Principal's Address

JP Sweetman

Hello, my name is JP and I am the principal here at The Dublin Academy of Education. I am delighted to welcome you to the school website and many thanks for your interest in our school. I feel very privileged to be leading such a unique and dynamic school, heading up a dedicated and professional staff with decades of collective educational experience. With the recent move to our state-of-the-art campus in Blackrock, we look forward with a great sense of enthusiasm and optimism.

As outlined in our mission statement, we strive to provide all our students with an exemplary educational experience in an environment conducive to every student’s academic success and personal development. Our students are at the centre of everything we do and their emotional and academic wellbeing are our foremost consideration.

I am keenly aware of the significant role a school’s environment plays in both the personal and academic success of every student. Respect is a guiding principle of everything we do at The Academy. An atmosphere of mutual respect within all parts of our community is not a goal, it is a prerequisite. Our promise, as per our Mission Statement, is to provide the right conditions to enable all students achieve their best and reach their potential. Therefore, respect is something we demand from everyone.

A group of eight smiling young adults holding awards, standing in front of a blue wall with "The Dublin Academy of Education" text.

The Academy student is one who is able to self-motivate and manage themselves. Our aim is to develop students who are mature and take responsibility for their own education, who are college-ready by the time they leave us. We instil in our students a belief in the value of effort, the importance of resilience, and the rewards of honest self-assessment.

We encourage students to choose subjects that they will enjoy and that appeal to them, subjects that they are likely to continue to study in some capacity after their Leaving Certificate exams. Accordingly, we provide a wide range of subject options so that students can tailor their own Leaving Certificate programme promoting their own individual strengths and interests.

Katie Lenehan teaching at The Dublin Academy of Education

Apart from our students, the greatest strength we have here at The Academy is our teachers, and I am incredibly proud to be a part of that team. As an English teacher myself, with nearly 20 years’ experience, qualities I see as imperative for good teaching are three-fold: being reliable, organised and passionate about your subject.

Each subject teacher provides a year plan which sets out what will be covered every week during term. This is further supported with a schedule of assessment which is communicated to students at the start of the year and provides regular opportunities for students to develop their exam techniques and receive valuable feedback from their teachers. This group of professionals are dedicated to the success and progression of every student.

A teacher lectures to a classroom of students, with notes on a whiteboard labeled "DOSE" and various words.

As principal, my foremost responsibility is to promote both the performance and the welfare of our students. Strong, open relationships with parents and guardians are essential to this work. We consider parents our partners in education and are committed to open, honest, and ongoing communication. We are a listening school—and that listening begins with me. I welcome feedback and view reflection as an essential tool for growth, both personal and professional.

Thank you again for visiting our website. I hope it offers you a valuable insight into life here at The Academy. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.