Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh

Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh is an all-boys Voluntary Catholic Secondary School under the trusteeship of the Presentation Brothers Schools Trust (P.B.S.T.). The school was founded in 1964 with the aim of providing a Christian education for the boys of Bishopstown and the adjoining parishes. In an age when the focus of education in Irish secondary schools tended to be rather narrow, both in terms of the type of curriculum offered to students and in terms of the whole concept of what constituted a good education, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh broke new ground. In its early years, an expanded curriculum, embracing a full range of traditional academic subjects as well as many technological subjects, set the school in the foreground of modern education and prepared it to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. Accompanying this curricular expansion was a new view of education which put a considerably increased emphasis on the total development of the person through the medium of a broad range of extra-curricular activities.

From its earliest years, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh established itself as a centre of academic excellence. A measure of its success in this regard has been the consistently high standard achieved by its students in the Certificate Examinations each year and the regularity with which students of Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh have featured in the U.C.C. University Entrance Scholarship list in an almost unbroken sequence since 1969. Side by side with the development of this tradition has been the development of another equally proud one – an enviable record of extra-curricular achievement at local, national and international level.

The school is grant-aided by the Department of Education and Science. Since 1992, with the withdrawal of the Presentation Brothers from the direct management of the school, the position of Principal has been occupied by a lay person. In 2009, the Presentation Brothers handed over the trusteeship of the school to a lay trust – the Presentation Brothers Schools Trust (P.B.S.T.). The trust continues its involvement in the school through its representation on the Board of Management, four of whose members are directly appointed by the trust. Current Board Members are: Mr. Donal Hurley (Chairperson), Dr. Grace Neville, Mr. Declan O’Connell, Mr. Dan Hinds, Ms. Lorna Drinan, Mr. Philip O’Sullivan, Dr. Paddy Ryan, Ms. Maire Calnan. The Principal acts as secretary to the Board. The Principal of the school is Mr. Michael Sexton. The Deputy Principal is Mr. Michael Foley.

The Parents’ Council meets with the school authorities on a regular basis and organizes events for the general parent-body. The students elect members to the Student Council, which serves as a valuable medium of communication with the teaching staff.

Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh employs nearly fifty teachers including two Guidance Counsellors and two Learning Support teachers. It also employs four Special Needs Assistants and three ancillary staff. The school offers a three-year Junior Cycle, followed by Transition Year and a two-year Leaving Certificate programme. Subjects offered at Junior Certificate level include Gaeilge, English, Mathematics, History, Geography, French, German, Science, Religious Education, C.S.P.E, Physical Education, Computer Studies, Business, Technical Graphics, Art, Materials Technology (Wood) and Music.

At Leaving Certificate level an extensive range of subjects includes Gaeilge, Mathematics, English, French, German, Accounting, Art, Business, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Geography, History, Physics, Construction Studies, Design and Communication Graphics and Applied Mathematics.

Students from Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh regularly compete in the Young Scientists Competition, Mathematical and Science quizzes, general knowledge quizzes and the following extra-curricular activities: gaelic football, hurling, soccer, basketball, tennis, debating, chess, mountaineering, golf, fishing, athletics and sailing.

The school day begins at 8.40 a.m. and finishes at 3.50 p.m. (12.50 p.m. on Wednesday). School reports are issued following the Christmas and summer examinations. Parent teacher-meetings are held throughout the school year. Parents are invited to contact their son’s class teacher if they are concerned about any matter.

A voluntary contribution is requested annually to cover twenty-four hour personal accident insurance for all pupils, extra-curricular activities, games, travel expenses, photocopying and other expenses. The contribution is necessary as the capitation grant received from the Department of Education and Science does not provide sufficient funds.

Since 1998 Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh has run the Edmund Rice Action Camp to develop Youth Leadership and provide recreational facilities for young people during the summer.

ERAC work for the children is inspired by much the same sentiments as are expressed by Dorothy Law Nolte (1924-2005) in her poem,

‘Children Learn What They Live’ (1998):
“If a child lives with encouragement,
They learn confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
They learn to appreciate !”

An article, “Young Adults are role models for children“, describing this programme was prepared for the Golden Jubilee booklet of the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in 2010.

Golden Jubilee 2014

For the last 50 years our parish has been well served by Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh. On Wednesday the 8th October nearly a thousand young men, teachers, religious, retired teachers, parents, friends and guests gathered in our magnificent church to celebrate the foundation of Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh. Congratulations and Happy Birthday.