Pres Ballyphehane hits the headlines on The Echo

Thanks to Darragh Bermingham and The Echo for featuring our School this week as we commence our first terms as a co-educational secondary school. Our Principal Barry O'Shea spoke of the school's  delight

"to welcome our new first year class which, for the first time in the almost sixty-year history of Pres Ballyphehane, included both male and female students. By opening our doors to boys as well as girls, we aim to create a vibrant community where young minds can learn, collaborate, and grow together. We look forward to a future where we will continue to develop and nurture the individual student with attention and care, empowering each one to develop their talents, abilities and skills to become the best person they can be."

“Children who join us at Pres Ballyphehane benefit from a caring supportive atmosphere where we focus on knowing students personally,” he added. "Each first-year student has been allocated a ‘Cara’ or a friend, a senior student who will help first years settle in, show them around and be a continued support throughout the year. The school also has a trained guidance counsellor for students who need to talk through difficulties and problems and a dedicated Parents Support Teacher or HSCL who will work closely with all parents to ensure that each student achieves their full potential,” Mr O’Shea continued.

“Our facilities and resources are second to none, as is our excellent teaching team. This team delivers a wide ranging and varied curriculum designed to support the individual learning style and needs of each student. This student centred approach has resulted in outstanding Leaving Cert results over many years,” he added.

“In 2023, 79% of our students progressed to university. The excellent results of 2023 were matched by this year’s Leaving Cert cohort, with many students achieving over 500 points, including one student who achieved 625 points and hopes to study dentistry.” The 2024/25 year will also see significant curricular developments for Pres Ballyphehane, Mr O’Shea revealed.

“Our school is one of the few schools nationally to be selected to provide the new Theatre, Drama and Film Studies subject at Leaving Cert,” he said. Given our school’s excellence in the dramatic and performing arts, this will provide all of our students with wonderful opportunities, particularly those who wish to work in the areas of film and theatre. “We also hope to expand our provision of technical subjects, with the introduction of Wood Technology/Woodwork, for the first time in September 2025.

“A rounded education is provided to each of our students,” he added. “While academic endeavour will remain at the school’s core, we also hope that our students contribute to the life of the school beyond the classroom. “We offer a wide range of extra and co- curricular activities. We excel at sports and have won multiple Cork, Munster and All-Ireland titles in a variety of sports including basketball, athletics, Gaelic football, soccer, rugby, table-tennis and badminton.