It is our vision to be a sector-leading provider of innovative digital education. As part of our approach to education, our aim is to equip students with the skills and abilities to achieve their full potential in a digital 21st century environment.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we had already begun our journey towards digital transformation. In the 2019-2020 academic year our school was working, in collaboration with the University of Oxford, on a research project focussing on e-teaching and learning and developing the effective use of iPad technology and Google classroom was inbuilt into our strategic plan.

Over the last two years, our staff and students have successfully embraced a deeper dive into digital education than we could have ever imagined. We know that digital education is not in itself about tools and equipment, but about how technology will support effective teaching and learning.

Very early on in the pandemic we recognised the importance of auditing our students and parents to monitor the quality of e teaching and learning to ensure it was fit for purpose.

As a response to our consolation with students and parents we quickly action planned to ensure that remote teaching was offering students a high quality learning experience. We put in place actions to monitor pupil progress digitally and ensure there was progression and enjoyment in learning. We put in place a robust digital education training programme for staff during school closure and our staff presented the St Joseph’s model for digital education at an international education conference in June 2020.

We continue to be focused on becoming the best in the field, home to the highest level of expertise and resources for students, and able to leverage our industrial partnerships.

“Thank you to my children’s form teachers for the phone calls
to check on how they were getting on; a very thoughtful gesture”.

“Communication between home and school has been excellent.
The emphasis on pastoral care has been really great”.

“Just wanted to thank my child’s form teacher for checking in last week and being more concerned about her confidence and mental health. Was much appreciated by my child and my husband and I.”

“My teachers give me lots of praise for my work which really helps me and makes me feel good. I get messages every day from my learning assistant who is so kind and encouraging and offers so much help to me”.

St Joseph’s is one of a small number of post-primary schools in Ireland to be designated as an Apple Regional Training Centre (RTC).

​Being selected as an Apple RTC highlights our commitment to facilitating training for teachers to develop skills and build confidence to use Apple technology in the classroom. Domhnach Mór Apple RTC is a bilingual training centre and will deliver a range of courses in both Irish and English. 

“Our status as an Apple Regional Training Centre is another important development in our commitment to deliver high quality staff training that makes a real difference to the children in the classroom.  I am delighted too that we will be able to facilitate educators from both within our own school and from within the wider local area.”

– Mr D Tennyson. 

​Apple Regional Training Centres create a community to share best practice and support teaching staff to attain Apple Teacher status, a professional learning programme designed to support and celebrate educators.

​Teachers from across the region can attend courses to build knowledge and skills and earn badges to achieve Apple Teacher recognition.