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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Luttrellstown Community College will promote the development of the whole person. Its aim will be to create, with the assistance of parents, responsible citizens. The development of the whole person will be based on personal responsibility, inter-dependence, respect for people

and respect for property. The College will seek to cultivate integrity, the necessary skills for life, value discipline and punctuality and facilitate the best in the academic and non-academic areas. The Board of Management will seek to inculcate a value for culture, traditions, and religious beliefs and

will seek to be a caring and compassionate community where justice and truth will be central elements.

This statement underpins all our work in Luttrellstown Community College and we strive to embed this ethos in all school activities. Our aim from the beginning was to foster a school spirit that builds confidence and whereby students are encouraged and guided on a very special educational journey. Since we opened the doors of Luttrellstown Community College it has been a rollercoaster ride. Our students are amazing, thoughtful, creative and a joy to teach. Teachers and Parents are working closely in partnership together. Every day I, as Principal, feel as if everybody in the school community is fully engaged and doing everything they can to develop Luttrellstown C. C. into an excellent college. This college is led by a dedicated staff who exemplifies teamwork. With our parents and support staff, we have really forged our identity as a school community. Every chapter that unfolds brings a new experience and this enriches the lives of our students. We look forward to each opportunity that building LCC brings.

OUR CONTEXT

Given the growing numbers in primary school in Dublin 15 another second level school was needed. We are now one of the three main second level providers in our particular geographical area of Dublin 15. We work in collegiality with these two schools and in particular with our sister school Castleknock Community College. There are a large number of feeder primary schools and each have a tradition of attending a certain secondary school. Getting our Admissions Policy right was the first major challenge we met. It took time to research and discuss the best approach to enrolment for LCC and her community. The Board of Management once formed set this as their first and foremost task. In April 2010 an amended Admissions Policy was adopted based on feeder primary schools only. This has now given a clear direction to us as a school and to our community as to who we serve into the future.

Our start up location in the former College of Horology gave us a great start. We have every facility necessary to provide a well rounded Junior Certificate Programme. We are lucky to be located close to the N.A.C. which makes our P.E. programme in the winter months worthwhile. Good weather otherwise is necessary as we have no hall or large space to run an activity in. There is also a challenge ahead to move from this temporary site before overcrowding occurs and not as a result of it. The site of our permanent location is perfectly situated for our feeder schools and parents look forward to the move. County Dublin VEC will work with the relevant authorities to achieve this move at the earliest date possible. In the meantime arrangements are already underway to make sure there is adequate provision for our incoming students for the 2010/11 school year. Our initial student population was of a majority non-national make up which gave a rich tapestry to the community that was forming. The staff embraced our multi-cultural population and the opportunities this gave us to develop as a community college. We met this challenge by:

1. Encouraging partnership with parents when running school events 2. Getting our first year students involved at every level internal and external as you

will read.

As a result of this approach Luttrellstown Community College has put on many successful events and our students have won two major awards in our first year, all of which are outlined in this report. Next year’s cohort of students is a very different mix and we look forward to the years ahead with the attitude ‘Tús maith leath na hoibre’.

REVIEW OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR

DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CURRICULUM

As Principal of Luttrellstown Community College my aim was to provide a broad curriculum delivered through teaching methodologies that motivate students to achieve their potential. A key factor that helped achieve this aim was the implementation by teachers of Assessment for Learning (AFL). We began at our first Teacher Council Meeting with an explanation and discussion as to how best to use AFL to motivate students. All teachers believed we were in an ideal situation starting out to use AFL and we believe it proved so. We particularly are proud of its positive effect on less academic students. These students got positive feedback from teachers throughout the year; they learned from teacher comments; they learned how to use checklists for revision and are proud of their achievement in term exams. Mid and high achievers found AFL a little frustrating at first as they were accustomed to affirmation by result. As a staff however we feel AFL improved their learning strategies, time management and they made very effective use of revision checklists. Our first challenge next year is to build on this success with our second years. The second challenge is to engage our first year students and parents with the process of AFL. Given the new school set up situation, planning and coordination of subject departments needed a lot of guidance. We were in the fortunate position to have a senior member of staff to give leadership in this area and co-ordinate subject planning. Although many staff had to write up Subject Plans and Schemes of Work for more than one subject they did so with great professionalism and met all deadlines set. This work will get easier as departments grow in numbers and colleagues can share the workload. The initiatives used by teachers to keep all students motivated in mixed ability classes was another success story this year. So many in-house events took place to promote subject areas and engage students in actively pursuing knowledge as independent and team learners. Science and Maths Weeks brought out the logical thinkers and those who love project work. Art and Business used project based competitions to encourage creative thinking. Seachtain na Gaeilge was a real team building experience as everybody, whether they were in the rang Gaeilge or not, took part. The positive image of a native Italian boy winning the Poc Fada competition comes to mind as an example of what a positive experience the whole week was. International week was an eye-opener to showcase the ICT

skills of a first year group. Their ability to research, present information in an effective manner and engage an audience showed both independent and group work in action. Later in the year a less softly approach was taken in the Dragons Den project. Our students still rose to the occasion; one or two even rose to the occasion by questioning the Dragons! A very interesting exercise. The challenge next year will be to give the same opportunity to all 150 students to showcase their work. It is time-consuming but the affirmation showcasing presented confirmed to us as teachers how worthwhile it is. Taking part in external competitions was also something we wanted to get started this year. We realised we would face a number of challenges if we tried to field sporting teams in national competitions (lack of numbers in particular) hence we sought other opportunities. The BT Young Scientist Competition gave our students a wonderful opportunity to engage in a national competition and see project work of the highest standards. We did engage and our students won a ‘Highly Commended’ award. This was a huge achievement for a first time applicant. The theme was significant in the lives of many of our students: ‘ The Role of the New Irish’.

Junior Cert. CurriculumStudent Intake: 90

Structure of Classes: Mixed Ability

Students choose : *One additional language, *Two Option subjects

Subject Periods (44 total)

Gaeilge 5

English 5

Mathematics 5

Science 4

History 3

Geography 3

Religious Studies 3

CSPE 1

SPHE 1

Business Studies* 4

Technical Graphics* 4

Home Economics* 4

Art* 4

Music* 4

French* 4

Spanish* 4

Physical Education 2

TEACHER REVIEWS OF SUBJECT AREAS

At the conclusion of the academic year, each teacher filled out a questionnaire relating to their subject area. This section gives a synopsis and a flavour of how teachers felt about

the progress made and their aims for the future.

GAELIGE

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? In Irish I feel the students have learnt how to enjoy the learning of the language through imaginative methods. They came up with creative ideas for Seachtain na Gaeilge and organised and ran them very professionally. This gave them a great sense of achievement and responsibility. The students showed great pride in the language. It is also very evident in the school community that Irish is a very important language, as the students are encouraged by all staff to use Irish in every aspect of school life.

2. What are your aims for next year? I hope to use a lot more resources and technology to ally what I used this year.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? I believe that they are. I find that Assessment for Learning has been very successful. Regular tests are important in the teaching of Irish.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? I plan to improve on some of the wall charts we use for the classroom. However the main improvement will be the purchase of an interactive whiteboard for the Irish Department purchased from the €3,000 prize money from Gleo.

ENGLISH

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? Students are benefitting by experiencing essential new course elements such as Media Studies, Book Reviews and Drama. They are learning how to write creatively, but also critically and efficiently. The emphasis on grammar, capital letters, full stops and paragraphs hopefully has a constructive effect on their written work in all subject areas.

2. What are your aims for next year? Firstly I wish to expand the range of resources and handouts I have. I also would like to expand the developing library facility which we started in the school this year. Finally I

would like to take all students to Blanchardstown Library to ensure that they are members and aware of the fantastic free facilities available to them.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? In English the best form of ongoing assessment is monitoring class and homework, allied to termly tests. I believe these forms of assessment are complimentary and ensure students are guided in a rounded manner.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? There is an influx of new textbooks which we will have a look at to see if they improve upon the current one. Apart from this we will continue to gather resources from various sources including the internet, teacher resource websites and the Irish National Organisation of Teachers of English (INOTE).

MATHS

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? They are learning to think more for themselves and to relate maths to their everyday lives. They are also learning to work together as a group and assist each other with problem solving.

2. What are your aims for next year? Expanding on our resources for next year and also using technology regularly.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? Yes, especially through the use of Assessment for Learning.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? We have recently purchased new resources for Maths. With Project Maths commencing it will make it a lot easier to teach the new approach to maths and make it more interesting.

GEOGRAPHY

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? They are really benefitting from the use of the interactive whiteboard, as using visual aids to simplify materials proved most successful. The use of the internet, especially when earthquakes and volcanoes made the news, proved very successful.

2. What are your aims for next year? To focus on map reading skills and economic geography while also progressing with population and physical geography. I also want to introduce a Geography club where students can actively participate in reading and creating maps of their local area.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? My assessment methods have been in line with Assessment for Learning. Positive reinforcement was used at all time to increase confidence. Students were allowed to take ownership of their own learning by directly participating in the teaching process. I have also engaged directly with parents by providing them with revision checklists at exam times.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? I am very happy with the resources that I have at present.

HISTORY

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area?

Students enjoy history; there is full participation in class discussions and they are encouraged to bring their own knowledge of the topics to the class. The internet proved to be a great educational tool as students could take tours of historical sites in Ireland, a trip through Ancient Rome and to the Sistine Chapel to see the works of Michelangelo.

2. What are your aims for next year? Next year my aim will be to engage in discussions at a deeper level, to introduce higher order thinking so that students can develop analytical skills. This can be achieved by introducing history debates at the end of each topic.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? Students were engaged in the assessment methods themselves, with them being allowed to act as ‘examiners’ throughout the year – they were presented with essays that they had to correct and score. The goal was to locate ten standard relevant statements, put a check at each statement and score accordingly. This worked very well.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? I would like to purchase a textbook to use with our EAL students relating to the history of Ancient Ireland.

RELIGION

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? Students are learning about religion and most importantly about world religions. This enables them to understand the traditions and cultures which are prevalent in their school and home communities.

2. What are your aims for next year? Next year my aim will be to utilise the increasing maturity of our 2nd years to engage in discussions at a deeper level. Discussing and comparing belief systems will be interesting and beneficial.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? All our assessment methods are in line with Assessment for Learning. This ensures that students develop their skills of self-assessment and correcting their own mistakes. I mix assessment techniques between verbal questioning and end of chapter tests.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? We will always strive to improve on resources in the Religion Department. This especially includes internet resources that can be accessed.

SCIENCE

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area?

Students are benefitting from the cross-curricular nature of Science. For example they have covered chapters in Science that they have met again in Maths and Home Economics. Our Investigative Approach to learning encourages creative thinking, self reflection and problem solving.

2. What are your aims for next year? Apart from the main aims contained in the Science Department Subject Plan, we will continue to strive to successfully cater to the needs of all students in the mixed ability class while still ensuring every student is challenged to the best of their abilities.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? Yes I do, as it is in line with the Assessment for Learning approach. It includes various methods of assessment including projects, verbal questioning, end of chapter tests and revision plans.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? We have a great range of top quality resources in Science and we just need to order in the essential equipment needed for 2nd year.

BUSINESS STUDIES

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? Students are benefitting from a good foundational knowledge of all aspects of business, but especially an understanding of the future of business in the current economic instability.

2. What are your aims for next year? To continue to develop our bank of resources and to consistently link Business Studies to the events happening in the economy, both local and global.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods?

I believe so, especially using a variety of methods including term tests, end of module tests and regular verbal questioning.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? The text book is very good but as previously stated, we can work on building up a bank of resources for the department.

HOME ECONOMICS

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? They are benefitting from the curriculum and the variety of skills.

2. What are your aims for next year? The programme for 2nd years will consist of more cookery and needlework. I also aim to cover the more difficult areas in the science section.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? Yes I believe they are as I think it makes them reflect more on where they can improve. I intend to vary my assessment methods next year also.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? The text books are very satisfactory.

MUSIC

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? I feel students are really benefitting from music. As a very practical subject it offers them an opportunity to develop new skills and improve on talents they already have. They have really benefitted from the extra-curricular music activities also.

2. What are your aims for next year? I aim to get students performing more (not just as part of the choir) and to develop the area of music technology. I hope to set up a lunchtime guitar club also.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? My assessment methods give students the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and start to self-assess their own work. I use various methods, all in line with Assessment for Learning.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? We can improve on some music technology resources. Purchasing school guitars would also be very useful and enable students to develop a new talent.

ART

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? They are really benefitting beyond my expectations. Their work is excellent for 1st years

2. What are your aims for next year?

I aim to continue with more investigative drawing, painting and introduce sculpture and theme-based work in preparation for the Junior Cert.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? Yes I believe they are as I think it makes them reflect more on where they can improve.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? I need to obtain a variety of resources to display students’ work more attractively for next year.

TECHNICAL GRAPHICS

1. How are students benefitting from your subject area? Students are benefitting through problem solving, visualisation and spatial ability. Close links with Maths and ICT are also beneficial.

2. What are your aims for next year? I aim to enter students into the ‘F1 for Schools’ competition, as this will promote more awareness of subject and content covered.

3. Are students benefitting from your assessment methods? Assessment has been topic-based along with assessing neatness and accuracy. Also quick fire questions in class works well for refreshing and revision.

4. Can we improve on resources in any way? Having SolidWorks on the Computers is fantastic but an extra couple of computers would be very welcome.

MODERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGES

French and Spanish students in Luttrellstown Community College had a hectic year. Some activities the students got involved in:

• Creating passports for next time they go to France or Spain. • Lunchtime and After School conversational clubs. • Watching movies in French and Spanish. • Quizzes about France/Spain and French/Spanish speaking countries. • Listening to songs in French and Spanish and singing along. • Different speaking activities including role-playing. • Use of the Interactive white board to play funny language games in the target

language.

Some of the aims of the Languages Department are to involve students actively in the learning process, creating an environment in which students will be prepared and motivated to listen, speak, read and write in French/Spanish and to ensure that they not only excel in the language but also have great fun doing it.

ACTIVITIES, EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Merit System

At the start of the school year, Príomhoide and the Teacher Council wished to introduce an innovative method of rewarding students on a consistent basis for their efforts in class and throughout school life. We also wanted to ensure that these rewards encapsulated achievements in many areas.

We therefore started a merit system for our students to recognize their progress, covering their contribution in class, punctuality, positive behaviour, completing homework on time, handing up extra work and generally adding to the school spirit. Students were awarded notes in their journals for their efforts and were also awarded stamps by their teachers.

Points are awarded for each stamp and positive comment the student receives and are recorded at the end of each week and posted on the merit chart. At the end of each term the students with the most points received rewards for their efforts throughout the term. These rewards came in the form of vouchers for books and music, which were very popular. More importantly to students was the fact that these rewards and certificates were awarded at an end of term ceremony, with all of their peers present.

We believe that this scheme worked very well and gave additional motivation to the vast majority of the student body. We were delighted that many different students achieved awards through the Merit Scheme, as some schemes that schools run result in a small body of students being consistently rewarded, which can be de-motivating for the other students. The fact that students were awarded points for acts that contributed to school spirit as well as academic achievement and positive behaviour, ensured that a wide variety of students achieved in the Merit Scheme. It also reflected our ethos as we encourage effort and achievement in all areas of school life.

We also developed another way of communicating when a student achieved in a given area. We decided to introduce a special merit postcard that was sent home to parents, notifying them of the students’ great achievements at school throughout the term. Now there’s an incentive to work hard! What is extra special about these postcards is that each of the six designs was created by one of our students, chosen through an Art Competition. Another example of the talents shown by our students!

Sports

Setting up sports in a new school is always an interesting challenge, especially when you have less than 60 students. However the skills, abilities and enthusiasm of our student body ensured that sport took off very quickly in LCC. Firstly, as part of this year’s P.E. Programme, all students participated in a water-sports module in the National Aquatic Centre. This module consisted of 6 weeks Swimming Lessons (Beginners & Improvers) with our qualified swimming coaches, followed by 4 weeks of water sports. This included Diving, Water Football, Water Volleyball and Aqua Aerobics. This module ran from November through to February and offered students an opportunity to partake in an innovative sports module. This ensured the sporting year started off on a real high. During this time students started to participate in many sports, through P.E., After School Clubs and also during lunchtime. A basketball coach worked with students on Monday and Wednesday lunchtime. We also availed of Gaelic coaching from St Brigid’s GAA Club for five P.E. classes. Teachers also volunteered to coach in Basketball and Soccer through the After School Clubs. This ensured the establishment of a boys and girls Basketball Team; a boys Gaelic Football Team; a boys Soccer Team and a mixed gender Athletics team. Not bad for 57 students! Although we didn’t get an opportunity to compete competitively too often in our set-up year, we still managed to play 3 competitive Gaelic matches (with only one loss!) and we were very close to winning medals in the Leinster Schools Athletics Meet in Santry Stadium. Whilst the passion for sport was evident amongst the teaching staff, we were all amazed by the passion and enthusiasm displayed by our students. Students displayed excellent skills and talents in many of the sports mentioned and even became organisers of events. Students organised competitions in Table Tennis and Table Football and also organised a penalty shoot-out during Seachtain Na Gaelige. They also organised games of soccer, hurling, basketball and cricket during lunchtime. The sports year finished on a real high with our Sports Day (Thursday 3rd June). Events included Soccer, Basketball, Rounders and Athletics (100 and 200 metres). Although it was a competitive day, it was also great fun. The depth of talent in Luttrellstown CC was noticeable in our awards ceremony; over 20 students received medals.

We can’t wait to see the emerging talents of all ours students next year. The future of sport in LCC is very bright!

After School Clubs and Lunchtime Activities One of the highlights of the year for students was the variety of clubs and activities offered by Luttrellstown Community College. The main element of this was the After School Clubs, which were run voluntarily by teachers every Monday and Thursday. Each student did one day of homework club and another day of an activity club. During the first few weeks, to give all a chance to get settled, the students did homework club and music or sport. This went really well and students and staff alike quickly got into the swing of things. We found that homework club was a great opportunity for students to get some extra support and encouragement from their teachers. The clubs offered a great chance for all students to mix and strong friendships formed as a result. This was especially important at the beginning of the year. At the end of each half term, we altered the variety of after school clubs on offer. We also ensured that students did not repeat an activity club. This steered students from their comfort zones and enabled them to experience new activities and develop new skills. In Luttrellstown Community College the student’s know their opinions are very important and some gave suggestions for after school clubs which were adopted. Examples of some of the After School Clubs operated this year are: Homework Club Music Science Gaelige Spanish Soccer Basketball Arts & Crafts Sowing Maths In another example of the innovative qualities of our students, several of them organised their own clubs. These included Hip Hop Dancing, Cricket, Table Tennis and Singing. It is obvious from the many examples given here that although it was our first year in our new school, we had many, many activities and clubs on offer. We look forward to the many activities that next year will bring!

Seachtain Na Gaelige

Bhí an-spórt is craic againn i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge. Coláiste Pobail Baile Lotrail celebrated its first ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge’ (5ú – 19ú Márta) by organising and taking part in many events during lunchtime and club after school. We enjoyed Biongó, Poc Fada, Tóraíocht Taisce, Tráth na gCeist and many more fun events! Bhí na himeachtaí oscailte dona daltaí uile and it was a great opportunity to celebrate An Ghaeilge. Our students also got involved in a poster competition which was judged by Príomhoide Ní Chaisil. Our school was decorated also with the fantastic art work ónar ndaltaí ealaíne. To round off our Seachtain na Gaeilge we had a Ceilí Mór agus amhránaíocht. Each class group prepared some lovely songs through Irish; Léimigí Thart (Jump Around) and Cailín na Gaillimhe (The Galway Girl) and many more. The students showed their great dancing skills at our Ceilí Mór. Ba mhór an onóir dúinn gur tháinig iarscoláirí Phríomhoide ó Ghaelcholáiste Reachrann ar cuairt chun Ceol Tradisiúinta a sheinm this topped off our week. Bhí an-chraic go deo againn! Tá buíochas mór ag dul go Oide Ní Thuairisg agus na múinteoirí uile a chabhraigh leí sprioad na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn sa choláiste. Ní neart go cur le chéile! However the crowning achievement of an excellent week was learning that we had won an award from Gleo for our efforts in ensuring Gaelige was a living language throughout the school. This award amounted to €3,000 and this money will be re-invested in the Gaelige Department. Well done to all the students and teachers for their efforts in securing this prestigious award!

Educational Trips and Outings

Luttrellstown CC believes that educational trips, school outings and group events should play a major part in supporting the curriculum and developing the students’ interests and skills range. We therefore invested much time and effort into organising a range of events and tours to stimulate and enthuse the student body. We will briefly recap on the highlights of the school outings:

• Lough Key Forest Park, Roscommon: At the start of the year, in order to help students to get to know each other, we organised a trip to Lough Key in Roscommon.

This is an innovative, indoor adventure centre, which encouraged students to work in teams to solve puzzles, which taxed the mind and the body. As the teachers who participated will attest to; it was challenging. The students loved it.

• National Concert Hall: In September the Music students attended a performance in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. This allowed them to see and hear a live orchestra perform as well as sample some Russian music.

• Drumming Workshop: Continuing on the musical theme, all our students participated in a drumming workshop in the school in December. This involved them experiencing various types of percussion instruments and getting to play a variety of them. It demonstrated that playing music is accessible and enjoyable for all.

• Dublinia: All our students participated in a trip to Dublinia and Christchurch Cathedral, which was organised by our History Department. This enabled students to see tangible examples of the work they had recently studied in History and brought it to life for them.

• Draoicht Gallery: The Art Class were invited to take part in a print workshop in March, while the gallery hosted an exhibition of recent prints by various current artists. They were taken on a tour of the exhibition by a staff member and then shown how to make their own etchings by one of the exhibiting artists. Each student made two prints, which were then displayed in the college foyer.

• Loughcrew Adventure Centre, Meath: For our end of year trip, all our students went to this fantastic adventure centre. They enjoyed Wall Climbing, Abseiling, Ropes Course, Zipping through the Trees and Archery. The students absolutely loved this day and the sun shone throughout.

Music in the College

Music played an immense part in college life throughout our first year. As just mentioned, the Music Class went on a trip to the National Concert Hall and it must have inspired the whole student body. Whilst the music students are very active in the musical life of the school, many other students were heavily involved in the choir and other events. In October, the fledgling choir performed excellently for Minister Brian Lenihan and the outgoing CEO of County Dublin VEC, Pat O’Connor, as well as many parents, during our inaugural Open Night. Our School Choir had their second public performance in Blanchardstown Library, on December 16th for our Evening of Festive Music. It was a great public occasion for our school to celebrate our first term. There was singing and readings by the students and fun festive treats organised by the Student Council. The choir entertained the crowd singing in no less than four languages and to end the night there was a medley of festive fun, where the usual sound barrier for a library was overlooked. The Co Dublin VEC Festival of Music is an evening of popular, classical and traditional music performed by students from Colleges of County Dublin VEC. Luttrellstown CC set out its stall

this year to be a big contributor from the very start. Our college choir joined the Festival Choir to perform four numbers. LCC was also lucky enough to also have two solo acts in the concert: Bello Pluto Nrejai performed Tears in Heaven and Luke Rynne-Cullen played English Dance on the violin. All our students performed brilliantly and did us proud! In May of this year, we also hosted our first Talent Show. This was again hosted by Blanchardstown Library, ensuring it was a community event. Twelve different acts performed excellently on the night, showing great variety with a range from rap to classical music. This event also highlighted the excellent partnerships being formed in Luttrellstown as members of the Parent and Teacher Councils performed, alongside a member of the Board of Management. Finishing off the year in style, our Choir performed at the School Picnic. With a range of music from classical and Irish language songs, up to Abba and The Beatles, everyone was truly entertained. Music plays a major role in the school, not just as part of the curriculum but also as a way of forming links and bonds between the student body and the rest of our community.

Teachers’ Review of the Year

In the end of year questionnaire completed by each teacher, they were also asked to select the ‘highs’ of their school year. The many varied answers highlighted the range of positive experiences that occurred during the year. The fact that some of them were mentioned by several teachers demonstrates that some of these experiences were very special. Here are

the highs that teachers selected:

• Young Scientist: Our amazing second place success (mentioned by 4 teachers)

• Playing a part in creating our college and school community (mentioned by 3 teachers)

• The success of Seachtain na Gaeilge and our award of €3,000 from GLEO (mentioned by 3 teachers)

• Luttrellstown Community College’s Talent Show (mentioned by 2 teachers)

• International Week (mentioned by 2 teachers)

• The trip to Lough Key, where all the students got to know one another (mentioned by 2

teachers)

• The tremendous ethos and atmosphere in the college

• The progress and success of individual students within the college

• The Evening of Festive Music

• Positive comments from the wider community about our college

• The athletics meet in Santry

• The success of our team in the GAA Blitz

• The success of our After School Clubs

• Science Week

• Maths Week

• The general enthusiasm of our students

CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF STUDENTS

Pastoral Care of students by their Tutors

The care of our students by their Class Tutor was the foundation stone of our school community. The first Tutors set standards of care that will be followed in future years. The standards set this year showed students that no problem was too small to be shared and no achievement too small to be celebrated. Great respect, loyalty, thoughtfulness was developed through an atmosphere of mutual care. Bí Sona/ Be Happy was another much used phrase that encouraged all students to enjoy their days at school in a positive atmosphere. Our Code of Positive Discipline encouraged good practice among students and many other school policies, developed this year, emphasised how our students can build skills and take greater responsibility for their academic and personal development. I believe the years ahead will show students with a great school arising from our approach to the care and management of our students.

Student Council

From the very beginning of Luttrellstown Community College, we were clear that the Student Council was an integral part of the school, working in tandem with the Teacher and Parent Council. All students were offered the opportunity to put their name forward for consideration and then the Student Council was formed. The Council was very active from the outset, firstly by constructing the School Constitution and then electing their Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer and Secretary. They quickly evolved into a decision-making body. The Student Council

chose the School P.E. Tracksuit, after consultation with the wider student body. They also chose the winning design in the School Crest Competition, which is now proudly worn on our uniform. They were involved in several other activities including promoting the Healthy Eating Policy of the School; working with Priomhoide on the establishment of a roster for tidying the lunch room; organising and ordering student cards for the student body; nominating students for the end of year awards; and acting as school ambassadors when talking to 6th class students enrolling in our college. Throughout all of their work, the students acted maturely and professionally and ensured that the student body was well represented in discussions around school policies and practices.

Students’ Review of the Year

As part of our End of Year Review we gave students a questionnaire to ascertain their

feelings about the school year. Here we list the questions asked with some of the answers given. Whilst we had to select some answers, all quotes are representative of the general

answers given to each question.

1. What was the highlight of your year?

• “The highlight of my year was when we came second in the Young Scientist” • “My highlight was Ice Skating. It was really enjoyable for everyone, including

some of the teachers!” • “I loved all the trips” • “For me the highlight of the year would be being an ambassador for the

school on our outings” • “Making great friends” • “My best moment was when I created the school crest” • “My highlight was the International Week” • “Winning the first Merit Scheme in LCC” • “Having a fantastic Príomhoide and Tutor” • “I mostly liked the way the teachers made the year flow quickly” • “The first day because that was the day I met my first friends” • “The highlight for me was the Basketball Club. I really enjoyed that” • “I loved when the choir sang in the National Concert Hall and we all looked

our best and acted mature”

2. In your opinion, what is the best thing about being part of Luttrellstown CC?

• “The way all students treat each other with trust and respect” • “The best thing is that you get to meet more people and have new friends” • “The best thing about being part of LCC is the great classmates, who

developed into best friends. It’s like a family away from home” • “For me I think it is the great community, friends and whole staff. I love it” • “Your own opinion is listened to” • “Being the first students of Luttrellstown CC” • “That we treat each other like a family” • “I think the best thing for me was that the teachers paid a lot of attention to

us” • “Having really nice friends who care for you” • “Everyone is kind to you and willing to help” • “I’d say it would be pride. If one of the students fall down we help them to get

back up”

3. How do you think you have grown this year?

• “I have grown in choosing right from wrong and I have become mature” • “I think I have learned to look out for other people more often” • “I have grown in confidence as I now don’t feel insecure and I have friends” • “I changed my mind on Science and History because they’re probably two of

my favourite subjects” • “I have grown by expanding my confidence and my physical and academic

abilities” • “I think I am a bit of a teenager now” • “I put more effort into homework” • “I think I’ve grown as I’ve learned a new language” • “I think I have grown more responsible and don’t need peoples’ help as much” • “I have gone out of baby-mode” • “I think I’ve been focusing with my studies and therefore getting better

results” • “I have grown this year because I’m more open to my fellow pupils” • “We have become more mature people, let go of primary school behaviour

and acted like mature teenagers in 1st year” • “I’ve changed here because of the new classes, you have to be organised and

on time”

• “I’ve grown this year by having nice things said about me and people who care very well for me”

4. Write a sentence about your favourite subject!

• “My favourite subject is Science. I like it because you get to do experiments” • “My favourite subject is Art. I feel that it is a great subject as you can express

yourself in your work” • “History: this is a good subject because it teaches us about our ancestors” • “I like Gaeilge because it feels very good to actually be able to speak some of

your native language” • “English is great as you learn to explore your imagination with fictional

writing” • “P.E.: it brings people together and helps create teamwork” • “Music is great as it lets you learn and listen to music of different cultures” • “My favourite subject is Technical Graphics because it is very practical and I

love drawing” • “My favourite subject is Maths because that’s what you use all through your

life” • “My favourite is Business Studies. Even though I find it hard I think it will be

very useful in the future” • “I love Home Economics because I love to cook and sow” • “Religion is a good subject as I like learning about the world religions” • “I like Geography as I like to know all about the world” • “Spanish because it’s a lovely language and it’s helpful for when you go

away” • “I like French as its good to know another language”

5. What change if any would you like to see next year?

• “I wouldn’t want any changes next year because the year was fantastic” • “Nothing because we have a fantastic school” • “I would like to see more sports teams mixing boys and girls” • “I would like the bags to be lighter” • “I don’t want any change because I love the way our school is different to

others” • “Well I liked the way everything is in LCC so I would like no change. It is such a

good school” • “I don’t want anything to change. I think everything was perfect” • “Next year I would hopefully see many school teams and to see one or two

trophies”

• “I loved my first year in Luttrellstown CC. I can’t think of any changes I would like made”

• “I wouldn’t like to see any change, but I do hope that the teamwork with the students stays, as that is what LCC is all about”

• “I would like to see fully grown and mature people next year and I wish everyone a happy year for next year”

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNITY LINKS

In Luttrellstown Community College, we truly believe that the best way to start and develop our

college is to engage wholeheartedly with our key partners. That is why the running of the school and the development of key policies are all discussed and debated at the Teacher Council, Student

Council and Parent Council, whilst being overseen by the Board of Management. In this section we will take a summary look at the work of the Parent Council, the parent body in

general and our links with the wider community.

Development of the Parent Council

The Parent Council was set up with much enthusiasm from the parents and Príomhoide at the beginning of the first chapter of Luttrellstown Community College. Even though it is only in existence since last September, it has already helped tremendously in the shaping of a new and wonderful school that is well placed for the future. Since then, and in so little time, it has contributed to the creation of the foundations necessary for union and communication within the school between students, parents, teachers and the Board of Management. Innovative ideas aimed at uniting parents, teachers and pupils alike, have been formed and put into action. These include the School Book Scheme and organisation of events such as the recent Talent Show. Important fundraising activities for the school will be a future priority for the Parent Council. The Parent Council is comprised of a Chairperson, Treasurer, Vice Treasurer and Secretary, along with other members. One of our achievements is the establishment of a Parent Account to manage funds and to enable parents with payments for school books, school fees, uniforms, outings and other expenses to be facilitated. We have established a PayPal

system through the college website which allows easy payments to be made by parents. One of the innovative achievements has been the School Book Scheme, whereby a discount on school books has been made available to parents if they order through the school. This has proved tremendously successful and has set a standard of professionalism for the college. Future achievements will be the integration of the second group of parents from the incoming 1st years in September 2010 and it is hoped that the unique spirit and enthusiasm of the Council will indeed be maintained.

Communications between the Board of Management and the Parent Council have been excellent and supportive and have paved the way for a highly successful Parent Council in the future. Many thanks to the Chairperson of the Board of Management of LCC, Joe Pitcher and of course to Fionnuala, the Príomhoide, for their efficiency, enthusiasm and support. Susanne Lacey, Secretary of the Parent Council

Parental Involvement and Initiatives

As stated, we believe that parents have a crucial role to play, not only in the educational

journey of their children, but also in the development, progress and success of Luttrellstown C.C.

We are fortunate to have an excellent Parent Council and also an enthusiastic parent body, which ensures that parents are a key partner in many events we organise.

Here follows some of the activities of our parents throughout the year:

• International Week: Parents were involved in the planning, organisation and execution of a very successful week. Parents were heavily involved in our International Food Day, which seen parents preparing and serving food from their various cultures and traditions.

• School Picnic: The Parent Council organised a School Picnic to mark our last day of school this June. They prepared an array of appetising food, organised activities for younger family members and ran a fundraising raffle. All the families present had a great day, including our local politicians and the CEO (Acting) of County Dublin VEC, Dr. Marie Griffin.

• School Book Scheme: The Parent Council recognised that the cost of school books was a significant issue and as a result, developed an innovative idea. They organised a School Book Scheme which allowed parents to order their children’s’ books through them, thereby securing a discount due to bulk purchasing. Many of the parents of incoming 1st Years are availing of this scheme.

• Luttrellstown C.C. Talent Show: Not only did parents turn out in great numbers to support our Talent Show (as they did for all events), but we also had members of the Parent Council and the Board of Management perform on the night.

Development of the Board of Management

As with all schools under the County Dublin VEC, Luttrellstown Community College is

operated under the guidance of Board of Management. This is comprised of representatives from the VEC, from the community, parent representatives, teacher

representatives and the Príomhoide. The Chairperson of the Board is Mr. Joe Pitcher. The Board has carried out all the usual functions of boards of management professionally and efficiently. As we were in our first year, this included the overseeing of many policies,

including the development of our Enrolment Policy. We have chosen to give a good example of how the Board has worked well and how the college was able to utilise the experience of a board member in developing its website.

Kieran O’Neill was appointed to Luttrellstown Community College Board of Management as community representative from the catholic feeder schools. He is a chartered engineer working for Intel Ireland. Kieran was able to apply his experience in assisting a subcommittee (including Príomhoide Fionnuala Ní Chaisil, and Oide Mark Mc Donald) with the evaluation of bids and award of the contract to develop a web site for the school.

Tenders were received from three companies. The third company was ruled out early on due to their higher cost and their lack of follow up. Clarifications were sought and received to ensure both bids were complete and comprehensive. Both engaged with us and provided an excellent tender. Costs were also benchmarked with a recently developed local school website (LCC bids are lower cost with more functionality).

The decision to choose DMIC rested on two points; DMIC offered greater certainty in relation to domain hosting from an independent host. Secondly DMIC’s annual service costs were deemed more competitive.

The Website is now operational, with the following features:

• Media Gallery on the site showing pictures of school events.

• Ability by the school administrator to login and logout securely, add/update/delete/sort pages, upload documents, news items and events calendar.

• Site search box for the school website

• Weekly report of web site use.

• Online Admissions Form with payment integration with PayPal, including providing the school with a database that identifies the person making the payment, the item being paid for and the PayPal reference number so that the school can track each PayPal payment.

Kieran also researched the Health & Safety legislation and presented a comprehensive report to the Board of Management on legislation, the requirements and methodology of performing risk assessments on the school activities and the importance of this risk assessment in framing the school’s safety statement. Links were provided to the Health and Safety Authority website http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Education/Managing_Safety_in_Schools/

Health and Safety Authority has developed e-learning courseware (2 Hours) on ‘Managing Safety in Schools’. This is available learn free of charge on-line, in your own time at www.alison.com. A subcommittee is currently undertaking the risk assessment.

PRIORITIES FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2010/11

LCC Staff Council and School Development Planning Meetings

As a staff we had good opportunity to discuss policy development and school structures. We evaluated on a regular basis and discussed what we need to prioritise for the future, below an outline for our ambitious programme for next year.

• The staff prioritised the need to develop Tutor Training for the 2010/11 year given the success of the approach in the First Year. Time was given for the new Tutors to meet in May and again in late August. An agreed approach was circulated to staff and a Year Head for First Years to be put in place. Tutors will be given discussion and planning time and an evaluation will be carried out in the third term.

• An Induction process for First Years will be evaluated and developed.

• Training new teaching staff in Assessment For learning our core approach to teaching.

• The role and inclusion of Special Needs Assistants will be developed throughout 2010/11

• The Health and Safety Policy which is a work in work in progress will be a priority for 2010/11 nomination for this steering committee will take place at the beginning of the new school year.

• The Training The Trainers Programme will be introduced in LCC next year. • Another priority will develop as to how best we can maintain high standards of

discipline, honesty, hard work and helpfulness in the college. • The continued success of the CLUBs and Merit System in 2010/11 will be another

building block for the new college. Every support possible will be given to achieve this.

• The use of EPORTAL online for the school community will be developed and rolled out to parents in 2010/11

Conclusion

I am a very privileged person to have the opportunity to lead such a gifted staff and a supportive school community. Regardless of what new idea or plan I or another member of the community has there is an openness to discuss it and run with the good ideas. Everyone worked tirelessly in our first year to achieve a happy healthy achieving school. The next chapters will be bring forward Annual Reports that show the growth and development of a great college.

A PICTORIAL REVIEW OF THE YEAR

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