Our Ethos
St. Declan’s School was founded in 1958 by the Irish Jesuits for children who, for personal or emotional reasons, achieve below their potential in their local schools. We strive to create a supportive environment for the boys and girls in our care.
The visionary aims of the original mission statement of the St. Declan’s Association, constituted in 1959, are still relevant today. These aims included:
- helping children overcome their particular difficulties as quickly as possible so as to enable a speedy return to mainstream schools
- teaching children at various levels within the same classroom, according to their individual abilities and needs
- providing children with additional individual help where necessary
In St. Declan’s a common spirit lies behind teaching and learning in the life of the school. This common spirit or ‘ethos’ described here is for the whole school community – the board of management, the teachers, the secretary, the children and their parents.
Three qualities of this common spirit to which the St. Declan’s community aspires are:
~ Head Developing competence in communication and social skills, learning to deal with situations in a calm and respectful manner. We learn to use our head and think of better ways to deal with others.
~ Heart A formed conscience that knows what is good and true and moves us to act in accordance to the rights of others. We work with the children to become large-hearted, being able to forgive and let things go; to try and be whole-hearted, doing our best with the talents we have and to speak from the heart avoiding be ruled by passion or anger
~ Hand Generous hands that put our talents and gifts at the service of others. Compassionate hands that tend to those who, in their need, have the greatest claim on us.
Children and teachers are regularly involved in projects that express this characteristic spirit
The characteristic spirit through which we try to relate has 5 key principles which is called the St. Declan’s Code. These are:
Being Respectful: using nice manners, being kind and caring, working quietly, using appropriate language, following teachers directions, being helpful, listening, waiting your turn to speak…
Being Responsible: taking care of property, doing homework, arriving on time, having the things you need, following class and school rules, making appropriate judgements about what should be at school, eating a healthy and nutritious lunch, putting litter in the bin…
Being Safe: acting in a considerate, safe manner, playing safely, being careful not to be rough or harm others in any way….
Being Honest: telling the truth even when it’s tough, ‘owning up’ when you’re in the wrong. Telling when you see someone being hurt deliberately..
Being the Best you can be: Having a positive attitude, always trying to do your best – even when it’s not your favourite thing to do.
Each class learns about the St. Declan’s Code and creates their own age-appropriate Classroom Charter which helps the children take ownership of the code. More recently (2014) a student council has been set up with the support of Special Needs Assistants which gives the children more responsibility in the life of the school.
The common spirit or ethos that lies behind education and learning at St. Declan’s is based on The Characteristics of Jesuit Education (1987). While these characteristics have an obvious religious dimension grounded in the Catholic Faith, St. Declan’s welcomes and accommodates children and families of all faiths and none – children from the Muslim, Jewish, Bahi and other Christian traditions have all attended as well as children who do not adhere to any faith or religion. What follows is a brief summary and how aspects of these characteristics relate to the life of the school community:
Finding God in All things – Recognising a power greater than ourselves and who is the source of the common spirit that animates our work. Often in the healing process, it is said, the first step is to realise that we need help, and this help can come from the common spirit that we try to generate amongst us.
Caring for the individual – In St. Declan’s we emphasise the care of the individual and concern for each person. While this has particular challenges and demands, we recognise that time spent one-to-one, working through troubles and anxieties, can benefit the children in our care.
Growing towards freedom and responsibility – Our goal is to go beyond thinking just of ourselves recognising that, while we have rights, we also have responsibilities. Through the St. Declan’s Code, the student council and activities such as Friendship Week, we grow in knowledge, love and acceptance of ourselves in community with others.
Christ is the model for Human Life – This is reflected in the practice of praying together and developing Christian meditation and moments of quiet reflection. [see http://www.cominghome.org.au/] We celebrate the sacraments as part of school’s yearly rhythm.
A faith that expresses itself in love for others – Our goal is the children will return to their mainstream school with more resilience and with the maturity to ‘show love in deeds’ (Ignatius Loyola)
In the service of the church – St. Declan’s School follows the Alive-O religion programme which develops an understanding of the Catholic Faith. Concern is also shown for the spiritual and religious development of children of other faiths or none.
Striving for excellence – The Jesuit motto is Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam (A.M.D.G.). We encourage everyone in the school community to develop their talents and develop their gifts in a spirit of ‘What more can I give?’.
Working as a community – Our ethos embraces the pupils, teachers, the board of management and members of the wider staff, but also, parents, past pupils and others who support our work in the school.
Openness to growth – Our school motto emphasises our wish to nurture each person’s potential to adapted flexibly and positively to the demands of new circumstance and challenges and to foster independence.
Aspects of our ethos are encapsulated in the St. Declan’s Code. Core rights accorded to all members of the school community include: the right to feel safe; the right of children to learn (without undue distraction or disruption) and the right to respect and fair treatment. These rights entail responsibilities by all: children, parents, teaching and support staff. It is agreed that a high standard of behaviour requires a strong sense of community within the school and a high level of co-operation among staff and between staff, pupils and parents.
Please see below statement for St Declan’s re the naming of deceased Jesuits regarding child sexual abuse complaints:
Today, Wednesday 12 February 2025, the Jesuit Order has placed in the public domain the names of fourteen deceased Jesuits as recommended by an Independent Working Group established by the Order which examined the files of deceased Jesuits against whom complaints of child sexual abuse had been made. The Order has also taken the decision to place in the public domain the name of one further Jesuit about whom additional information has become available.
The Order has set up a special page on their province website where all the documents concerning this naming process can be accessed. This includes the full list of the fifteen named Jesuits, with short biographies, and a statement of accountability. Information on the Independent Working Group can be accessed on the webpage along with their report on their work. Also available is background information regarding the naming process, and details of the range of services offered by the Order including redress and the funding of counselling. Click here to access this page: https://jesuit.ie/naming-of-deceased-jesuits-regarding-child-sexual-abuse-complaints/
The Jesuit Order have already named publicly three other deceased Jesuits with complaints of child sexual abuse again them including Fr Dermot Casey SJ and Fr Paul Andrews SJ both former directors of our St Declan’s school.
As we said at that time it is a matter of profound sorrow and regret to us that any child associated with our school would have suffered abuse by those who were meant to care for and protect them.
The Department of Education Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2023 are strictly adhered to in St Declan’s. Our safeguarding statement and safeguarding policy are available on the school website (www.stdeclans.ie).
Regarding this further naming by the Jesuit Order, the Provincial Fr Shane Daly SJ says that the Jesuits are pursuing a process of acknowledging child abuse perpetrated by members of the Order over the past 70 years. The Jesuits are reckoning with their response to that abuse. And the process is one of accountability, transparency and making amends in relation to those who were sexually abused by Jesuits. He adds,
“We are truly ashamed that innocent young people who were abused by those Jesuits who were supposed to be serving them and caring for them. To learn that much of their abuse could have been avoided, had timely and necessary action been taken by those to whom the abuse was made known, must surely compound the suffering of those who were abused. We put the good name of the institution before their suffering and for this we are truly sorry. But words of sorrow will mean little if they are not accompanied by effective action such as the public naming we have done today, which is part of an ongoing process. Again, I want to invite any person who was harmed by any Jesuit to consider speaking with us. We really want to hear from you.”
The Jesuit Order says it will in future make public the names of other deceased Jesuits who are the subject of child sexual abuse complaint if further information is received that fulfils the criteria identified by the Independent Working Group for placing the names of deceased Jesuits in the public domain.
Anyone with concerns or complaints regarding the Jesuits now named, or named in the past, or any other Jesuit, can contact the Order’s Child Safeguarding Office and/or the relevant authorities. The Jesuit Order has also set up a special helpline which operates from 8am until 8pm daily including weekends.
Contact details:
Email: safeguarding@jesuit.ie
Jesuit Provincialate Reception (Monday to Friday, 9am -4pm) phone number: 01 4987333
Helpline mobile number: 083 087 4254.