Boarding School for Girls in Dublin, Ireland

Rathdown School for Girls, Dublin:
Rathdown School is a private day and boarding girls' school located in Glenageary in south county Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. We provide 5-day and 7-day boarding for 12-18 year olds in our senior school where we offer Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate curriculum programmes. Being a boarding school and welcoming students of all nationalities, helps to promote an awareness of cultural diversity in our community where mutual understanding and respect prevail, and we aim to generate tolerance for and recognition of the value of difference. Our academic achievements are outstanding by any measure and the vast majority of our pupils continue to 3rd level education in Ireland and abroad.

5 & 7 Day Boarding Programs: 
Boarding Houses are open at weekends during term time (with the exception of Bank Holiday weekends). Many of our girls choose to go home on Fridays after school and return by 8p.m. on Sunday evening.

Those playing sports or other pursuits stay on Saturdays and / or Sundays.

International students remain in our Boarding Houses or go to their Host Families who act ‘in loco-parentis’ during exeats at weekends during term time.

Education Programs:
We are committed to providing an education of the highest standard, so that our students develop the skills and character to do well in State Examinations and more importantly, become life-long learners who are successful, responsible and active citizens of the global community.

- The Junior Certificate Examination:
This is an educational qualification awarded by the Department of Education in Ireland to those students who have successfully completed the junior part of their secondary school education, and who have achieved a minimum standard in their Junior Cert. exams.

- The Leaving Certificate Examination:  
This is the final examination in the Irish secondary school education system takes a minimum of two years preparation, and is more commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert. 

An optional Transition Year means that it can take place three years after the Junior Cert. exams.

- Transition Year: 
Transition Year is a one-year programme which provides a bridge enabling students to make the transition to Senior Cycle more successfully.

This year offers a different agenda to the other five examination-driven years of secondary school.

Each year group is divided into 3 form groups. However, all option groups have at least four subjects and at Junior Cycle from first year onward English and Mathematics are set in four or more divisions, as required.

As in all recognised secondary schools, with the exception of the Transition Year, the subject curriculum is set by the Department of Education and Science.

Boarders' Activities:
Activities and outings are organized on Saturday afternoons and a movie is usually shown after supper on Saturday evenings. Every month the boarders enjoy a day trip. 

Numerous social evenings are scheduled during term times. There are no compulsory weekends during which pupils must remain in the Boarding Houses throughout the academic year.

Additional Activities:
We also offer an extensive range of pastoral, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities which allows our girls to develop as whole people.