WelcomeIt is my pleasure to welcome you toSandford Park School.

Founded in 1922, Sandford Park is asmall and distinctive, private co-educational day school. There areapproximately 250 students agedbetween 12 and 18 years. It is situatedon six acres of secluded and beautifulwooded grounds, close to Dublin's citycentre.

The non-denominational nature of theschool is central to its unique characterand draws students from a wide varietyof backgrounds, countries and cultures,together in a secure and intellectuallystimulating environment.

The school is administered by a Board

of Governors, mainly former Sandfordstudents, whose children have eitherattended or currently attend the school.It is evident from our alumni networkhow much former students cherishtheir Sandford Park School experienceas a formative part of theirdevelopment. I would be delighted ifyou were to visit the school andappreciate it for yourself.

Edith Byrne - Principal.

Our MissionSandford Park School's mission is toeducate its Irish and internationalstudents in a safe, disciplined andcaring environment. Our aim is toprepare them to be responsible citizens.We equip our students with the skillsto enable them to think creatively,reason critically and communicateeffectively. We accomplish this byfostering a love of learning, respect forcultural diversity and a strong

home/school partnership. Ouremphasis is on outstanding teachingwhich is at the core of Sandford ParkSchool's philosophy. We focus on theneeds of each individual student andencourage them to fulfil their potential,both inside and outside the classroom,so that they will acquire the self-confidence and personal attributesnecessary to succeed in whatever walkof life they may pursue.

Contents3. Welcome

Our Mission

4. A unique learningenvironment

5. Excellent teachersCommitted mentors

6-7. Curriculum• Junior Cycle• Senior Cycle-Transition Year-Leaving Certificate

8. Sport

9. Music

10. Debating

11. Drama

12-13. The Department of Educationand Skills Whole-SchoolEvaluation

14. Admission and RegistrationLocation

2. 3.

As a school founded by teachers,Sandford Park is truly committed toprogressive teaching methods andcontinuous professional development.As well as being passionate andcommitted to the full and roundededucation of their students, our highly

experienced teachers continue toexplore their particular subjects andinterests. The ambience of a small classallows staff to interact individually witheach student, addressing theirdifficulties and feeding their curiosityas appropriate.

Excellent teachers

Ours is an environment in which theteacher's role goes far beyond theboundaries of the classroom. Inaddition to their involvement inpastoral care, teachers bring their ownindividual interests, skills and expertiseto bear on co-curricular activities,thereby enhancing each student’s

holistic educational development.Their consistent flexibility andwillingness ensures they are available toparents and students for advice,support or discussion throughout theterm, and not just at parent teacherconferences.

Committed mentors

A unique learning environmentThe fully-rounded nature of theeducational experience at SandfordPark is what sets our school apart.The meticulous, student-centred natureof our academic approach iscomplemented by a comprehensiverange of co-curricular activities,designed to equip students with thesocial and creative skills needed for asuccessful and fulfilling adult life.

A Sandford Park education provides:

• smaller sized classes to facilitateindividual attention.

• a broad-based, liberal educationcentred on academic achievement.

• expert, motivated and progressiveteaching staff, who are committed toongoing professional development.

• a strong focus on Pastoral Care andindividual well-being.

• a highly regarded, well planned andstructured Transition Year.

• high levels of engagement, andnotable successes, in a range ofco-curricular activities, includingsport, debating and music.

• state-of-the-art facilities, including amulti-purpose hall, a library and aworld class music centre.

• an education highly commended bythe Department of Education andSkills 'Whole-School Evaluation' -which can be seen atwww.sandfordparkschool.ie

“Our son had six very happy and fulfilling years at Sandford Park. We now lookforward to the same positive experience for our daughter.”

Bill and Catherine Harte, parents of Hannah, Form 3 and Harry, Class of 2013.

4. 5.

Sandford Park School offers a broadly-based, challenging and liberaleducation. There are two class groups per year and high priority is givento academic excellence as we prepare our students for the Irish stateexaminations 'Junior Certificate' and 'Leaving Certificate'. We areexperienced in helping students from all over the world make a

successful transition into the Irish education system.

While the Junior Certificate syllabus isimportant in its own right, it is also thepoint in a student's development wherehe/she is exploring their options andopportunities for the future. Tofacilitate this, Form I exposes studentsto a wide range of subjects, allowingthem to make an informed choice

about those they wish to carry forwardto the Junior Certificate exams. This iswhere the seeds of academic excellenceare sown, where ambition and interestin a subject take root. Theoverwhelming majority of subjects satby Sandford Park students in the JuniorCertificate are taken at higher level.

Junior Cycle

Curriculum

Transition YearTransition Year is a compulsoryelement in the curriculum of SandfordPark, forming an essential part of eachstudent’s education. The programme isbuilt around a range of academic,personal, vocational, social and culturalactivities. These activities draw on thewealth of skills and talents availableamong teachers, providing studentswith challenging and stimulatingexperiences. Excellent resources andeffective co-ordination result in asuperb learning atmosphere and fostera sense of enjoyment and engagementin learning. Throughout Transition

Year, students continue their regularstudies in the core subjects: English,Irish, Maths and French, so as tomaintain the momentum towards theLeaving Certificate. In addition, theysample options outside the standardcurriculum. In recent years these haveincluded architectural studies,debating, film studies and Russian.Then there are the activities whichpromote active citizenship andinvolvement in the local community:participation in the Sandford SocialInnovator programme; fund-raising andworking with a nominated charity;work experience placements; and

Senior Cycle

participation in the President's/GáisceAward - to bronze level. We encouragestudents to pursue this to gold level.Continuous assessment is a keycomponent of Transition Year andreporting to parents is comprehensive.The programme is continuallyevaluated so that changes can be madeto further enhance the learningexperience in subsequent years.

Leaving CertificateThe Leaving Certificate is a two yearprogramme. From the outset, teachers,students, guidance counsellor andparents/guardians, work together as ateam on subject options, careerguidance and ongoing progress, toensure each student is best placed toachieve their maximum potential.Teachers are available to parents

throughout the year, for discussion oradvice. The majority of LeavingCertificate exam papers are taken athigher level. As our goal is a fullyrounded education, a careful balance isstruck between the rigours of academicstudy that leads to a career and the co-curricular activities that equip a studentfor life. As the Leaving Certificate isrecognised by universities worldwide,Sandford Park attracts a stronginternational contingent, furtherbroadening the experience andperspective of students and teachersalike. We consistently have pupils fromthe USA, Canada, Scandinavia andelsewhere in Europe, Asia, Australia,New Zealand and Africa, whose parentshave chosen Sandford Park because ofthe options it opens up for their sonsand daughters.

6. 7.

Music is at the heart of the SandfordPark School experience. We are proudof our outstanding reputation formusic in the curriculum, choral workand instrumental tuition. In Form I, allstudents have the opportunity to studymusic. They can also choose from awide range of instruments, all taughton a one-to-one basis. Facilities areworld class and include acousticallyengineered practice rooms and a state-of-the-art music centre. Senior, Junior

and Girls’ choirs, Samba Club,Orchestra and other instrumental andvocal ensembles give students manyopportunities to perform and tocompete, locally, nationally andinternationally. Music Department trips abroad havebeen a feature of recent years. Thesehave included choral projects inCalgary, Chicago, Washington D.C.and Boston.

Music

Sport and physical activity play asignificant role in the life of the school.We encourage all students toparticipate in team sports and toembody the Corinthian spirit: Menssana in corpore sano. A sports council,composed of students, staff, parentsand board members meets regularly tomanage policy and further enhance theperformance and enjoyment of sportwithin the school.

Sandford Park offers a number ofrepresentative team sports: rugby,hockey, basketball, cricket, tennis andbadminton, led and trained by

experienced coaches who have played athigh levels themselves. Students alsohave access to volleyball, a running cluband keep fit classes.

In recent years, Sandford Park has wonthe Senior Leinster SchoolsDevelopment Cup in Hockey, theSenior Alf O'Connell Cricket Cup andreached the final of the JCT Rugby'Leinster Shield' and U13 Harry RiskCricket Cup Final. We have links witha number of institutions, includingYMCA Cricket Club, Wanderers RFCand UCD, whose first-class facilities areavailable to the school.

Sport

“There is a real sense of community at Sandford Park. I made great friends there.I was free to pursue all of my passions in Sport, Music and Drama. The teachers

really care and are dedicated to the student as a whole person.”

James Orr, Class of 2013

My sister and I were very excited to join my brother in Sandford. I like the size ofthe school and the individual attention from my teachers

Alannah Donohoe, Form 1.

9.

While drama is an integral part of theEnglish curriculum, it is the annualschool production that gives manystudents the opportunity to be part ofone of the truly special events of theschool year. The school has anoutstanding reputation for itshighly professional andentertaining productions.Traditionally, Transition Yearstudents provide the nucleusof the cast and support crew,but auditions are also open toForms 1, 2 and 5.

Past productions haveincluded Broadway show-stoppers West Side Story andGuys and Dolls, Hollywoodclassics The Wizard of Oz,Twelve Angry Men and A Manfor All Seasons, and Shakespearemasterworks Midsummer Night'sDream, King Lear and Much AdoAbout Nothing.

Students are encouraged to becomeinvolved in all aspects of theproductions, from on-stage acting partsto production design, costuming, setbuilding, lighting and sound.

The school also provides on-goingsupport for students working towardsaccredited drama examinations

including theLeinster School ofMusic and Drama, the RoyalIrish Academy and the Irish Board ofSpeech and Drama.

DramaStructured debate is an entertainingand highly effective way of developingarticulacy, oration and communicationskills, and is an activity close to theheart of the school.

There are both Junior and Seniordebating teams. In 2013 thesenior and junior teams reachedthe All Ireland semi-final of theGael Linn competition. In2011 the senior team had theunique distinction ofwinning both the NationalConcern debating title andthe Gael Linn debating title.In 2010 the senior debatingteam reached the ConcernAll Ireland semi-final andwon the All Ireland title in2009. In the same year thejunior debaters reached thesemi-final of the UCD L&Hcompetition.

We have also been successful in theInternational Observer Macecompetition, the Mental Healthcompetition, the European Councilinvitation event, the Model EuropeanParliament and the Model UnitedNations. In their determination to doso, Sandford’s panel of speakerscommits an extraordinary amount oftime and energy to research, rehearsaland debate.

Debating

10. 11.

In January 2008, the Department ofEducation and Skills conducted awhole-school evaluation of SandfordPark School. This in-depth process,undertaken every 5 to 7 years, providesa thorough critique of a school, fromboth a holistic and a specificperspective. We encourage parents andprospective parents to view the wholeevaluation, which can be seen atwww.sandfordparkschool.ie thefollowing is a precis of theInspectorate's conclusions:

• “Sandford Park School is an inclusiveeducational community, whichembraces diversity and where allpartners become involved in themany areas of school activity and inpromoting the values of the school.”

• “Clear systems are in place for theeffective management of studentswho were respectful and cordial in alltheir interactions, and whoseconduct is informed by an exemplarycode of behaviour.”

• “Teachers are appropriately deployedaccording to their qualifications andskills. There is a strong commitmentand belief in continuing professionaldevelopment which is fully promotedand supported by the school.”

• “Whole-school planning is wellestablished in the school and anexemplary school plan has beendeveloped. All members of theschool community are appropriatelyengaged in the planning process ofdevelopment, implementation andreview.”

• “All students are encouraged andsupported to reach their highestattainable level. There is anexemplary guidance programme inplace in the school that ensuresstudents are provided witheducational, vocational and personalguidance if required.”

• “The pastoral care of students isexemplary and reflects the supportiveand caring environment in whichstudents are educated.”

• “The school has an active andarticulate students’ council which is

appropriately representative of thegeneral student body.”

• “There is a dynamic and proactiveparent teacher association, whichmakes a valuable contributiontowards supporting the school.Communication with the widerparent body is of a very high quality.”

• “All buildings and facilities are verywell maintained and there areexcellent resources, including ICT,available in the school to supportteaching and learning.”

The Whole-School Evaluation

“As a former Sandford Park student, I wanted my sons to have the same positiveexperiences that I had in Sandford. These included, forging lifelong friendships, a

love of sport, an enthusiasm for learning, the ambition to succeed in life and havinga true sense of belonging and identity to its collegiate environment. When Judi and

I learned that access to Sandford was available to our daughter we enrolled herimmediately and now, as one of its pioneering female students, we are delighted thatshe too is experiencing this unique school, its ethos and highly committed faculty”.

Simon and Judi Pleass, parents of India Form 1, Max Form 6 and Jack (Class of 2012). 12. 13.

Prospective parents and students areencouraged to visit Sandford Park and toexperience the grounds, the facilities andthe vitality of the school itself. Pleasedon't hesitate to contact us to make anappointment with the Principal.

We operate a minibus pick-up and drop-off service for students, morning andafternoon, from Lansdowne RoadDART station during term time.

Location

Students usually join the first year ofthe school at the age of 12 butapplications are accepted for otheryears, providing places are available. Toapply formally for a place at the school,parents should complete the

application form enclosed, ordownload a copy from the schoolwebsite, and return it to the SchoolAdministrator. Please be sure to specifywhich year you would like yourson/daughter to join.

Admissions and registration

Sandford Road

Marlborough Road

Chelmsfo

rd Road

Charlelston Road

Moreham

pton Road

Belmont A

venue

Appia

n Way

Ranelagh

Beechwood

SandfordChurch

Herbert Park

Ranelagh Road

PetrolStation

11, 18 , 44, 61

Donnybrook

Clonskeagh

& Ballsbrid

ge

Rathmines

City

City

14.