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Our Contextual Statement
Kinsale Community School is an outstanding non-selective school in Co. Cork, Ireland. There are currently 1478 students on roll and we are dedicated to providing outstanding education for the diverse needs of all students in the local community; which spans both coastal areas and rural towns. Our commitment to academic excellence and holistic development is renowned both locally and internationally.
A notable hallmark of Kinsale Community School is its remarkable achievements in the field of STEM and specifically Science. Since 2002, the school has amassed an impressive tally of over 100 awards at the prestigious Irish BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, including three prestigious overall awards and distinctions such as the Best School Award in 2015 and 2019. The institution also shines in Scifest, a program of STEM fairs for second-level students, further showcasing its dedication to science education.
The school's commitment to innovation is exemplified through its status as a Microsoft Showcase School utilising blended learning through the Microsoft Teams platform Microsoft Showcase Schools, selected for their commitment to creating immersive and inclusive educational experiences through the innovative use of Microsoft technologies, are recognised as exemplars in the integration of technology to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. This approach at Kinsale Community School empowers students to access course materials through OneNote, submit assignments, and engage with teachers seamlessly, ultimately enhancing the overall learning experience.
In the realm of robotics, Kinsale Community School has made history by securing its fifth victory at the National VEX VRC competition, solidifying its position as the leading school in Ireland for robotics and earning a spot in the World Championships in the USA. This accomplishment highlights the school's commitment to nurturing students' skills and fostering excellence in technology and engineering. Every year, VEX robotics competition brings together the brightest young minds nationwide to showcase their skills and abilities.
While excelling in science and technology, the school also takes great pride in promoting the arts, with a particular emphasis on Music, which plays an integral role in its curriculum.
Our school has consistently demonstrated exceptional prowess in various sporting disciplines, achieving remarkable feats that exemplify our commitment to athletic excellence. Notably, our U19 soccer team emerged as the Cork Cup Champions, and their remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed, with three of our players currently pursuing careers as professional players. Our dominance extends beyond the soccer pitch, with our O'Brien, King, and McCarthy Cup Champion titles in rugby and many of our players have proudly donned the Munster jersey. In Gaelic sports, our school has triumphed in multiple County titles, showcasing our proficiency in Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie, and Ladies Gaelic Football. Our accolades further extend to the All-Ireland stage, with victories in Hurling and Camogie for former students and several of our athletes representing Cork at the national level. Moreover, our basketball teams have notched impressive victories, including one Boys' All-Ireland and one Girls' All-Ireland title. These outstanding achievements underscore our school's dedication to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of excellence in sport.
Moreover, Kinsale Community School is recognised for its unwavering commitment to sustainability. Various eco-friendly practices, such as solar panels for energy generation, water harvesting for conservation, a bio-digester, and an outdoor learning space for plant cultivation, underscore the school's dedication to environmental responsibility. The hosting of the European Education Area Strategic Conference in May 2023 on sustainability further demonstrates its leadership in this critical area.
Furthermore, the school has established, CROÍ (Collaboration and Research for Ongoing Innovation) Na Scoile, a teacher-led research group. We encourage teachers to be reflective practitioners and inquiry-based learners who actively engage in research and use research in reviewing and developing their practice which ultimately impacts positively on students learning and development of educational practices within our school. Action research projects are continually undertaken within our school community.
Our participation in Erasmus+ is both academically and holistically beneficial for students who participate in the programme. This year our Erasmus+ project will focus on exploring what it means to be European and engaging with Global Education through a critical lens. As a school we are increasingly aware at our students’ sense of insular identity rather than European mindedness. The choice of title for this project, connects to this idea. B.E.A.G: Being European, Acting Globally plays on the idea of Ireland being a small nation within the European context (the word beag in Gaelic means small). However, within our school context we envision our role in developing our students’ European identities as crucial to their sense of belonging on a global scale. With this in mind ,we also want to develop active European Citizenship as a key tenant of our students’ education. The project will require students to consider their cultural, national, and local identities and historical and current issues that inform their identity.
In conjunction with this, the school serves as the pilot institution for the innovative Hub in Active European Citizenship in collaboration with University College Cork. This initiative focuses on empowering students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage with European issues, further cementing the school's commitment to holistic education.
Our holistic education extends to the provision of an ASD/MLD unit which embodies the school motto ‘all together in learning’. We are an inclusive school and committed to providing an education to all students but with the inclusion of the ASD and MLD unit it enables students with SEN to fulfil their social moral, cultural and physical potential with a community of their peers.
Kinsale Community School is an institution dedicated to fostering well-rounded, engaged, and informed individuals who access breadth and depth in both academia and holistic education.