Anyone have experience with Newpark Comprehensive?

[Cloudandsunshine]

Hi there,

My child has a place here and they would love to go to the school, however, we don't live in the locality so I am curious as to whether many other students would be travelling from other areas or if they mostly live around the school. The other option is close to our house but it doesn't have the same facilities, subject choices, extra curricular activities etc. as it is a small school. I'm also worried that they won't make many friends in the small school. So torn as to which is the better choice in the long run!

If you look at their feeder school list they take in children from as far apart as Greystones and Irishtown. I know a lot of families with DC attending/have attended and none of them are local in the sense of being walking distance. There's a large attendance from places like Dundrum (Taney) and Kilternan/Stepaside because they have large C of I parishes with a lot of young families.

Newpark is known as a very inclusive school, they'd have a lot of children with additional needs. I think a lot of kids do travel in.

Thank you for your reply, that is good to know. I don't know anyone who has kids going there but our kids aren't in a C of I school so maybe that's why! What kind of feedback have you heard?

Thanks SionnachRua, that makes sense alright. It's such a tough decision as it means a bit of a trek in the mornings too

I've heard good things about it. They have great resources and the teaching is good. I almost sent DS there but I felt that it wasn't structured enough and he would run wild so I sent him to a more traditional school (and that didn't suit him at all either). If you have the type of child who likes to try lots of different things then it's a very flexible school for that, but if you have the type of child who needs to be constantly pushed and needs quite a formal, rigid structure then one of the private schools would work better.

I'd agree with @BlackAmericanoNoSugar . Some kids need to be pushed that bit more and I don't think Newpark is the place for that. If your child is a creative sort or not as good with structure then Newpark is a good choice.

Doesn't need pushing and likes to try lots of things so would be very suitable in that respect. Our other options are ET schools so I don't know there would be any more structure I'm those! It really comes down to whether it's worth the hassle getting to and from versus the nearby school. I appreciate the feedback, thanks 😊

I went there and we had loads coming in from Bray, Greystones, Delgany, and from Balinteer and further out that way. I think that was because we got cohorts from DSP, Taney etc.

Wherever your DC is coming from it won't be an issue - it isn't a school where everyone lives locally at all.

Some kids need to be pushed that bit more and I don't think Newpark is the place for that.

This is 100% true - I know a lot of bright but unfocused kids who under-achieved academically at Newpark. I will say, most of them have achieved well thereafter.

Reassuring to know there are lots of kids coming from different areas. Definitely have to take into account what you're saying about bright kids underachieving though, it hasn't been a problem in primary but that could change change secondary as it did with me!

I have heard it prioritizes self expression over education. If your child is a self starter they may do well but otherwise thay may drift. The facilities are good by the looks of things though.

Sad to say Newpark has changed a lot in the last few years. It's still a great school, and outstanding for dc with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ASD, but it has lost a lot of its unique character, and become much more of a homogeneous south county Dublin school. It has great sports facilities, and if your child is a motivated, self starter they will do fine there.As PP have said, a lot of pupils in the middle ground seem to drift and underachieve which is a shame.

My older dc feel that the rot set in with the new building. When my eldest started there, they were in the original building which was a health and safety nightmare, and had been for quite a while. Consequently parents only sent their dc there because they really believed in the ethos, and really valued creativity, individuality, inclusivity, etc.It really stood out as being different.

When the new school building was finished, about 6/7 years ago, suddenly the applications went through the roof. Parents who would never have considered it before were beating the door down. Added to that many of the really good teachers, and the principal, have retired in the last few years. They were the type of inspirational, charismatic teachers that are very hard to replace and you can really tell the difference. The standard of teaching is very hit and miss now sadly. The new principal is a great guy, but I think he is fighting a hard battle.

IMO the new ET secondary schools are where Newpark was 20 years ago. True, they don't have the shiny new buildings or facilities, extra curriculars, etc , but the ones I have seen up close have really good staff with a great attitude and enthusiasm, much more open to new teaching ideas and technology. Newpark used to take a lot of pupils from the ET primaries but in the last few years many have been going into new ET secondaries so maybe it was inevitable that this would change the mix in Newpark. We went with an ET for our younger dc and don't regret it for a minute despite the lack of facilities. The pupil/teacher ratio is fantastic and dc get individual attention we could only have dreamt of in Newpark.

Choosing the right secondary school is a minefield, it depends so much on your dc, their style of learning, their character and interests and whether the school is a good fit for all that. Newpark was great for some of my dc but not right for others and I think its good to be open to that.

Feel free to DM if you'd like @Cloudandsunshine

Thanks so much @MrsMaiselsRedCoat, so much great information there. I might DM you later on!

I would have sent my son there, he was close to the top of the waiting list 7 years ago when due to start secondary, but they'd just opened the new building and no-one pulled out, so he went to a more typical south Dublin fee paying school. Newpark would have suited him much better.

Interesting discussion. I was talking to someone earlier in the week whose dc travelled from Ballinteer and felt it was well worth it. We were considering it for our kids but I feel it is too unstructured for dd. Ds might do better there and I think he'll be better in a mixed sex one way or the other, but I think he'll be a bit chewed up and spat out in Newpark. There's an ET opening in Sept at the top of Newtown Park Ave which will provide an alternative. I have to admit, I wasn't terribly impressed with the principal on an introductory webinar but dh did defend him that he'd only been appointed that week!

A good number of the kids leaving METNS (the closest ET primary) didn't get in in the last two years if they weren't siblings so many went to the Stepaside ET secondary. Newpark demand is huge. The new waiting list system will be interesting for the incoming year or two.

BlackAmericano, may I ask where you ended up for your DS? (I have decided for dd)

Wesley LucysSkyDiamonds. He didn't do at all well there, he disliked Wesley and Wesley very strongly disliked him so he moved. It's perfect for DD though, she loves it there.

Ah, right. Yes, one of dd's friends started in Wesley last year and loves it but there's no way it would suit ds. Think I might be back to looking at Gerald's.

We decided to go with the closer ET school over Newpark. The facilities would be nice in Newpark but after weighing it all up, we are happy enough with the decision.
@LucysSkyDiamonds the new ET school you mention must be opening up more places in Newpark as my dc's school is on the feeder school list b and was offered a place just a few weeks ago