Cork secondary school announces plans to go co-educational

A CORK city secondary school has confirmed it will change its status to co-educational from September 2024.

St Patrick’s College on Gardiner’s Hill was founded in 1958 and is currently an all-girls school. However, it will be accepting male first-year students for the first time next September.

Principal Brian Cronin said the decision was made because of local demand to become co-educational.

“It is a huge move, but it is something that has been bubbling away in the background over the last few years,” he said.

“We were just talking to parents and seeing what they wanted. We took the time to speak to everybody really such as our staff and students, the primary schools here in the campus and the other primary schools in the locality. It is just what people want. The demand was there. It is 2023 and it is the way forward.

“There was no opposition to the decision. The inconvenience factor was a big thing that came up from parents. Parents were dropping off their daughter to our school, but then had to drop their son across town or up the road which made little sense.

“We will be starting off with the new boys starting off in first-year only in September 2024. There will be first-year and second-year classes then the following year. It is very exciting and good news.”

The secondary school will be holding an open night on Thursday, September 21.

“The open night will be a chance [for pupils and their parents] to have a look around and chat with staff members,” said Mr Cronin. “We will also be opening another special class for students with autism next September. We have two now which is working very well.”

The principal said that while the school will not be changing all its facilities immediately, it will also be looking at introducing new subjects to the school.

 “It is the start of a new era,” said the principal. “It is a no-brainer. There is a boy’s primary school on the campus and a lot of the families are the same. We won’t be changing the facilities right away as logistically that would be impossible. We will be looking at introducing new subjects. We are looking forward to it.”