Plans for new-build Educate Together school in Mayo require urgency

From modest beginnings in September 2016 when it opened its doors to 12 pupils, the Educate Together primary school in Castlebar has experienced continuous growth and development.

So much success in fact that the 2023 enrolment stands at 140 and staffing has increased from two in 2016 - Sarah Calvey, principal, and Jennifer Bourke, school secretary – to sixteen personnel in total including five classroom teachers, two English language support teachers and two special education teachers.

A purpose built, eight classroom school is about to be shoved into the pipeline by the Department of Education which is cognisant of the fact that operating from three campuses at present - Marsh House, space in the old hat factory on the Newport Road and rooms on Cavendish Lane - isn’t totally ideal.

School head Sarah Calvey says that due to the current size and demand for places in the non-denominational learning centre the Department of Education has decided on a totally new build school with eight classrooms.

She advises, however, that the brand new build will take possibly five years but the wait could be much shorter.

From Ms. Calvey’s viewpoint, the time lag is not an issue.

She insists: “It’s not a difficulty that we will have to wait for the permanent building. We have grown slowly, which is a wonderful thing, and the goals and values of an Educate Together school are more familiar locally. We have embedded ourselves in the community.”

When the new build does happen Ms. Calvey and her staff will, of course, welcome it.

But they will miss too their old surrounds, especially ancient Marsh House, which looks out on a grassy, tree dotted patch of ground fringing the Castlebar River.

“Marsh House has a wonderful history, the location is just fantastic,” Ms. Calvey asserted. “The children have learned so much here about the origins of Castlebar as a market town. That grounding is essential for children, gives them a sense of place, a sense of belonging.

“We are really enjoying our time in the building. It has been an ideal location in so many ways but the reality is that the school now needs a larger premises.”

As the peal of children’s laughter at playtime drifts in through an open window, Ms. Calvey emphasises that the pupils make the most of their town centre location, venturing out regularly to such places as the library, the Linenhall, Lough Lannagh and the tennis club.

The Newtown area has been reinvigorated by the influx of youngsters with up to 100 pupils being dropped off and picked up at Newtown and the other school locations.

“New life has been breathed into this part of town,” says Ms. Calvey.

“Parents are going for lunch, going for coffees. The school has brought new footfall to the area.”

As regards the future, even with a new building, Principal Calvey does not envisage the enrolment going beyond 170, maximum.

“We are always going to be a smaller school,” she asserts. “The Educate Together schools are there for choice. It’s not for demographic population growth or anything like that. We’re just here to provide choice.”