FAQ

Yes, all subjects are taught:

Irish
English
Mathematics
History
Geography
Science
Visual Arts
Music
Drama
Physical Education
SPHE (Social, Personal &  Heath Education)
* Ethical Education

Educate Together schools are run on a democratic basis, encouraging active participation by parents and students in the daily life of the school whilst positively affirming the professional role of the teachers.

Find out more about the democratic nature of Educate Together’s schools here

As at primary level, second-level schools are guided by the four principles of the Educate Together Charter (available to download below):

Learner-centred: The needs of students are considered first in all decisions. Students work together in mixed-ability classes for the majority of subjects and teachers use Twenty-first Century and active teaching approaches to enhance student engagement and learning.
Democratically-run: Students, parents, school management and teachers are involved in decision-making and planning. Each group is represented on the school’s Board of Management.
Equality-based: Students from all social, cultural, religious and non-religious backgrounds have equal rights and respect in the school. Everyone in the school community including staff and students are addressed on a first name basis.
Co-educational:
 The school is mixed (boys and girls). An active approach is taken to challenging gender stereotypes and ensuring all students reach their full potential.
Educate Together’s Second-level Blueprint (available to download below) underlines the commitment to a holistic educational experience where the development of students’ academic, social, sporting, artistic and musical skills is supported and encouraged through the school curriculum, co-curricular activities and cross-curricular teaching approaches.

Find your local second-level school here
Find your local second-level campaign group here
Find out more about Educate Together’s second-level schools here
Find out more about Ethical Education in our second-level schools here

Like many other schools in Ireland, Educate Together schools are state-funded and teach the National Curriculum. They are non-fee-paying schools and are open to students of all backgrounds. They are co-educational and have no school uniforms.

But they are much more than that: Educate Together schools work hard to instil a sense of equality and justice in students. They embrace the input of parents, students, staff and the wider community to improve the school in every way possible. They are committed to enabling students to achieve their full potential. All students are encouraged to explore their full range of abilities and are provided with equal opportunities regardless of their gender. Educate Together schools put students at the heart of all policies and practices. All children have equal access to school and no one religion or worldview is given priority over another in Educate Together schools.

Read, watch and listen to real stories from the students, staff and families involved in the Educate Together school movement here

Every school in Ireland has what is known as a ‘patron’. The patron is the body that establishes the school, appoints the Board of Management and directs the ‘ethos’ of the school.

School ethos generally refers to the core shared values, beliefs, attitudes and practices of an educational community. For instance, where Educate Together is patron, the ethos of the school is ‘equality-based‘ – no child is discriminated against on the basis of their social, cultural or religious background in either access to the school or within the classroom during the school day.

Find out more about school patronage in Ireland here
Read, watch and listen to real stories from the students, staff and families involved in the Educate Together school movement here

Educate Together is the patron body of the growing network of equality-based primary and second-level schools in Ireland. It is an independent NGO that runs schools that guarantee equality of access and esteem to children, irrespective of belief system, race, ethnicity, class, culture, gender, language and ability. Educate Together schools are learner-centred and are run as participatory democracies, with respectful partnership between parents, pupils and staff.

Today there are 92 primary schools and 17 second-level schools in the Educate Together network. The organisation became a company limited by guarantee in 1998 and has charitable status. It has a national office which provides representative and support services to existing schools and campaign groups. The Board of Directors of the organisation work in a voluntary capacity.

Read, watch and listen to real stories from the students, staff and families involved in the Educate Together school movement here.