Background and Purpose

Wesley College was established on St Stephen’s Green, Dublin on 1^st October 1845. It relocated to its present site in Ballinteer, Dublin in 1969. It has been co-educational since 1911.

The College was founded by the Methodist Church in Ireland to serve the Methodist and other Protestant communities; it is the only Methodist second-level school in the Republic of Ireland.

The annual Conference of the Methodist Church appoints the Board of Governors; the Board of Governors is thus the Patron for the College.

Wesley College is a day and boarding school established to provide a broad-based education for students in its care.

College Ethos

The College motto is “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians, chapter 5 verse 21).

While founded to serve the Methodist and other Protestant communities, the College welcomes students of all faiths and none into an inclusive and caring environment.  It celebrates the diverse talents of all pupils. It aims to develop academic curiosity and the pursuit of excellence; confidence and independent learning.  A wide range of curricular and extra-curricular opportunities is provided to facilitate a broad inclusive education. The Methodist ethos of the College emphasizes tolerance of and respect for others; it encourages social justice and responsibility.

The College aims to develop a strong moral and ethical code based on Christian principles.  Daily Assembly and special services are an integral part of the life of the College and enable particular celebration of the College ethos.   The Religious Education curriculum seeks to promote understanding and tolerance of the sincerely-held beliefs of those of all traditions; it is not a faith-formation programme.  Students may thus reach a position where they may make an informed choice about personal faith in their lives.

The College emphasizes the challenge from the Revd. John Wesley (1703-1791) founding father of ‘the people called Methodist’…

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

Board of Governors, Wesley College Dublin

27 March 2020