I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone back to a new academic year. A special welcome to our new First Year students and those new students joining us in years 2-6. We're delighted to have you as part of our school community and we hope that your time with us is a rewarding and happy one. As always, it has been a busy few weeks getting ready for the return for 2025-2026. 

Special congratulations are extended to the Leaving Cert Class of 2025 on their outstanding results— they were a wonderful group to work with over your journey through CCS and they’ve made us all incredibly proud. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. 

Last year saw a unique project taking place in the school with the filming of "A Rebel Education". This 4 part documentary series will air on Virgin Media One later this year and it captures aspects of school life over the 2024-2025 academic year. Viewers can look forward to a heartwarming glimpse into student friendships, pupil-teacher bonds and the many struggles and triumphs that happen in just one year of schooling. We will keep you posted when it is to be aired.

I hope everyone has a happy and successful year.

Paul Burke

Principal 

Thank you to the many parents/guardians that have paid the Activity Fee or Transition Year Fee to date. This money is essential for the running of the school and enables us to give students a broad, rich and engaging experience in school. 

An annual Student Activity Fee of €120 for an individual pupil is requested to help defray the running costs of the many activities within the school.

For students in Transition Year the fee is €300, which includes the costs of most of the in school activities/programmes students take part in during TY (bonding trips, workshops and guest speakers). The TY fee can be paid in two installments of €150 if this is preferable. We request that the full TY fee be paid by 31st October 2025 to facilitate the booking of workshops etc.  

The Board of Management of the school has capped the fees to a maximum of two students per household but the full TY fee must be paid.

Examples of how the cap is applied:

• A family with two children attending CCS, where the students are in any year group other than TY, are asked to pay 2 x €120 = €240.

• A family with two children attending CCS, where one of the students is in TY, are asked to pay €120 + €300 = €420.

• A family with three (or more) children attending CCS, where the students are in any year group other than TY, are asked to pay 2 x €120 = €240.

• A family with three (or more) children attending CCS, where one of the students is in TY, are asked to pay €120 + €300 = €420.

• In the case where a family has two students in TY the fee is 2 x €300 = €600.

The Student Activity Fee (which is voluntary but relied upon) goes a distance to helping the school provide a quality service for all students. This student activity fee contributes towards:

• The vsware app including messaging

• Individual pupil insurance

• Use of locker for the year

• Cost of in house examinations (not including Pre Exams)

• Photocopying

• Materials for subjects such as Art, Wood Tech, Engineering

• Subsides the cost of buses for trips/outings etc

• Photocopying costs

• Guest speakers 

• Affiliation and entry fees for clubs and societies

• Prizes for school activities and competitions such as bonding days, masterchef etc 

• Eirquest interest testing and My Future Choice aptitude testing with 4th years

• Cognitive Ability Testing (CAT) for First Year students

• Reach plus careers programme for Fifth and Sixth Year students

• Health Week activities and guest speakers - mental health, physical health, sexual health,

• Subsidised study skills seminars

To pay the student activity fee: Go to the Fees link on your VSware app (we will no longer be using easy payments plus).

or 

Call into the school Reception ( Cheques payable to Carrigaline Community School).

Thank You.