European Annexe at St. Andrew's College

St Andrew's College is an international, co-educational, multi-denominational preparatory and secondary school founded in 1894. Today it has a population of approximately 1200 students and more than 150 teachers drawn from many different countries. The international character of the school is officially recognised in the fact that it has been accredited as an international school by the European Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges since 1984.

The school is located on Booterstown Avenue in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, only a short walk from the DART railway line.

Our European Annexe opened in April 2001 with seven staff. In September 2001 the number of native-speaking language teachers was increased to twelve. At present the staff in the Annexe is as follows: 

• Coordinator: Monica Docherty
• Assistant coordinator: Laura Griffin
• French: Severine Reneaud, Estelle Breton
• Italian: Cecilia Ramondetta McKeon, Maria Rosa Fry
• German: Kati Schulz
• Spanish: Teresa Melendro, Gara Veres Torres
• English as a Second Language: Patricia Kelly, Gail Armstrong, Linda Molloy

A special building was erected for the European Annexe. It consists of eight classrooms and a small communal area that is used as a library and a social area. This building has affectionately become known as "The European Village" and it is ablaze with colour from the seasonal decorations which are continually being produced by the various classes there.

Teachers provide mother tongue tuition for 75 students from both the Junior and Senior Schools. These Students attend classes in the European Annexe five periods per week when their classmates have Irish. There is a charge for these ‘Mother Tongue’ classes in addition to the standard school fees. Sixth Year students have the opportunity to sit a final exam in their mother tongue through the school’s International Baccalaureate programme.

Students requiring tuition in English as a second language attend classes at 8.15am. In the Junior School these take place 5 mornings per week and in the Senior School on 3 mornings. Intensive English language tuition is available for students who have little or no English when they arrive in Ireland.

The staff in the Annexe has put a huge amount of effort into delivering the varied teaching program. Teachers and parents have developed many contacts with schools and other educational organisations in their native countries. Through these contacts they can acquire valuable information about changing educational policies and practices of which they need to be aware.

The opening of the European Annexe at St. Andrew’s College was a very significant innovation in Irish education. For many years the school has provided some mother tongue tuition for senior students in the International Baccalaureate programme. We are delighted that we are now able to offer the service to a wider range of students and we look forward to expanding the resources of the Annexe further in the years ahead.