Castleknock educate together

Gemma1982

Would anyone have any experience of Castleknock educate together - positive or negative. My daughter has been offered a place in junior infants there but I don't know anyone who has recent experience of it. Thanks in advance

nikpmup

My niece and nephew have gone there, and my son is in JI. Its a great school, IMO, really positive and child-centred. Lots of extra-curricular stuff and parent involvement. The traffic can be a nightmare at drop-off & pick up (there's another school at the top of the road which adds to congestion) but I haven't found it to be too much of a hassle yet, I make sure I leave myself loads of time.

TheValeyard

A very disappointing school. I sincerely hope they have improved since this:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/extra.ie/2017/04/30/news/real-life/school-disciplined-son-putting-seizure-prone-room-alone/amp


And.....the inspectors report.....


https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/education/serious-breakdown-in-trust-at-primary-school-37294968.html

daymobrew

I have 2 children in CETNS, with the first starting in 2012. I am very happy with the education that they are getting there.

I have been able to volunteer to come into the classrooms a few times - I baked cookies and planted peas and carrots with Senior Infants, I have helped with reading with Junior and Senior Infants. I've been in their other classes but cannot remember what I did.
Recently I went in to Junior infants and 2nd classes and made pancakes for about 120 children.

The teachers are all very approachable and helpful.
Being 2 stream (2 classes per year) is nice, at about 445 pupils it's not too big.


Here's a direct link to the Whole School Evaluation report from January 2018:
https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Inspection-Reports-Publications/Whole-School-Evaluation-Reports-List/20098I_WSEMod_6806_20180125.pdf

Scallywags44

Avoid Castleknock Educate Together, has a really bad reputation and newly qualified local teachers won’t work there. Some lovely long term staff still there who persevered but lots of the good staff have left to go elsewhere, all leaving for the similar reason unfortunately.

Scallywags44

Avoid Castleknock Educate Together D15 especially if you have child with special needs. Same Head still there. Some really excellent caring teachers but unfortunately the morale is low, read for yourself, google the school. Shocking. Families have taken children out & so many parents complaints ignored by BOM & Patron, very wrong, not even teachers were heard hence why so many left.

Scallywags44

Google full story - horrifying for child & family

Treppen

Bit weird to drag up a 5 year old thread and post this at 3am.

daymobrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122951455#Comment_122951455

And join boards.ie to do so.

My two children attended CETNS. We all loved it. Being 2 stream meant the school is not too big and we got to know most of the staff through our children and volunteering at the school.

The cost of living in Dublin drove a few teachers away.

Gio2

I would agree very strange, I’ve had 3 kids through the school over 15 years youngest still there. Although there have been some issues with the principal over the years the teachers are great It’s a lovely school everyone knows each other.would recommend to any parents considering sending their kids there.

Scallywags44

Not actually living in the country & work shifts hence my post times!!!

perhaps you should research more as you obviously do not know the families that have been there for years & years or the problems the PTA encountered in that school and lack of support from their patron no wonder he stepped down. No disrespect but newcomers to that school wouldn’t know the history. There was an excellent principal Dermot but he left. For obvious reason names can’t be mentioned but not all teachers left due to cost of living, there is teachers in Dublin working elsewhere that left it. Teachers ashamed to say where they worked. Families who took kids out because of a bully who wasn’t a student. Nothing weird about coming across a topic and leaving a comment to help those that don’t know it’s history. Some things haven’t changed in 5 years even longer and until a person leaves things remain same. thank god i’ve no kids there anymore and those that do, I hope you don’t have any problems. No school is perfect but CETNS has had its share of problems that didn’t get resolved with BOM or Patron.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122957543#Comment_122957543

There's a lot of hearsay in that.

Families that have been there for years and years?? Check the previous posts of people who have /have had kids there and are happy.

If you've something to report to the BOM or trusteeship or Tulsa then away you go and report it , otherwise it's pretty sh***y to run down a school publicly because of your own angst at historic incidents. It sullys the good name of all the teachers, students , parents there now trying to get on with it, and happy to get on with it.

Where I teach I've had friends constantly relaying the same tired old story about how my school did nothing when someone they know was bullied... That was 40 years ago. Half the teachers had passed, the others retired, and there have been 3 principals since... But yet... There's a big problem with bullying in our school , going by a historic gripe.

Let it go, the story has been in the media and investigations were held.

Scallywags44

Not hearsay, factual and lots of families and staff know this is true. You can try defend it not sure why ??? but it won’t change a thing for all those that know the things that were done so very wrong. I feel for those that suffered under a principal 40yrs ago in YOUR school, glad there was 3 more principals since and Im sure your school has moved on for the better. There hasn’t been 3 new principals in CETNS!!!!! Lots of things happened years ago and that doesn’t mean it was right and to say let them go is a bad attitude, it’s insulting & disrespectful to people. People have suffered and some of us actually care. Former teachers and principals in my own family and yes they work hard and there are still excellent teachers in CETNS not disrespecting them doing their best, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t other things going on that they had/have no control over, not their fault. they try to do their best in a bad situation. The investigations weren’t conducted in CETNS correctly unfortunately. I know some families made complaints that never got passed the Secretary to the Board. Principal wouldn’t even meet with PTA and or acknowledge one. There was no PTA then for years. There was so much more than that one story that was in media, that was just one parent, so many other staff and parents who walked away. i’ll say no more as can’t elaborate. The WSE picked up on the morale among the staff, if that doesn’t ring alarm bells what does. Sorry my post disturbs you so much. Sad this day and age for someone to say move on and let it go, too late for innocent victims . Its always better to know the history so it doesn’t get repeated! . I only wish the very best for the staff and families of that school.

daymobrew

I was around throughout the time in question. It was a mess but, and this is very important, the children were not impacted (except the child you mention earlier)!

The teachers, thankfully, distanced themselves from the politics and got on with doing a great job.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122957543#Comment_122957543

Not actually living in the country 

Wait, what? Then what is your beef?

There's obviously some sort of personal grudge here but it just comes across as weird to be posting 7 year old screengrabs from the Daily Mail of all publications, and your follow-up posts have been even more confusing.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122964883#Comment_122964883

You're stating all this unhappiness and I'll will as gospel fact on an anonymous message board.

Others here are saying the opposite.

So who's "history" is correct... on an anonymous message board.

Treppen

Correct me if I'm wrong but there was "a very similar" newspaper that went into a school during a memorial service and started to scout for quotes and hearsay information or "history and facts" from grieving students?

Scallywags44

whether 7 or 27 yrs when something doesn’t change things are very wrong & twisted . So One screenshot isn’t bad enough to see.🤫Disgraceful. I met a family only recently on a flight who mentioned a few things and the impact it had on them . They like others didn’t go to media.

Great for those who would rather know what they are dealing with than those of you who would prefer to bury your heads and think all is good. Good luck. The reputation is bad, ask locally, you’ll get your answers 😀