St Mary’s Primary School, located in the heart of Dublin, is set to be the first Catholic primary school in the country to shift to Educate Together patronage. This move aligns with the Government’s strategy of supporting the transition from religious to multi-denominational school patronage, where such a conversion is sought after.
Throughout the 2022/23 academic year, St Mary’s was among various schools in the Dublin Archdiocese involved in the Government’s pilot reconfiguration scheme. An education consultative exercise was carried out with the St Mary’s school community by a Department of Education-appointed facilitator and the Archdiocese’s education secretariat.
Initially, the school community chose to transition to multi-denominational patronage. Subsequently, they showed a preference for the school to become an Educate Together institution.
Even though almost 90% of the 3,600 primary schools in Ireland still retain a Catholic ethos, only about 170 – barely 5% – are multi-denominational. The move to shift patronage from religiously-led schools has been slow over the past ten years or more, and has caused some divisions in certain instances.
The Government may not meet its target of having 400 multi-denominational primary schools, representing nearly 12% of all primary schools, by the decade’s conclusion. In line with the majority of the St Mary’s school community, Archbishop Farrell sent a letter to the Education Minister, Norma Foley, on Monday, April 15th, stating his intention to change patronage.
He complimented the devotion of Eadaoin Kelly, the school principal, and her staff to the education and pastoral care of the students at St Mary’s School, expressing wishes of blessings as they embark on this new journey. He acknowledged the service of the Christian Brothers and Religious Sisters of Charity in educating countless generations at St Joseph’s Parish’s original primary schools on Berkeley Road, before the formation of St Mary’s School.
Emer Nowlan, the CEO of Educate Together, expressed her delight in gaining this “dynamic inner-city school community” within their network.
The St Mary’s School has a rich past as a successful catholic institution that’s consistently adapted to meet the evolving requirements of the local community. Its present patron and the local parish have been supportive during this evolution. The school is now eager to collaborate with the parents, teachers, students, and the community to ensure a smooth transition.
The decision to adapt reflects the attempts to embrace the community’s “rich diversity”, according to Eadaoin Kelly. The school is attentive to the children’s needs and places them at the heart of all operations. Going through the restructuring process has led the school to comprehend that being equality-based in patronage is the most suitable for all the diverse families. The school is keen to maintain its inclusive approach as an Educate Together member and is excited to share knowledge with other schools in the network.
Considering this a progressive stride for the future of Irish education, Yasmine Othman, parent of two students in the school, reflects that this evolution will have an outstanding gradual influence on the holistic development of the children in a modern Ireland. Parents are keenly anticipating this thrilling new journey in partnership with Educate Together.
Ms. Nowlan mentioned that the change in patronage is likely to appeal communities that are not close to major cities as there is minimal possibility of new schools opening up under current government policies. She expressed enthusiasm for the new possibilities the transfer offers for communities across the country, stating that the opportunity to choose Educate Together should not be dictated by geographical location. The hope is that the Department of Education’s new restructuring process will allow school communities across various areas to be a part of their network.