P R I VAT E G I R L S D AY A N D B O A R D I N G S C H O O L I N I R E L A N D

the white bookR a t h d o w n S c h o o l

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A Principal EducationRathdown Boarding and Day School for Girls

enjoys a superb location and setting. The 16

acre grounds are set on an elevated site

overlooking Dublin Bay in Glenageary. Close to

Killiney, Dalkey and Dunlaoghaire, it shares inland

views of the Wicklow mountains.The school buildings are magnificent, consisting of an interesting mix of

modern and old. The two main houses, Hillcourt and Tudor, date from

the early nineteenth century and provide a gracious setting for boarding,

music and junior school facilities. *”Hillcourt, formerly called Innismore,

is one of the finest remaining houses in Glenageary and has maintained

many of the original, internal features. These include an elaborately

decorated hall, compartmentalised by shallow arches ornamented with

the Greek key pattern and a monochrome painted frieze. The house

was owned originally by the Synnott family and was bought as school

premises (Hillcourt) in 1919 by W.P. Toone, who had earlier established

Castle Park School. Tudor House was acquired by Hillcourt in 1965.”

Photography by Paul Sherwood

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Rathdown School was founded in 1973, incorporating four original

schools, The Hall School, Hillcourt School, Glengara Park School and

Park House School. It comprises of both a secondary school of 234

girls, 111 of whom are boarders, and a Junior School 164 girls. It is under

protestant management, welcoming girls from all faiths, and is led by

Senior school Principal Anne Dowling and Principal of the Junior School,

Avril Lamplugh. The school is committed to providing high academic

standards and a wide range of subjects and facilities are available for all

pupils, in order to offer the widest education possible, developing each

pupil’s potential to the full. Because of this their results in the State

examinations continue to excel.

The Junior School, accepts girls from the age of three upwards, and

offers an education that develops the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional

aspects of each girl. The Junior School has the added bonus of offering

an Extended Day Care Programme where children can remain until

6p.m. With the completion of the new extension to the Junior School,

classrooms now have ensuite facilities. There is also a new computer

room, library and reception area.

* Exerpt from “Between the Mountains and the Sea” by Peter Pearson, published by O’Brien Press

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Music has always formed a core component of the students lives and

education, and in 2005 the School constructed a state-of-the-art Music

School to more adequately cater to this artistic inclination.

The quality of the facilities is unrivalled and includes soundproof practice

rooms and an auditorium where classes, private lessons, performances

and other events are hosted. It has developed into a thriving centre

for musical excellence. All of our teachers are highly experienced and

are fully committed to encouraging and nurturing each individual

student to fulfil their potential and reach the highest standard possible.

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Sports is also a very important aspect of school life and their 16-acre

site on Dublin Bay allows for a raft of sporting activities including hockey,

basketball, cross country, tennis, athletics, cricket, fitness, hip hop,

badminton, sailing and horseriding. Rathdown has enjoyed extraordinary

success in hockey and athletics in recent times and are delighted with

the progress the girls have made with the support of our Director of

Hockey, ex- international, Graham Shaw.

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Being a boarding school and welcoming International students, Rathdown

promotes cultural diversity and of course there’s a knock-on effect for

day students. The school never closes down, as a traditional school would

at 4pm. There is supervised study for the girls until 10pm each evening

and on Saturdays. There are a limited number of boarding schools and

we pride ourselves on the ‘home-from-home’ experience that our

Boarding House offers. Innismore House, which opened in 2004, is a

three-storied purpose-built modern structure offering 5th and 6th year

boarders their own study/bedroom.

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The school’s Vision 2020 plan has produced a new community area, built

and completed this year. The second stage contains plans for a new

academic wing with new science labs, and planning permission for a

second Astroturf has just been granted. These developments ensure

Rathdown School remains the forefront of education, on one of the

most beautiful landscaped of school campuses.

Rathdown School

Upper Glenageary Road, Glenageary, Co. Dublin. Ireland.

Phone: 00353 1 285 3133

www.rathdownschool.ie