Parents seek second-level Educate Together school

THE success of a Educate Together multi-denominational primary school has led to huge demand for a second-level school under the same umbrella.

Since last November a group of Waterford city parents has been meeting every week, following a first public meeting on the idea of founding the school.

The committee has pre-enrolled more than 220 children to begin at the school between 2009 and 2017 but the project’s future depends on the approval of Educate Together’s application to become a patron for second-level schools.

“Around 150 are already attending the Waterford Educate Together school but nearly one-third of those already enrolled are pupils at other schools, which is a reflection of the interest in the ethos of the school,” said committee chairperson Maria Cahill.

“The idea is to have a school which is not just multi-denominational, but which recognises the views of parents and is student-centred,” she said.

The 10 children who finished at the Educate Together primary school in Tycor last month will begin classes at six different second level schools in September.

But the committee has already identified a suitable site for their planned second level school, part of which has already been earmarked for a Gaelcholáiste. The primary school in Waterford attracts pupils from all directions and one family travels up and down from New Ross to have their children taught there.

Ms Cahill has a son in first class and a daughter beginning junior infants this autumn.

“My son has a complete respect and awareness of all the cultures and backgrounds represented in his school, and an understanding of the different religious festivals that are marked. If my children can grow up with that kind of ethos, it can only be a good thing,” she said.