This article is from page 8 of the 2011-03-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
CLARE’S reputation as being a seat of education has been illustrated this week by a major national survey of secondary schools that has placed 15 schools in a league table of the top 400 around the country.
The survey, compiled by The Sunday Times shows that Rice College in Ennis is the best school in Clare with, one of the best in Munster and the only Clare school to be ranked among the top 50 in Ireland.
Rice College is now rated the 41st best school in Ireland, with the criteria used to ranking the schools being the rate of progression of students to third evel education.
In this regard the survey revealed, that from 2008 to 2010, 96 per cent of students in the school moved to further their studies at third level, with 68.2 per cent of those going to university. The school is also ranked number seven among secondary schools in Munster outside of Cork schools, while Colaiste Muire in Ennis is rated ninth in Munster and 52nd in Ireland.
The table shows that 90.9 per cent of the Leaving Cert classes from 2008 to 2010 at the all-girls school that’s celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, have gone to third level.
Next on the list from the county are two north Clare schools, Ennistymon CBS that’s rated at 65 (94.6 per cent in third level) and Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvara that’s at 66 (92.7 per cent), which brings to four the number of Clare schools in the top 100.
Three more schools are bracketted in the next hundred: Scoil Mhuire in Ennistymon at 114 (75.5 per cent); St Flannan’s College at 190 (70.8 per cent) and St Joseph’s Secondary Schoool in Tulla at 193 (77.2 per cent).
Other Clare schools in the top 400 are: St Caimin’s Community School in Shannon at 225 (74.1 per cent; St Michael’s Community College, Kilmihil at 260 (77.2 per cent); Scariff Community College at 234 (72.8 per cent); St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart at 299 (64.9 per cent); St Joseph’s Secondary School, Miltown at 312 (86.1 per cent); Ennis Community College at 235 (67.8 per cent); Kilrush Community School at 344 (64.1 per cent) and St Joseph’s Community College, Kilkee at 387 (65.1 per cent).