Dear GCC Parents/Guardians & Students,
GCC End of Term Message
As we come to the end of another very full and rewarding term, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of you for your continued support of our school. We are incredibly proud of our students and grateful to our dedicated staff, whose professionalism, care and commitment continues to push the school in an upward trajectory and shape GCC in the most positive way.
This term has been marked by a wonderful range of activities and achievements. Our students shone in the Feis Maitiu and Junk Kouture competitions, embraced inclusion during Stand‑Up Week, and engaged enthusiastically in our Wellbeing Week. The primary school blitzes once again highlighted the strong links we maintain with our local primary schools, while our sports teams represented GCC with great spirit and pride across a variety of competitions.
Our community spirit was also evident in the many successful fundraisers organised and supported throughout the term. Staff had valuable time for reflection and collaboration during our recent Staff Development Day, reinforcing our ongoing focus on high‑quality teaching and learning.
We are also delighted to share the progress made in our facilities and sustainability initiatives, including the installation of solar panels and the completion of works on the Safe Routes to School project.
Finally, we want to wish our 6th Year students all the best as they start their Leaving Certificate oral examinations. The support and guidance of their teachers has prepared them well and we will continue to stand behind them in the weeks ahead.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed their time, energy, and goodwill to making this term such a positive one. We wish all families a restful and enjoyable break, and we look forward to welcoming students back for the new term ahead.
GCC Stand Up Week
The Misneach committee would like to thank all our school community for the efforts made this week to support our annual Stand-Up Week for the LGBTQ community in our school. This year’s motto was to ‘stand up in our communities’. The efforts made by students and staff for our non-uniform day and by our junior classes for the classroom door decorating competition was outstanding and was a phenomenal display of the support, community and respect that is visible daily in GCC.
Stand-Up week every year is about making our LGBT community feel like they are safe, that they belong and that they are welcome in the diverse community of GCC. This was on display in abundance this week, and some of the messages displayed on the classroom doors were welcoming and inclusive. We would like to also take this opportunity to thank the SPHE department who used this week to educate and create discussions around LGBTQ themes and rights. School is all about teaching and learning and they provided a safe space to teach and learn about the LGBTQ community and stand-up week.
GCC Draft Calendar 2026/2027
Please click on the link below to view the draft calendar for the 2026/2027 school year.
Please note this remains a draft calendar at present as we are awaiting Oide staff training dates and confirmation of European school tours etc. We will share the finalised calendar with parents at the end of the term in late May.
GCC Autism Appreciation Week (Monday 20 -Friday 24 April 2026)
GCC Summer Exams 2026 Draft Timetable & Revision Guides
Parents and students are asked to note that we are currently drafting our GCC Summer Exams timetable for 1st, 2nd and 5th Year students including LCA1, which we hope to be in a position to share when we return the week after Easter. We have also asked our Junior Cycle Coordinators to consult with their Subject Department colleagues in preparing GCC Revision Guides for 1st and 2nd years students for their Summer Exams. Again we will share this with information with students and parents once the exams timetable is finalised.
Public Consultation on the Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE) Scheme
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) on Thursday 26 February launched a public consultation as part of its comprehensive review of the Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE) Scheme. This is an opportunity for stakeholders to shape the future of examination supports in Ireland.
The purpose of the review is to examine the current provisions of the RACE Scheme, reviewing existing policy and practice in the area of reasonable accommodations in high-stakes examinations and to consider how best to develop the Scheme so that it ensures access and participation for those who need it, while also promoting high standards of fairness and equity for all students.
We have been asked to bring this notice to the attention of staff, students, parents and guardians. Please click on the link below for further information.
Public Consultation on the Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE) Scheme
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 13 to Friday 17 April 2026
Please click on the link to view the GCC Activities of the Week beginning Monday 13 to Friday 17 April 2026:
GCC Activities of the Week Monday 13 to Friday 17 April 2026
GCC Upcoming Calendar Events – April 2026
| Date | Event | Note |
| Friday 27 March | Easter Holidays | |
| Saturday 28 March | Leaving Certificate Oral Exams | 28/3 – 2/4 |
| Monday 13 April | School Opens for Term 3 | |
| Monday 27 April | GCC Board of Management Meeting | @ 4.30pm |
| Monday 27 April | GCC Parent’s Council Meeting | @ 7.00pm |
| Wednesday 29 April | GCC Staff Meeting | 4.00 – 5.50pm |
GCC School Attendance
We recently shared an ESRI report with parents through our weekly update, highlighting the significant impact of school absence and how it leads to lower educational qualifications and poorer wellbeing in early adulthood. Attendance was also discussed at our recent GCC Parents Council meeting on Monday 2 March.
Please click on the link to view an important letter we wish to share in relation to attendance and the responsibility of parents to ensure their child/children are consistently attending and updating the school through the agreed procedures:
GCC Attendance Letter to Parents and Guardians
GCC Studyclix Licence
As parents are aware, GCC purchased a studyclix subscription for all students and teachers at the beginning of the year. Engagement remains extremely strong, with students accessing over 19,000 sessions since August.
Studyclix are upgrading their platform by introducing a new suite of resources, including pre-exams for all subjects, enhanced support for AACs, and additional Boost content across many subjects. These resources will be added to our teacher account on a trial basis until the end of the year.
GCC Students present at EU Active Citizen Programme
Congratulations to GCC Transition Year students Sarah Kate Nally and Ailsa Canty who were recently invited to speak at a launch of key events for the EU Active Citizen Programme in Cork and Dublin. Both students were invited by Dr. Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan, a senior lecturer in European politics in UCC who Sarah invited to GCC last year to speak with all third year students. The girls spoke at events in University College Cork and in Europe House, Dublin to an audience of teachers and invited guests where they reflected on the programme’s impact on young people and the importance of students’ understanding of the European Union in their world today.
GCC Ski Trip 2028 – Application Form
Glanmire Community College is planning to organize a Transition Year Ski Trip to Italy or Austria in late January/early February 2028. The estimated cost of the ski trip will be in the region of €1600 to €1700 per student. Details of what this includes are outlined in the application link below. Parents and students are asked to note that:
- Places are limited to 54 students maximum and if your application is successful two non-refundable deposits are required to confirm your place
- We are not able to book a place on the ski trips we organise for any student who has not paid two deposits in full
- Only students who have paid the GCC student activity fee in full will be allowed to travel.
- Students are not permitted to participate in both the Ski Trip and the TY European City Tour.
- Please click on the link below to view the application form for our annual GCC Ski Trip in 2028. Our thanks to Ski Tour organiser Mr Aidan Rees for leading this key event in our GCC school calendar.
GCC Ski Trip 2028 Application Form
Mental Health Resources – Togetherall
The school is sharing information with parents and students about Togetherall, a free, online, anonymous peer-to-peer mental health support platform for young people aged 16 to 30. Please click on the links below for further details:
Ireland_Health_Signpost to Togetherall_Overview
Partner Pack – Togetherall peer-to-peer mental health support platform for ages 16 to 30[58]
While this may be a helpful additional support we ask parents and student to note the following:
• Togetherall is not a crisis service and does not replace professional mental health care, school supports, or emergency services
• Users interact anonymously with a wide age range (16–30)
• Some discussions may involve sensitive or distressing topics, despite moderation
• Due to anonymity, parental oversight is limited
We encourage families to discuss online supports together and to use this as part of a broader network of support.
GCC School Office
A reminder to parents that our GCC school office opening hours are 9:00am to 2:45pm, Monday to Thursday and 9.00am to 12.30pm on Friday. This is to allow our clerical staff sufficient time to complete essential administrative duties and to help reduce the volume of queries at the office hatch during peak times.
We encourage parents to email the school where possible rather than phone. Email communication allows us to manage queries more efficiently and ensures that your concerns are directed to the appropriate staff member.
With over 1,140 students in our care, it may take a number of days before we are able to respond to queries. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to support all students and families as effectively as possible. We thank all our GCC parents for your continued cooperation and support.
