Anyone's kids at PBC, CBC, Bandon Grammar?

[mishmased]

Trying to plan ahead for next year. Child is in 5th class and our top two preferences are Pres and Christians. Bandon is a backup, a bit far but close to my place of employment.
Just wondering if anyone has kids at any of the schools? I attended both Pres and Christians open evenings and I was very impressed at both especially Christians.
Pres is closer to us distance wise whilst Christians is on the other side of town. Any experience on the schools will be appreciated.

My DC are beyond primary school now but our "voluntary" contributions were €150 or more for first child, slight discount for additional family members. PTA were also 90% focused on fundraising. Plus we bought our own books. School did move to book rental at the end of our time there so hopefully there was a lot less waste in workbooks and copybooks.

We paid for milk but the school stopped doing it whilst my DC were there. Too much hassle, not enough children wanting it. Probably translated into it's much easier to deal with water spillages than milk spillages.

I think it might be difficult for schools to deal with free lunches if it hasn't been built in from the beginning, you need a large canteen in addition to your PE hall and staff to deal with it. My DC just ate in their classroom which might be less overwhelming for a quiet or anxious child.

Yes, the Gaelscoil entry system really effs up the system for other schools and families. It's possibly one of only three or four schools in the south west quadrant that is a properly mixed school. Other schools are stand-alone single sex, or side-by-side single schools which operate completely independently of each other.

Yes, I agree that primary schools in Cork are very good, obviously you will get an "odd" teacher here and there, but get talking to any little person from any part of the city and they will LOVE school, mostly. The DEIS system really helps to balance things between children from areas of advantage and areas of disadvantage at primary level.

@mishmased honestly, I have no idea, it seems very far down but just keep in mind that some of these boys will also be on the waiting list for CBC and PBC. She could ring the school secretary and ask what number they reached on the list in the last couple of years. If there are 2 classes completing 6th class in the Gaelscoil the same year as her son there might actually be less pressure on places as a higher number of boys based locally may be hoping for places in Ghaelcholáistí (Ballincollig, South Terrace and Glanmire) What is her Plan B?

€150 is mad regardless of sibling discount! I'd say the max I'll pay now is €100 for both kids every year.
My colleague's child is number 12 on the waitlist for a school in Bandon (she's from Ballygarvan). He got a place in Christians but she would rather Spioraid Naoimh as there's a direct bus from her house to school. She's torn between not paying the 2k to accept the place and then him not getting a place in the Bandon school. I'm taking tips from her and my neighbour for next year 😂

Interesting, the irony is that by holding onto the CBC place she is preventing a place freeing up on the Spioraid Naoimh list! Yes, that bus that serves SN and MMC is very handy. Has she looked at Kinsale Community College? Their top students managed 625 points in 2022. Mixed school, new build, excellent facilities, rapidly moving up the schools performance league. Watch out for The Sunday Times in December, I think that is the time they publish tables. But take it all with a big pinch of salt, geographic location is actually one of the biggest predictors of progress to 3rd level education and the private school parents can afford for their daughter or son to first year of college and then back to first year for a different course which skews the percentages.

That's so true! I don't think any of his friends are going that far and not sure if the buses from her house to Kinsale.
Funny thing my neighbour is similar. She wants PBC for son but he got Spioraid Naoimh (did not apply to CBC which she now regrets) he is number 11 on the PBC waiting list. She has accepted the place in SN but hoping for Pres. So they are both holding g on to places they don't really want so as not to be left without a place (if that makes sense).

@SageRosemary you need zero extra spaces for the free lunches. They all come delivered pre packed up and heated up. No work for the school apart from handing them out. Certainly no canteen facilities needed. My son is in a deis level 1 school for an asd class so we get them.

I was going on my experience of visiting a DEIS secondary school for DC's extra curricular activities. One, a most amazing large canteen space with basic kitchen facilities off it and then, probably nearer the senior corridors they have fold out tables with bench seating attached. Many picnic tables outside too. All this in addition to a huge gymnasium/theatre/assembly hall with mezzanine galleried seating and extra tables.

Another school was undersubscribed and had two classrooms set up for breakfast club near a kitchen.

My DC eat their homemade sandwiches in their cramped home classroom. At LC, the joy is they get a microwave and a kettle and can bring something a bit different. And, LC have priority over younger classes for the limited outdoor picnic seating. The rest of the school sprawls on the grass margins on sunny days.

@SparkyBlue I'm curious as to who does the handing out and clearing up. I know the teachers at primary and secondary for my DC are very much we are here to teach to the best of our ability, full stop. Do they have additional staff, like dinner ladies? Does school provide plates and cutlery? Is it disposable trays and disposable cutlery? (Take away their green flags!😂) It's great that children that will get a hot meal if they wouldn't otherwise, great for working parents too that they could opt for a hot meal at their workplace and not have to cook something hot/complicated at teatime so it frees up time to help with homework.

@SageRosemary all wooden cutlery. The meals come in biodegradable cardboard boxes. This school would be unusual as it gets extra extra funding (very deprived area) so lots of extra staff . It would also have breakfast club and after school homework club at no extra cost. It's an absolutely amazing school my dc is thriving.

Wooden cutlery is my nightmare! Can't bear the feel of it in my mouth. I'd have been asking my mother to send in kiddie cutlery for me.

Really glad your son is doing so well there.

Education is the key to getting out of poverty, legally, so I love to see resources being allocated where they are most needed.

My eldest DC has done some homework club volunteering as part of her college course, in a secondary school, she absolutely loved it, tutoring students 1:1 and got the feeling they loved her too.

Secondary schools in the Limerick area have moved to a CAO type of application. Not sure if they all participate but I can definitely see one private school on the list. Maybe all counties will participate in a similar system eventually. It would reduce the number of schools that any one student would be on.

Hmm, not sure. In 2024 Pres got 11 625s with ~111 students and CBC got 13 with ~150 students. People have the impression that CBC is better cause the principle always ensures the papers and cameras are there on results day. Similarly at the open night he is a real salesman. Pres are a bit more understated. Both schools you can't go wrong with.

I was going to say exactly this. The only I know the exact number of Pres LC students with top grades is because DS just started in first year, and it was on the parental app!

I’m not convinced that the emphasis on publicity isn’t because the Christians ‘brand’ isn’t slipping slightly? Several of my friends are married to old CBC boys, or their fathers/brothers all went there, but none of them sent their own sons, even those living in St Luke’s, Montenotte etc. I’ve heard other parents who were doing the same school circuit as us last year say the open evening was unimpressive (though I thought they were all unimpressive, including that of the school we ended up going with!)

DS got into Pres with no previous connections. He chose it over Ashton (where he was on the waiting list, with no CofI or sibling link, but it moved fairly fast and he was offered a place in February but turned it down) just on the grounds of proximity, as we live close by. I left it up to him. I would have preferred Ashton, just because it’s mixed.

It’s only been a week, but so far I’m cautiously optimistic. The snag is the large numbers of first years who come directly from two feeder schools, meaning it’s tougher for kids like DS who know literally no one. His friends from (mixed) primary have gone to Ashton, Glenstal, Spioraid Naomh, Scoil Mhuire, the Educate Together secondary, Douglas Comm, Christ the King, St Angela’s and probably others.

A friend in the city whose son went to Brandon Grammar said he only allowed him to take the place if he got himself there and back under his own steam daily, which he did.

Honestly, I think the teaching will be pretty similar wherever you go, so I’d choose on the grounds of geography and subjects available. Pres, for instance, doesn’t offer music. Or whatever woodwork/metal work etc is called now.

If it matters, Pres first years also have rugby after school 3.30 till 5 twice a week after school, and on Saturday morning 9 to 10.15. If that clashes with other commitments, it may be a reason to swerve. They don’t get to explore other sports till after Christmas, but I’m hoping DS (who is bored by rugby) may get into rowing.

@ChandelierDrop glad to hear your son is settling well so far. My DS is in third year, only played rugby until Christmas of first year and was also the only one from his primary school to go to PBC. By the end of first year the primary school groups had mostly disbanded other than a few who travel to and from school together possibly. DS has a core group of friends from about 5 different primary schools now, main feeders included. The one thing the rugby in first year does really well is bond the class group, most of DS's friends still play and this year it is every day after school as well as Saturdays and they were in pre-season training over the summer too but it doesn't seem to affect DS in his friendship group. I do think that going to the bigger matches (junior and senior cup) as a supporter seems more important in PBC than it was for my DD to go to hockey matches in her time in MMC.
The rowing is great too, my eldest DS - long gone from PBC now, rowed until 5th year and that too was a huge commitment, at least three days a week after school, before school gym sessions and weekends was the norm in 4th and 5th year and from what I hear from younger DS not much has changed for the rowers in his year. Most importantly for us he is happy in school with good friends and while in no way could we say he is working hard he does homework etc without us putting any pressure on him and results are good and teachers seem to know him well and like him. They are also very encouraging of his outside of school activities which he is fairly serious about and occasionally has to miss school for but they know how important it is for him.
Re the leaving cert results the one I would like to know is the average points or how many got their first choice third level place, not how many 625's there are, even the percentages over 550, 500 or 450 would be more indicative to me of how a school is doing academically ( and ideally how many were also getting grinds or attending Bruce or Hewitt or the like for extra classes) but that is probably like looking for the moon.

@aplo — thanks for this! I spoke too soon re DS. He’s had a real wobble this week since they’ve started contact rugby. He’s very small and light (also very young for his year, as barely 12), and he just doesn’t like getting hurt all the time. And not knowing anyone is getting to him. He says no one likes him or talks to him, and everyone from his old school already has friends at their new schools, and are all going to the Brock disco next weekend… It’s not great timing as DH is away for work, and I’ve had a big disappointment, and am a bit in despair about it all while trying to be sympathetic. I do sympathise re the rugby, but I think important to do it to get to know people till Christmas, but am dealing with weeping and doorslamming…

@ChandelierDrop so sorry to hear that its such a big transition. I would advise getting onto the first year head, he was brilliant to deal with for a few issues my DS had settling and also not letting DS know I had spoken to him on one occasion that I asked for. He seemed to know all the boys and the dynamics and definitely nudged my boy in the direction of some now good friends. I did find that the "everyone" going to discos usually turned out to be less than 50% of the class in reality and I was never on the ball with tickets. Hope things improve.

Love to see that this thread is still going strong. @TheRedPanda on visiting both schools, I felt Christians were more accommodating, whilst Pres were sort of "this is us, everyone wants to come here" vibe. Both schools are great so either will do, but Christians are more likely to offer a place without connection imo.
Now I have a problem that I didn't think would come up. My child has decided he's not going to either Christian's or Pres, only Spiorad Noaimh. Has anyone had to deal with this? What did you do? For now I've put the topic to bed and I'm hoping he changes his mind. @SageRosemary @SparkyBlue @aplo @TheRedPanda I'm tagging you all hoping you may be able to give some words of wisdom. He's 11 and knows what's best for him (he says)!

Also why does CBC and CSN hold their open evening on the same night? They did it last year and this year again. I went to CBC last year and would live to go again this year but have to go to CSN.

Another question sorry! My son plays for Highfield RFC how will this work if he gets a place in either PBC or CBC? Surely he won't be allowed to play against his school?

@ChandelierDrop hope he settles in soon.

Thanks, @aplo — have decided to hang fire a little and give it slightly longer before intervening.

@mishmased, no wisdom on either the rugby clashes or your son’s choice of school. We let DS make the choice in the end between Pres and Ashton because it was his life, after all. (I would have preferred Ashton, but he chose on the grounds of geography, and to be fair, at the moment his days are so long I’m glad he’s not got a bus journey added in.) Are you against Spiorad Naomh? DS has good friends who just started first year, and they and their parents seem very happy with it so far.

I can ask DS if he knows anything from classmates who play for Highfield — I imagine loads do.

I thought all the schools whose open evenings I made last year had very much the ‘We’re oversubscribed, everyone wants to come here — here’s who we are’ attitude! There was definitely no obvious touting for business. I felt slightly as though I were being auditioned.

Thanks @ChandelierDrop that would be wonderful as he loves his rugby.
I'm not against Sporaid Naoimh, I'm thinking along the lines of he might be more pushed academically in CBC or Pres (if he gets a space) but his heart is in Sporaid Naoimh (open night is tomorrow) so I've left it to him to decide. We're close to lehenaghmore so geographically Sporaid Naoimh.

We only didn’t consider it because of distance. Friends whose sons have just started there (two clever, ambitious boys, who were at the top of their primary school class) said the open evening was the most impressive of all the ones they went to..? (Mind you, these were the people I was playing a quiet round of Hangman with in the back row at the Ashton open evening. I hated school, so being back in the school atmosphere nearly broke me… Something about those taped floor markings in school halls just makes me feel it’s 1987 again and I have double maths…)

That's great to hear. You went to Ashton? I bet it was way different in 1987 😂
Will be our first open night with Sporaid Naoimh.

No, I went somewhere way less civilised, which shall remain nameless, because I gather it’s now reformed and unrecognisable!

I had a long reply typed the other night but it disappeared.

No direct experience of boy's schools here as we have only girls so anything I can offer is anecdotal from other parents who all seem quite happy. Had our girls been boys, we would have sent them to Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, or the Gaelcholáiste in Ballincollig. CSN on the grounds that it is within reasonable walking distance, a huge advantage is getting home from school in a guaranteed maximum walk 20/25 minutes with no hanging around for a bus. Would never have considered CBC or PBC because of the rugby. And then because of the commute - 60 minutes for one and 90 minutes for the other on a good day. That's a good deal of study time wasted. Also, I am a firm believer in state school. It has served our girls very well. We could have afforded private but our savings would be wiped out and results not any better (I can say this with absolute certainty for DD1). Better value for us to have the money to support University degree/post-grad/accommodation when needed. For most students, it's not about gaining the maximum points, it's about maximising their personal results so that they can hopefully access the course they want.

Having said that you know your child best, does CSN offer subject choices that appeal to your son over those at CBC and PBC? A big factor is where the friends are going. If you have your heart set on a particular school, then you need to introduce it as a "given" at a much earlier age so the child accepts that he/she is going there because it is the best school for him/her. And I know that's not really possible when you don't know until late in the game if you'll actually get a place or not. We had vaguely suggested other options to our girls but they never followed through on researching. Switching to CBC or PBC after a year or so might be a possibility if state school doesn't work for your son but subject choice might not match exactly.

Best of luck at the CSN open night, it's quite an old school building but I remember going there as a teenager for Saturday morning gymnastics and being very impressed with the gymnasium/hall and equipment. There's a proper separate sports hall now. And, later, doing an adult education evening class and the classroom sizes were generous. Do the sniff test when you are walking around, the worst I've come across in that regard was one section of Douglas Community School which was otherwise rather fabulous. You've seen Christians already so you know what great facilities look like in this century, pay particular attention to the science labs and see how they compare.

I thinks schools play against other schools, mostly on Wednesday afternoons or other midweek times and clubs play against other clubs mostly at weekends. Then there may be a club called Old Christians, linked to Christians but separate for membership but they would be competing against other clubs not schools. One of the big fixtures this year was CBC v PBC, there were about 14 buses parked along the Mardyke and beyond to bring the Pres boys to the match one Wednesday afternoon, but the Christian's boys walked down the hill into town and out to Musgrave Park, quite the spectacle to behold, feral and awesome with face paint and fancy dress and I was half wishing I was free to follow them out and cheer them on.