Yvonne O’Toole, the head at the Institute of Education, proudly observes streams of students bustling out during lunch outside the school entrance on Leeson Street, Dublin. This private tutelage college has dramatically witnessed an all-time high enrolment this year, with 1,650 students registering. Despite commanding annual fees of up to €11,000, the institute has overflowed with applications, creating a lengthy wait list, notably for the sixth year. Thousands more are anticipated to partake in imminent revision sessions. “We have grown to become the largest school in Ireland,” O’Toole announces, expressing immense pride in the institution and its accomplishments.
Ireland’s tuition sector is thriving, with value estimations ranging from €30 to €40 million per year. According to records, the Institute of Education, established over half a century ago, was recently acquired by Dukes Education, a UK-based school consortium, at a price of €135 million. The Dublin Academy of Education based in south Dublin’s Stillorgan, another top contender, is at full stretch too. Currently home to approximately 340 full-time students in the fifth and sixth years, it’s set to further enlarge next year, following a move to a bigger site in Blackrock.
Web-based private tutoring platforms have also begun to pique interest. One recent entrant is Grinds360, having secured over €3 million via investment rounds involving present and previous rugby stars such as Brian O’Driscoll, Caelan Doris, and Jordan Larmour. This service, offering ‘advanced AI technology’ and top-rated Irish educators who deliver ‘outstanding student results,’ offers access to nearly 19 subjects at €999 annually.
Numerous online competitors including Studyclix (with membership up to €75 per annum), as well as individual tutors offering private coaching across Ireland, usually charging €50 an hour, exist in the sector. A considerable rise in private tutoring is being observed in Ireland, well beyond the European average. The 2022 ESRI study notes that close to 60% of Leaving Cert pupils, an increase from less than 50% ten years prior, are now utilising private tutoring services.
Grind schools are notably prevalent among well-to-do families with professions in managerial or professional roles, aiming to provide their children a competitive advantage in the fight for CAO points. Professors Selina McCoy and Delma Byrne, the authors of the study, noted that the culture of grinds has been regularised due to the high severity of the Leaving Cert, and are now seen as a crucial element of exam success for numerous learners.
The demand for grind schools has surged, especially in the Covid era, as a result of grade inflation, higher CAO points and a sense of intensified competition for top-rated college programs. “The last few years have seen a phenomenal increase in the demand for grinds,” remarks Rónán Murdock, the CEO of Grinds360 and ex-grind school teacher.
The system has been met with much criticism. The view of the educational establishment is often that grind schools are akin to rigorous training camps where pupils are rigidly trained to generate flawless responses to potential queries based on marking schemes. Some contend that students attending full-time grinds lose their social connections and miss out on a comprehensive education that includes sports, extracurricular activities, and pastoral support.
Activists, like Professor Kathleen Lynch, argue generally that grinds exacerbate inequality by enabling the wealthiest to provide their offspring an unfair advantage in securing places on the most prestigious higher education courses.
Yet, grind schools take a different view. The Dublin Academy of Education, with its brightly lit, colourfully furnished classrooms packed to capacity, sees things differently. “We put more emphasis on academics rather than a holistic approach to shaping an individual,” shares School Principal, Ciarán Hartigan.
In contrast to public opinion, Hartigan suggests that grind schools are not focused on rote learning, cramming, or teaching to the test. He rejects the notion that a pupil can memorise a few essays, repeat them word-for-word in an exam and score full points. “That method has been obsolete since the ’90s. I’m not convinced it ever worked very well.” According to him, the main focus is on imparting a deep understanding of a topic through top-notch teaching, as well as guiding students on how to excel in exams.
O’Toole, from the Institute of Education, argues that the conventional image of a cramming school is misleading. She highlights that her “standalone school” currently provides athletic activities, and additional activities like disputes and robotics, with a significant emphasis on counselling and happiness. However, it remains unabashedly scholastic-centered.
“It’s vital to assert that this school doesn’t cater to everyone,” O’Toole professes. “We conduct interviews with potential students and inquire, ‘Is this the right school for you?’ You need to be industrious. You don’t need to achieve a score of 600. You may be aiming for a score of 450 – excellent – but you need to have the desire to work. It’s all about the drive to work.”
She mentions that the school’s admissions encompass scholars from across the city and the broader commuter zone. “Many of our parents find it challenging to cover the tuition fees. A lot of them resort to loans to pay them,” she pronounces. “They cherish education, and many have put away money for years to afford their children’s education at our institution.”
The rise in popularity of cramming institutions has initiated intense rivalry for the best educators. Authors of textbooks or State examination markers are particularly sought after. In some instances, the most respected educators receive substantial six-figure salaries.
Grinds360’s Murdock divulges that the company employs 15 teachers, 11 of those occupy full-time positions. Although highly regarded teachers can be recompensed with significant payments, they must put in considerable work for it.
“The workload significantly increases, though financial benefits are substantial,” Murdock says. “Grinds teachers like myself may receive a hefty income, but the work is hard and often requires dedication throughout the week, including weekends and evenings.”
The rise in cramming schools is starting to instigate discomforting debates about the standard of education within mainstream schools. A shortage of teachers in essential subjects means that many pupils have either limited subject options or may be instructed by an underqualified or “not specialized” teacher.
Often, parents remain oblivious to the struggles of schools due to the concerns of school heads about potential damage to their institution’s reputation. Particularly in the southern Dublin region, a substantial number of students are opting for grind schools.
Grind school owners suggest another allure to their establishments is the maturity of the students who seek more freedom and less regulation. Dublin Academy’s head, Hartigan, describes their setting as mirroring a “soft version” of college: there aren’t any uniforms, bells signalling class commencement or parent-teacher conferences. While mobile phones are prohibited in classrooms and study halls, they are permitted in general spaces.
Drawing from his personal encounters in conventional schools, Hartigan observes that senior students frequently grow tired of the prevailing educational culture and rules forced upon them.
Regardless of the high cost of grinds, their impact on enhancing students’ grades remains ambiguous. The latest ESRI study in this field discovered that private tuition seems to only benefit students with lower attainments, with negligible, if not zero, advantages for their average and high-achieving counterparts.
This leads to the query: Does this industry merely exploit the apprehensions of students and their parents about the Leaving Cert?
Murdock, from Grinds360, argues that, conversely, they are trying to alleviate students’ worries, with extra tuition supplementing the students’ mainstream education as opposed to replacing it.
He further adds, “The alternate viewpoint we provide can reinforce their responses. The intense pressure students face to complete courses and acquire points…is mitigated by the availability of online videos so they don’t miss any course content. It is effectively reducing stress, nothing more.”