Mayo school is selected to pilot new subject at senior cycle

Gortnor Abbey Secondary School in Crossmolina is one of 43 schools selected for piloting the new Climate Action and Sustainable Development subject at senior cycle. The first cohort of students will begin study in September 2025. 

This is not the first time for Gortnor Abbey to pioneer new senior cycle subjects. The school is now in its very successful third cycle of Leaving Cert PE with two classes running this year due to demand. 

Leaving Cert results for 2024 have once again exceeded national averages across the board and the school looks forward to equipping its students with further subject choice for the world of work and life beyond school. 

Gortnor Abbey is perfectly placed to be a front runner for the Climate Action and Sustainable Development subject owing to its location in a rural setting by the shores of Lough Conn in Crossmolina and the existing curriculum which promotes in a very proactive way an appreciation of heritage, culture and the environment. This is demonstrated directly in the broad range of subjects on offer to students.

A small sample of subjects on offer at Gortnor Abbey are Construction Studies, Ag Science, Link Modules, Accounting, Business, Home Economics, Physics, Chemistry and Geography at Senior Cycle and CSPE, Learning to Learn, Science, History, Geography, Business and the three technology subjects at Junior Cycle. 

A very proactive approach to caring for the local community and environment can be seen with the students building links to charities such as Mindspace and SVP, engagement with national projects such as student workshops with Oweninny Windfarm, Ballycroy National Park and the work experience and community work modules within Transition Year and Leaving Certificate Applied Programmes. 

The Gortnor Abbey educational goal is to promote knowledge and skills that help advocate for practices that promote environmental sustainability and social justice as a direct result of current local issues. 

"Gortnor Abbey believe the provision of this new subject in its curriculum will enable its students to meet the environmental challenges and the changing face of employment over the coming years, which will demand that candidates have an astute understanding of sustainability in the workplace and beyond," said principal John Mangan. "The educational opportunities offered to our students from the moment they come through our doors to contribute to active citizenship through curriculum and beyond is very broad and makes a real difference to the school community and the community beyond the school gates." 

Looking at a sample of activities on the calendar for the months ahead, you can see strong community links and an interest from the students to give back. TY students are engaged weekly in social outreach activities with service users from Cluainin House in Crossmolina, GAA Future Leader Programme and the upcoming colour run in Belleek Woods to raise vital funds for cancer research. The student council are very active and vocal on issues within the school community and how they respond to challenges. The council recently raised money to support Mindspace Mayo. 

The school will be holding another Grandparents' Day after the successful event last term which brought together the generations for a day of walking and talking with students providing entertainment for their visitors. The Science and Geography teachers have built strong links with Biodiversity projects locally which enable their students to problem solve in real time environmental issues facing them in the years ahead. 

All in all, the selection of Gortnor Abbey School for this new subject at senior cycle is a great fit. The students who are in a position to opt for it have already experienced a wealth of foundational skills to support their learning and the school looks forward to supporting another cohort of students to success with third-level access, the workplace and beyond.