DDLETB is a proud patron of 7 Community National Schools and 3 Special Schools. They are:
But what exactly are Community National Schools and how are they different from what is generally known as a “Primary School”? Séamus Conboy is the Education and Training Boards Ireland Primary Schools Support Officer, and here he explains what they are.
Community National Schools have featured quite a lot in the media recently, and people have been asking this question: what exactly is a Community National School? The short answer is that they are State-operated, child-centred, inclusive, multi-belief primary schools.
Here are the answers to the other questions people are asking about Community National Schools.
What is a Community National School?
Community National Schools (CNS) are state-operated, multidenominational, inclusive schools that welcome all children from the local communities they serve. Historically, schools have been managed by private patrons who are also responsible for the ethos of the school e.g. Church bodies, Educate Together. The State has now developed its own primary school model with the Community National Schools.
Why is there a need for a Community National School?
Ireland is changing. It used to be a significantly homogenous country with most people identifying as
Roman Catholic. The religious identity of many Irish people has changed in recent years. Ireland has
also morphed into a richly diverse country because of the migration experienced during the boom
years. Due to these changes, the current school system, which is 96% Church-run, no longer fully reflects
Irish society. Even with their best efforts, many Church-run schools are struggling to fully meet the needs of all of their children due to the constraints of their ethos.
Who is the patron of these schools?
The patrons of CNS schools are the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). ETBs, which were formerly
known as VECs, are statutory authorities which have responsibility for education and youth work. ETBs
manage and operate Community National Schools, Second-level schools such as Community Colleges
and a range of adult and further education centres. They have developed an excellent reputation for
their provision of inclusive, innovative education that meets the needs of the entire community.
What is the difference between Community National Schools and other school types?
Faced with a number of choices, parents can be comforted knowing that every school, regardless of its
patron, follows the same national curriculum. Schools mainly differ in what they call their ‘ethos’ or
characteristic spirit. Many parents describe a Community National School as somewhere between the
traditional denominational school and a secular school. Although Community National Schools do
not prioritise any one religion over another, space is made within the school day for children to be
nurtured in their own faith or secular belief while learning more about their friends’ beliefs too.
Although CNS schools pride themselves on their commitment to inclusion and equality for all, their
main commitment is to providing a child-centred education that helps children to live their lives to
the full. A focus on both academic and hands-on learning, IT and the nurturing of children’s well-being
ensures that they are prepared to thrive in and beyond their education journey.
CNS schools are progressive schools rooted in the best of tradition. CNS schools are similar to traditional
schools in that the children wear a school uniform and the teacher is referred to formally e.g. Mr. Murphy, Múinteoir Orla.
CNS schools are similar to Educate Together schools in that they have inclusive enrolment policies which do not prioritise any one group over another, are multi-denominational and have equality central to their ethos.
Unique to each school type is what is known as their ‘Patron’s Programme’. This is done for 30 minutes a day and underpins the ethos of the school. In a Church-run school, it is a single faith formation programme. However, in a Community National School, it is a multi-belief and values education
programme called Goodness Me! Goodness You!
How do Community National Schools cater for religious/secular belief diversity?
Unlike single-denominational schools, Community National Schools have a multi-belief and values education programme that caters for children of all faiths and secular beliefs. The programme is called Goodness Me, Goodness You! or GMGY. This programme was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) which is the statutory body charged with the development of national curricula.
It is a belief-nurturing programme where children, with the help of their teacher, parents and belief
communities learn more about their own beliefs and those of their friends. Children learn together about
the same theme – the schools communicate with parents about the theme and they talk about it at home from their own faith/belief perspective. Children then share their perspective or experience of the same theme with their class and therefore learn more about themselves and each other.
Does the school support children preparing for special rites of passages e.g. the Sacraments?
Community National Schools also offer Belief Specific Teaching (BST) where parents can request additional supports around specific rites of passage. For example, many Catholic parents want some support from the school around the sacraments. The schools work with the parents and parish around how they can support them, bearing in mind the limitations they have as they are primarily multi-denominational schools. This support is open to all families from all religions and beliefs. It is different
in every Community National School, depending on the needs of the school community and the practices
of local belief communities.
Does the GMGY Programme deal with topics other than religions and beliefs?
The GMGY programme is also a values education programme. Children learn all about ethics and
the values of the school, such as equality and justice. They also do what is called ‘Thinking Time’
where the children learn to think critically and philosophically about different issues. A very nice part of
the programme is what is known as ‘Quiet Time’ where children are encouraged to fall still and think
about all that they have learnt that day in GMGY and to consider how that relates to their lives as
individuals.
Where are the current Community National Schools and how are they doing?
To date, there are 11 Community National Schools in Dublin, Wicklow, Meath, Kildare and Cork. Each CNS has thrived in the areas they are in and have developed reputations for their inclusive ethos and commitment to excellence in education.
Where can I find out more information about these schools?
For more information or to express an interest in enrolling your child in a new Community National School, please visit www.cns.ie. Each school has its own individual website that can be accessed from here. For more information on Goodness Me! Goodness You! please visit www.gmgy.ie.
Dundrum CFE Erasmus+ EPIC Project (2019 – 2021)
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyThis is a post from Tina Reddin in Dundrum College of Further Education.
EPIC is a two year student and teacher mobility project with European partners in Norway, Estonia and Germany funded by Erasmus+ through our National Agency Leargas
Why we got involved and wrote an application
The rationale was two-fold namely:
1. To enhance the learning experience of students and to provide them with the opportunities that the experience of working in another European jurisdiction can provide, including increased motivation and engagement, societal awareness, multi-culturalism, initiative and relationship management, critical thinking skills and obtaining a heightened awareness of the vocational specialism.
2. To build the capacity of our FET / VET teaching staff to contextualise the European dimension of their vocational specialisms in line with European educational frameworks and best practice.
The aims and objectives of the project include:
The project aims to foster a culture of student peer support within the college, for example, the funding and the mobility aspect of the project enables students from different areas of study to work and travel together in another jurisdiction, something which we could not accommodate in Ireland. The development of these new relationships will create sustainable, supportive student networks for further dissemination of learning across the wider college community on their return.
To provide an opportunity for FET / VET teachers to align themselves with the best international practice. The staff mobility dimension of the project provides an opportunity for our teachers to up-skill and re-skill in both pedagogical and vocational specialisms in a non-formal and supportive learning environment and will we suggest enhance their capacity to deliver quality teaching, learning and assessments within their vocational specialisms.
Dundrum CFE is keen to develop European partnerships across all of our vocational specialisms, this project will build capacity in project management of such initiatives and will lead to the development of sustainable future strategic partnerships by building strong teaching and learning partnerships.
Our experience of this project to February 2020
Three teachers and three students from various business courses travelled to HKHK, Haapsalu in Estonia, teachers for 2 day observations and students for a fortnight placement. The success of the mobility is evident in their evaluations and the video created by one of the teacher participants.
Three teachers and five students across many of our humanity disciplines travelled to KVT, Trondheim in Norway, one of our Norwegian partners for the same duration as the Estonia mobility. Again the learning has been immense and this is evidenced in a video created by a DCFE teacher, a compilation of some of the many photographs our students took during their visit. Our students had the opportunity to engage with each other in a social context, meet students from other nationalities.
In the case of Trondheim our students were joined by students from Sallynoggin CFE and our teachers had the opportunity to collaborate together as ddletb teachers as well as working with Norwegian teachers.
As for Estonia, our students met French and Hungarian students also on Erasmus+ mobilities. This too added to their enjoyment.
I write this as we await the arrival of our Norwegian visitors, both teachers and students on Monday next….
Information On Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyThe HPSC (Health Protection Surveillance Centre) has provided information on the Novel Coronavirus.
What is the Cornonavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that circulate among animals, including camels, cats and bats, with some causing illness in humans e.g. SARS (civet cats) and MERS (dromedary camels). Rarely, animal coronaviruses can change and infect people and then spread between people such as has been seen with MERS and SARS.
Images combined from a 3D medical animation, depicting the shape of coronavirus as well as the cross-sectional view. Image shows the major elements including the Spike S protein, HE protein, viral envelope, and helical RNA. Image from wikimedia.
What are the symptoms?
Common signs of infection include:
How to prevent infection
Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include:
For more information on the Coronavirus see the HPSC website.
APPLICATION & ADMISSIONS POLICY FOR BLANCHARDSTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyDublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board have published the Admissions Policy and Application Form for Blanchardstown Community College.
Parents/Guardians applying for places in Citywest & Saggart Community College and Blanchardstown Community College please note that children need to be 12 years of age by 1st January 2021 in order to be eligible to apply
Please refer to the Admissions Notice for information regarding timeframes for the application process.
All documentation can be found below.
Apply now – Blanchardstown CC Application Form 2020
Blanchardstown CC Admission Policy
Blanchardstown CC Admission Notice (Publication Date 29/01/2020)
Admissions Policy & Application for Citywest & Saggart Community College
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyDublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board have published the Admissions Policy and Application Form for Citywest & Saggart Community College.
Parents/Guardians applying for places in Citywest & Saggart Community College and Blanchardstown Community College please note that children need to be 12 years of age by 1st January 2021 in order to be eligible to apply
Please refer to the Admissions Notice for information regarding timeframes for the application process.
All documentation can be found below.
Apply now – Citywest Saggart Application Form 2020
Admissions Policy Of Citywest & Saggart Community College
Citywest & Saggart CC Admission Notice (Publication Date 13/01/2020)
Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB awarded patronage of two new post-primary schools in Dublin
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyThe Department of Education and Skills has today announced that the communities in Citywest-Saggart and Blanchardstown West have chosen Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB to be the patron of their new post-primary schools which are set to open in September 2020. DDLETB expects that the Principals of both schools will be appointed early in 2020 to lead the new schools.
Paddy Lavelle, Chief Executive of DDLETB said, “This is a fantastic development for the communities in Citywest-Saggart and Blanchardstown. The new schools will join the 29 other Community Colleges under our patronage. We see the results of this campaign as a welcome endorsement, from parents and families, for ETB run schools and the Community College model. We are also delighted to see that the ETB sector has been selected as the patron for the new post-primary schools due to open in Enfield, Co. Meath and Greystones. Co. Wicklow.
“Parents clearly supported our vision for child-centred, multidenominational, publicly-accountable schools which strive to provide high-quality education for all learners. They give equal opportunities to all children,” added Mr Lavelle.”
The new schools will be technologically advanced using the latest information and communication technologies. These new schools will further embed our presence on the educational landscape in Dublin,” said Adrian Flynn, Director of Schools with DDLETB.”
“Our vision is to continue to develop teaching and learning communities that lead educational thinking both nationally and internationally. We are now taking this message to Donabate, Newcastle-Rathcoole-Saggart and Sallynoggin-Killiney-Cherrywood for our 2020 primary patronage campaign” added Flynn.
Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB has more than 100 years’ experience as an educational patron in Ireland. Our schools form an essential part of life and living throughout their local communities. They are inclusive and enable young people to meet their full potential in society.
Notes:
We are now accepting expressions of interest from parents/ guardians interested in enrolling their child in the new schools. Email oguiry@ddletb.ie
More information can be received by calling Emer Roy in DDLETB on (01) 452 9600 or email eroy@ddletb.ie
Air Corps In Baldonnel Presented With QQI awards
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyQQI Awards event: certificates presented to staff from the Air Corps in Lucan Education Centre on 20th November 2019.
Congratulations to members of the Air Corps in Baldonnel on achieving QQI awards. Four members of the Air Corps were presented with their QQI certificates at a ceremony in Lucan Education Centre on Wednesday 20th November 2019. The Adult Education Service (Southwest) is collaborating with the Air Corps as part of a national project on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in the Defence Forces. The project aims to recognise and validate the learning and skills that staff have achieved through experience on-the-job.
Pictured: Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, Irish Air Corps and Paddy Lavelle, CEO DDLETB with members of the Air Corps who received their certificates.
The RPL process allows learners to gain certification without having to attend a course in what they already know. The RPL project team in Lucan supported the group to identify and document their on-the-job learning and to compile portfolios for assessment in areas such as IT and Workplace Safety. The structured supports included an induction day, adult education guidance and a series of mentoring sessions last Autumn and Spring.
This is a pilot project for DDLETB in Recognition of Prior Learning.
Brigadier General Rory O’Connor, Paddy Lavelle and Darren Cosgrave made speeches about the impact of the project.
The four Air Corps participants on the project made a presentation to the RPL team, saying it with flowers! The evening rounded off with refreshments and everyone took the opportunity to stay and mingle.
Pictured: Terry Murray, Monica McGrath RPL mentor, Conor McDonnell, Darren Cosgrave, Fiona Fay QA Unit, Paul Kavanagh, Lorraine Mullally RPL mentor, Elaine Gahan Adult Education Guidance Service
What Are Community National Schools Anyway?
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyDDLETB is a proud patron of 7 Community National Schools and 3 Special Schools. They are:
Community National Schools
Citywest & Saggart Community National School
Lucan Community National School
Scoil Aoife Community National School
Scoil Choilm Community National School
Scoil Chormaic Community National School
Scoil Ghráinne Community National School
Rivervalley Community National School
Special Schools
Crannog Nua Special School
Portrane, Co. Dublin.
Ballydowd High Support Special School
Ballyowen, Dublin 22.
Danu Community Special School
c/o Hansfield Educate Together, Dublin 15.
But what exactly are Community National Schools and how are they different from what is generally known as a “Primary School”? Séamus Conboy is the Education and Training Boards Ireland Primary Schools Support Officer, and here he explains what they are.
What is a Community National School?
Community National Schools (CNS) are state-operated, multidenominational, inclusive schools that welcome all children from the local communities they serve. Historically, schools have been managed by private patrons who are also responsible for the ethos of the school e.g. Church bodies, Educate Together. The State has now developed its own primary school model with the Community National Schools.
Why is there a need for a Community National School?
Roman Catholic. The religious identity of many Irish people has changed in recent years. Ireland has
also morphed into a richly diverse country because of the migration experienced during the boom
years. Due to these changes, the current school system, which is 96% Church-run, no longer fully reflects
Irish society. Even with their best efforts, many Church-run schools are struggling to fully meet the needs of all of their children due to the constraints of their ethos.
Who is the patron of these schools?
known as VECs, are statutory authorities which have responsibility for education and youth work. ETBs
manage and operate Community National Schools, Second-level schools such as Community Colleges
and a range of adult and further education centres. They have developed an excellent reputation for
their provision of inclusive, innovative education that meets the needs of the entire community.
What is the difference between Community National Schools and other school types?
patron, follows the same national curriculum. Schools mainly differ in what they call their ‘ethos’ or
characteristic spirit. Many parents describe a Community National School as somewhere between the
traditional denominational school and a secular school. Although Community National Schools do
not prioritise any one religion over another, space is made within the school day for children to be
nurtured in their own faith or secular belief while learning more about their friends’ beliefs too.
main commitment is to providing a child-centred education that helps children to live their lives to
the full. A focus on both academic and hands-on learning, IT and the nurturing of children’s well-being
ensures that they are prepared to thrive in and beyond their education journey.
schools in that the children wear a school uniform and the teacher is referred to formally e.g. Mr. Murphy, Múinteoir Orla.
programme called Goodness Me! Goodness You!
How do Community National Schools cater for religious/secular belief diversity?
Unlike single-denominational schools, Community National Schools have a multi-belief and values education programme that caters for children of all faiths and secular beliefs. The programme is called Goodness Me, Goodness You! or GMGY. This programme was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) which is the statutory body charged with the development of national curricula.
It is a belief-nurturing programme where children, with the help of their teacher, parents and belief
communities learn more about their own beliefs and those of their friends. Children learn together about
the same theme – the schools communicate with parents about the theme and they talk about it at home from their own faith/belief perspective. Children then share their perspective or experience of the same theme with their class and therefore learn more about themselves and each other.
Does the school support children preparing for special rites of passages e.g. the Sacraments?
Community National Schools also offer Belief Specific Teaching (BST) where parents can request additional supports around specific rites of passage. For example, many Catholic parents want some support from the school around the sacraments. The schools work with the parents and parish around how they can support them, bearing in mind the limitations they have as they are primarily multi-denominational schools. This support is open to all families from all religions and beliefs. It is different
in every Community National School, depending on the needs of the school community and the practices
of local belief communities.
Does the GMGY Programme deal with topics other than religions and beliefs?
The GMGY programme is also a values education programme. Children learn all about ethics and
the values of the school, such as equality and justice. They also do what is called ‘Thinking Time’
where the children learn to think critically and philosophically about different issues. A very nice part of
the programme is what is known as ‘Quiet Time’ where children are encouraged to fall still and think
about all that they have learnt that day in GMGY and to consider how that relates to their lives as
individuals.
Where are the current Community National Schools and how are they doing?
To date, there are 11 Community National Schools in Dublin, Wicklow, Meath, Kildare and Cork. Each CNS has thrived in the areas they are in and have developed reputations for their inclusive ethos and commitment to excellence in education.
Where can I find out more information about these schools?
For more information or to express an interest in enrolling your child in a new Community National School, please visit www.cns.ie. Each school has its own individual website that can be accessed from here. For more information on Goodness Me! Goodness You! please visit www.gmgy.ie.
DDLETB Second Level Teacher Induction 2019
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyDublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board Teacher Induction Programme 2019 concluded this week with a record number of participants. Newly-appointed teachers, from across our 29 post-primary schools, collaborated during a workshop on Technology-Enhanced Learning and Human Resources delivered by Sam Conroy and Hazel Brown.
In wrapping up the event, Director of Schools Adrian Flynn wished all attendees the very best in the careers and encouraged them to look out for one another and ensure their well-being was a priority for them as it is for all in DDLETB. Adrian went on to thank the teacher volunteers who led the Programme including Mick Mooney and Nicola McKitterick (St. Finian’s CC), Deborah Galbraith (CP Setanta), and Joanne McKeever and Paddy McGill (Grange CC). David McGuinness was thanked for his coordination of the Programme.
We are honoured to have such talented and enthusiastic teachers working across our second-level schools.
Remembering David Byrne, a beloved teacher, colleague and friend
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleySad passing of a beloved teacher, colleague and friend David Byrne (1962-2019)
It is with deep sadness that we lost our dear friend, colleague, year head and teacher David Byrne on September 12th after a brief illness. David began his teaching career in Dundrum College where he worked for 10 years before taking the opportunity to work for the European Schools in Brussels. He remained with the European Schools for a further 10 years where he embraced his love of history, geography and travel.
In 2009, David joined the teaching staff of Lucan Community College where he would become one of the most highly and affectionately regarded members of our staff. An invigorating presence, David took up the pastoral role of year head as well as a teacher of economics, history and geography. David’s passion for teaching was built on his deep knowledge of the world, acquired through his love of both history and geography.
He was also a truly committed year head for all in his care. David was a devoted sportsperson, as a player of both rugby and soccer, as well as a coach of both junior and senior rugby teams in the college. David was also instrumental in organising various charity fundraising events for Irish and global charities here in the college through our ‘jersey day’ events.
David was a true gentleman, scholar and humanitarian. He will be sorely missed by every member of our school community.
Ar dheis Dé do raibh a anam dilis.
Child-Protection Guidelines & The Magenta Principles For Teachers
/in Corporate News /by Jennifer FarleyDublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB is committed to the highest standards in education. As part of that committment, on Tuesday evening, we welcomed over 100 newly-appointed teachers to our Head Office for the first session of our Teacher Induction Programme 2019-2020. Teachers were presented with Child-Protection Guidelines and Teaching & Learning innovation The Magenta Principles.
Special thanks to Director of Schools Adrian Flynn and the Teacher Induction Programme Co-ordination Team for facilitating.