5 reasons why I want an Educate Together second level school for my child

As any parent does, I take an active interest in my child’s education. We all entrust our children to our local schools both to educate them and foster their development as members of our society. The choice of school is a critical one and in Gorey there are a range of education providers available. For my child I have chosen Educate Together at primary and I would like to be able to exercise that choice at second level also.

The Department of Education and Skills are holding a survey of parents over the coming weeks in Gorey as part of the process to choose the patron of the new second level school to be opened next year. Both Educate Together and Wexford VEC have applied to manage the school and are campaigning locally for parental support. So why choose Educate Together? I’ll give you 5 reasons to consider.

  1. Educational Quality: Educate Together have been at the forefront of innovation and education reform since they were established. They brought new thinking to primary education in Ireland. They bring the same approach to second level drawing upon the best national and international models of modern education. In practice this will mean wide subject choices, successfully taught in innovative ways.
  2. Community involvement: Educate Together’s approach to education is built on parental and local community involvement. All its school boards are comprised of parental and community representatives – you have a direct input into how you want your school managed.
  3. Teaching beyond the test: Educate Together wants to teach our children a range of life skills that compliment their academic development and prepare them for they world beyond school. Our current second level system is too narrowly focused on state exams. A change in approach will better prepare our children for adulthood while still achieving academic excellence.
  4. Board independence: Not all school boards operate the same way. As an independent patron Educate Together supports its schools but their boards have full management independence. The school chooses its own staff and manages its own finances. By contrast Wexford VEC schools, are centrally managed – local boards do not appoint teachers or make any budgetary decisions.
  5. Ethical education: Educate Together’s moral and ethical curriculum opens our children’s eyes to cultural, social and religious difference in a really positive way. Ireland has changed so much in recent years and now our country truly trades on the world stage. To prosper in this future our children need to have minds and attitudes that are open and prepared for all the diversity they will encounter.

Marie Kelly, Parent, Gorey