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SciFest@School, Clogher Road Community College, Crumlin, D 12
Eve Prendergast, Science Teacher
Clogher Road Community School
January 2026
SciFest has had a profound and lasting impact on teaching, learning, and student aspiration in Clogher Road Community College, a DEIS school in Dublin City. DEIS, Delivering Equality in Education, is a national programme designed to address educational disadvantage. Within this context, SciFest has acted as a powerful and inclusive platform, enabling all students, regardless of academic ability, background, or pathway, to access meaningful scientific engagement and to have their voices heard.
The story of Scifest at CRCC began in 2019 with our first SciFest@School fair. There were just 20 first-year students and 15 second years in the school. That initial fair was modest, with projects displayed on black sugar paper and handwritten slips of paper, but it was powerful in effect. Students were bursting with excitement at the prospect of “important people” coming to listen to them. Every student was involved and choosing what they wanted to explore in science. This sense of ownership marked a turning point in engagement in science and confidence.
From the outset, SciFest fostered a whole-school approach. Staff from across all subject areas volunteered their time to support students, strengthening collaboration between departments and deepening relationships between staff and students. It embedded science as something that belonged to everyone, not just those who traditionally excel academically.
Following the disruption of school closures during Covid-19, the school once again applied to host SciFest@School. Students enthusiastically developed their ideas and were fiercely protective of the originality of their hypotheses! One memorable incident, in which a heated disagreement arose over the perceived sharing of an idea, served as an unexpected indicator of just how deeply invested students had become in their learning, creativity, and intellectual ownership.
In 2023, Clogher Road Community College was selected to host the national launch of SciFest. This was a moment of immense pride for the entire school community. On the day, there was 100% student attendance, a remarkable achievement in any setting, but particularly significant in a DEIS context where attendance can be a challenge. One student had a project on the power of washing powders and he had spent many lunch times working in the lab. He was a child who had experienced significant trauma and who was suffering from chronic anxiety. He was reticent to present his work. Staff staged a mock fair with him and on the day, he stood up proud in front of the Minister for Education explaining to her why she should wash her clothes in one brand over another! This was a turning point in the student's education journey. He went on to enter a course in college on material science this September. This progression was a first for his family.
Beyond SciFest@School, students have been supported to participate in regional fairs. In 2023, students attended Dublin City University. This group included four students following the Leaving Certificate Applied programme with their Horticulture project about chemical and microbe balance in the no-dig soil vs soil from traditional farming and three students undertaking the Level 2 Learning Programme at Junior Cycle. Their successful participation demonstrated how SciFest aligns seamlessly with the DEIS pillars of Literacy, Numeracy, Attendance, Attainment, Transitions, and Partnership with Others. Through project-based learning, students developed communication, data-handling, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, while being exposed to pathways and opportunities that might otherwise feel inaccessible.
The inclusive nature of SciFest is further illustrated through the relevance of student projects to their lived experiences. In 2024, two students received a high commendation at the regional Scifest@college. They developed a low-cost humidity sensor that triggers an alarm in high-humidity conditions. This project had particular significance within the school community, as one of the school’s catchment areas, the Oliver Bond Flats, has a history of housing-related health issues linked to dampness and mould. The students’ work exemplified socially responsive science, rooted in empathy, relevance, and real-world impact.
The journey from a small, handmade fair in 2019 to award-winning, interdisciplinary projects in 2025 reflects the extraordinary growth of both students and school. Several former SciFest participants have progressed to third-level studies in the sciences and healthcare, and there has been a notable increase in uptake of Physics and Chemistry at Senior Cycle.
SciFest’s vision—championed by Sheila, George, their team, and generous sponsors—recognises that success looks different for every student. By valuing creativity, communication, collaboration, and curiosity alongside scientific knowledge, SciFest exemplifies true diversity and inclusion. It provides an equitable platform where students from underprivileged backgrounds can discover their potential, develop confidence, and see themselves as scientists, innovators, and problem-solvers.