Anyone move their child out of a Gaelscoil

[Mumof3onetwothree]

Wondering how a child who has been in a Gaelscoil for a few years adapts to an English speaking school. We are considering a move but I am concerned that they'll be really behind in English and perhaps it's better to wait until after the summer holidays and try and get some tutoring in English during the break. I'm concerned they'll be embarrassed at how behind they are.
Any other things I might not be aware of..culturally etc....I feel the children in the Gaelscoil are quite innocent and I am wondering will children be more 'with it' in an English speaking school...are there things they might get teased about etc.

Do you speak Irish at home?

My DC are in a rural English speaking school and the kids seem quite innocent too.
They'll be ahead in Irish. If you speak English at home I wouldn't worry.

No our Irish isn't great

If DC is exposed to English in their everyday life, i'd say they'll be grand. And they'll have a good grounding in Irish which will be an advantage going forward.

I know a few people who have taken their kids out around 4th/5th class. The main reasons were to move them to feeder schools for particular secondary schools and in one case, because the parents felt their (the parents’) Irish wasn’t good enough to help with homework as much as they’d like. Their kids had no issue adjusting to an English speaking school at all.

Ive known a few people do this for various different reasons and no one had an issue as usually there was a reason for the move like better support for additional needs or bullying or whatever so the move was always for the child's best interests. Just curious as to why you think children in the Irish speaking school are more innocent. That's a very odd thing to be thinking

I know someone who went to gaelscoil from primary to JC. Moved in TY to English speaking and settled really well.

Siblings (1 older, 1 younger) changed at end primary as English speaking was better option for them than equivalent GS secondary (diff genders in secondary, mixed primary). They had no issues at all.

DC here went to local primary school (non-gaelscoil) on our doorstep in the city. They, and their classmates, seemed very innocent in lots of ways. (Santa Claus survives well into 6th class for most students.) The advantage of this is that they were all extremely well behaved in school, the environment was hugely conducive to learning, even with large class sizes. They worked hard and maintained this ethos throughout secondary school. From DD1's primary school at least 8 of the 60 who graduated from two form 6th class got academic university entrance scholarships and 1 got a sports scholarship. So don't knock innocence. I certainly wouldn't be taking a child out of a good school for a less "innocent" experience and a bit more playground dramatics.

Gaelscoil students may appear behind in early years English reading and vocabulary due to the initial total immersive experience but they soon catch up and will be completely fluent and literate in both languages. This will make learning a European language easier at secondary school, or in primary as there are plans to introduce it there in the future. You shouldn't be needing a tutor. In fact, I've only ever heard of one boy being tutored at primary level amongst all the parents I know, not because he wasn't smart but because he wasn't achieving as highly as his older sister. Just do whatever you can to encourage a love of reading - go to the library, often.

On transferring to local state secondary school there was no problem with integrating with the gaelscoil primary pupils who opted not to travel quite a distance to Irish speaking secondary. Classes were a random mix not based on academic ability. Students from a gaelscoil have a huge advantage in Irish, in particular for the Leaving Cert oral and listening sections and they will be able to parse verbs without even thinking about it.

DDs, as teenagers, volunteered their time during summer holidays working with children solely from underprivileged homes/areas. They were well able to cope with the lack of "innocence" they encountered. DD1 volunteers with a homework club and is well able to deal with young teenagers. She encourages them every way she can and they seem to love her.

Very homogenous backgrounds....middle class, v few non Irish, new school so almost all in the class are the oldest sibling so no influence from older siblings?? I don't think it is odd to be thinking, I have noticed children in other local schools being far more aware of designer label clothes and shoes, getting smart phones, greater mix of backgrounds etc.

Many children leave this school due to struggles with academics.

@Mumof3onetwothree it actually sounds like a gaelscoil school that I know. Look you can take all the other things as positives rather than negatives. My dd is in a large local primary school and many of the things you mentioned can be good(obviously not phones at too young an age). Lots of diversity and I'm really seeing that now as DD is in fifth class and there are people into all sorts of different things and they are mixing more at this age and it's great.

This thread has taken a peculiar turn!

I would never describe anyone as middle class in Ireland, middle income certainly, but here people are gainfully employed (doctors, cleaners, factory workers IT specialists), retired, short or long term unemployed or independently wealthy (maybe through a large inheritance or winning the Lotto). Gaelscoileanna are often located in less affluent areas so to target them as middle class is unwarranted.

New school, lucky you, far less pressure for parent fundraising as school can target money towards things other than huge heating and electricity bills. Very few non Irish, so what, they will take everyone in the catchment until they become over-subscribed and the school won't discriminate based on creed or colour. A gaelscoil won't necessarily be the first choice for newly arrived immigrants but their children may well choose it for the grandchildren.

Smart phones, really? No primary school aged child should have a smart phone! It's a can of worms.

"Designer label clothes and shoes" - so shallow - such things are not going to get anyone points in the Leaving Certificate. Why would you want your young child/children to be impressed by such things:

Sounds like your DC is in a perfectly lovely school. Parents sometimes choose to move school in the best interest of their child but I've never come across someone who would do it for such reasons.

You asked why I felt the children in this school are more innocent so I answered you.

Plenty of primary school age children these days have smart phones. Particularly if they have older siblings.
As I said most children in the class are the oldest sibling in the family and have less exposure to smart phones.

I said that I felt the children in this school are more innocent than children in other schools. I said that because I was concerned that if my children move school they may struggle as they may appear naive to the children in the new school in terms of lack of smart phone usage, lack of knowledge of 'cool clothing' etc. I have no interest in them wearing designer clothes. But I am concerned about bullying because it is a very affluent area and if the new school has no uniform that could be an issue as we can't afford designer gear and we don't like the idea of having to wear the 'right' type of clothes in order to fit in.

It is one of the most affluent city areas in the entire country.

I would be delighted if the school was more multicultural but it is not. Many families have two Irish parents. I don't know why but that's the way it is. I assume partly it is due to the demographic of the area.

Gaelscoileanna suit some children very well.

For others who struggle with reading and writing they may not be the best choice. For a shy quiet child who already is socially nervous they also may not be a good option because in my experience (and looking at the websites of other local gaelscoileanna) there is strict discipline around speaking of English and that can mean some children are afraid to speak up at all.

There is also a widespread bullying problem in this school. I certainly wouldn't describe it as a lovely school.

Apologies I got mixed up here I think I've replied to the wrong poster about the innocence comment....still trying to figure out replies etc on this!!

My kids went to a gaelscoil but went to the local english speaking school for secondary. The vast majority of the gael scoil kids went to the gael coliste (sp). (I.e. only 5 of 90 kids didnt go to the irish secondary) They got on great. Were away ahead in irish. Didnt matter so much for JC but for LC with 40% oral they were away ahead of their peers. It took them a few months to learn the english words for various maths functions etc but were grand. They also had to get out of the habit of stop talking english when a teacher would pass 🤣 and speak irish. The kids in secondary thought it was hilarious at the start.

I hear from my friends who sent theirs to the GC that having the same people in school for all their education was not great. Also going into 3d level they didnt know the english words for alot of science things. Also they had to but the english version of books so the kids could learn and understand some subjects.

Over they were fine and having Irish helped for leaving cert. I never regretted sending them a different route to the others in the gaelscoil.

A child moving from Gaelscoil to normal school will do absolutely fine - the other direction would be more challenging.

And whoever said there is no such thing as middle class in Ireland clearly has not been paying attention.

Just re clothes, we've not had any problem with that thus far. In an affluent enough area, lots of brands which we haven't been able to afford. But it seems to be much less of a thing than it was when i was young, for girls anyway. It seems the lads are more into the branded sportswear and the girls quite like Pennys.

Thank you for this! Good to have your perspective. Interesting to hear how many of the class went on to the gaelcholaiste!

Thanks for the reassurance. I've noticed this too! Amazed at how it's now the boys who are more expensive to dress!

Yeah! I've no boys (but i see them in their fancy get ups 😂) but my daughter is like a pig in shit in Pennys and tbh the stuff she gets is perfect. She loves browsing at length (much to her father's chagrin!) She gets loads of wear out of the clothes and she feels great wearing them. Fadó fadó Pennys would have been a source of embarrassment, definitely not now.

A friend of mine sent hers to a Gaelscoil boarding school for 6th class. He had no problem at secondary and flew through Irish honours LC. Teaching himself now.

Edit...English medium secondary. No problem at all.

I know a good few moved after a diagnosis of dyslexia.

I can't remember who queried using "middle class" but the term middle class is definitely widely used in Ireland both in real life and in the media (as is working class). Upper class doesn't get used because we don't really have one. You can argue that middle, lower and higher income are better descriptors but the other terms are definitely used.

Middle class in Ireland = those with notions. Media and some with aforementioned notions use the middle class termmwhile the rest are laughing at them 🙂

As a teacher l have had children move from a Gaelscoil into our school and they got on fine...absolutely no bother. The others were amazed at their Irish and that's about all that stood out.
Also my own dc went to a school with no uniform and it was considered cool to be half thrown together and there was never one issue with clothes.