Synge Street CBS to welcome more students taught through English

In February, the school's board of management told the Department of Education the change to a gaelcholáiste would not go ahead next year.

A well-known all-boys Dublin school will welcome another intake of students to be taught through English after its teachers raised serious concerns about switching to a gaelcholáiste.

However, the school also plans to admit another separate intake of students from September 2026, who will be the first to be taught through Gaeilge.

As total immersion in the language is a key requirement for these students, they will be accommodated in another building on the school’s campus for their first year.

Following growing demand in the south Dublin area for Irish-medium, second-level education, the Department of Education announced last September that Synge Street CBS was to transition to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste from September 2026.

However, in February, the school's board of management told the Department of Education the change would not go ahead next year.

Teachers and the school’s board of management had called for the plans to be put on hold “until staff have been properly consulted".

The school is under the patronage of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST). In a statement issued by ERST on Wednesday evening, the school’s patron confirmed it met with Synge Street CBS’s board of management and school staff this week.

“It’s clear from these meetings that staff are understandably disappointed with and feel disrespected by the lack of consultation in the change of status process as well as the speed around which it has taken place. This is especially so because of the quality of their teaching and their strong commitment to the school and its pupils as evidenced by Synge Street’s excellent 2023 whole school evaluation.” 

Lack of consultation

The ERST added that it has also “become clear that given the lack of consultation, staff need more time to adjust to and prepare for the change of status.” The ERST has agreed with the Department of Education that there will be another intake of students taught through English in September 2026, the statement added.

“However, to ensure that the legitimate needs of those awaiting for the Gaelcholáiste are met, there will also be — as planned — an intake of students taught through Gaeilge in September 2026. Total immersion in Gaeilge is a key requirement for these students and to deliver that, these students will be accommodated in another building on the campus for their first year.” 

A number of other steps have been agreed by ERST with the Department of Education to support existing staff and the new school community with the transition to the Gaelcholáiste.

This includes the appointment of a príomhoide tánaisteach to Synge Street CBS to lead out on the development of the co-educational Gaelcholáiste.

The Department and ERST will also provide Synge Street CBS staff with a “comprehensive” upskilling programme to help current teachers prepare to teach in the Gaelcholáiste.

“Ongoing support and information will be provided to staff around the redeployment process for those who opt not to teach in the Gaelcholaiste and this process began this morning.”