WELCOME TO ROCKFORD MANOR
SERIOUS ABOUT SUCCESS
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL WELCOME
PRINCIPAL’S WELCOME
Welcome to Rockford Manor. Our mission is to provide a welcoming environment where teaching and learning nurture the personal development of every student. We place excellent value on the sense of community in our school and actively encourage a warm, friendly, and supportive environment. Our educational aims combine academic excellence with a varied extra-curricular programme. We encourage students to do their best in whatever they do, both in and out of the classroom.
Our dedicated teaching staff demonstrate a remarkable care of their students. Their commitment ensures that all our students achieve to the best of their ability. Here in Rockford Manor we have
inherited a rich culture and tradition of education for all from the Presentation Sisters who founded the school in 1958. Many of our students today are daughters of former Rockford Manor girls. We celebrate these links with the past and we look forward to the future.
I hope you find this prospectus both informative and interesting. We would be delighted to answer any questions you have and invite you to come and meet with us on our annual Open Night or any other time that suits you.
Mary Gallagher, Principal
Thank you for looking into our school. We, in Rockford Manor, strive to be as welcoming and approachable as possible. We work every day alongside our parents and our community to better the lives and futures of all those who pass through our doors. It is through listening and working together that we are successful. Please feel free to contact us in the office if you have any questions about anything you see in this brochure.
Looking forward to meeting you!
Lynn Kidney, Deputy Principal
ROCKFORD MANOR ETHOS & SCHOOL HISTORY
Rockford Manor is a member of CEIST (Catholic Education, and Irish Schools Trust). CEIST is built on the founding vision of the five Congregations, emphasising the dignity and rights of the human person, empowering the most vulnerable in society and enabling young people to become catalysts for social transformation throughout the world. We are committed to promoting inclusion, hospitality, excellence and compassion in a teaching and learning environment inspired by the Gospel and by the unique wisdom of its respective Founders.
STUDENT VOICE & LEADERSHIP
Rockford Manor recognizes that students have a valuable contribution to make to the effectiveness of the school. Rockford Manor places a large emphasis on promoting student leadership with our Student Council and our Student Prefect system. Student involvement in the operation of the school is itself a valuable part of the
SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS
Our Guidance and Counselling service provides ongoing educational guidance, career guidance and personal/social development for students where appropriate. For 1st years in particular, our Guidance Counsellor is involved in our Friends Programme (part of our Wellbeing Initiative). This programme involves assisting students with builidng frienships, transitioning from Primary to Post Primary and helps develop self management. As every students progresses through the years our counsellors help students with subject choice,
The core values of CEIST could be summarised in the following quotation:
“Opening minds to the lifelong search for a wisdom that is deeper than information, for an understanding of life that goes beyond knowledge, for an appreciation of the dignity of the other that is respectful of difference”
— Mons. DermotLane (Theologian)
Nano Nagle, the founder of the Presentation Congregation is regarded as a pioneer of Catholic Education and her work laid the foundation for the voluntary school system in Ireland.
education process. The Student Council gives students an opportunity to acquire the sort of communication, planning and organizational skills which will be of benefit to them in their future lives. Our Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl have an important role in our school, are role models to our younger years and lead our prefect system.
careers advice and university applications.
In keeping with the CEIST ethos of our school, we have a Learning Support Team that aims to identify and support all students who have additional needs. Supports for mainstream students who present with additional educational needs include but are not limited to: one to one teaching, small group resource, team teaching in some subjects, assistive technology (where applicable), SNA support (where applicable) and Reasonable Accommodation for State Exams.
CURRICULUM
JUNIOR CYCLE
English
Geography
Irish Science
Maths
History
Religion
Options include:
Modern Foreign
Language (French or German)
Music Business
Art Home Economics
Short Courses:
Civic Social Political
Education
Physical Education
Social Personal Health Education
Our junior cycle students study all the core subjects according to the NCCA curriculum. These include English, Irish, Maths, History, Geography, Science, Religion, SPHE, CSPE and PE. Our option subjects include Music, Business, Home Economics, Art, French and German.*
At Senior Cycle, our students have the choice of the traditional Leaving Cert, LCVP or LCA. In the Leaving Cert, a cohort of our students will also sit noncurricular subjects such as Spanish, Arabic, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese etc. We are so proud of all our students in Rockford Manor. Many of whom return to our school after graduation to give guidance, advice and help to the current students.
*options are subject to student numbers and teacher availability
SENIOR CYCLE
English
Irish/Religion
Maths
Options include:
Modern Foreign Language (French or German)
Music Physics*
Art Home Economics*
Chemistry* History
Biology
Geography
Accounting* Business
Agricultural Science LCVP
Non Exam Subjects:
Religion SPHE
Career Guidance
Choir
Physical Education
*subject to student numbers and teacher availability
FACILITIES
All students will have their own base room with their own lockers. We have a state-of-the-art Kitchen for our Home Economics classes. We have a new Accelerated Reader Library for our Junior Cycle students. We are also lucky to have our own Basketball Courts. PE Hall, 2 Science Labs, 2 Computer Labs, 2 class sets of Chrome Books, Music Room, Choir, Outdoor Learning
Space and Garden. At lunch time our students can wander round the gardens, eat at the picnic benches or choose to remain inside in their base rooms. Our 6th Year students have their own common room with a kitchen for their break times. They have their own microwave, toaster, fridge, kettle / Burko etc. The smell of tea and toast coming from the room is so inviting!
TRANSITION YEAR
In Transition Year we encourage all students to challenge themselves, to grow in maturity, confidence and independence, to discover new skills and interests, to give back to their communities and develop their leadership skills as the young leaders of today and tomorrow.
A special module program runs alongside the academic program to ensure a wide variety of experience and opportunity for TY students to achieve these aims. All TY students at Rockford Manor participate in the Gaisce challenge, achieve their ICDL qualification, take part in a school musical and engage with work experience. Special module workshops are organised on a weekly basis and involve everything from sign language to self defence to yoga and meditation. Students are encouraged to become involved in activities and events such as BT Young Scientist Competition, Model UN, sports coaching and to attend the many trips and visits that are organised throughout the year.
Credits are achieved throughout the year for both exam results and ongoing projects as well as participation and involvement in various modules. The credits then determine the TY certificate awarded to each student at the end of the academic year as well as other certificates achieved throughout the program from external organisations such as First Aid, the LIFT program and various other awards.
The varied and engaging TY program at Rockford Manor means that students become more confident, develop many existing and new skills, gain new friendships and are better prepared for the Leaving Certificate program, all while enjoying a fun and challenging experience
Core Subjects
English
Gaeilge
Non Exam
Religion
PE
Senior Cycle
History
Geography
French
German
Art
Home Economics
Special Modules
ICDL
School Musical
Self Defense
First Aid
Sign Language
Maths
SPHE
Leadership
Music
Business & Enterprise
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Rowing
Yoga & Meditation
Dance
Chinese Studies
EXTRA-CURRICULAR
We are proud to offer a huge range of extra curricular activities to our students here in Rockford Manor. Our state of the art facilities and dedicated staff allow for a wide variety of choice in areas such as sport, music and clubs. We encourage all students to take part in extra currciluar activities allowing them the opportunity to flourish in all activities outside of the classroom. We offer a wide range of sports including volleyball, basketball, yoga and athletics to name a few.
We encourage students to get involved in all areas of school life through our clubs and societies for example, Green Schools, Book Club, Choir, Chess club, . Throughout the school year our calender is punctuated by many special events, celebrations and school trips. From BT Young Scientists, School Musicals and Work Experience to camping in Carlingford, coding in Trintiy College and School Tours in Paris and London. There is something for everyone in Rockford Manor.
Recent Achievements for Rockford Manor:
• 2023 Sustainability Award ‘Water School of the Year’ (Green Schools)
• 2024, 2023 & 2022 BT Young Scientist Award Winners
• 2023 National Volleyball Shield Champions
• 2023 & 2024 All-Ireland
Cadet Volleyball Champions
• 2022 National Winners RTE
‘This is Art’ schools competition
“Our school prepares us for the world. It builds our confidence so we are ready to take on new challenges. Our teachers constantly remind us of our strengths and help us to stand up and be heard.”
Emily Barnes Head Girl 2023
STEAM IN ROCKFORD MANOR
Introduce paragraph with: STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths. Our mission is to inspire children to love STEAM subjects.
We embrace education in the arts as this has immediate rewards, focuses on positive achievements, develops concrete products and fosters collaboration. Participating in our musicals, (e.g. our annual concert -The Rhythm of Rockford, or our TY Musical in connection with Oatlands College) the choir, or our many art projects (winners of RTE National Competition 2022 ‘This is Art!’) provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their skills through performance. The arts enable children to grow in confidence and learn how to think positively about themselves and learning. We believe that teaching kids to think both critically and creatively is key to the development of a society which understands and is fully engaged with the world around them, the resources on which they depend, and in planning and creating a better future.
We open our doors early at 8am. Our students mix with their friends until first class at 8:45
DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
Our day begins with our Morning Munchies at 8am. This is a breakfast club where students can have tea, coffee, toast and fruit. All are welcome and it is free of charge.
Our 1st class begins at 8:45. We have hour long classes. Our small break is at 10:45 - 11am. Lunch is at 1pm. Lunch is a key meal each day and should provide children with lots of energy. It is important that food for lunch contains vitamins, minerals and fibre and is easy to handle and eat. Energy drinks are discouraged.
We are lucky to have such a large outdoor area with picnic benches for our girls to develop relationships and build friendships. They enjoy strolling through the gardens while catching up with each other.
Our school day finishes at 3:30pm Monday to Thursday with an early closure at 1pm on Friday.
