Edmund Rice Schools Trust


The Edmund Rice Schools Trust is a Catholic school network with responsibility for almost 100 schools in the Republic of Ireland.The trust is named after Edmund Ignatius Rice the founder of the Irish Christian Brothers who originally established and maintained the schools. Today, the Trust supports those schools in line with the tenets of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust Charter. Similar trusts have been established in England, Northern Ireland and elsewhere.
The schools promote equality of access and participation – in other words, children of any faith, or none, at every level of ability, of any nationality or ethnic grouping are enrolled. Enrolment processes are open and flagged in advance.
In addition to the provision of high standards of excellence in teaching and learning, the schools uphold a strong sporting tradition, Gaelic culture, and ethos of social justice. Inspired by the five key elements of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust Charter the schools are responding to a changing world and supporting the leaders of the future to work in partnership, care for the environment, look after themselves and others equally and be inspirational citizens.
The five key elements of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust Charter are:
The main object of the Trust is to ensure and foster the advancement of education and to further the aims and purposes of Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition in colleges, schools and other educational projects owned or operated by the Trusts in the different countries.

Northern Ireland

The Edmund Rice Schools Trust Ltd is the trustee body responsible for eight schools in Belfast, Glengormley, Armagh, Newry and Omagh. These schools were formerly under the trusteeship of the Irish Christian Brothers. The Trust was launched in February 2009 and is based in the Westcourt Centre, Belfast.