Second Level Schools

As a parent, you are looking for an effective secondary school for your child. The most effective school for someone else’s child may not be the most effective for yours.

 

An effective school is one that contributes positively to your child’s development, academic results and general wellbeing. This is a more interesting perspective as it puts your child, rather than the school, at the centre of the decision. Your daughter is active: does the school have good sports facilities? Your son has dyslexia: will he be supported? Is the school of a suitable size? Will your child do well there?

There are practical indicators of a school’s effectiveness. Objectively effective schools tend to be flexible about subject choice and level. They are clear, consistent and fair in implementing discipline. Teachers in effective schools tend to have positive expectations of their students. Effective schools are well managed and they run smoothly.

Beyond those issues, factors such as location and school size are important in how they affect your child, but they have not been shown to have a significant impact on overall outcomes such as how well students do in exams as a whole. These factors may influence how well your child will fare and that is what you need to consider.

How to find out more:

OPEN DAYS
These are a great way to talk to teachers and students, and to have a look around the school, all in one go. Not all schools are good at publicising open days, so call the secretary’s office to enquire.

GRAPEVINE
Talk to other parents. The word on the ground can be surprisingly accurate. Beware of the sweeping, “Oh, X is the best school”. Don’t disregard it but use it as a springboard to find out more. Trust your own judgment. What’s best for others might not be best for your child.

ONLINE
Schools’ own websites vary considerably in quality and content but they can be useful. Sites such as citizensinformation.ie and schooldays.ie and are also helpful.

The Find a School feature on the Department of Education website, education.ie, is on the upper right-hand side of the homepage.

You can input a few details about the sort of school you want and it will give you a map with schools in your area. Click into any of them for details, including website address, pupil numbers and all available inspection reports.

St Audoen’s NS is not a feeder school for any specific secondary school(s).

 

However, please find below a list of schools where many of our past pupils have attended: