Schools in Tuam

BigB22

We're planning on buying a house outside Tuam town. We have two small kids (eldest is 2.5) and we're currently researching schools in the area. We'd prefer a non-denominatiomal education for our children so educate together would be the obvious choice and we'd like to hear opinions on that school. But we're open to other possibilities including gael scoil and other schools within and outside the town. Thanks

Mars Bar

Hi! I went to the Presentation Primary but that was quite some time ago and a lot has changed since. The brilliantly big yard is now overtaken by portacabins and I had heard that their hall was being doubled up as a classroom at one time so no room for indoor activities. It's a shame really. They do have sports teams now though which was one thing I feel I really missed out on as a sporty child growing up. The school is girls only from 2nd class.

Educate Together, from what I'm aware of, are not in a permanent home so their location could change at some point in the future. I'm not sure sports are top of their list yet and as a sports coach who had a few children from the skill at camps, they were easy to pick out straight away. It's a mixed school.

The Gaelscoil has a fabulous brand new building. I don't think I've heard of anyone being unhappy with the Gaelscoil. It's a mixed school.

What side of town are you going to be in?

byhookorbycrook

The Gaelscoil in Tuam is under the patronage of An Foras so it could be a multi-denom school, as are Educate Together schools. it's worth checking with the school itself. A relatively recent inspection report on the school can be found here:
https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/report1_EV_20061I.pdf

The ET doesn't seem to have been around long enough to have had a WSE.


There aren't any non-denom primary schools in Ireland, by the way

BigB22

Mars Bar wrote: »

Hi! I went to the Presentation Primary but that was quite some time ago and a lot has changed since. The brilliantly big yard is now overtaken by portacabins and I had heard that their hall was being doubled up as a classroom at one time so no room for indoor activities. It's a shame really. They do have sports teams now though which was one thing I feel I really missed out on as a sporty child growing up. The school is girls only from 2nd class.

Educate Together, from what I'm aware of, are not in a permanent home so their location could change at some point in the future. I'm not sure sports are top of their list yet and as a sports coach who had a few children from the skill at camps, they were easy to pick out straight away. It's a mixed school.

The Gaelscoil has a fabulous brand new building. I don't think I've heard of anyone being unhappy with the Gaelscoil. It's a mixed school.

What side of town are you going to be in?

Thanks for the info! We're looking at buying a place a few km East of the town

BigB22

Thanks for the feedback. Being new to this I'm not familiar with the WSE reports - very useful link. Will enquire about the Gaelscoil.

Mars Bar

BigB22 wrote: »

Thanks for the info! We're looking at buying a place a few km East of the town

Rural schools an option?

Personally, if I had children I'd be enrolling them in the Gaelscoil.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Will you be near corofin? Children living near there go to the corofin primary schools then mountbellew for secondary, to avoid tuam city centre. Another option is Claregalway educate together primary. Don’t live in the area myself but this is what I hear from work colleagues.

Matinclunn

Avoid the place like the plague some good teachers, but management is chronic
complete lack of experience shows through, no drive to move forward at all and zero facilities no budget. It would be exactly like a disadvantaged school. If you value your child’s education there wellbeing and want them involved in sports and other activities look for an established school in the area.

The other three school are in the middle of an amalgamation the mercy primary
the cbs primary and the pres primary. There has already been one principal appointed over the three schools and there are due to get a new school. I think it’s a 32 classroom school Seán Canney is heavily involved in it.