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Clongowes Wood College
POST PRIMARY GUIDE 2020
A LEADING BOARDING SCHOOL IN THE HEART OF CO. KILDARE
POST PRIMARY GUIDE 2020
Clongowes wood College
STEEPED IN TRADITION YET UTTERLY MODERN
The 18th-century Georgian castle at Clongowes Wood College is the first glimpse of the 205 year-old school that many visitors see as they approach the school along the beautiful tree lined avenue. Whilst the castle and grounds have remained unchanged since the first students arrived in 1814, within the walls beats the heart of an ever evolving and truly modern boarding school.
Clongowes is home to some 450 boys from all over Ireland and abroad, all who enjoy the full, 7-day boarding education that consists of a rich variety of academic and co-curricular programmes encompassing a wide variety of sports, music, drama, debating and the arts.
We believe that boarding school life should mirror the very best of family life and the family home. The best homes are full of life and laughter. They offer understanding and patience; they provide support and comfort when things go wrong. The best homes give children clear boundaries. They set high expectations and they instil values by which to live. A strong family life nurtures the self-esteem that young people need to go out into the world with confidence. This is what we aspire to do, and more, complementing modern family life in our boarding school.
Clongowes is well known for the success of our graduates that have gone on to be leaders in business, social justice, sports and politics. To understand what has led to the success of our past pupils, we must first look at the nature of Jesuit education. Holistic in nature, and focusing on the ‘three Cs’, it aims to develop the student’s Competence in terms of academics, sport and the arts; Conscience to allow him to discern what is right and good and Compassion for the less fortunate. Through these Jesuit values, a Clongowes education aims to inspire students to become ‘men for others’ – developing their unique talents in order to share those with the world. Supported by excellent teaching staff, students complete a sixyear academic cycle towards the Leaving Certificate. A globally recognised qualification, the Leaving Certificate allows our graduates go on to third level education in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the US.
Facilities for living and learning are second to none at Clongowes. An ambitious and sustained capital development plan has enabled the school to recently open a new 25M indoor swimming pool, a 4G full sized rugby pitch, dedicated spaces for cooperative learning such as the James Joyce Library and the Bellarmine Learning Centre, a state of the art Sports Hall and a new Science, Art and Technology Building.
