Secondary Schools - Dart Line - Living Greystones / Delgany

Joeb124

Hi all,

I am just looking to see how people living in the Greystones / Delgany area, who have sent their children to schools along the DART line. Blackrock, Michael’s etc.

My wife and I love the Greystones area but are starting to think secondary schools and the question comes up. “Are those schools too far in terms of day to day practicality?”

Any feedback from anyone who has sent or currently has their children in schools along the Dart and how it works out etc?

I have seen children with Gonzaga / Sandford / Mary’s uniforms. That seems tougher again to make work?

Any thoughts welcome.

Thanks

Cheeseplant

a long time ago a friend of mine usd to travel from Greystones to Colaiste Isoagain near Donnybrook on the 84 (I think 84 is gone now, but there is another bus going to town isn't there? Or from Bray at least) I also went to school in DBrook and there were students from Greystones. I guess they also took 84 and then walked up. I imagine the Gonzaga/Sandford kids do the same. Mary's would be harder. CUS is along the type of school and would probably be straightforward enough.

loyatemu

quite a few kids on the Dart in the mornings (during non-Covid times) going to Loreto Dalkey, Holy Child Killiney and St. Andrews.

There are 3 secondary schools in Greystones, we have kids in Temple Carrig and are very happy with it.

Joeb124

Thanks Temple Carrig looks good alright. Would be ideal, get the sense demand is huge and not open to all? Previously took all religions not so much now? Could be wrong there just what am hearing.

Annasopra

A lot of Greystones kids used to goto School all over the place: Bray, Killiney, Dalkey, Blackrock - now because of much heavier traffic in recent years there is more of a demand for local schools.

Greystones Community College is another option although it is already open in prefabs but unlikely to have a permanent building for about 5 years (The department havent even purchased the land to build it yet)
http://greystonescollege.ie/

Cluster

One of mine starting in Holy Child in September, very easy to get too form the Dart. Schools here are under huge strain, just not enough spaces from what I can hear. Plenty of other schools along and off the Dart line that can be tried too. First preference would be as local as possible for obvious reasons. Unless your kids are babies though you might struggle.

bilbot79

Cluster wrote: »

Unless your kids are babies though you might struggle.

Total pleb here with one on the way. What does this mean? Is it like when they are babies you can register them earlier?

Cluster

bilbot79 wrote: »

Total pleb here with one on the way. What does this mean? Is it like when they are babies you can register them earlier?

Yea, I think you might be able to get them down on the waiting list now and in 10 or what ever years time they might have a place. Temple Carrig has a massive waiting list as does Davids I think. Thats just Secondary, primary can be tricky too.

Joeb124

Thanks. Holy Child is a good option alright. Nice school and as you say easy to get to from the Dart which is a big plus.

loyatemu

Cluster wrote: »

Yea, I think you might be able to get them down on the waiting list now and in 10 or what ever years time they might have a place. Temple Carrig has a massive waiting list as does Davids I think. Thats just Secondary, primary can be tricky too.

this is totally incorrect. Temple Carrig takes applications from kids in primary 5th class, AFAIK St. David's is the same. There's no "waiting list" that you have to put them on at birth.

TCG is a Church of Ireland school, but only a small number of places are reserved for church members, the rest is allocated based on other criteria.

The problem with TCG (and I assume Davids as well) is that there is a sibling priority policy, so in any one year, many (most?) of the places end up going to siblings of existing students. Once the siblings have been allocated, remaining places go to applicants from the local primary schools.

Cluster

loyatemu wrote: »

this is totally incorrect. Temple Carrig takes applications from kids in primary 5th class, AFAIK St. David's is the same. There's no "waiting list" that you have to put them on at birth.

TCG is a Church of Ireland school, but only a small number of places are reserved for church members, the rest is allocated based on other criteria.

The problem with TCG (and I assume Davids as well) is that there is a sibling priority policy, so in any one year, many (most?) of the places end up going to siblings of existing students. Once the siblings have been allocated, remaining places go to applicants from the local primary schools.

I thought the siblings thing has been done away with? actually, that might not kick in untill 2022 and that will affect OP

I've two kids in primary in Greystones, couldn't get either of them into TC or Davids due to waiting lists. thats been my experience so not sure what yours has been.

Annasopra

Cluster wrote: »

I thought the siblings thing has been done away with? actually, that might not kick in untill 2022 and that will affect OP

I've two kids in primary in Greystones, couldn't get either of them into TC or Davids due to waiting lists. thats been my experience so not sure what yours has been.

The siblings rule they abolished was only for primary schools.

Cluster

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

The siblings rule they abolished was only for primary schools.

Ah right!

Still couldn't get them in anyway due to over subscription.

loyatemu

Cluster wrote: »

Ah right!

Still couldn't get them in anyway due to over subscription.

the schools are oversubscribed because there are more kids leaving the primary schools than there are spaces at secondary level.

There definitely isn't an advanced waiting list for TCG - you apply in 5th class (was 4th class until last year), they allocate the places. If you don't get a place they'll put you on a list for any places that aren't taken up.

This year there were a lot of kids left without a place at any of the 3 schools, but part of the problem there was that some of them had applied for all 3 and received more than one offer.

I believe they're trying to sort through this now and figure out how many extra places are needed - it's possible the Community College might be able to take some extra, but it really depends on where they are based next year which is still up in the air. They only took in 60 this year because of the lack of accommodation, but the school will have space for 180 first years if/when they get their permanent building.

My daughters best friend from childhood went to Alexandra College from outside Greystone from a young age, she got the dart from Bray first, and then when the Dart came to Greystones she got it from Greystones got on fine but today it would be questioned that a young child was let get public transport by herself.

Cyrus

hi, we live in dalkey currently, 2 daughters one in loreto dalkey primary school and the other will be going there too.

We have seen a few houses in greystones down the years that would appeal and we have always like it as a location so its not beyond the realms of possibilities that we might move out one day. I guess from looking at this thread we would probably be best keeping the girls in school in dalkey and have them goto the secondary school as well as the local schools would be too hard to get into?