Royal School to drop fees in ‘transformative’ move

Cavan’s Royal School is to drop fees and enter the free education scheme from this September, heralding a new chapter in its 400-year history. The county’s oldest school hopes to increase its enrolment and begin a new period of investment over the coming years.

“It’s been in the offing. We’ve been thinking of this for some time,” said Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh Ferran Glenfield, when he sat down with the Celt this week.

“It has taken a lot of work behind the scenes obviously to bring everybody on board as to what we’re intending to do and why we’re intending to do it.

“I think everybody knew that this was the way forward but nobody wanted to press the button or pull the lever.”

The decision, delayed because of Covid, will see the school dropping fees for all students, both existing and incoming. It will also open the door to investment in its infrastructure and offerings, through the Department of Education.

With 230 students currently on the roll books, the Royal School’s six-year plan aims to increase that number to 450. Two special needs units are also envisaged.

“I think the word is ‘sustainability’,” says Bishop Glenfield when asked about the reason behind the decision.

“The school has been here for a long time. People are quite prepared to let things run but, if you look at farmers, they’re constantly making changes to the way they work, the environment and changing markets. We hadn’t a huge resistance but there was a kind of an ‘ah sure it has done us for 200 years’. There’s a kind of inertia that builds.”

Acting principal Padraic Corley is optimistic and excited by the possibilities the decision brings.

“It’s going to be transformative really in what it’s going to add to the school. Not only in the fabric but in the students. The students are very important. It’s about providing for Cavan and providing a school for the people of Cavan.”

Despite its long history and prime location in Cavan, the Royal School is often overlooked when it comes to the educational offering of the county. Larger schools, Breifne College, St Patrick’s and others can take some of the focus when it comes to attention.

The hope now is to increase and build on what is already a strong educational offering with investment. The school’s charging of fees meant the door was effectively closed on many funding schemes other schools take for granted.

“Having two special classes in the school is something that will be very important for us,” says Mr Corley.

“It’s something we had looked for in the past but unfortunately, because we were fee paying, we weren’t allowed to have two special classes here. That’s going to be transformative.”

The retention of the school’s Protestant ethos will be an important pillar in the years ahead, just as it remains so for the county’s Catholic schools, something Bishop Glenfield feels is important.

“We did our homework. We went to similar kinds of schools in the Protestant sector, if you want to call it that, that had made a similar transition. They all came back to us and said it strengthened their identity.”

With fees gone from September, the school plans to take in an extra class group in each year. Where two classes, about 48 students, would have been enrolled in each year, that is now to increase to three classes, or 72 students.

For Mr Corley, the school’s modest size is an important factor, allowing students build better relationships with their teachers.

“We have always provided excellent one-to-one attention for all our students. In fact our vision is ‘a clear and a supportive community to empower learners’ so that will not change. All students are very, very welcome to this school, as they always have been.

“I can see people looking at our school; a mixed school, a small school, thinking this would be a very good school for my son or daughter to be educated in. Another thing they’ll get out of the Royal School is people will know their names. We talk about a student-centred education. You need to know the students for that.”

The Department of Education reaction to the Royal School's decision was described as “very positive”. An increasing population in Cavan and a subsequent pressure on second level schools will no doubt have played a part in its decision.

Extensive waiting lists in some of the county’s secondary schools could see the Royal School easily increasing its student numbers, given its recent decision.

Work is underway on the school's masterplan, in conjunction with the Department. It’s hoped this will set out a vision for future investment. Work is also continuing on the new PE Hall and fitness suite announced in 2020.

This, Mr Corley is keen to stress, will increase the school’s already strong sporting and extracurricular offering.

“I think we’re the only school in Cavan that has rugby. Hockey as well would be a sport that would be very important here. We have the only hockey pitch in all of County Cavan. You’re looking at rugby, hockey, badminton, table tennis, along with athletics and track and field.

“Everybody gets the opportunity to take part in sport or extracurricular activities. We run a good extracurricular programme in the evening time.”