The Learning Environment

An Dearcadh Foghlamha

As our school was one of the first community schools in Ireland and was to become a model for further development of such schools, it was provided with excellent facilities. It is located on a beautiful seventeen-acre site with extensive playing fields and new astro-turf pitches. Mature trees surround it. We have our own on-site leisure centre, complete with sports hall, swimming pool, sauna and gym.

Among the specialist rooms provided are two Engineering / Metalwork rooms, two Construction Studies / Materials Technology (Wood) rooms, a Technical Drawing / Technical Graphics room, three Art rooms, four Science laboratories, two Home Economics rooms and a Kitchen / Cooking area, two music rooms, and a theatre cum canteen. We have a modern computer laboratory with high speed fibre-optic access to the internet and wifi throughout the school. Networked computers are also available in every teaching area in the school. Students undertake computer study programmes in First Year and Transition Year.

Learning Support is provided for students with a range of learning difficulties, subject to the resources provided by the Department of Education and Science. In line with current thinking, our school favours main-streaming students with learning difficulties. This means that such students are integrated into regular classes and withdrawn for special help from learning support or resource teachers.