School Plan

Our Aim

The school aims to make each student be as independent as they can be.

We do this by providing a secure, caring and supportive environment through the provision of a broad curriculum of social, personal, academic, sporting, vocational and relevant life-skills programmes.

History

In May 1958 a decision was made by the Executive Committee of Cork Polio and General After-Care Association to establish a school for children who would nowadays be classified as children having a ‘mild general learning disability’ on a pilot basis.


Scoil Bernadette was born in an upstairs room at 133 Oliver Plunkett Street on May 28 1958 with 5 boys and 6 girls. Teaching was initially provided by members of the Brothers of Charity. Patrick Kiely was the first Principal and a second teacher was appointed in 1961. By 1961, enrolment was close to 50 and the waiting list was growing. In that year Scoil Bernadette moved to No. 9 Dyke Parade and enrolled only boys from that time on.


In 1971 Scoil Bernadette moved into their brand new custom designed school in Bonnington, Montenotte. The first principal retired in 1976 and was replaced by Pat Mooney. In 1985 the school changed from being a school for boys from 4 – 18 years of age to a co-educational school for students from 12 – 18 years of age. In September 1991, Don McAleese became Principal on Pat Mooney’s retirement, a post he held with distinction. Ita Teegan became the next permanent principal in 2009 and retired after much distinguished service in 2018. Don Golden has taken over the reins.

Specialist Subjects and  Teachers

Physical Education (PE)

Ms. Walsh is our PE teacher and she teaches PE, Active Leisure Studies and organises sports events. We all do a large amount of exercise.

Woodwork

Mr. McHugh is our Woodwork teacher and he teaches Materials Technology at Junior Certificate, Graphics and Construction Studies at Leaving Cerificate Applied and lets students apply the skills needed for Learning for Living in the woodwork room.

Music

Ms. Murray teaches music to every class in the school. She runs our Junior Choir, our Senior Choir and a Chamber Choir and music plays a huge part in all our school celebrations and activities.

Home Economics

Ms. Doyle is our Home Economics teacher. This area is a very important part of the Learning for Living ethos of the school. As well as preparing for exams students learn how to cook and be safe in the kitchen.

Art

Ms. Anderson teaches art to all students at all levels developing fine motor skills and an appreciation for colour and beauty the same time.

Horticulture

Ms. O'Neill teaches this vital part of Learning for Living to our students. This allows them to taste healthy fresh organic food that they have grown in our poly-tunnel and garden area.

Science

Ms. O'Connor teaches science to our students in our Science lab. She uses a learning by experience model of education with lots of experiments.

Resource Teachers

Mr. Byrne, Mr. Buckley, Ms. O'Leary and Ms. Murphy are the 4 resource teachers at the moment. They help out in all the classes across the school.



School Layout - How we work!

On average we have 125 student per year. Each class has between 10 and 12 students inclusive usually. 

There are 2 classes per year (2 first years, 2 second years, 2 third years, 2 transition years, 2 Leaving Cert Applied classes and 2 Learning for Living classes.

Classes are normally named with a number 1 (indicates first year) and a letter that identifies the class teacher. So 1K is Ms. Kelly's first year class. Senior classes are named after the course and a Year 1 or 2 so LCA 1 (5th year) or LCA 2 (6th year) and LFL 1 and LFL 2 similarly.

Each base class has a base teacher similar to a primary school model, who teaches the majority of subjects to that class and is first point of contact between the student/parent/family and the school. 

Students generally stay for 6 years although the option of missing Transition Year has been open to people in the past. 


Courses on Offer

The Junior Certificate Schools Programme

The JCSP is the first taste of examination research and project work for our first and second years. The JCSP prepares our youngest students, through the invaluable and entertaining projects, like the Make A Book Project, as well as through the discipline of achieving a range of JCSP Statement, for the Junior Certificate examinations that most will sit in 3rd year.

Junior Cycle

Scoil Bernadette has embraced this course for our first, second and third year students.

"the new junior cycle will feature newly developed subjects and short courses, a focus on literacy, numeracy and key skills, and new approaches of assessment and reporting"

http://www.juniorcycle.ie/

Junior Certificate

Exams are available for participation however there have been huge changes in recent years. We are assessing the impacts of these changes on our students' ability to complete these courses in addition to the Junior cycle.

Courses offered

1st 2nd & 3rd Year 2 Classes each completing Junior Cycle Programme mainly at Level 2

Junior Cycle Level 2 and 3 Mostly class based programs with a limited number of exams. 

Junior Cert Schools Programme (JCSP) A classroom based individual programme of learning that complements Junior Cycle

Transition Year (4th) School designed curriculum although since 2024 the new department template is in use.

5th & 6th Year

Learning for Living (LFL) New senior cycle course being piloted/designed here.

Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) 2 year course (see below for more details). 


Level 2 Learning Programmes

A new curriculum that can be accessed here http://www.jct.ie/l2lp/l2lp for anyone needing more information.


Leaving Certificate Applied

The LCA aims to get young adults ready for work and/or further education. It is a 2 year course. There is a different way of passing your Leaving Cert and this is it. Lots of projects, interviews and tasks as well as exams.

Subjects