Grants for inter-school events available
September 24, 2012
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. provide grants to Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools to fund inter-school events. The grants are always in great demand.
You can complete the application form here (in Irish only):Foirm Iarratais
The grant scheme gives schools the opportunity to organise an event of their choosing with another school, and GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. award a grant of up to €250 / £225 per event with two schools participating, €500 / £450 per event if there are 3 or more schools taking part and up to €750 / £675 per event if there are 4 or more schools taking part. Payments are made on the basis of receipts. All kinds of events are eligible and applications are welcome from:
- Irish-medium pre/playschools and primary schools
- Irish-medium primary schools
- Irish-medium primary and post-primary schools
- Irish-meduim post-primary schools
Inter-school events provide Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools with great opportunities to create links with other schools. From quizzes to football matches, events of all kinds promote communication and fun through Irish, which benefits the school, the student and the wider school community.
For further information on the grant scheme, email oifig@gaelscoileanna.ie or call 01 8535193.
This grant scheme is funded by Foras na Gaeilge.
Imeachtaí Idirscoile 2012 Flyer
Rogha Gaelscolaíochta le tairiscint do thuismitheoirí
September 20, 2012
New website for Irish medium and Gaeltacht schools
September 18, 2012
Www.ceacht.ie a new website that is available now for Irish language teachers teaching in Gaeltacht schools and Gaelscoileanna.
It provides learning materials for subjects of modern learning and language teaching in Gaeltacht and Irish medium schools. This project will be overseen by an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta.
Siún Ní Mhaoinaigh will be directing the project and Aoife Ní Chonchúir & Úna Nic Gabhann will be working on the project.
New materials will be added to the site throughout the school year:
- Resource material for Junior Certificate
- Resource material for Leaving Certificate
- Podcasts
- Video, Audio
- Language Campaign
www.Ceacht.ie will be officially launched by The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Naoise Ó Muirí on the 28th of September 2012.
More information is available from an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Conference about Readership
September 17, 2012
Foras na Gaeilge is organising a conference about book readership in Marino Conference Centre, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9 on 21-22th September 2012. The aim of the conference is to find ways of increasing current readership numbers for Irish language books. The issues to be discussed at the conference include the current state of the literature sector, reader development work in the UK, the reviewing of books in the media, international minority-language practices in the translation of fiction and the distribution and marketing of books.
For further information, please contact conference organiser, Róisín Ní Mhianáin, (comhdhail2012@gmail.com or 086-4164021) or the office of Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge in Ráth Chairn, Co. Meath (leabhar@forasnagaeilge.ie or 046-9430419).
School Self Evaluation – Guide for primary and post-primary from the Dept. of Education and Skills
September 14, 2012
- School Self Evaluation – An Update For Primary Schools
- School Self Evaluation – An Update For Post-Primary Schools
Check the following links for more resources available on the website:
- General Information
- Immersion Education
- Sample Policies
- GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. Publications
- Statistics
- Campaigns
- Employment Contacts
- Legislation
- Circulars
- Guidelines
Saol – Nuacht na Scoileanna
September 14, 2012
Iarratais ar Acmhainní breise don Scoilbhliain 2012/2013
August 29, 2012
Welcome for Leaving Certificate Irish results
August 16, 2012
Not only was there an increase in the numbers sitting Higher level Irish in this year’s Leaving Certificate but there was also an increase in the number of A grades awarded to students.
56,000 students will receive their Leaving Certificate results across the country today and there was a substantial 35% increase in the number of students who undertook the maths paper at higher level.
The Department of Education and Skills also announced that there was an 11% increase in the number of students taking the higher level Irish paper.Speaking today Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn TD said that changes to the oral Irish examination were the main factor in the higher demand for the higher level paper.
According to statistics issued by the State Examinations Commission today, 42,965 students sat an Irish language paper in this year’s exams. Of them 15,937 took the higher level paper with 7.3% of those candidates receiving A1 grades and 11.3% receiving B1 grades.
17.4% of students received an A grade at higher level this year in comparison to 13.9% who received top marks last year.
22,875 students took the paper at ordinary level and 74.2% of these candidates achieved A, B or C grades. Just over 4,000 students took sat the exam at foundation level.
The Minister said that there had been a move away from an emphasis on grammar and increased emphasis on spoken Irish in the new Leaving Certificate examination.
The format for the new oral Irish examination is a joint exam for those sitting higher and ordinary level exams which is worth 40% of the overall mark.
The oral examination itself is made up of four sections and students are awarded marks for the introduction; poetry recitation; an explanation of a series of pictures and conversation with the examiner.
However some groups have expressed concern that the subject is being overly simplified at Leaving Certificate level in a manner which is unchallenging for students attending Irish medium schools in Gaeltacht regions and in Gaelscoileanna.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Tréaslaíonn GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. le Pobail agus Pátrúin na nIarbhunscoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge Nua
July 26, 2012
Minister Quinn announces patronage of 14 new Post-Primary schools to be established in 2013 and 2014
July 25, 2012
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today announced his decisions on the patronage of new post-primary schools to be established in 2013 and 2014.
The successful patrons are:
- Blanchardstown West, Dublin 15 – Educate Together
- Drogheda, Co. Louth – Joint patronage County Louth VEC and Educate Together
- Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 – Le Chéile Schools Trust
- Greystones, Co. Wicklow – Church of Ireland
- Lusk, Co. Dublin – County Dublin VEC
- Claregalway, Co. Galway – County Galway VEC
- Naas, Co. Kildare – County Kildare VEC
- Navan, Co. Meath – County Meath VEC
- Maynooth, Co. Kildare – County Kildare VEC
- Dundalk, Co. Louth – County Louth VEC
- Ashbourne, Co. Meath – County Meath VEC
- *Balbriggan, Co. Dublin – An Foras Pátrúnachta
- *Dundrum, Co. Dublin – An Foras Pátrúnachta
- *CorkCity – South Suburbs/ Carrigaline – County Cork VEC
*These schools will be Gaelcholáistaí providing instruction through the medium of Irish
Announcing the patronage of the new schools, Minister Quinn said, “In making the decisions on the patronage of these new schools I was particularly conscious of taking into account the clear parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage. The successful patrons include those of a Catholic ethos, Church of Ireland ethos, multi-denominational and Gaelcholáistaí.”
“I am particularly pleased that Educate Together will be patron in one school and co-patron in a second school, given that ET was officially recognised by me as a second level patron just one year ago. I am also pleased that for the first time in a generation a new Catholic and a new Church of Ireland voluntary secondary school are to open. This demonstrates clearly that I and the Department are committed to diversity of ethos and respect for parental choice.”
“I am confident that these new schools, alongside the existing schools in each area, will mean that parents and students have real choice when it comes to deciding which school most reflects their own ethos.”
Today’s announcement is the culmination of the process which began in June 2011 when the Minister announced that 20 new post-primary schools were to be established up to 2017 across a number of locations to cater for increasing pupil numbers.
At that time the Minister also announced new criteria and arrangements for the recognition of the new schools. The arrangements included the establishment of a New Schools Establishment Group, an independent advisory group, to advise the Minister on the patronage of the new schools following its consideration of a report prepared by Department officials. The New Schools Establishment Group reported to the Minister at the end of June.
Patrons were asked to provide evidence of parental demand when making an application for a new school. In addition, the criteria used in deciding on patronage included how the proposed schools under the respective patrons would provide for extending or strengthening diversity of provision in each area, having regard to the views of parents.
The Minister expressed his thanks to the members of the New Schools Establishment Group for their valuable input to the process. Minister Quinn said, “I initiated the revised system for the establishment of new schools and the appointment of the school patron so that it would be an objective and transparent process. The role of the New Schools Establishment Group is critical to achieving these aims and I want to thank them for their work in this area.”
Department officials will shortly contact each of the patron bodies in regard to the logistics of the establishment of these new schools.
Four new post-primary schools will open in September 2013, all of which will be under the patronage of the local Vocational Educational Committee (VEC).
Ten new post-primary schools will open in September 2014. Of these, four will be under VEC patronage, one will be under the patronage of Le Chéile Schools Trust, two will be under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta, one will be under the patronage of the Church of Ireland, one will be under the Patronage of Educate Together and one school will be under the joint patronage of a VEC and Educate Together.
In the case of both Maynooth, Co. Kildare and Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, the Department noted the high level of parental demand identified as part of this process for alternative language provision in these areas. In light of this, the Department will be making provision to cater for this alternative demand in both of these areas in the medium term.
The report of the New Schools Establishment Group to the Minister can be found at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School/New-Primary-Schools/?pageNumber=2. Minister Quinn accepted the recommendations of the Group in all cases.
