Private Boarding School in Ireland

Newtown School, Waterford:
We at Newtown House (located just 10 minutes walk from the heart of Waterford City in the south east of Ireland) believe that in a rapidly changing world, education must concern itself more and more with the calibre of student it produces as much as with the courses to be studied. Adaptability, confidence, the courage to make changes where they are necessary and, above all, the ability to get on with other people are amongst the qualities that we promote through a sound liberal education for life.

Curriculum:
Newtown School offers a coherent six-year programme of secondary education leading to the Leaving Certificate Examination.

* Curriculum is founded on the principles of breadth and balance.
* Access in First Year to 21 subjects
* Class size policy of 25
* Mixed ability classes
* Keeping options open
* Catering for a range of aptitudes
* Real subject choice
* Maximum opportunity to take higher level
* Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme available as an option.

Junior Cycle:
First Year Scholars have access to twenty-one subjects, a subject being defined as having at least one class each week in the timetable. Students make choices between subjects only after having experienced each subject. Irrevocable choices are postponed for as long as possible to keep curricular options open.

In First Year all students take music for two classes in the week and take part in Junior Choir. All students have computer studies as part of the First Year curriculum. For First Year health education, classes are divided into two groups for a double class each, to facilitate group work and discussion. In Second and Third Year, all Junior Certificate candidates study art and science. All have access to French and/or German. All take a practical subject, either materials technology (wood) or home economics.

Classes are organised on a mixed-ability basis. Only in Irish and in mathematics are classes formed according to syllabus levels. Students with specific leaning difficulty receive learning support on an individual basis or in small groups for remedial teaching aimed at supporting the students in keeping pace with class work.

Available subjects:
Irish, English, History, Geography, Mathematics, Physical Education, Biology, Physics / Chemistry, Music, Choir, Art, C.S.P.E, French, Spanish, German, Home Economics, S.P.H.E., Technical Graphics, Businessm, Woodwork and Computers.

Transition Year:
All students who complete the junior Certificate follow on through the Fourth Year Transition programme before embarking on the two-year Leaving Certificate programme. Of the forty-two class periods in the week, twenty-two classes are allocated to core academic subjects, students continuing to take classes in subjects across the curriculum spectrum. Subjects have fewer classes in the week than previously and the teaching methodology and learning experience may be different.

The remaining twenty class periods are scheduled in the doubles and trebles for activity learning modules in such courses as drama, media, personal development, nutrition, outdoor pursuits, mini-company, enterprise, crafts and fashion design. The programme also includes week-long work experience placements, courses in the Gaeltacht, outdoor pursuits programme, mountain walking, European studies tour on themes pertinent to the programme.

Academic Core Subjects:
Irish, Environmental Studies, German, History, Maths, Science I, Spanish, Music, French, English, Science II.

Extension Modules:
Media, Physical Education, Tourism, Health, Nutrition, Outdoor Pursuits, Pottery, Photography, Drama, Music, Computers, Enterprise, Food Hygiene, First Aid, Film Studies , Extra Maths and Communications.

Senior Cycle:
The subject options at Leaving Certificate level offer real choice and the maximum opportunity to study subjects to higher level. In the core subjects of Irish, English and mathematics there are three-way class divisions in higher, higher/ordinary and ordinary groupings according to the syllabus. There are higher and ordinary classes in French and a higher-level class and an LCVP class in Spanish. (The LCVP Spanish is primarily for students taking the Vocational Programme and who may not have studied a second European language.)

Elective subjects are timetabled to allow students the possibility to specialise in sciences or the arts or humanities or commercial/vocational courses, or students may follow a general studies programme by selecting one subject from each of the disciplines.

Subject requirements of students entering Fifth Year determine the precise arrangement of the options. Students indicate their requirements following career guidance and aptitude testing during Fourth Year.

Core Subjects:
Irish 3 groupings
English 3 groupings
Mathematics 3 groupings

Available Options:
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Agricultural Science, Home Economics, Art, Construction Studies, French, Spanish, German, Music, History, Geography, Business, Economics, Applied Maths, Design & Communications, Graphics.

Leaving Cert Vocational Programme:
In addition to the established Leaving Certificate, the school offers the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme. LCVP is a Senior Cycle Programme of the Department of Education and Science, designed to give a strong vocational dimension to the Leaving Certificate (established).

The LCVP combines the academic strengths of the Leaving Certificate (established) with a new and dynamic focus on self–directed learning, innovation and enterprise, work and the community. This two-year programme is part of an expanded provision that aims to cater for the diversity of participants’ needs at senior cycle.

The primary goal of the LCVP is to prepare young people for adult life by ensuring that they are educated in the broadest sense, with an ability to cope and thrive in an environment of rapid change. Participants in the programme are encouraged to develop skills and competencies fundamental to both academic and vocational success.

Throughout the programme students are encouraged to:

* Be innovative and enterprising
* Take responsibility for their own learning
* Adapt to changing circumstances
* Evaluate data and devise solutions to problems
* Communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively
* Work with others as part of a team
* Investigate and plan career options
* Use information and communications technologies
* Investigate local businesses and community enterprises
* Learn from their experiences

These skills and qualities are equally relevant to the needs of those preparing for further education, seeking employment or planning to start their own business.

Personal Development:
Newtown School is a stimulating and pleasant place to live and work. Students and staff enjoy the parkland setting with a campus style classroom area. Newtown School encourages students to participate in a wide range of indoor and outdoor hobbies and activities. Such interests are strengthened and give a context through excursions to theatres, concerts, art galleries and centres of interest and through educational field trips, school exchanges, international education tours and school trips for skiing and camping. It is often from these activities as much as from formal teaching that young people discover their own abilities and develop interests that remain with them throughout their lives.

Education for Life:
Newton School encourages students to achieve high standards across a wide range of curricular and extracurricular activities. The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum. Class groupings are organised on a mixed ability basis except where syllabi require separate classes for ordinary and higher level courses. Experience shows that this kind of learning environment allows students with ability to achieve outstanding results while others receive examination grades which exceed their expectations.

Sports:
At Newtown sport plays an essential part in the educational programme. The emphasis is on participation. An internal "clan system" encourages everyone to get involved. Games players who turn out regularly for practise are selected for the appropriate school team.

Coaches train teams and athletes for inter school and representative competitions. Individual sports and various outdoor are actively promoted
Sports Include Athletics, Basketball, Badminton, Cricket, Golf , Hockey, Rugby, Swimming, Tennis.