St. John of God Primary School, The Faythe 3.69

In 1871 the Sisters of St. John of God, a nursing order, were founded in Wexford. A mere four years later they found themselves ensconced in a school premises in the Faythe. Thanks to the largesse of the well-known shipping magnate, Richard Devereux, this building had been recently vacated following the transfer of the pupils, previously using the Faythe premises, to the Boker. With a spare school on his hands, Devereux may have been inclined to give the premises to another teaching order, but he hadn’t counted on the assertive presence of one nun, who procured the premises with the phrase ‘we can teach too.’
How prophetic those words have proved since then, as the Faythe School, through its teachers and staff, has taught, and prepared, pupils of all ages, from, and for, all walks of life. A constant through the decades has been the school’s willingness, and ability, to adapt to the needs of a changing Wexford.
A glance through the ‘History’ section of the school’s website (www.thefaytheschool.org) shows how, at a time, cookery, sewing, laundry, plain chant and elocution were all taught in the Primary school. A 7th & 8th class were formed to keep pupils in school until they were 13 or 14 years of age when they could then leave school to take up a job ! In the late 1940s, the Inter Cert., Leaving Cert. and a very successful ‘Commercial Course’ incorporating Book-Keeping, Shorthand and Typing were made available to the girls. Subsequent problems of over-crowding in primary schools in the town were addressed by boys beginning to stay until the end of second class, and later still until the end of 3rd class, as will remain the practice until September 2014. Pupils who may not have spoken English as their first language were welcomed, integrated and educated side by side with children already enrolled in the Faythe.
The new millennium saw a new primary curriculum introduced which promotes the provision of diverse learning opportunities that complement the uniqueness of each child while developing their potential in preparation for the challenges posed by life in the 21st century. The new focus on the child as learner and the use of differing teaching methodologies and technologies, prompted further adaptation by all connected with the school.
The provision of a Home School Community Liaison Teacher continues to give parents, pupils and staff alike, access to numerous supports to enhance attendance, participation and retention in the education system through literacy and numeracy initiatives, home visitation, Breakfast Club, Homework Club and the undertaking of school staff development. A thriving community link exists and everything from computer classes for adults, art, jewellery making, cookery, parents’ exercise classes are available at the school. Concurrent with the implementation of the ‘new curriculum, was the BOM’s addressing of the out-dated building and facilities. An ambitious refurbishment programme saw the school transformed from 2009 -2011.
To the casual passer-by the school has only been re-painted, albeit in suitable ‘wexfordian’ colours, but inside the real transformation becomes apparent. Access and egress to the school premises is secure, controlled and monitored with parents / guardians assured of their child’s safety within the school. All ten classrooms, four learning support rooms and staff room are equipped with visualisers and interactive whiteboards, while the entire building has wi-fi access. The fully computerised lending library, complete with 12 laptops, also features an interactive whiteboard to augment the full suite of 50 tablet computers and 60 ipods available throughout the school. The purpose built kitchen is adjacent to the ‘parents’ drop-in’ room both of which overlook the ‘secure yard’ that houses an ‘Activity Zone’ with “easy-fall” surface, 12 ‘yard game’ zones, 2 ‘low’ climbing walls and a skipping area as well as an outdoor all weather pitch complete with ‘flood-lights.’
A small, award winning school garden has been established and, under the direction of personnel from the South End Family Resource Centre, flowers and vegetables are successfully grown. Currently the 54 students in 4th , 5th and 6th classes have sole use of their individual ‘tablet note-book’ and the 6th classes of both 2012 and 2013 have completed a FETAC Level 3 Computer course. The ‘Class of 2012’ were the first class from the Faythe School to earn these nationally validated awards which will be presented at a special awards night later this school year. Staff members regularly update the school’s website, generously created by a current parent, that celebrates and displays the pupils’ work, achievements and interests.
Public endorsement, of what the pupils enjoy on a daily basis, came on 12th May 2012, when the school successfully hosted the Civic Reception, afforded to President of Ireland, Michael D.Higgins and his wife Sabina, by Wexford Borough Council to mark the centenary commemorations of the 1911 Lock-Out.
However, facilities are of no benefit to pupils without the staff to utilise them. The willingness of current staff to up-skill and embrace changes in education is central to the school’s on-going education provision. Teacher driven initiatives have seen the school four awarded four ‘Green Flags’ under the An Taisce ‘Green-Schools’ environmental education programme award scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment. Currently working towards a fifth flag, the school community was delighted to accept an ultra-modern ‘Bike Shelter’ from An Taisce as a reward for its commitment to sustainable travel to school. This flag flies proudly beside Wexford town’s only ‘Blue Flag’ awarded by the Department of Education and Skills to schools that strive to achieve a physical educated and physically active school community.
Parish liturgies are regularly enhanced by the presence of either the School Choir (comprised of current pupils) or the Rock Choir (comprised of current pupils and recent past pupils). The bi-annual school concert is a firm favourite with all ages and the School Choir eagerly looks forward to participating in Choral Works every other year. Having shared the stage of Wexford’s Opera House with the Three Tenors in November 2012 the Choir already look forward to the ‘Sing Out Loud" Concert at the same venue in November 2013 while the highlight will undoubtedly be performing with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland’s ‘Proms in Kilkenny next March. All in all November ‘13 proved to be a busy month for many of the girls who also played on the school Gaelic Football team who annexed a first ever Rackard League Shield. This first ever victory was followed up by an inaugural Camógie victory in the Rackard League Mini Sevens Shield win in April 2013
In April 2013, seven teachers travelled to Waterford Institute of Technology to receive the School of Excellence Award for Literacy and another one for Numeracy from Dr John Wall, Head of School of Education at WIT. These awards were the result of a year long project by the teachers that promote and recognise commitment to excellence in these two vital areas through the promotion of reflective practice amongst staff. The BOM funded a course on pupil Self Evaluation completed by eleven teachers in 2012 while on an individual basis five staff members have completed post-graduate degrees to Masters level with eight holding post graduate Diplomas in various fields of education. Parents, teachers and friends of the Faythe alike, fund-raised to equip a ‘Sensory Room.’ This therapeutic and relaxing room, designed to help pupils with developmental problems, is expected to be ‘open for business before Halloween 2013 and will complement the ‘Therapy Dog’ who visits weekly.
The motto of the St. John of God order is ‘Caritas’ ….the Latin word for ‘love / caring for all.’ It is etched on the front door of the school today with ‘Welcome’ in the fourteen languages that reflect the cultural diversity extant in the Faythe and the Ireland of today while remaining true to the ideals of the school’s founders.