Moving back to Ireland from the UK with a primary-age child — Irish

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Namechanged as we haven’t yet told our families! Moving back to Ireland after 20 years abroad, and have a child who will be going into second class in the Irish system after being educated in England. We’ve got a school place we’re happy with, but haven’t yet talked to the Head or class teacher.

Can anyone who’s done this give me any advice on how you got your child up to speed on Irish from zero? And any other advice on moving from an English state primary to an Irish primary?

Go raibh maith agat!

I don't know if fashionable is the right term. ET schools are in demand/over-subscribed. There are more people from non-RC (or CoI) families, and more people who do not believe in any god, and therefore more people who don't want a faith based school. I don't think that their beliefs are a fashion.

They are the most popular type of new school anyway. I have no issue with that. My DC2 at ET

We moved home to Dublin from London four years ago, DD1 went from Year two into first class (she questioned that a lot!) as that's where a place came up. She could have gone into second class but would have been very young for the year, as most children in her small C of I school are 5 starting. She was ahead in English and Maths but I suppose she essentially went back a year. Really it was no harm as it took her more time to settle in than I anticipated, she missed her little friends in London. She found Irish difficult initially but has caught up. I bought flashcards to help her.

My youngest daughter went straight into junior infants, they only started written Irish homework last year but did a lot of games, days of the week, songs etc in Irish in junior and senior infants.

DD1 loves that there is no homework at the weekends and the shorter school day. She's now in fifth class but we can't apply for secondary school until next autumn, she's in a feeder school for the local secondary and we're in the catchment area. So I'm assuming it will be no problem!

@Rosiemary, we’re about to move back, and DS will be going into second class from UK Year Three, again because that’s where the place is at a full school. But I’ve just ordered his textbooks, and I worry that it’s too easy for him in English and Maths. But it will be a big change and he will be learning Irish from scratch, so maybe that’s ok?

My friend moved back from England and joined into 1st class at the time. Is an Irish teacher herself now, so didn't do her any harm.
Your kids will be grand. And don't freak out about secondary schools, I've never known anyone to put their name on a list for one from birth, and equally I've never known anyone not to get into one 😂

@SorrowfulMystery, he'll be fine. He can settle in socially and get up to speed on Irish. Good luck with your move.

DD1 used to shake her teacher's hand at the end of every day and say "thank you and good afternoon, Miss Kelly", as that was what she had to do in London. The teacher couldn't get over her! She doesn't do it any more!

Thanks, and thanks for the good wishes. I am probably worrying over nothing, because I'm ambivalent about the move myself in some ways! I've been gone a very long time, and I realise I'm moving back to a very different country to the one I left.

I just don't want him to be bored by too-easy work, or to have to be moved into third class after a bit if he's settled in with his class, especially as he's starting mid-year. But on the other hand, in some ways it wouldn't be a bad thing for him to have an academically easy ride while he comes to terms with Irish and the general change.

DS moved from U.K. aged 5 and we were worried about him learning Irish but he's flying it. I think he enjoys it as it's stretching him a bit.
I struggle to test him on spellings as I can't pronounce the words properly and had him in fits a few times when I've got the pronunciation seriously wrong. I'm a Northern bird so say the words as if they're English with flat vowels as I'm clueless. DH is much better than me as he's Scottish and understands a bit of Scots Gaelic.

This website has lots of books and cds of songs for children. A lot of teachers use it as a resource for teaching Irish www.futafata.ie/

Our school PA do a book rental. Hand over €40 and get a bag of books with DS's name on it. They also cover stationary and everything else. I only have to sort his lunchbox, bag, uniforms (mostly generic) and a pencil case.
It's honestly brilliant.

Teachers tend to give extra work to the brighter children or those who complete their work ahead of the rest of the class. They normally have a book in their schoolbags to take out and read if they've finished their work.

When my children were in primary school one of their teachers recommended getting them to watch the cartoons on TG4 and said even if they don't understand it the sounds are being absorbed and it will help them pick up Irish.