public representatives, to give expert advice on such public systems as schooling for specisl needs and such. My hard earned tax going to work. Your advice is quite immature.

granturismo

1world1people wrote: »

Trolls annoy me. TDs have comminty clinics just for this to give advice. ... Your advice is quite immature.

The poster was just suggesting that the OP use a TD as a last resort. They queried the use of a TD, they didnt advise against it.

Xpat1108

Thanks so much everyone for all your helpful comments. We do not have accommodation as of yet but we have up until Sept to find a rental so I’m not toooooo worried about that just yet (my husband is commuting in excess of three hours daily right now so its not feasible long term). I’m hoping that once we have a Maynooth address then getting into school will be easier, at least I now feel more informed so sincerely thank you all again for taking the time to reply.

lordgoat

Xpat1108 wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone for all your helpful comments. We do not have accommodation as of yet but we have up until Sept to find a rental so I’m not toooooo worried about that just yet (my husband is commuting in excess of three hours daily right now so its not feasible long term). I’m hoping that once we have a Maynooth address then getting into school will be easier, at least I now feel more informed so sincerely thank you all again for taking the time to reply.

My friendly advice would be to start looking for a house. Even have a look on daft and see how many houses available today in Maynooth would suit.

mirrorwall14

Xpat1108 wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone for all your helpful comments. We do not have accommodation as of yet but we have up until Sept to find a rental so I’m not toooooo worried about that just yet (my husband is commuting in excess of three hours daily right now so its not feasible long term). I’m hoping that once we have a Maynooth address then getting into school will be easier, at least I now feel more informed so sincerely thank you all again for taking the time to reply.

You need to start looking now. Honestly. Accommodation is at a premium in Maynooth AND in all surrounding areas

Moonbeam

The Maynooth address won't help with primary schools,get the kids names down asap.
The rental market here is crazy and rents are high.