Loreto College is best performing school in county - league tables

Published: Thu 2 Feb 2017, 2:24 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Feb 2017, 2:38 PM

Loreto College in Cavan Town has topped the School League Tables both for the 2016/17 academic year and, cumulatively, over the last eight years, in terms of the percentage of its Leaving Cert students progressing to courses in universities and third level institutions, writes Ultan Sherry.
That's according to a detailed supplement of School League Tables, published in The Sunday Independent at the weekend. The figures do not, however, take into account any students who go on to a Further Education College - such as Cavan Institute - as a stepping stone to third level.
The tables are comprised of an analysis of how many students from secondary school have been placed from there into University or 3rd Level over an eight-year period, from 2009 to 2016, with all three Cavan Town-based schools coming tops in the Breffni County - St Patrick's College and the Royal School - in second and third place respectively.
The Loreto College has sent an average of 88% of its students into third level over the eight year period; while sending 59% of students into university over the same time period, according to the tables.
Not only are they the best performing school in Cavan, but they have also been named among the best in Ulster, along with St Patrick's College, Cavan, who incidentally sent 87% of its students into third level and 48% of students into university over the period concerned.
Speaking to The Anglo-Celt, Loreto's principal, Angela McGarvey, put the school's repeated success in the league down to the hard work being put in by staff and students in recent years.
'We have a very hard-working and motivated teaching staff and they do endeavour to create a classroom culture which allows students to realise their ability.
We also have very hard-working, motivated students and very supportive parents,' Ms McGarvey said.
The principal thanked all those who had helped make the Loreto's success possible - being the staff, students and parents.
At the opposite end of the table in Cavan, St Bricin's College in Belturbet sent 48% of students directly into third level and 30% into university over the eight year period.
Commenting on the findings of the school league tables, the Director of Schools at the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB), which is responsible for St Bricin's and the other ETB schools in the region, stated that the findings of Department of Education inspectors give a real reflection of the work of a school moreso than these types of league tables.
Paddy Flood said: 'Their (department) reports are publicly available, accurate and reflect the findings of the Inspectors in contrast to the incomplete statistics presented in the Irish Independent. The last three reports on CMETB schools commend the very good teaching and learning taking place in all schools.
These are publicly available on the Department of Education and Skills website.'
He further added: 'It has been acknowledged by John Walshe in the Irish Independent and Emer Smythe, Research Professor with the ERSI writing in the supplement that the league tables are missing vital information including the inclusion of the high numbers progressing to colleges in the UK and to further education and training and apprenticeships, which is very significant in this region.'
The following table shows the Cavan schools in rank order in terms of how many students got into 3rd Level over the eight year period:

CAVAN SCHOOLS

SCHOOL Going on to third level University
1. The Loreto College Cavan - 88% 59%
2. St Patrick’s College, Cavan - 87% 48%
3. The Royal School, Cavan - 84% 45%
4. St Aidan’s Comp, Cootehill - 79% 39%
5. Virginia College - 71% 42%
6. St Mogue’s College, Bawnboy - 64% 42%
7. Bailieborough Community School - 63% 37%
8. St Clare’s College, Ballyjamesduff - 62% 34%
9. Breifne College, Cavan - 52% 28%
10. St Bricin’s College, Belturbet - 48% 30%

SCHOOLS IN THE REGION