Co-educational Schools

In Educate Together’s co-educational schools, students are encouraged to explore their full range of abilities and are provided with equal opportunities regardless of their gender.

For Educate Together, ‘co-education’ goes far beyond its traditional meaning of educating girls and boys together. We recognise the crucial role schools have to play in tackling gender inequality. Our schools develop comprehensive programmes to counter gender stereotyping in all its forms. Our schools encourage and support the wide variety and range of talents among students irrespective of gender. We think that encouraging an ability amongst children to have respectful relationships between girls and boys is a vital part of preparing them for their future in a society where hopefully there will be increasing equality between genders.

LGBT identity at school

Educate Together schools provide an environment in which the identity of each child is equally respected and celebrated. LGBT issues are specifically addressed in the Ethical Education curriculum – a key component of the Educate Together school model.

Educate Together schools have been proactive in ensuring that school libraries, from Junior Infants up, contain books with children from same-sex families as well as characters who identify as LGBT. Educate Together is also committed to tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying in all its forms. In partnership with BeLonGTo Youth Services, Educate Together has offered professional development courses for teachers challenging homophobia; an initiative which was long overdue in Ireland. Educate Together has been glad to have had great support from organisations such as BeLonGTo and TENI (Transgender Equality Network Ireland) – two organisations with tremendous expertise in this area.

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