Private primary schools in Dublin

[gaules]

I am struggling to find Private (or international) primary schools in Dublin.

So far I found one in Sutton and another one in Booterstown - do these schools have their own bus to pick up kids? from where I came from the top ones have it, otherwise how are kids suppose to get to school? do we have to drop them off?? and if, like ourselves, live in castleknock (far away from both Sutton and Booterstown)?

Can anyone help us, listing them, and if possible rating them? being a foreigner is quite difficult to find references that will help us to find the best private or international school for our kid.

Thanks for any help / tip!

[St Disibod]

I would be very suprised if you found a primary school with a bus service. I have never heard of one in Dublin. The general custom in Ireland is to send them to the nearest National School and so demand for bus services is low. These schools are generally set up and run by the local parish- providing Catholic or Protestant education according to the parish, and so are generally close by. It's the accepted culture.

A few schools are beginning to break from this mould, but they are rare.

[stringjack]

Comme ceci?

[gaules]

Thanks for the answers! - do you have a list of primary private (or/and international) schools?

[agora]

Just as a matter of interest, why are you so intent on getting your kids into a private school? There are many fantastic national schools around Dublin. Although Church run ones are the norm, most of those have adapted to the inflow of non-nationals and children from different cultures and are not anything like the centres of indoctrination they were years ago. Or are you opposed to them because they are funded by the state?

[gaules]

My kid is in the junior infant class in St. Brigids (Castleknock) school - he joned the school with 4 years old.

Being quite young, and not speaking english at home (we are foreigners), I feel that the kid is not taking the max at school - being the 1st year this worries me a lot - as all parents we want the best for our kids..

At the top of this the class has are 31 pupils - this is ridiculous and far too many! - both of us work, therefore we need more support from the school.

This is where the private school idea come up - I found though very difficult to understand what are the top private schools in Dublin, therefore I am here to seek your help not only to get those names, but also some reference or explanation of "who is who" in the private school business in Ireland..

[NGTR]

Theres quite a lot of private Secondary schools with Junior schools

Including:

Boys
St Mary's College, Rathmines. Willow Park, Blackrock. St Michael's, Ballsbridge. Terenure College

Girls
Alexandra College, Milltown. Mount Anville, Goatstown

Mixed
St Andrew's College, Booterstown

Rathgar Junior School, Aravon, Castle Park are all Private Primary schools

I'm sure theres more and indeed many Secondary schools have a Prepatory class (6th class) but thats all I can think of off the top of my head

[tumeltyni]

There's a education provider search on the government website here.

[gaules]

Thanks for the link - how do you recognize private from public schools on it?

[tumeltyni]

Excellent question! I knew they included lists of fee-paying post-primary schools, and assumed they'd have the same for the primary schools. Evidently not.