Lights, camera, action for Presentation School in Waterford 

It was a case of lights, camera, action recently for the Presentation Secondary School in Waterford when three teachers and four TY students were invited to a very special event in Dublin.

The group were delighted to travel to the Irish Film Institute in Dublin, to make a presentation at the official Department of Education launch of two new leaving cert subjects: Drama, Film, and Theatre studies, and Climate Action and Sustainable Development.

The subjects will be available to students in 100 schools from September, next year.

The Waterford school was one of just 57 around the country to be selected to introduce Drama, Film, and Theatre Studies for 5th year students in 2025. 

However, it's not a new departure for the school, which prides itself on being at the forefront of developments in secondary education and was one of only 41 pilot schools introducing politics and society as a subject in 2016. Therefore, it was no surprise that staff and students were invited to make a presentation at the official launch of the subjects on September 11.

The delegation included four TY students, Holly Coogan, Oreoluwa Olajide, Ola Balant, and Chloe Byrne, and three members of staff, Ms Orla Bolger (Principal), Ms Aura Matthey (Coordinator of Programmes), and Mr Mark Scanlon (Musical Director). Also in attendance at the event were  a number of key educational stakeholders from the DES, NCCA, NAPD, and SEC.

Minister for Education, Norma Foley, spoke at the event, and contributions and presentations were made by a wide variety of figures from the world of film and theatre, including David Puttnam CBE (film producer and educator), Colm Bairéad and Cleona Ni Chrualaoí (director and producer of 'An Cailín Ciúin') and Dearbhla Walsh (Irish film director).

Minister Foley acknowledged that the new subjects presented an "opportunity not just to reflect the talent and skills and interests of our young people, but to validate them, so that a student who takes drama film and theatre studies or takes climate action and sustainability, that their achievement in education is on a similar par of the student who takes science or languages".

She said having such an opportunity to offer the new subjects as part of overall senior cycle redevelopment will place Presentation Waterford as a frontrunner in terms of offering unique educational opportunity for our senior students in creative arts education.

Drama, Film, and Theatre Studies will be offered as a two-year course at LC, with both practical coursework and examination elements, allowing students to develop their skills and knowledge in the areas of drama, film and theatre. Speech and drama, film studies, and music have always been an integral part of the curricular offerings at the Presentation school and many current and past pupils are actively involved in extracurricular stage school activities. Several have also gone to, or intend to, pursue further studies in these fields.

The Presentation also has strong and meaningful links the local community including long-standing partnerships with the Theatre Royal, Garter Lane Theatre and Waterford Spraoi Festival.

Since 1974, the school has successfully produced annual school musicals as part of its Transition Year (TY) programme. Theatre and drama are integral to the curriculum and all TY students are involved in the annual show. 

A spokesperson for the school said student talents are utilised in every aspect of production, from singing, dancing, and acting to stage and prop design, costume creation, lighting, sound, and even marketing and sales. 

"This production is undoubtedly the highlight of the school year, with the 2025 production of 'Beauty and the Beast' already being touted as one to watch," she said. Tickets for that particular show will be on sale soon.

Speaking at the event in Dublin, Coordinator of Programmes, Aura Matthey, said: "The addition of Drama, Film, and Theatre Studies to our senior cycle curriculum marks a significant milestone in arts education. It is an investment in our students' futures, an investment in their personal and professional growth, and an investment in the cultural fabric of our society."

TY student, Chloe Byrne, said it was an exciting time for the school.

"We can now look forward to further developing our skills, not just through another subject or through our activities outside of school, but as an official academic option," she said/

"From the time we are in primary school, we look forward to getting involved in arts education at second level, both at junior cycle through speech and drama and in TY with our much beloved school musical," she added.

The school is now looking forward to its open night which will take place at 7pm on October 3.

Speaking about the event and upcoming Open Night, Principal Orla Bolger stated: "Our school has always been a dynamic environment where all aspects of student development are celebrated, and we are delighted to be at the forefront of educational change once again."