Primary Times are here to help with some of the parental panic that can surround choosing your child’s new secondary school.
When it comes to picking the right school, where do you begin? What sort of environment will best suit your family? Are you aiming for a single-sex school or considering co-educational? What does your child want? With so many possibilities, it’s important to do your research, decide on your priorities, value your child’s opinions, and keep an open mind.
Top Tips for Parents
Take location and transport into account
Once your child reaches secondary school, you might not be within walking distance. Don’t rule out schools just because they are further away – independence grows, and school bus routes or public transport are often good solutions.
Talk to your child
Open communication is key. Discuss what they’d like in a new school and observe how they respond to different environments at Open Days. Afterwards, ask them to list their top three schools with reasons why. Let them know their happiness matters.
Make the most of Open Events
Schools that look perfect on paper may feel different in person. If you can, attend Open Days/Evenings:
See the school in person, soak in its atmosphere, and tour its facilities.
Meet the headteacher and learn about future plans.
Observe staff and student interactions, and ask honest questions.
Meet other families and future classmates.
Trust your instincts.
Make the decision together with your child – then look forward to this exciting new chapter.
School Open Days
Rathdown School
Location: Glenageary, Co. Dublin
Open Day: Monday, 15th September 2025, 3.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Highlights: Senior, Junior and Pre-School tours, meet staff, parents, and students. Friendly, caring, home-from-home environment.
Highlights: Pre-School, Junior, and Secondary on a five-acre campus. Extensive wrap-around care and activities including Irish dancing, ballet, robotics, debating, and more. Feeder to Teresian Secondary, renowned for academic excellence.
Enrolment: Junior Infants (2026 & 2027). Secondary applications for 2026 open in October.
Open Day: Saturday, 4th October 2025, 11.00 am – 1.00 pm
Highlights: Co-educational, inter-denominational. Irish and German traditions, German from 1st Class onwards, no prior German required. Excellent sports and aftercare until 5 pm daily.
Open Evening: Thursday, 2nd October 2025, 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm
Highlights: All-girls fee-paying school with strong academic results (55% over 500 points in 2025). Broad range of sports, music, and debating. Tours by students and talks from the Principal.
Open Day: Thursday, 25th September 2025, 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Highlights: Now co-educational, boys joining for the first time. Ranked 9th nationally among fee-paying schools. Known for academic excellence, strong music, arts, and sport.
Open Evening: Thursday, 18th September 2025, 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Highlights: Leading all-girls, fee-paying day school. Strong academics (58% of 2025 Leaving Cert students over 500 points). Wide extracurriculars in sport, art, debating, and music.
Principal’s Talk: 6.15 pm & 7.15 pm in the concert hall.
Primary Times are here to help with some of the parental panic that can surround choosing your child’s new secondary school.