For 9 Septembers, we have been a developing school, waiting to hit that magic number each year that would guarantee that we get to keep all of our teachers. We made it every year other than 2015, when we were granted a special extension on the deadline and secured the necessary numbers in December. In fairness, we grew by 4 classroom teachers that year, making it our biggest jump ever!
Today, 28th September 2020, with 4 new children joining our school, we finally hit our magic number for this year. I can breathe easily now, knowing that all teachers can stay for the year and that all the support we have planned for learning this year can go ahead, uninterrupted by staffing losses.
This is the largest our school is ever expected to be. We will have 19 classes for the next two years and will then settle into the size we were always destined to be - 18 classrooms, which is two classes at each level.
Today is the day we become an established school. We are no longer a developing school.
Our 8 years of being a developing school was a lovely chapter in our history book. Today, we close that chapter and start a new one. From today, Monday 28th September 2020, we are an established school, no longer spending September wondering whether we will get to keep all our teachers for the year. From now, we will know each February what our staffing for the coming year will be.
It is a day to celebrate. Thank you all so much for being part of Chapter 1. Let's make Chapter 2 just as great!
Caitriona.