Dear Parents and Students,
GCC Eco Expo 2025
The TY students held a Green Schools day called the Eco Expo, in the Multi Purpose Room for the 1st and 2nd Year students. They had a series of games and activities to introduce many of our teams and what they have been working on throughout the year. This project was held by TY students Faye, Rebecca, Precious, Polly, Megan Cathal, Ruaidhri & Adam. It was a great success!
This week four groups attended the semi finals of the young environmentalist competition in the Eco Dens in Cork Waterworks. Today they had a chance to showcase what they have been working on these past few months. Well done to all involved! [Written by The Eco Expo Team]
Please click on the link to view some pictures of the day:
GCC Student Council
Please click on the link to view GCC Student Council Chairperson Ciara Worley’s account of visiting the European Youth Parliament recently.
Ciara Worley visits the The European Parliament
Please click on the link to view the minutes of the recent GCC Student Council meeting:
Student Council Meeting Minutes-February/March
GCC WSE-MLL March 2025
As advised in our update last Friday, GCC will undergo a Whole School Evaluation – Management, Leadership and Learning [WSE-MLL] inspection by the Department of Education the week beginning Monday 24 March. Please see below the planned schedule for the inspection visits:
Thursday 20 March – Preliminary Meetings
- Introduction of the inspection team to school staff at the 11.35am break
- Meeting with GCC school management
- Carrying out student surveys [2nd & 5th Year students]
- Tour around the school
- Meeting with our GCC Board of Management at 4.30pm
- Meeting with our GCC Parents Council at 6pm.
Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 March – Classroom Observations
- Classroom Observations
- Meetings with key staff
- Meeting with student focus groups on those days also
Thursday 3 April – Feedback Meetings
- Feedback meeting with GCC school management @ 11am
- Feedback meeting with GCC school staff @ 2.30pm*
- Feedback meeting GCC Board of Management @ 4.30pm
*Please note the feedback meeting with GCC school staff will necessitate an early school closure on Thursday 3 April. Classes will finish for all students @ 1.10pm on the day.
A Young Person’s Guide to Inspection in Post-Primary Schools
A Parents Guide to School Inspection.pdf
GCC Autism Appreciation Week 2025
Please click on the link to view the timetable for our upcoming Autism Appreciation Week taking place from Monday 31 March to Friday 4 April 2025.
GCC Autism Appreciation Week 2025
GCC Cineáltas Parent Survey March 2025
Further to our Cineáltas half training on Thursday 13 March, please click on the link to complete the Cinealtas parents survey. Parents, staff and students will be given an opportunity to give their input and we will collate this information and reference it in our policy.
GCC Cineáltas Parent Survey March 2025
Information on Healthy Habits HSE Health Promotion Cork and Kerry
Please click on the link below to view the Healthy Habits booklet from the HSE Health Promotion Department. The aim of this booklet is to support parents, with trusted sources of information, to practice the healthy habits in the home that you/your staff teach the children through SPHE/RSE in school. This booklet will be shared with parents today via our weekly update on the school website.
Post Primary Healthy Habits 2025 Cork Kerry HSE
National Voter Registration Day
Parents and senior cycle students are asked to note that there is a national campaign running encouraging everyone to register to vote. We have a presidential election in the Autumn of 2025 and National Voter Registration Day will take place on Wednesday 30 April.
Only Irish citizens over 18 can vote in a presidential election but anyone living in Ireland can vote in local election so it would be good to get those students registered too. Students aged 16 or 17 can pre-register to vote and their name will be added to the register when they turn 18. Our TY students could do this. It should only take a few minutes online if students have their PPSNs and Eircode.
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 24 to Friday 28 March 2025
Please click on the link below to view the activities for next week Monday 24 to Friday 28 March 2025.
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 24 – Friday 28 2025
GCC Upcoming Calendar Events – March/April 2025
| Tuesday 25-Thursday 27 March | DES WSE-MML Classroom Observations | School day |
| Saturday 29 March | GCC TY European City Tour 1 – Barcelona | 29/3 – 2/4 |
| Thursday 3 April | Classes finish at 1.10pm for all students to facilitate staff feedback meeting. | 1.10pm finish |
| Saturday 5 April | GCC TY European City Tour 2 – Barcelona | 5/4 – 9/4 |
| Friday 11 April | Easter Holidays | 14/4 – 25/4 |
Schoolbooks Grant Guidance for Post-Primary Schools 2025/26
Buying schoolbooks and classroom resources can be a costly expense for parents/guardians. In 2024 schools were provided with funding to buy schoolbooks and core classroom resources for students in Junior Cycle. From 2025 the Post-primary Schoolbooks Scheme will provide funding to schools to buy items for all students up to Senior Cycle. Please click on the links below for an explanation of how the scheme is run and provides answers to some frequently asked questions.
Letter from Minister to parents of students in Post-Primary Schools 202526
Post-primary Schoolbooks Scheme 2025_26 A guide for Parents Guardians
Spotlight on GCC Alumni – March 2025
In our continuing focus on the stories of some of our GCC graduates, please click on the link below to view the latest contribution from 2006 GCC graduate Dr Kathyrn Fahy. Kathyrn has a PhD in Physiotherapy with a specialisation in Sports Physiotherapy and Shoulder rehabilitation and has worked with both national and international athletes from the Women’s National team (Football) qualifying for their first ever world cup, to Thomas Barr and the relay team with their first ever world and European medals.
However, her greatest achievement was a fine day in Croke park last July when Clare and Cork played out one of the best All-Ireland Hurling Finals in the history of the GAA and Kathyrn stood proudly on the winning side as physio to the Clare team alongside her amazing medical team Michelle and Shane. Kathyrn is just a few short weeks into a new journey in Doha working as a specialist physiotherapist in the world leading specialised sports and orthopedic hospital. Please click on the link below to read more:
Dr Kathyrn Fahy – GCC Alumni 2006
GCC Cat 4 Assessments
Important information in relation to the Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations 2025
Please click on the link below to view Circular S88/24 which contains important information in relation to the Leaving Certificate Oral examinations 2025.
6th Year students and parents are asked to note that the Oral examinations in Irish and the Modern Foreign Languages in 2025 will be delivered by SEC appointed examiners in schools in the early part of the Easter holiday period from Saturday 12 April to Thursday 17 April inclusive.
Important information in relation to the Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations 2025
GCC School Gym
Parents and students are reminded that our GCC school gym is open Monday to Friday before school for 4th, 5th and 6th year students. Students can use the gym upstairs in the PE Hall every day from 8:00am until 8:45am and it will be fully supervised. Thanks you to our GCC teachers for providing this wellbeing opportunity to students.
We hope you have a nice weekend.
GCC Senior Management [Ronan McCarthy (Principal), Patrick O’Mahony (Deputy Principal) Caroline Byrne (Deputy Principal), Seamus Kennefick (Deputy Principal)]