cpetns.ie

PARENTS HOPEFUL FOR A NEW EDUCATE TOGETHER NATIONAL SCHOOL FOR PROSPEROUS AND CLANE

There is optimism about the development of a new primary school for the Prosperous and Clane areas, with the announcement that Educate Together are awaiting approval from the Department of Education and Skills to open a school in the area next year. Amy Mulvihill, Regional Development Officer for Educate Together said 'We have been delighted and encouraged by the interest coming from parents in the area and we are supporting them in their work to establish an Educate Together school here.'

She explains what makes Educate Together schools attractive to parents: 'The schools were created with four guiding principles in mind. They are multi-denominational, co-educational, child-centred, and democratically run; there is a significant emphasis on schools being run in a democratic, inclusive manner. Parents have a very active role in the day-to-day running of the school and it is common for them to support the teachers in classroom activities.'

Educate Together schools are fully recognised by the Department of Education and Skills and work under the same regulations and funding structures as other national schools. They are typically founded by parents.

'Our schools are driven by parents who want to choose this specific model of education for their children. This is not to say that our schools in any way claim to be better than other schools. Educate Together recognises that every parent in Ireland deserves a choice as of the type of school that their children can attend. Clearly, some parents are faced with the reality of only having a denominational school in their locality, and become interested in setting up an Educate Together school.'

Educate Together is the representative organisation of the Educate Together schools and associations throughout the Republic of Ireland. It has its origins in the movement to establish new multi-denominational primary schools, which emerged in the 1970s.

The teaching of children in multi-denominational schools is an increasing phenomenon in Ireland. There are currently 58 Educate Together national schools across the country, attended by over 11,000 pupils, three of these schools are in Kildare.

Information on the proposed school will be available at a stand in SuperValu, Clane on Thursday 19th August and parents are invited to come along.


For more information please contact:

amy.mulvihill@educatetogether.ie
www.educatetogether.ie


Amy Mulvihill can be contacted on 087 6210379.