Welcome To...

Presentation College Glasthule

March 2000

Dear Parents

I know that choosing a secondary school is one of the most difficult and anxious decisions a parent has to make. As the new Principal of Presentation College, Glasthule, I would like to state clearly my own central values and aims, and those promoted in our school, to help you to make an informed decision about your son's future. I also want to show clearly some of the practical ways in which we set out to achieve them. As a Catholic secondary school we seek to fuse our Christian tradition and values with modem insights and understanding.

Ours is a small school. Our class sizes are frequently small. No child disappears into the crowd. Our academic results bear this out. Our main aim is to ensure the highest standard of tuition in the classroom and close monitoring and support for the individual student's work at home and in school. Each child must achieve the best of which he is capable. High expectations from all and respect for all levels of ability are the hallmark of our academic programme. Our curriculum covers the main academic disciplines where there is a proven record of success.

Strong values of mutual respect-and support in an orderly and well-disciplined environment are basic to our school culture. Standards of behaviour and work are high and discipline is firm, fair and positive. Students are strongly encouraged to assume responsibility for themselves as they mature. We promote a well-focused but broadly based education. We have also placed self-directed learning skills at the centre of our study skills programme.

Bullying is never accepted or ignored. Our pastoral structure of class teachers, year heads, counselor, chaplain and principal/deputy principal ensures close care of individuals at all times. They are also supported by senior prefects who assist junior students as they manage the transition to secondary school.

We work very closely with parents. We have a specially designed and enlarged school journal in which comments between home and school over a wide range of issues, including praise for work well done and improvement of performance or application, homework and test results, behaviour, absence, punctuality and many other issues are regularly communicated. This journal is signed by parents weekly and in many cases reviewed more frequently. All students have the journal in school at all times. Informal communication is commonplace. We strongly believe in working with well-informed parents to nurture the development of each child according to his needs. This reflects a general policy of close cooperation between home and school.