All requests are considered with regard to class allocations and we will do our best to make
sure that all students are happy and comfortable in their class group

Our classes are mixed ability in first year.

We offer a Taster programme to all first years. This allows every student try out the variety of
subjects on offer. Once the students have sampled all the options available, they generally have
a good idea which ones they prefer. The teachers of the various subjects and the school’s
Guidance Counsellor will help with the decision. Students are generally asked to make this
decision in December of first year.

All students remain on site and are supervised at breaktimes. This allows them time to engage
in a wide range of extra curricular activities which helps build friendships and develop student
skills and abilities in areas of interest for themselves.

All student text books are ordered by the school and are available for students on entry. A
contribution of just €60 is requested.

Yes, the school canteen serves a wide variety of healthy food, with both hot and cold options
available. These vary daily and are very competitively priced.

The school provides a wide variety of extracurricular activities. These activities take place at
lunchtimes and after school. There is something to suit everyone from debating to chess, from
choir to enterprise. The extracurricular activities vary from year to year depending on the
demand and the interests of the students. Please see www.presentationcastleisland.ie for
more details.

While your daughter is still in 6 th class, Ms Ross Dowd, Special Educational Needs coordinator
will be in contact to ensure all educational needs are addressed and supported. A suite of
supports will be provided in Presentation on a case by case basis, depending on the needs of
the student. Prior to your daughter’s first day you will be invited to the school to discuss any
particular needs your daughter may have. Please contact the school for further details.

Presentation Secondary School academically tracks all students from the time they start first
year. This ensures that every student is appropriately supported to achieve in every subject
area. Students who need any help are identified early and the benefits of this intervention is
always noted by Parents and students. High achievers are identified early and challenged by
receiving encouragement and differentiated work. They are also urged to take part in
programmes specifically designed to progress their learning such as the Centre for Talented
Youth.

We use Microsoft 365 as a digital tool during the school day and to assist blended and remote
learning. Each student is allocated an account which gives access to a suite of Microsoft
products which can be used at home or at school. All students receive training on how to use
the technology when they are in first year to ensure that they can complete any tasks they
need to online.

The school uniform consists of a navy jumper, white shirt and a navy and white skirt. School
skirts are available from Gemma’s Limerick through the school. Fittings for the school are
facilitated in Presentation Secondary School. The jumper and school trousers are available in
Costello’s of Castleisland.

A special uniform is not required for PE. Students can wear their own:

• Runners
• Tracksuit/leggings
• T-shirt
• Halfzip/hoodie/tracksuit top

Each year group has a Year Head. This staff member will have special responsibility for the
welfare and wellbeing of the year group. They will be a link person for you should you have any
concerns. You can of course always speak to the Principal or Deputy Principal. The phone
number of the school office is 066 7141178. We have set up a special email address to answer
any questions or concerns you may have over the coming months. Please do not hesitate to
contact us with any query you may have: [email protected]

Yes, each student receives a locker and is encouraged to use it to reduce the weight of the
school bags. Online versions of most books are available, and students may bring devices to
school to view online books if they so wish.

Presentation Secondary school has a ‘Bring your own device’ policy. This means that students
can bring a device, laptop, tablet or phone to school if they wish. Devices, including phones
must remain switched off for the duration of the school day except when they are in use during
class time. This is to protect students from the distractions that phones can bring while also
utilising the technology to progress learning. If you wish to contact your daughter or if she
wishes to contact you during the school day she may use the dedicated student phone in the
school office.

• 27 All-Ireland Basketball titles
• Award winning teachers
• We are one of just 5 schools in Ireland invited to develop a programme to increase
  student engagement in the Irish Language
• Wide range of subjects on offer
  • Music: our students have the option to study Music up to Leaving Certificate
  • Religious Education Students can take Religious Education as an examination
    subject up to Leaving Cert. This is a programme for all students of all religious
    traditions and none. Students taking this subject in Presentation achieve very
    high grades and often take this as an extra subject for their Leaving Cert.
  • Computer Science: We have introduced Computer Science to Leaving Certificate
    as another optional extra subject for our students. This is a most enjoyable and
    engaging subject which certainly prepares our girls for exciting careers in the
    digital world.
  • French and Spanish:
    • We offer both languages to Leaving Certificate (students try both in first
      year and choose one)
    • We have established links with a school in France & in Spain. Our
      students have travelled on an exchange to both schools to study for a
      week and we invite the students to Presentation for a week to
      experience school life in Ireland.
• Wellbeing
  • A comprehensive and engaging Wellbeing programme for each year group
  • Currently invited by the DES to pilot a relationship & sexuality programme which
    will then be rolled out to all schools
• All Ireland Enterprise titles – currently All Ireland winners for the past 3 years. Our
  Business teacher has been awarded Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year on 2
  occasions.

In a survey completed by parents the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. 100% of parents
stated that they would recommend Presentation Secondary School to others. They identified
small class size and the support of the Year head as their top two reasons why their daughter

settled in so quickly to first year. 94% of parents classed the support their daughter is receiving
in first year as either exceptional or very good.

The wellbeing of our students was uppermost in our minds and we put in place many different
strategies to ensure that they were connected:

• Each year group received training on Microsoft365 in the weeks leading up to lockdown
• Year heads hosted weekly online assemblies to boost the feeling of connectedness to
  their friends
• All students received weekly wellbeing and exercise regimes through padlets
• Staff connected with their students through a mixture of online live lessons,prerecorded
  narrated presentations and assignments to maintain the momentum of learning.
• Attendance was monitored and students and parents were contacted to resolve any
  issues that were preventing them from attending remotely.
• School management supported students and families who were experiencing challenges
  with technology
• Principal was in regular contact with students and their parents during the remote
  learning period

We are fully compliant with all relevant Covid 19 requirements for schools. We are fortunate to
have a number of separate buildings to provide for base classrooms for each year group with
separate toilets in each building and all buildings have a one-way system in place. All students
have assigned socially distant seating. Classrooms are student based which means less
interaction on the corridors. Breaktimes and lunchtimes are staggered to ensure everyone has
enough space to enjoy mask breaks. Door handles and push plates are sanitised throughout the
day. Deep cleaning regularly takes place.
We have a dedicated room for after school study where each student has an assigned desk for
the duration of the year.