The Department of Education and Youth has launched the long-awaited Parents’ Survey on School Patronage – giving families across Ireland the chance to have their say on the kind of schools they want in their communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Educate Together school like?
Every Educate Together school is different, a unique reflection of the community that the school serves. However, all Educate Together schools have a few things in common. They are equality-based, child-centred, democratically run and co-educational, the 4 pillars of the Educate Together ethos. They are state funded, and they teach the national curriculum. Ethical Education is taught in place of religion classes. Faith formation classes are offered in Educate Together schools outside of school hours.
What is a school patron?
Every school in Ireland is required to have a patron. This is the body that establishes and operates the school and is responsible for the school’s characteristic spirit and ethos. The patron also appoints the school board of management and often provides a variety of support services to the school. Currently 95% of primary schools in Ireland are run by a religious patron. This does not reflect the population of Ireland. Educate Together is an equality based/multi-denominational patron that aims to provide more educational choice to parents in Ireland.
What is a patron’s programme?
A key feature of promoting school ethos is the teaching of the patron’s programme during the school day. Patrons have developed programmes that reflect and support the ethos of their schools.
The national Primary Curriculum Framework allocates 2 hours per week, across all classes for the teaching of the patron’s programme. Educate Together’s patron’s programme is an Ethical Education curriculum called Learn Together. This programme teaches children about informed citizenship, social responsibility and a range of world faiths, without prioritising any one faith over another. You can read more about the Learn Together programme and ethical education here.
What is a school ethos?
The ethos of a school refers to the core shared values, beliefs, attitudes and practices of an educational community. These values and beliefs form the basis for the policies and guidelines that shape the day-to-day running of the school.
What does multi-denominational mean?
95% of schools in Ireland are religious or ‘denominational’, meaning that they have a religious organisation or local bishop as the school patron. Multi-denominational schools have a non-religious patron and have an ethos that is not based on any one religious faith. This means that children of all faiths and none are equally welcome and valued within the school community. Although others do now exist, Educate Together is Ireland’s largest and longest running multi-denominational patron body.
Why are Educate Together schools co-educational?
For Educate Together, ‘co-education’ goes far beyond its traditional meaning of educating girls and boys together. We recognise the crucial role schools have to play in tackling gender inequality. Our schools develop comprehensive programmes to counter gender stereotyping in all its forms. Our schools encourage and support the wide variety and range of talents among students irrespective of gender. We think that encouraging an ability amongst children to have respectful relationships between girls and boys is a vital part of preparing them for their future in a society where hopefully there will be increasing equality between genders.
Why is the survey important for Educate Together?
Over the last 10 years Educate Together opened 50 new schools in respond to parental demand in local communities. Unfortunately, due to recent policy changes, opening new schools is now incredibly difficult, with local parents having far less input in the process. This means that reconfiguration (patronage transfer) is now the best option to bring Educate Together schools to new communities, communities which will be identified by this survey.
What is the reconfiguration process?
The Irish Government has committed to expanding the provision of multi-denominational education in Ireland through the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity programme. Learn more about reconfiguration at Educate Together here.
The results from the National Primary School Survey will inform the Department of Education and Youth and school communities if parents have a preference for multi-denominational patronage. This is an opportunity for Educate Together to bring equality-based education and real school choice to more communities around Ireland. Educate Together has more than 45 years’ experience of opening, transferring and supporting inclusive, equality-based primary schools.