Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

P r o s p e c t u s

1

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

PRINCIPAL’S ADDRESS I am delighted to welcome you to Scoil Bhríde.

This Brochure along with the supporting videos are designed to show you how we approach day to day life in Scoil Bhríde. We are school that thrives in getting to know our students, and their parents and supporting them through some of the most important and enjoyable years of their lives.

Here in The Mercy we believe in offering a progressive academic and extra-curricular experience. The best ambassadors for our school are our students. Our priority is our students progress through secondary education before moving on to third level or realising those ambitions that are fostered at Scoil Bhríde. The staff of Scoil Bhríde look to working with you and your daughter in the years to

2

P r o s p e c t u s

3

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

OUR MISSION STATEMENT “Scoil Bhríde Secondary School is a voluntary Catholic School which values and maintains a Christian ethos of Mercy, Justice and Equality for all.

Its aim is the pursuit of excellence in a centre of holistic learning, we actively nurture a caring environment in which respect for all is the hallmark”

4

P r o s p e c t u s

5

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

6

P r o s p e c t u s

Why Choose Scoil Bhríde: Scoil Bhríde is a voluntary Secondary School for girls operating under the trusteeship of CEIST (Catholic Education and Irish Schools Trust) •

Safe, open and spacious surroundings

•

Highest progression to 3rd level progression in this area over the last 5 years (Irish Independent 2019)

•

Excellent teachers

•

Highest standard of behaviour

•

High speed fibre optic broadband and Wi-Fi throughout the school

•

Excellent student support system

•

Excellent sports facilities including spacious all weather training area

•

Excellent subject choice including the only school offering Computer Science to Leaving Cert

•

Widest choice of Programmes: Junior Cycle, Transition Year, Established Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Vocational Programme (LCVP), Leaving Cert Applied (LCA)

The Pursuit of Academic Excellence Holistic Curriculum based on our Mission Statement At Scoil Bhríde we recognise each students potential to develop their her own unique gifts. Our teachers are dedicated to inspire in the girls a love for learning, We expect a high standard of class participation and study.

All out students are challenged to fulfil their potential across the wide range of programmes and subject in junior and senior cycle. Current best teaching practice blending traditional methods with online platforms of google classroom enabling our students to excel across the blended curriculum. We are very proud of the academic achievement of our students. Our students continue to achieve excellent results in their state examinations, which has resulted in Scoil Bhríde having the highest level of progression to 3rd level over several years in this area.

7

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

CURRICULUM Junior Cycle Compulsory subjects

Optional subjects

Irish

French

English

German

Mathematics

Science

History

Business

Religious Education

Geography

Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE)

Home Economics

Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)

Art, Craft & Design

Physical Education

Music

Computer Studies and IT

Choir Orchestra

Transition Year Transition Year is optional to all students which allows to explore and build resilience, TY is based on active and experiential learning allowing students to establish a strong sense of ambition. Students get to explore new subjects and to investigate potential careers options. Our dynamic programme includes a wide variety of activities and subjects with very high levels of participation for students who have completed Junior Cycle.

8

P r o s p e c t u s

Leaving Certificate Curriculum Compulsory subjects

Optional subjects

Irish

French/German

English

Geography

Mathematics

History

Religious Education

Biology

Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)

Chemistry

Physical Education

Physics

Career Guidance

Agricultural Science Accounting Economics Business Home Economics Art Music Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) Computer Science Computer studies and IT Choir Orchestra

Leaving Certificate Applied Scoil Bhríde provides an exciting 2 year LCA programme with small class sizes. This programme is focused on preparing students for the world of work and exploring a wide range of exciting career opportunities. The programme sets out to recognise the talents of all students and to provide opportunities for developing personal responsibility, self-esteem and self-knowledge. Students completing the LCA gain a level of awareness of the skill set and competencies needed for todays work place.

9

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM The Arts We are extremely proud to have the oldest and largest school orchestra in Ireland. This year 175 students are in our orchestra, many having taken up their instrument since coming to the school. We have 6 school choirs who have received standards of distinction from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Our students perform annually in the school opera, in collaboration with the students from St Jarlath’s College. This is the longest running school opera in the country and a standard setter each year in school awards for musical productions. The school has opportunities for students to play and practice many styles of music, including folk, pop and traditional.

The Annual Spring Recital is a much loved event and an opportunity to showcase the amazing talents of our students.

We also offer opportunities to develop skills in art, through classes, exhibitions and competitions. Each year the TY students take part in the highly esteemed Junk Kouture competition, modelling their handmade upcycled creations.

Public speaking and debating are popular and our students enter competitions in both English and Irish. This year the school introduced a pop-up Gaeltacht on-site to encourage a love of the Irish language and to create a natural environment for chat, music agus craic!

Sport We offer a full and varied curriculum in PE and encourage participation in many optional forms of exercise as part of our wellbeing programme.

Scoil Bhríde is the only school in the area with a spacious all-weather training pitch with two large gyms and close proximity to the town’s swimming pool complex We encourage students to become involved in some of the many extracurricular sports on offer. These include football, volleyball, rugby, camogie, soccer and athletics. Many additional modular opportunities are offered in dance, gymnastics, horse-riding, yoga, basketball, swimming and more.

10

P r o s p e c t u s

11

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

12

P r o s p e c t u s

Pastoral Care Structures for support •

Student Support Team

•

Tutor and Year Head programme

•

School Chaplain

•

School Guidance Counsellor

•

Links and established relationships with external agencies

•

5th year Mentors

•

1st year transition and induction programmes

Mental Health Mental health, self-esteem, positivity and encouragement underpin all we do in all aspects of school life.

•

Classroom programmes.

•

Counselling.

•

In-school support structures.

•

Visiting experts and organisations, workshops, talks.

•

‘Jump-Start January’ A fun week when the girls are encouraged to participate in a variety of experiences to boost their health and wellbeing ranging from dance, exercise, performance, gymnastics, song, mindfulness, comedy, art and craft, many more…..

Emotional and Spiritual development Our Mercy school ethos is firmly rooted in compassion and kindness.

•

Dedicated meditation room.

•

Sacred, quiet space.

•

Weekly whole-school assembly.

•

School services and liturgies at the start of year, November Remembrance, Christmas celebrations, Lenten practices and Easter celebrations, Graduation Night, Mercy Day, St Brigid’s Day.

•

Fundraising for local charities.

•

John Paul II programme.

•

Friends in Faith Group.

•

Cairde Le Cheile.

13

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

Student Leadership Fostering student leadership is very important in Scoil BhrĂ­de. It offers huge benefits to our students, building their self-confidence and independence. Giving students a voice and a chance to take ownership of their school. We actively encourage students to demonstrate leadership in their day to day interactions in the school. We offer students the following opportunities to develop their leadership capacity: Monitors Student Council Gaisce Team Captains School Magazine School Improvement Initiatives Leading fund raising activities

14

P r o s p e c t u s

15

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

Scoil Bhride Mercy Tuam

www.mercytuam.com (093) 24199 info@mercytuam.com @themercytuam

16