Parents in Ireland are hungry for information on education.
That’s why, back in 2002, when The Irish Times first published its feeder schools lists, there was huge interest. Before then, there was scant information about secondary schools, with parents relying largely on the local grapevine.
The teacher unions, however, said that, the publication of this information may be of interest to the public, but was not in the public interest. The unions, rightly, pointed out that the third-level progression rate of individual schools was just one metric among many, and that there are much better ways to ensure you send your child to the right school.
Since then, there have been massive changes to the education system.
READ MORE
Perhaps the biggest is that less students are going straight from second to third-level education. Instead, greater numbers are choosing further education and training (FET), which includes Post-Leaving Certificate, apprenticeship and traineeship options.
This data is not reflected in the feeder schools lists – but only because this data is not centrally collated; The Irish Times continues in its efforts to gather FET data.
Despite the limitations of the data published today, it continues to provide an important function for both parents/guardians and policymakers, showing as it does both the third-level progression rate of individual schools and the stark differences between the numbers attending third-level from wealthier areas compared to those from more disadvantaged areas.
For many communities, especially those outside larger urban centres, every child goes to the same local school, so there isn’t a conversation to be had about school choice.
But where there is a choice to be made, what else should parents and guardians consider?
[ Where CAO points are likely to settle in 2026Opens in new window ]
- Further education and training: Elsewhere in today’s feeder school coverage, we explain why FET data is not centrally collated, but why it is an excellent option for school leavers. If you’re attending an open day or dealing with a local school, ask about how students are supported to progress to FET.
- Whole school evaluations (WSEs): These give a much better overview of a school’s leadership, strengths and challenges. WSEs are carried out by Department of Education inspectors, but the inspectors are rarely directly critical of a school, so look out for what they say about the quality of teaching and learning and quality of support for students. The WSEs may be several years out of date, so look out for where a school has made improvements. Bear in mind that, for one parent/guardian, a WSE might indicate a school is perfect for their child. For another parent/guardian, the exact same WSE may show that the school will not be a good fit for their child.
- Extracurricular options: By the time most children get to about fifth class in primary, parents/guardians will generally have a good overview of their interests. Some are sports-mad. Some just want to sing and dance and make art. Others may be interested in volunteering or the environment. Extracurricular involvement isn’t just a good way to make friends; it’s also a crucial part of your child’s development.
- Pastoral care: Being a teenager can be tough. Adolescents are programmed to want friends they fit in with, and social media can make it even tougher. And if the child is in any way different - being LGBT or perceived as non-gender conforming, for instance - their secondary school experience can be even harder. A good way to measure a school’s commitment to its students is to ask how they support those who are LGBT - and don’t be fobbed off with a vague statement of support, but push to find out what practical steps the school puts in place, such as awareness weeks or active inclusion policies.
- Single-sex or mixed: Ireland is an outlier in that about a third of schools are single-sex. The Department of Education has not approved a new single-sex school for over 20 years. In some parts of Ireland – particularly South Dublin – single-sex schools dominate. International evidence largely suggests that the gender mix of a school is irrelevant to academic success, while an ESRI study suggests that, on average, girls tend to study and work harder than boys. South Dublin’s “success” in feeder schools is not because they’re often single-sex; it’s more likely because they’re in wealthier areas.
- Religion and ethos: Do you want a school with a particular religious ethos?
- Inclusion: The days of hiding away young people with additional needs are, thankfully, over. But many children need additional help or learning supports, whether that’s because they’re neurodiverse, have a learning difficulty or, indeed, other factors. Every school should support every child; the reality on the ground, as many frustrated parents will tell you, can be very different.
- The child’s viewpoint: It’s all too easy, when a child is about nine or 10, to make a decision for them, and put their name down for the school you have decided on for them. Parents and guardians should consider not just their child’s personality and disposition, but also ask the child: what school do you want to go to and why? The answer may often be that they want to go to the same school as their friends.
- School leadership: The tone of an organisation often comes from the top, but this is even more likely in schools. Do they listen? What does your own gut tell you? What does the local grapevine say?
- The gender of the principal: It goes without saying that there are excellent male leaders in schools. On average, however, there is strong evidence that, even accounting for other factors, schools with female principals do better, according to a research study conducted by Maynooth University academics Dr Aedín Doris, Dr Olive Sweetman and the late Professor Donal O’Neill.
Sources of information
- Feeder school lists
- Whole school evaluations
- The local grapevine, including Facebook community forums and WhatsApp groups – although beware of spreading or blindly accepting sensational and unfounded rumours.
- Open days can give a sense of the school, its values and its students supports
- Your gut: worth listening to. Is the school open to your questions, or guarded and defensive? This will tell you a lot.
Why do some schools do better than others?
The differences are not because people from wealthier areas are smarter or harder-working. Nor are the fee-paying schools which dominate these lists every year “better schools” in any meaningful sense of the word.
No, it’s because people from disadvantaged areas are less likely to be able to afford grinds, less likely to be able to afford the costs of college and less likely to come from a tradition of education.
By contrast, relatively wealthier families are more likely to pay for private tuition. Indeed, many parents can tell you stories about ineffective or bad teachers in their child’s school, but the child performed well in exams purely because they got private grinds or attended a revision course.
At the same time, children from more advantaged families are often expected to go to third-level, whether they’re a good fit or not.
In areas with relatively lower incomes, these Leaving Cert students may be more likely to go on to further education and training (FET) than to higher education, but The Irish Times lists, unfortunately, cannot capture this information because, as yet, it is not centrally collated.
[ Ireland’s maths gender gap: why boys are getting twice as many top gradesOpens in new window ]
In relatively wealthier families, the conversation about higher education starts at a young age, and they’re more likely to know adults working in law, medicine or finance – giving them both role models and a ready-made network to employ them, giving them an advantage that they also pass on to their children.
Finally, teachers in both fee-paying and non-fee paying schools have their salaries paid by the Department of Education.
If 500 pupils are charged €5,000 in a fee-paying school, that gives the school €2.5 million that they can use to pay for additional teachers and staff, as well as more middle management roles which can significantly help with the running of the school – money that non-fee-paying schools could equally put to good use.
