23 October 2008
Community National Schools Open
September 1st 2008 will go down as a very historic day in Irish education as the first two Community National Schools commenced under the patronage of County Dublin V.E.C, thereby creating a new model of patronage in the education sector in Ireland.
Scoil Ghráinne, Phibblestown, Dublin 15 opened in temporary accommodation with 72 junior infants. They share a campus with Coláiste Pobail Setanta, a new post-primary community college, which also opened for the first time this year. Permanent buildings for both schools are being constructed between now and 2010 and when the entire Phibblestown Educational Campus is completed in 2010 it will offer state of the art facilities to the students and community.
Scoil Choilm which opened in 2007 initially under the patronage of Archbishop Diarmaid Martin, transferred to the Community National School model on September 1st. Having spent its first year based in the former Institute of Horology, Blanchardstown, they entered their new permanent building in Porterstown in September. They have a current enrolment of 154 junior and senior infants. It is envisaged that eventually, subject to planning, Scoil Choilm will form part of an Educational Campus for Porterstown.
The Community National Schools will operate through an ethos of inclusiveness and respect for all beliefs, both religious and non-religious and recognise the wishes of parents to have their children receive religious education, or morality based education as an integral part of the school curriculum.
