Grinds

Term used in Ireland for private tuition

For other uses, see Grind (disambiguation).

In Ireland, grinds are a form of private tuition. The grinds industry in Ireland, particularly at secondary school level, acts as a supplement to other forms of schooling and is described in some sources as "shadow education".[1][2][3] In 2012, the Revenue Commissioners launched an investigation into a perceived failure of some teachers to declare extra income from giving grinds for tax purposes. The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland denied that this was a widespread problem.[4]

## Grind schools

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Some private schools, such as Ashfield College,[5] Bruce College,[6] the Institute of Education,[7] Leinster Senior College,[8] and Yeats College[9] which offer the Leaving Certificate as a single year (repeat) course, are sometimes called "grind schools".[10][11]

A study in 2020 indicated the students from Irish-speaking secondary schools and grind schools had strong chances of progressing to further education but were significantly less likely to finish their course or achieve a 2:1 degree or greater compared to students from secondary schools.[12]

A report, published in 2022 by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), indicated that increasing numbers of "well-off pupils" were undertaking private grinds to "boost Leaving Cert grades".[2][13]

## Online grinds

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During the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland, Irish schools were shut down and elements of education shifted to online channels. A number of new "online-only" grinds schools were established.[citation needed] The rise of online grinds represented a shift in the way such education was delivered.[original research?]

## References

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1. ^ "Are grinds a waste of time?". independent.ie. 29 April 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024. "Almost half of all Irish pupils now use some form of extra tuition before the Leaving Cert [..] Poor teaching, disruptive classrooms, illness, and a competitive hunger for points for third level colleges are all commonly cited as reasons for doing grinds"
2. ^ a b "Rising numbers of well-off pupils do 'grinds' to boost Leaving Cert grades". independent.ie. 18 April 2022. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
3. ^ "Colman Noctor: Leaving Cert grinds putting students under additional pressure". Irish Examiner. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
4. ^ "Teachers play down reports of tax investigation over grind fees". The Journal. 9 January 2012. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
5. ^ Grinds Archived 28 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Ashfield College
6. ^ "Class goes on for the students at Bruce". The Irish Times. 21 November 2000. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
7. ^ Hickey, Shane (28 October 2008). "Sacrifices will be made to pay for the grinds". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
8. ^ "Former Bruce College Dublin principal to set up grind school". The Irish Times. 28 May 2002. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
9. ^ "Yeats College Grinds". yeatscollege.ie. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
10. ^ "Grind schools - a blessing or a curse?". universityobserver.ie. 20 April 2022. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
11. ^ "Grind schools in league tables". irishtimes.com. 27 November 2013. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
12. ^ Donnelly, Katherine (21 May 2020). "Pupils from Irish-speaking and grind schools less likely to finish college". Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
13. ^ "Shadow Education uptake among final year students in secondary schools in Ireland: Wellbeing in a high stakes context" (PDF). esri.ie. April 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.