Dear Parent(s)/Guardians,
We trust this letter finds you well and we hope that your child has made a positive start to their Leaving Cert journey. Students often speak to us about how different 5th Year feels compared to their experiences at Junior Cycle or in TY, and this can often be challenging to manage. As always, we are here to support you and your child through the next two years as they work towards their Leaving Cert exams in June 2026.
We had our first Student of the Month ceremony in the Sports Hall for Senior students during Tutorial today and we extend our warmest congratulations to all those students who were nominated and won awards this morning.
Now that the first few weeks of your child’s Senior Cycle journey have passed, we want to bring to your attention some important updates and information.
Information Evening
Firstly, a reminder about the Information Evening for parents of 5th Year students, which takes place on Thursday, 10th October at 18.30 here in the school. The event should last approximately 45 mins.
Dialann
The Dialann is as important in Senior cycle as it was at Junior cycle and as you are aware we use the Dialann as the main form of communication between school and home. Teachers will regularly write notes informing you of areas where your son/daughter is excelling or areas where they need improvement, also of any important notices or behavioural concerns. It is imperative that you check the Dialann on a daily basis to monitor and keep abreast of your son/daughter’s progress in 5th Year. Please sign notes in the comment section on a daily basis to let us know you have received and read the same.
Starting off on the right foot - managing the challenges of the Leaving Cert
We are very pleased and proud of the Leaving Certificate results achieved by the students in Ratoath College to date. On reflection and having spoken with many of our past pupils it is clear that their outstanding success is down to the fact that they were committed to their work from the start of 5th Year and received great support from home and from the staff of the school.
We have great expectations for the current 5th Years, they have always been hard working and committed to their studies, full of potential and are a fantastic group to deal with. We would ask that you continue to encourage your son/daughter as you have done in the past, instill in them the importance of setting goals and focusing from day one in 5th Year, organising a timetable which includes time for curricular and extra-curricular work.
Careers & Guidance
5th Year is a really important year for your son/daughter to start doing preparatory work on what career they would like to follow after they have completed their Leaving Cert. Every 5th year has access to a Guidance Counsellor with whom they will meet formally throughout the year, but they can also make an appointment to discuss career/course options at any time. Whilst we do not expect every student to know exactly what career they wish to follow at this moment, it is important that you encourage your son/daughter to embark on as much research into careers over the coming weeks to enable them to decide upon a few areas that seem of interest to them. They can then explore these areas with their Guidance Counsellor.
Attendance & Punctuality
We would first like to congratulate the majority of the students who have excellent attendance records to date; this is commendable and a credit to them and to you. It is imperative that every effort is made for students to attend on a regular basis. Please keep us informed of any planned absences and may we remind you that a written explanation in the Dialann is required when your child returns to school following an absence. Where possible holidays and medical/dental appointments should be made for outside school hours. All available data and research show a direct correlation between positive attendance and academic success. Registration is recorded during assembly and any student who does not present will be marked absent on the official register.
The School Environment
As you are aware we are making efforts to be more sustainable and reduce our carbon footprint as a school. Students are reminded to take care of their belongings and keep the school environment clean and litter free. Students should bring a reusable bottle and lunchbox with them for school each day.
Teams & 365 Access
We frequently share announcements and revision notes on Microsoft Teams. It is important that every student checks that they can log into their school email and Teams. If a student cannot log in at home they need to report this difficulty to their Caomhnóir asap. If a student is missing any of their class pages they should communicate this to their subject teacher.
Mobile Phones
We would like to remind students that mobile phones must be turned off when in the building. If students are unwell they can inform the class teacher, supervisor on duty and/or Caomhnóir or Moltóir and not make contact with home themselves.
Uniform
Students are very well presented in their uniform and we would like to remind parents that shoes must be black leather and the PE uniform must be the official PE uniform of the school.
5th Year Moltóir
Due to staffing changes over the summer holidays, Mr McCarthy is currently acting as the 5th Year Moltóir. We hope to appoint a new 5th Year Moltóir in the coming weeks.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish our 5th year students all the best for the year ahead as they embark on senior cycle and the Leaving Certificate. We would also like to thank you for your continued support. If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or any member of the 5th Year team.
Yours faithfully,
John McCarthy
Deputy Principal & Acting 5th Year Moltóir
Róisín Bruce, Janice Conlon, Eoin Campion, Ríona Fox, Kelly Jackson, Patrick McAuley, Shane Walshe, Robert Wogan.
5th Year Team
