Harcourt Terrace ETNS Grand Opening
On Friday, 16 May 2025, Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee, officially opened Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School (HTETNS) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the school’s move into its impressive permanent building at the beginning of this school year.
Speaking at the event, Minister McEntee praised the school’s principal, board of management, staff and pupils for their success in building a strong and welcoming school community. The historic event was also attended by local public representatives, the design and building teams from Tún Architects and Mythen Construction, Department of Education officials, current and past Board members, founding principal Niamh Cullen, and friends and supporters of the school.
Speaking at the event, school principal Tony Walsh thanked those who have contributed to the school’s development:
Today is a day to celebrate equality, learning and respect in Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School and to honour the hard work of those who worked tirelessly to see this school develop and thrive. We are immensely proud of everyone in our school community. We are delighted to have the Minister for Education, Helen McEntee here today, to acknowledge the hard work of our school community, the design team, the building team, our friends and all our supporters in Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School.
Harcourt Terrace ETNS first opened its doors in September 2018 as Dublin South City ETNS, following an online Patronage Selection Process which saw Educate Together selected as patron of this new school. Since then, the school has grown steadily to become a thriving Educate Together school community – a cornerstone for inclusive and innovative primary education in the local area.
Harcourt Terrace ETNS Award-winning School Building Design
The new purpose-built school, located at the historic site of the former Garda Station and Irish Film Censor’s Office on Harcourt Terrace, overlooking the Grand Canal, was designed by Tún Architecture + Design, winners of a 2015 national architectural design competition. Their contemporary, light-filled design supports child-centred and collaborative learning, and accommodates 24 classrooms as well as specialist spaces to enable the inclusion of autistic children.
Speaking on the day, Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan said:
Harcourt Terrace Educate Together NS is a wonderful example of what is possible when the voluntary initiative of families and communities is supported by the Department of Education in the provision of state-of-the art facilities. The rapid growth of this school since opening in 2018 is a reflection of the school’s welcoming ethos, and the dedication of the school’s staff in ensuring that every child is supported to reach their full potential – academically, socially and personally.
Lack of New Schools Limits Parental Choice
Now that Harcourt Terrace ETNS has moved into its permanent building it can grow to accommodate more families who are seeking places in an Educate Together school in the area. However, the school is already receiving more applications for places than it has available, despite the ample classroom space and facilities. Speaking at the event, Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan highlighted the oversubscription of its schools in the area, and expressed concern about the lack of new schools planned to cater for increasing demand for its model. The equality-based school movement is calling on the Department to proceed with its plans to survey parents nationally on school patronage, and to support schools wishing to reconfigure to Educate Together patronage in response to rising demand.
CEO Emer Nowlan said:
More and more parents want to choose Educate Together schools. With no new schools currently planned, we welcome the Minister’s commitment to conducting a national survey of parents and school staff, and to supporting schools that wish to transfer to Educate Together patronage.
Inclusion and Innovation
Despite spending six years in temporary accommodation, Harcourt Terrace ETNS was one of the first schools in the area to open Assisted Learning Classes for autistic children, reflecting its commitment to innovation and inclusion and the very best education for all. With plans underway to open two additional classes in response to increasing pressure for school places, Harcourt Terrace ETNS continues to lead the way in creating an accessible and supportive learning environment for all children.
This ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter for the school, celebrating the achievements of staff, parents and pupils in establishing a welcoming and inclusive school community in an impressive permanent home.
