About Scoil na Leanaí
A nourishing environment
The environment in Coláiste na Rinne is one that supports the whole child emotionally, socially, academically, and physically.
In our boarding setting, the environment we provide includes emotional safety and warmth from caring adults who listen, guide, and know each student personally.
The Coláiste offers comfortable, clean, safe and welcoming living spaces, with a balance of communal spaces and privacy. We offer a homely atmosphere where students feel they belong and are supported.
For 10-13 year olds, who are at the beginning of adolescence, this environment helps them feel safe, valued, and confident as they adjust to greater independence.
Nutritious meals and healthy routines promote wellbeing, create stability and develop accountability. We provide guidance to our students in building age-appropriate independence and responsibility. Helping students develop self-care skills, organisation, and confidence.
The environment in Coláiste na Rinne provides opportunities to form strong friendships and positive relationships. Our staff support students in navigating social challenges or homesickness while group activities build teamwork, empathy, and trust.
Home from Home
Coláiste na Rinne provides a caring environment for students boarding in Scoil na Leanaí, many of whom are living away from home for the first time. Great emphasis is placed on the emotional wellbeing of each child, ensuring they feel safe, secure, and supported at all times.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the accommodation like for students?
Students stay in dormitory-style accommodation, with two children sharing each cubicle. To support social development and new friendships, students may move cubicles a couple of times during the year.
Boys and girls live on separate floors, ensuring privacy and safety. The accommodation is basic but clean, and each child has their own locker and wardrobe for personal belongings.
Bathroom and shower facilities are shared and regularly supervised to maintain cleanliness and comfort. Our focus is on providing a safe, supportive, and homely environment for all boarders.
Do the students go home at weekends?
Students go home every third weekend. A bus is provided from the Coláiste to Dublin stopping off at various points along the way, which suits some families. Alternatively parents/guardians can collect their children.
Otherwise being in the Coláiste over the weekends greatly helps students immerse themselves in the language and culture of the area. Frequent visits by parents / guardians or frequent visits home are not recommended, especially during the ‘settling in period’ as this tends to disrupt both the learning and adjustment process for the children.
Which classes are offered in the primary school?
The sixth class curriculum is offered in the primary school. Scoil na Leanaí is a school run under the Dept. of Education.
Do children typically get homesick?
Some children do experience homesickness, particularly during the first three weeks, which we refer to as the ‘settling-in period’. This is completely normal as they adjust to a new routine, new friends, and life away from home.
Homesickness can also reappear at different times of the year, for example, when the evenings get darker, when Irish becomes a little more challenging, or when study periods feel longer.
With the support of our caring staff and a warm, structured routine, students settle very well and quickly gain confidence and comfort in their new environment.
Must children speak Irish immediately?
Irish is taught from the very first day in the classroom by our wonderful teaching team. Learning is gradual and supportive, building steadily from the start of the year right through to the end.
Students are encouraged to use Irish throughout all areas of the Coláiste, helping them grow in confidence and fluency in a natural, everyday way. Staff encourage and support the students at all times, creating a positive and immersive Irish-language environment.
What is the food like?
Our food is varied, nutritious, and mostly made from fresh, home-produced ingredients. Students enjoy a healthy, balanced diet with a choice of meals at most main mealtimes.
We are very mindful of individual needs and cater for all dietary requirements, ensuring every student is well looked after and well nourished.
What kind of supervision is provided at Coláiste na Rinne?
Students are supervised 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by fully Garda Vetted staff. Our supervision team includes Cinnirí (Adult Leaders) who support students throughout the day, as well as Tuismitheoirí Tí (Night Parents) who sleep in rooms located throughout the dormitories to ensure safety, comfort, and immediate support at night. This constant, caring presence helps create a secure and reassuring environment for all students
Are students allowed to have their mobile phones?
Mobile phones are not allowed during students’ stay at Coláiste na Rinne. This helps children fully engage in school life and is often a key reassurance for parents considering boarding.
Phones are safely stored in the office and may be brought by students on their return journeys home. Parents and guardians can contact the Coláiste at any time during meal periods to speak with their child, ensuring easy communication while maintaining a focused and immersive environment.
What and when are children allowed to have sweets etc ?
Children are allowed a small piece of tuck each day, immediately after school. Students bring a tuck box with their own sweets, and under staff supervision, they may enjoy a single item. Please note that Coláiste na Rinne is a nut-free environment, so any sweets containing nuts are not permitted.
Is there a laundry facility?
Yes, we have an on-site laundry facility where our laundry staff wash and dry the children’s clothes. Students are responsible for bringing their laundry to the laundry room and for putting their clothes away once they are returned, helping them develop independence and personal responsibility.
What religious ceremonies are facilitated?
Scoil na Leanaí is a Catholic ethos school, but we warmly welcome students of all faiths and backgrounds. Children have the opportunity to attend Mass in our local church weekly, and participation is entirely optional, respecting each family’s beliefs and preferences.
Who do we contact first in the event of any problem?
In the event of a problem, the Parent Liaison Officer is the designated first point of contact for parents and guardians. However, all staff members are happy to help if needed. Our Principal and teachers are also always available to support with any school-related matters, ensuring that concerns are addressed quickly and effectively.
Is there a bus facility for travelling to and back at weekends?
Students go home every third weekend. A bus is provided from the College to Dublin stopping off at various points along the way, which suits some children / parents. Alternatively parents/guardians can collect their children. Children leave / are collected on the Saturday of ‘home weekends’ from 12.30pm, after school is finished are back on-campus by 7pm on Sunday evening. There are also 5 weekends during the academic year when the children go home on Friday at 3.30pm and return on Sunday evening, one of these being between September and Halloween, the second between Halloween and Christmas and 3 others during the New Year. Otherwise being in the Coláiste over the weekends greatly helps students immerse themselves in the language and culture of the area. Frequent visits by parents / guardians or frequent visits home are not recommended as this tends to disrupt both the learning and adjustment process for the children.
Do the children wear uniforms?
Yes, children wear school uniforms from Monday to Saturday during class time, and a uniformed sports kit each afternoon for activities. The only day students may wear their own clothes is Sunday, which is reserved for casual, comfortable clothing such as tracksuits and hoodies for both boys and girls.
How are medical situations managed?
We have a team of qualified nurses on site during mealtimes, and they are on call at other times. One of our nurses works three days on the ground, providing direct support to students and ensuring prompt attention for any medical needs. This system ensures that children’s health and wellbeing are always closely monitored and cared for.