School Ethos and Vision. Welcome

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1 School Prospectus

2 School Ethos and Vision Founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1858, Dominican College seeks to continue their commitment to providing high quality education in a caring and nurturing environment so that our students can best fulfil their potential and develop as independent, well-rounded and caring individuals. At Dominican College we seek to create an inviting place of learning which promotes respect, appreciation and care for each other and our environment. We want our students to be happy while in school as it is within such an environment that they can grow and learn most successfully. We strive to educate within a Catholic ethos while welcoming students from every religious tradition as well as students with no religious tradition. We welcome students of various faiths and nationalities, believing that we are all enriched by the experience and culture of our fellow human beings. We recognise the unique character of each student and nurture their spiritual, intellectual and physical growth. We are fully committed to educating our students as people of integrity and responsibility, encouraging them to use their gifts to contribute to a more just society. A spirit of co-operation, respect and understanding is encouraged between staff, students, parents and all those associated with our school. Welcome Students coming to Dominican College will experience a welcoming environment in which they can develop their abilities and talents to the fullest extent. We are a school with very high academic expectations and standards. These are promoted in a safe and happy environment, which enables our students to develop into caring, responsible, confident young adults who can make a worthwhile contribution to society. Welcome to Dominican College. I am proud to introduce our school to you and hope that this prospectus will give you an insight into the special qualities of Dominican College and the outstanding all-round education we offer. Dominican College has a long and distinguished history of providing excellent education for the girls of Galway dating back to We are very proud of the broad curriculum we offer, our excellent academic results, our first-class facilities and the exceptional array of extra-curricular activities we provide. We seek to promote the holistic development of each student, focusing on the academic, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual development of each individual. Through our pastoral system we work to foster a caring, supportive environment in which each student can feel secure and valued. We aim to help our students develop personal and life skills which are essential as they prepare to take their places in a challenging, modern society. Our dedicated teachers have a genuine interest in the development, progress and wellbeing of each student. They work consistently to support each girl in the achievement of her potential and strive to meet the demands of an ever changing society and work-place, by ensuring that the curriculum is relevant and challenging. We do our very best to provide all the supports necessary for students to achieve to the best of their abilities. We are very proud of our students and their achievements. I hope that this prospectus will give you a sense of what our school is like and will assist you in deciding on the next stage of your daughter s education. Additional information may also found at ALAN KINSELLA PRINCIPAL

3 Academic Excellence Dominican College has a long and proud tradition of academic excellence. Students excel in their Leaving Certificate examinations each year with many achieving 600 points or more and scoring significantly above the national average across the board. Indeed Dominican College was the only school in Ireland to have students in both 2013 and 2014 achieve A1 grades in 8 Leaving Cert higher level subjects! Taylor s girls have progressed to and excelled in all the universities and colleges in Ireland including NUIG, Trinity College, UCD, UCC, UL and DCU. Others have gone on to study at universities abroad including Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard. Each year our students win scholarships to universities in Ireland and beyond. Why Come to Dominican College? Dominican College has the following to offer your daughter: A long-standing tradition and culture of success, achievement and excellence in the academic, sporting, artistic and scientific arenas. High expectations of students in all they do, be it academic, sporting or cultural. Outstanding success in Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations. A wide ranging curriculum. A vibrant, enthusiastic and dedicated teaching staff who are committed to helping students achieve their potential. This academic excellence and success is not only evident in the Junior and Leaving Cert results achieved by our students but can also be seen in their success in other academic areas aside from examinations. Our girls are regular exhibitors and winners at the BT Young Scientist and SciFest competitions. Recently two of our students won the John Hooper Medal for Statistics and came 2 nd in the International Statistical Literacy Program in Hong Kong. Teachers work hard to ensure that each student is encouraged to meet her full potential. We provide additional supports such as after-school study, homework club and learning support to help the girls achieve all they are capable of. Extra-Curricular Activities A welcoming and friendly environment for pupils. A strong sense of community within the school. Excellent care and support systems. A wide range of extra-curricular activities including hockey, basketball, Gaelic football, soccer, athletics, Run Club, debating, Glee Club, choir, music lessons & annual school-musical amongst others. Excellent facilities including 2 computer suites, 4 state of the art Science labs, 2 Home Economics rooms, Art room, computers & data-projectors in every classroom, a fully equipped gym, an astro-turf pitch and a full sized sports hall. Our past-pupils have become successful in all the professions including medical, legal, business, journalism, education, engineering, art, drama and many others. We do all that we can to make sure our students achieve their full potential.

4 Pastoral Care In accordance with the Dominican philosophy of education which seeks to educate the whole person, Dominican College is noted for its pastoral approach and concern for the welfare of each student in its care. We have a strong support system in place which consists of a Care Team, Guidance Counsellors, Year Heads for each year group and Class Tutors for each class group. We recognise the fact that young people often require a little help to cope with some of the difficulties they may encounter. We seek to do that in as caring a manner as possible. Curriculum The curriculum offered in Dominican College is designed to give each student the opportunity to realise her full potential and to develop her interests and talents. Students follow a broad range of subjects and are given a wide variety of learning experiences. Extra-Curricular Activities We believe strongly in the importance of giving our students a wide range of educational experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Extra-curricular activities play an important role in this as they provide the girls with opportunities to take part in a variety of sports, clubs, hobbies etc. which allow them to have fun, learn new skills, make new friends and work effectively with others. We encourage all our girls to take part in extracurricular activities and offer a wide range of options. These include: Sport: Hockey, Soccer, Gaelic Football, Camogie, Athletics, Basketball, Run Club, After-School Gym. Culture: Art Creative Engagement, Glee Club, Annual School Musical, Annual Taylor s Talents Show, Visits to Theatres, Concerts, Museums & Exhibitions, Seachtain na Gaeilge, Guitar Lessons, Book Club. Science: BT Young Scientist, SciFest, Coding Club. Social Awareness: Young Social Innovators, Green Schools, local and national fund-raising events. Other Areas: Debating, Toastmasters, Lunchtime Club, Gaisce, Mock Trial Competition, Investment Club. Recent achievements in these extra-curricular areas include: 2015 & 2014 under-19 FAI All-Ireland Senior Schools Soccer Champions 2015 under-15 FAI All-Ireland Under-15 Soccer Champions 2015 FAI All-Ireland 1 st Year Soccer Runners Up 2015 West of Ireland Individual Debating Champion 2014 winner of the All-Ireland Schools Talent Search 2014 National finalists in the National Mock Trial Competition and the Mock Trial World Championship in New York Dominican College follows the curriculum set down by the Department of Education & Skills which may be amended from time to time in accordance with the Education Acts 1998 & Junior Cycle Three Year Programme The subjects taken by students in Junior Cycle include: English / Irish / Maths / French or German / Geography/ History / Science/ Business Studies / Art, Craft & Design / Home Economics / Music / Religion / ICT/ PE / CSPE / SPHE / Choir / Career Guidance. Senior Cycle Two Year Programme Core Curriculum Subjects: English / Irish / Maths / French or German / Religion / PE / Career Guidance. Optional Subjects: Accounting / Art / Biology / Business Studies / Chemistry / Geography / History / Home Economics / Music / Physics.

5 Reports and Parents Meetings Reports on each student s progress are sent home twice yearly. Formal meetings for parents of students in each year group are held annually. On these occasions parents and teachers can meet to discuss the progress being made by the student or any other matter of mutual concern. Parents are encouraged to come to these meetings as they allow us to build up the strong links between home and school which are of benefit to the students. If parents wish to discuss their daughter s progress with a member of staff at any other time, they should contact the school office to make an appointment with the appropriate member of staff. Leaving Cert Vocational Programme This is an enhanced programme offered alongside the traditional Leaving Cert. Places on this programme are allocated on the basis of each student s subject choices at senior cycle. Candidates study two modules over the two years: Enterprise Education and Preparation for the World of Work. Students then take an extra exam at the end of 6 th Year with the possibility of achieving a further 70 points. Transition Year Transition Year is an optional one year programme offered to all students after completing their Junior Certificate. This year offers students the opportunity to bridge the transition from Junior to Senior Cycle. The focus of the year is on providing the students with a wider educational experience and a balance between academic and practical studies. It encourages personal and social development and recognises the need for students to grow in independence. The TY programme in Dominican College has been very successful over the past number of years and the feedback from students and parents alike has been very positive. The development of the girls confidence, maturity, team-working skills and communication skills are particularly evident. Learning Support We are particularly proud of the support which we give to students with special educational needs at both ends of the spectrum gifted students and students with learning difficulties. This support operates on a number of levels. Each class teacher takes into account the needs of each individual student and provides differentiated learning opportunities to both challenge and support students. We also have dedicated learning support teachers who provide designated students with one-to-one or small group support to help enhance their learning. Monitoring Progress In Dominican College we aim to foster the academic achievement of each student to the full extent of her potential. Teachers regularly monitor the progress of students. At whole-school level we have procedures in place for identifying, at an early stage, students whose work is not up to the standard expected of them so that we can take steps to encourage and further support their progress. Student Leadership Active student involvement in the running of the school is strongly encouraged. In this regard we have a student representative council which provides a line of communication between students, management, staff and parents. This forum represents the views of the student body on matters of concern to them. Our Students Council is made up of elected representatives from every year group. The position of Prefect is one of responsibility and leadership. Becoming a prefect forms a valuable part of a pupil s personal development, opening their mind to new levels of responsibility and participation in a very positive way. Prefects are a tremendous help to the school and play a particularly important role in mentoring younger pupils. Parents Association We are fortunate in having a very active and enthusiastic Parents Association which engages on an on-going basis with school management to enhance the educational provision for all the children in the school. This committee, formed to promote and support co-operation between school and home, meets once a month and works tirelessly on behalf of the school. Their annual activities include organising the student insurance each year, giving a parent s perspective on school policies, assisting with the school musical, organising the Debs and running the annual summer fete. We would encourage all parents to get involved in the association.

6 Facilities At Dominican College we are very fortunate in having excellent facilities which allow us to deliver the school curriculum to the highest standards. These facilities include: A modern school building 4 state of the art Science labs 2 ICT suites School library Computers & data-projectors in every classroom International size Astro-Turf hockey pitch Full sized sports hall with international size basketball court Fully equipped fitness suite.

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