Books, Costs & Materials

Book Rental

We currently have a book rental scheme where all students rent their books from the school. This was introduced to keep school costs to a minimum. Most books are available on the rental scheme. The scheme runs from 1st to 6th year and offers very good value for money. Students will get a mix of new and second hand books.

Books due to be returned have been collected, labelled and re-covered. They will be let lie for the summer to ensure that they will be free of any potential contact with contamination. If you have any school rental books at home which your student will no longer be using, please drop them into the school lobby at reception. While the office will be closed, the school building will remain open for this purpose. Poetry books, novels, plays and workbooks etc. are not rented to students as the curriculum changes each year.

We expect students to take full responsibility for minding their books and keeping them in good condition. All our rental books are now scanned out to individual students, so those who lose rental books will incur a fine before a replacement is provided. Books will be distributed by teachers over the first few days and during the school year as necessary.

Book Grant Scheme

The Department of Education allocates a grant to Ardee Community School to enable us to give assistance towards the purchase of school textbooks for families in need. The level of assistance available depends on the number of students eligible for support, the course being followed by the student and the level of the grant which the school receives.

The Department of Education guidelines define a family in need as one where there is:

• Genuine hardship because of unemployment/short time working.
• Prolonged illness of a parent.
• Large family size with inadequate means.
• Single parent families.
• Other family circumstances indicating financial hardship.

Indications of inadequate financial means include:

• Families dependent on social welfare.
• Families eligible for Family Income Supplement (FIS) or Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Scheme.
• Families experiencing financial hardship because of other circumstances.

Entitlement to a medical card does not necessarily indicate eligibility.

In order to enable the school to allocate the Book Grant in the fairest way possible, we request parents/guardians who fulfil the criteria above to complete the online Application Form (click HERE).

• Hard copies will also be available outside the school office.
• The book grant will fully or partially cover the cost of book rental or some of the Transition Year costs.
• Given the sensitivity of this issue, we want to assure you that all applications will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Costs & Materials

Every effort is made to keep costs to the minimum. The Board of Management have agreed to keep all costs at the same level as last year. This year, all costs will be paid through the VSware app. You will be notified shortly by text when the system is open to receive payment.

This will allow families to pay for items individually if they wish to do so. It is our intention that no family should experience hardship in paying school expenses. However, we expect everybody to try to contribute towards basic school costs. The school purchases books, the school journal, workbooks and exam papers in bulk and the savings are passed on to the student/parent. If there is a financial issue, please contact the school and request to speak with the principal or one of the deputy principals in the strictest of confidence.