Holy Family Community School
School Details
About
Holy Family Community School is a mixed secondary school serving the Rathcoole, Newcastle and Saggart communities in South Dublin. It offers a broad, balanced curriculum that blends academic rigour with a wide range of extra‑curricular activities, including sports, music, technology and wellbeing programmes. The school’s facilities support modern learning, with dedicated classrooms, science labs, a library, an iPad programme, and spaces for pastoral care and student leadership. Partnerships with local primary schools, parents and community organisations underpin a collaborative ethos, ensuring that learners benefit from a supportive network both inside and outside the classroom. The school’s educational philosophy is centred on the vision of a “community of learners” where every pupil is encouraged to develop knowledge, compassion and personal resilience. Emphasis is placed on nurturing the whole person, promoting academic excellence while fostering social, emotional and physical development. Through a strong focus on wellbeing, inclusive practice and student‑led initiatives such as the Student Council, Holy Family Community School aims to equip young people with the skills and confidence to realise their full potential.
History
Holy Family Community School opened its doors in September 1981 with 73 pupils, built to accommodate up to 510 students for the Rathcoole, Newcastle and Saggart areas. A community committee formed in 1975, representing the Newcastle and District Residents’ Association, Saggart/Rathcoole Community Council and parent representatives from local national schools, lobbied for the school’s establishment. The first Board of Management meeting took place on 17 June 1981, with trustees the Holy Ghost Fathers, the Presentation Sisters and the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee, reflecting the school’s inclusive ethos and its role in the emerging community‑school movement.