My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Craicnet

Gaelscoils, anyone have any experience?

5 replies

user1473882712 · 17/01/2017 20:15

HI there, I;m just wondering if any Irish mumsnetters had any experience with Gaelscoils? We are hoping our dc will get a place in our local one, dc is currently no 80 on the new families list, a sibling policy is in operation so siblings get first refusal, the school has 2 junior infant classes so 60 is the max, we are no 80, the school said siblings take around 30-40 places so I guess in reality we havn't a hope of getting a place? Anyone on here have any experience of the waiting lists in these schools? Also if you have kids in a Gaelscoil what have your experiences been like? We don't know what to expect if we get a place, particularly in how they teach reading & maths

OP posts:
Report
MrsDustyBusty · 18/01/2017 17:36

What do you think would be the issues with reading and maths? They do the same as the other schools- why wouldn't they?

Report
user1473882712 · 18/01/2017 23:20

I should have phrased it better... I meant as in do they use phonics for Irish the same as in English & also if maths is complicated to follow when they go up the years. we are worried we won't be able to assist with translations...

OP posts:
Report
MrsDustyBusty · 19/01/2017 08:10

You shouldn't need to assist with translation. They don't get their work in Irish, translate to English, do the work, translate it back to Irish and hand it up. They just do it. There is a phonics system for Irish reading they use and some use jolly phonics for English reading but it's a different language so the same phonic system doesn't apply to both.

Report
user1473882712 · 19/01/2017 08:26

Thanks for that, we really don't know what to expect, the school in question is very good but we want to be able to assist our dc as much as possible when needed & we're a bit apprehensive that we won't be much use!
Have you kids in Gaelscoil Mrs Dusty?

OP posts:
Report
MrsDustyBusty · 19/01/2017 08:34

No, too young yet but she's down for one. I taught in one, years ago now. Honestly, it's not that different. They just speak Irish. The kids adjust very quickly and easily and parents can attend classes in the evenings if they wish - friends of mine who have children in gaelscoileanna do that. You will find that you learn as the children improve anyway and while most adults believe that they know little Irish, you will be astonished to find out just how much you did learn and do recall when your children are using it.

If their ability to learn Irish isn't up to it (some children do struggle with second language acquisition), that will be clear pretty quickly and you can transfer them at that stage.

But the key thing is that it's still a department of education school with the same curriculum and requirements as every other school. Literally the only difference is that they work through a different language.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.