Communities thrilled as Educate Together is awarded patronage of two new secondary schools in Wexford and Dublin
Educate Together is delighted to have been awarded patronage of two new secondary schools in Gorey, Co Wexford and Blackrock / Booterstown, Co. Dublin.
The patronage of these schools was decided through a Department of Education Online Patronage Process Survey. Families living in the designated areas selected their preferred patron via the survey. The results were then collated and sent to the independent New Schools Establishment Group, which recommended that Educate Together be granted patronage of a 500-student school in Gorey and a 1,000-student school in Blackrock / Booterstown / Dun Laoghaire.
Accommodation for the schools is currently being sourced by the Department of Education and Skills.
Says Daniel McCrea of the Blackrock / Booterstown / Dun Laoghaire Educate Together Secondary School campaign:
“ I cannot think of a more meaningful present! Knowing that children in my area will have the chance to learn with Educate Together is an amazing reward for all the hard work of the volunteers and staff at Educate Together. An exciting new chapter for education in our county – I’ll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight”
From Wexford, parent and campaign team member Joanne O’Grady in Gorey:
“We are very happy and excited to hear that Educate Together have won patronage of the new secondary school for Gorey. The new school will enhance the current provision available in the town and more students in Gorey will now have the opportunity to avail of their first choice, whether this is Creagh College, Gorey Community School or the new Educate Together Secondary School.
Most of all it is a relief for all families in Gorey that they will no longer face the pressure of waiting to hear whether a child has a place or not in their locality.
The campaign team would like to thank the staff and parents of Gorey Educate Together National School and the wider community for all their support and help over the past weeks.”
Speaking on behalf of Educate Together, CEO, Dr Emer Nowlan said:
“The results of these two patronage selection processes have again demonstrated the huge demand for equality-based education that exists in communities all over the country. We are pleased that these announcements enable us to respond to this demand in Dublin and Wexford.
In particular we are delighted for the parents and campaigners who have worked hard to achieve this result. We look forward to working with the Department of Education and the local communities to undertake the extensive work required now to establish these new schools in Gorey and Blackrock, where they are so badly needed.”
Enrolments for these two new schools will open in January. Principals will also be recruited early in the new year.
