Dear Parents and Students,
GCC Senior Choir Feis Maitiú Winners 2025
We would like to congratulate our GCC Senior Choir who were crowned Feis Maitiú winners last Wednesday 5 March under the outstanding guidance of our GCC Music teacher Ms. Ann Mannix. Music and singing are very much part of the fabric of GCC, and the school has had a long and successful association with the Feis Maitiú awards. Our thanks to Ms. Mannix, Ms. Gilbert and all the staff in our school who continue to promote Music in the school.
GCC Cork ETB Award Winners 2025 – Leaving Certificate Class 2024
The annual Cork ETB awards ceremony took place last Friday night, 28 February. The event acknowledges the outstanding academic achievements of students in Cork ETB schools and GCC had over 30 students recognised. We want to congratulate our students on their achievements and acknowledge the support of their parents as well as our teachers who consistently provide high-quality opportunities for our learners. We also want to acknowledge the role of our SNA and ancillary staff in facilitating a learning environment where students can achieve to their maximum. The guidance, knowledge and support provided by all in our school community is instrumental in their success.
Please click on the links below to view the GCC Leaving Cert Awards Booklet as well as some photographs from our GCC gathering in advance of the awards ceremony itself.
Glanmire Community College Leaving Cert Awards Booklet March 2025
Photographs – Cork ETB Awards Friday 28 February 2025
2024 GCC Junior Cycle Students receive their Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) Certificates
Congratulations to last year’s 3rd Year students who were presented with their Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) certificates today Friday 7 March. The JCPA captures student achievements in a number of assessment elements undertaken over the three years of junior cycle, including the grades in the state-certified final examinations at the end of the three years. It also reports on students’ achievement in Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) in subjects and short courses. The JCPA also includes reporting on Wellbeing. Please click on the link below for more information.
Thank you to our GCC teachers, SNA’s, parents and support staff for your encouragement of our students throughout the Junior Cycle programme.
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a26b9-junior-cycle-profile-of-achievement-jcpa/
GCC Whole School Evaluation
Parents and students are asked to note that we received notification this morning from the Department of Education Inspectorate that GCC has been selected for inclusion in the current inspection programme. A Whole School Evaluation – Management, Leadership and Learning will take place in the week commencing Monday 24 March 2025, with preliminary meetings in the week of Tuesday 18 March 2025. Feedback is planned for the week of 31 March. Please note the precise dates are yet to be finalised. We will provide further updates to parents and students as necessary next week.
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
GCC BOM Meeting
Please click on the link to view the Agreed Report from our GCC Board of Management meeting last Monday 3 March 2025:
Agreed Report for the GCC BOM Meeting Monday 3 March 2024
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 10 to Friday 14 March 2025
Please click on the link below to view the activities for next week Monday 10 to Friday 14 March 2025.
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 10 – Friday 14 March 2025
GCC Upcoming Calendar Events – February 2025
| Monday 10 March | GCC 1st Year PPTM | 4.15 – 6.45pm |
| Thursday 13 March | GCC Staff Meeting Cineáltas Half Day Training | Classes finish @ 12.30pm |
| Friday 14 March | GCC Staff Development Day | School Closed |
| Monday 17 March | St Patrick’s Day | School Closed |
Department of Education ESD Newsletter Issue 18 – March 2025
Please click on the link to view the Department of Education’s latest ESD Newsletter:
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
GCC Calendar Amendment – Cineáltas Half Day Training
Parents are again reminded that the Department of Education have given permission to schools to close for a half day to support staff engagement with the introduction of the new Cineáltas anti-bullying policy. The school is proposing the date of this meeting will be Thursday 13 March from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Classes for all students will finish at 12.30pm on the day.
TIMSS 2023
Parents might recall that GCC participated in the TIMSS 2023 study back in March/April 2023. TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) is one of the world’s largest studies of student achievement. It assesses mathematics and science achievement at both primary (Fourth Class) and post-primary (Second Year) levels.
Please click on the link to view a summary flyer of the findings for Ireland from TIMSS 2023 which we have been asked to share with school staff and parents who may be interested.
GCC Teaching & Learning Week March 2025
We are delighted to announce that GCC will be holding a “Teaching and Learning Week” from Monday 10 to Friday 14 March. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of our Teaching and Learning week, teachers are invited to volunteer to open their classroom doors and invite other teachers to drop in and see something they are doing with one of their classes.
A teacher might have an excellent lesson starter, revision game or way of explaining something difficult that you think other teachers might like to see. A full timetable of open-door classrooms will be advertised around the school the week before our teaching and learning week begins. We will also be running our second GCC Teachmeet as part of our whole school staff development day on Friday 14 March.
Discover Cork Schools’ Heritage Project 2025
Congratulations to GCC students Dean Horgan [1st Year Rang Roisin] and Sophie Murphy [5th Year Rang Siobhan] who both received first prizes in the Discover Cork Schools’ Heritage Project 2025. Dean won 1st prize in the Junior Certificate Individual category with his project entitled The Story of Angela Keohane while Sophie came first in the Leaving Certificate Individual category with her project entitled The Story of Glounthaune.
Both students are to give a speech at the awards ceremony in the City Hall on Monday 3 March. Well done to all our GCC students who submitted projects for the competition and our thanks as always to Ms Josephine Reeves for supporting the students and promoting the competition in the school.
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)]