The Leaving Cert syllabus is project-based. Themes for this final project are sent to schools in January of a student’s final year, the student then has 10 weeks to complete the project, which includes working from primary sources in a workbook which is supplied by the S.E.C. From the workbook students will realise two final pieces, a painting and a craft piece which usually is ceramic. Art History is an important part of the curriculum, we usually concentrate on the Renaissance through to Impressionism. Irish Art includes studying from the Stone Age, Bronze, and Iron Ages also Medieval Metalwork, Irish Manuscripts and Crosses.

We try and follow the motto ‘Pride, Persistence, and Excellence’ which is a banner that all students see during prize giving.  We take pride in the artwork students produce because they learned skills from persistence, trial and error. We believe that these are life skills, that they will take forward as they see the great art and architecture of the world. There is no right or wrong answer in art but to have an opinion that allows discussion and debate – it is there that excellence occurs.