About the School

Holy Family Secondary School is a girls' only Catholic Voluntary Secondary School, with an enrolment of 696 students.

This school year, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of our foundation. Our students, who come mainly from Newbridge and the surrounding areas, are from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and have wide ranging abilities and ambitions. In recent years we have been delighted to welcome students from more diverse cultural backgrounds.

Short written statements outlining the characteristic spirit, mission statement/vision of school, role of trustees in maintaining same.

In accordance with our Holy Family Mission Statement and policy document, 'In the Service of Youth', our school spirit reflects the vision of our founder, Pierre Bienvenu Noailles. This vision is inspired by love and respect. In this spirit of love and respect we aim to give all our students a holistic education that caters for their spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, physical and emotional development. The support of the wider community and, in particular all parents / guardians, is essential in promoting this vision. All school policies and practices are informed by our Mission Statement and policy document, 'In the Service of Youth. Our curriculum, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are testament to our vision in action. Our school is owned by the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.

A description of the BOM - members and nominating groups, awareness and fulfilment of role, functions and responsibilities/statutory obligations.

The membership of our Board of Management consists of 4 trustee representatives, 2 parent representatives, 2 teacher representatives. The chairperson of the Board is nominated by the Trustees. The Principal acts as secretary to the Board.

Some members of the present Board, which took up office in 2006, served previous terms also, helping to ensure continuity. All members were given the opportunity to avail of training for this role.

The Board is fully aware of its duties and responsibilities / statutory regulations. It meets regularly to ensure that it carries out all its functions effectively. Decision making is by consensus. The Board is very actively involved in policy making and planning. It initiates some policies, supports the development of others and, after the relevant partners have been consulted, it approves and ratifies all policies. Members are also active in school events. The Board has a very good working relationship with senior management and supports them in their day-to-day management of the school. The Principal keeps the chairperson and Board fully briefed at all times.

The priorities for school development identified by the BOM

The history and current role of the student council

There is a long-established tradition of student representation in Holy Family Secondary School. The membership of the student representative council is as follows: captain, vice-captain, senior prefects and twelve other prefects representing all year groups. The student representative council represents students' views, helps to promote a good school atmosphere, communicates with management and staff on behalf of the student cohort and is actively involved in decision making and in relation to activities that impact on students' lives. It participates in the formulation of relevant school policies. In the 2005-2006 school year the student council played a very active role in reviewing the school uniform in consultation with the parents' association and school staff. Communication between the council and management is mediated through a liaison teacher.

The history and current role of the parents' association.

The first Holy Family Parents' Association was set up on 24th February 1977. It adopted its first constitution on 21st April 1977. From the beginning, the practice was established of the principal and a teacher representative attending parent association meetings. In this way, communication between the parents' association and the school management and staff has remained excellent.

The parents association has always been an effective representative for all the parents, providing them with support, encouragement and information. The parents association is a strong presence at every school associated event.

School Planning Progress to date and future priorities re School Development Planning.

Formal school planning began in Holy Family Secondary School in the mid 1990s with a view to drawing up a school plan. The completed plan was ratified in September 1999. This original aspirational document has evolved into the current working school development plan.

Since 1999, many new policies have been developed, others have been reviewed, evaluated and updated in an on-going effort to meet the challenges of a changing school society and to comply with DES directives.

Approximately thirty key areas have been identified and policies have been developed and ratified. All policies are regularly evaluated.

2008 Priorities

Progress to date and future priorities re Curricular planning

In our school, we have a long tradition of providing a wide range of subjects in junior and senior cycle. We have included a choice of three modern European languages at junior level and at senior level. Science is a core subject at junior cert level. Religious education is an exam subject at junior cert level.

Japanese is a TY and Senior Cycle subject. Applied Mathematic\tics has been introduced at Senior Level.

Future Plans:

Progress to date and future priorities re programme planning: TYP/ LCA/LCVP, Guidance.

TYP has been in the school since 1987. The Holy Family Secondary School was one of the first schools to develop and progress the TYP.
TYP was always optional but we encourage as many students as possible into the programme.
The TYP subject base has been broadened by the inclusion of Japanese, Applied Mathematics, Legal Studies, and Technology.

Other new subjects will be investigated as the demand arises and the resources become available.

LCA was introduced in 1995. There has always been a steady demand for the course and we have always had a class in LCA1 and LCA2. The course meets the needs of the students and is well supported by local employers

LCVP: This programme was introduced into our school in the 1990s. In 2007, a task committee was set up and a thorough review of the programme was undertaken. Arising from this review, a draft plan for the programme was drawn up and measures were taken to increase the student uptake.
Our LCVP has a business / humanities orientation.

Guidance:

The school has a provision for 1.5 guidance counsellors employed in timetabled career classes and in the provision of individual or group career sessions and individual counselling sessions. The school library and resource room contains a guidance section and all timetabled career classes are held in an ICT room. A comprehensive guidance plan is in place which details guidance provision for each year group. A wide range of methodologies are used in the delivery of the guidance programme. The guidance counsellors are readily available to help and support students in need and are represented on the Care team.

How the subject options / subject choice structure operates in junior cycle, senior cycle, PLC

In Junior Cycle, Science and a Modern Language are core subjects. Junior Cycle students choose two subjects from the following list; Art, Music, Technology, Home Economics and Business.

In Senior Cycle students study seven subjects plus where appropriate, Link Modules.

The core subjects are English, Irish, Mathematics and a Modern Language. Some students take Japanese and/or Applied Maths as an extra subject. Students choose three subjects from the following list; Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Social and Scientific, Accountancy, Economics, Business Studies, Art, Music, History, Geography and Link Modules.

ICT in the school - availability and access.

The use of ICT as a teaching and learning tool is strongly promoted and supported in Holy Family Secondary School. The school has an Ethernet network. All rooms in the permanent buildings have wired data points and the prefabs are connected to the server via a wireless network. Wireless access to the network is also available in the staff room. We have two dedicated computer labs and the library / resource room is equipped with a further 28 PCs. All classes have access to these rooms with priority access given to LCA and LCVP classes. Language classes are given priority access to one of the computer rooms which serves as a language lab. All specialist rooms and many classrooms have PCs on the school network. The office is equipped with 3 PCs as is the staff room. We have approximately 125 networked PCs in total in the school using Windows XP Pro and the main server uses Windows 2003 with daily automatic back up. Back up tapes are exchanged on a weekly basis and the latest tape is stored in a fire-proof safe in the school office.

School Management

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