An Introduction to Educate Together

Educate Together is the representative organisation of the Educate Together schools and associations throughout the Republic of Ireland. It owes its origins in the movement to establish new multi-denominational primary schools which emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By 1984, when Educate Together was established, there were three schools and the organisation acted as their co-ordinating body. Since then the movement has grown considerably. Today there are 28 schools, 15 of which are in the greater Dublin area. The organisation became a company limited by guarantee in 1998 and has charitable status. It has a small national office which provides representative and support services to schools and start-up associations. The directors and members of the company work in a voluntary capacity.

Educate Together aims to meet a growing need in Irish society for schools that recognise the developing diversity of Irish life and the modern need for democratic management structures. In particular, Educate Together guarantees children and parents of all faiths and none equal respect in the operation and governing of education.

The schools operated by the member associations of Educate Together are fully recognised by the Irish Department of Education and Science and work under the same regulations and funding structures as other national schools. However, they have a distinct ethos or governing spirit. This has been defined in the following terms:

· "Multi-denominational i.e. all children having equal rights of access to the school, and children of all social, cultural and religious backgrounds being equally respected,
· Co-educational and committed to encouraging all children to explore their full range of abilities and opportunities,
· Child centred in their approach to education
· Democratically run with active participation by parents in the daily life of the school, whilst positively affirming the professional role of the teachers."

(Source: Educate Together Charter)

Whilst the concepts of child-centredness and co-educationalism are now widely accepted in Irish primary education, what distinguishes the Educate Together schools is their hard work in developing a culturally inclusive and democratic ethos. This has pioneered unique approaches to inclusion of minority opinions and faiths in the Irish context. The schools have developed education programmes which open the eyes of children to the naturally positive contribution that social diversity and difference of viewpoint and opinion make to society. The other characteristic feature of these schools is that they are democratically organised and governed. This maximises the potential for building a genuine partnership between the professional, objective role of the teacher and the necessarily personal involvement of the parent in contributing to their children's education.

Educate Together is facing unprecedented demand for places in its schools, for increased services to schools and is under pressure to open new schools in new areas. It is also being urged to promote its philosophy in the wider context of secondary education and pre-school provision. This growing demand can be attributed to objective factors in modern Irish life, namely the rapid diversification of society, economic growth, increasing population, globalisation of the economy and improved communications. It is also attributed to the increasing demand of Irish parents to participate as partners in the educational process and a wish that their children should grow up at ease with social, religious and cultural difference.

Our Strategy Statement (published October 2000) was presented with the objective of radically increasing the number of schools run under the Educate Together ethos and to substantially improve the service that the national organisation can provide for its members. We hope that people will see the planned development of a national network of Educate Together schools as a positive contribution to society, enriching the educational landscape and building a significant asset for the future.

© Educate Together, 2002