Specialist Schools
St Cecilia's College is one of 12 post-primary schools involved in the Specialist School pilot to begin in Northern Ireland in September 2006. The pilot will provide an opportunity to explore the concept of specialist schools, tailored to meet the particular needs of Northern Ireland's education system, and St Cecilia's College is proud to be participating.
The core objectives of the specialist schools concept in Northern Ireland are to:
- Provide wider learning experiences for children and to ensure maximum impact of the available expertise and resources by promoting collaboration among schools and between schools and Further Education colleges.
- Provide parents with a greater choice among a range of schools with differing areas of focus.
- To raise standards and improve performance for all young people.
Specialist schools will identify and build on their particular curricular strengths, in our case the Performing Arts and, by sharing good practice, secure whole school development and contribute to good school leadership. Specialist schools will also be required to take forward a community dimension by collaborating with other schools, FE colleges, businesses and the wider community.
The successful schools were required to complete a full application form, and some of our intended outcomes for our first year as a SpecialistSchool are listed below.
- Develop our Prospectus and school website
- Include more Primary School pupils in our events
- Develop our ‘out of school hours’ programme
- Visit to Primary Schools by HoD (no. per month)
- Master Classes given by KS4/5 pupils
- Create and populate a Creative Arts Forum
- Invite pupils onto a St Cecilia's College Student Arts Forum
- Develop an Artist in Residence programme
- Establish formal links with business
- Develop a programme for disaffected youth
Acknowledgements
“Our organisation has had strong links with St Cecilia's College over the past number of years and have been impressed by their work both in terms of education but also importantly in outreach to the wider North West community”
Toni Forrester, Programme Director, Common Purpose
“St Cecilia’s has come to symbolise what can be achieved in true community-related education - their pupils are a credit to the College, not only in terms of their academic attainments, but also with respect to their role, admirably discharged, as ambassadors for the school, the City and our part of the Province generally.”
Dr Tony Barnhill, Head of Student Recruitment, University of Ulster
“This school gave me the confidence and inspiration to go out and do my best.”
Louise Taggart, Past Pupil
“I have visited the school on a number of occasions and have been impressed by the determination of the teaching and administration staff in getting the best from and for the pupils”.
Dame Wendy Davies, Associate Director, Specialist Schools Trust
“The school has demonstrated clearly by the leadership and commitment of the staff that it has the ability to deliver what it says.”
Charlie Nicell, FOSEC Director
“We are aware of the long record of success of the College, particularly in the field of the Arts. It is essential for the physical, cultural and economic regeneration of this City that the College continues to provide the City with talented, committed and creative graduates. Indeed, it is clear from the successfully regenerated cities across the world that arts and culture have played a critical role in the process. We believe that a SpecialistSchool status in the Arts for St Cecilia’s College will be a tremendous asset for the City and the region as a whole.”
Stephen Kelly, Chief Executive, City Centre Initiative
A recent successful bid to the Big Lottery fund submitted by Derry City Council describes St Cecilia’s College thus:
“The school has a notable record especially of academic, sporting and arts achievements, with all results well above the NI average for post primary schools.”
“The school recently held a competition to design a school logo. The logo chosen by the students clearly reflects the ethos of the school and the thinking of the students on their expectations of school – namely to Aspire Endeavour Achieve”
Mr P Hume, Chairman, St Cecilia’s College, Board of Governors (Recently awarded the honour of' 'Govenor of the Year Northern Ireland)
“As you can imagine I was bowled over by the warmth of the reception and by the talent of your pupils.”
Dr. Eddie Rooney, Deputy Permanent Secretary
Department of Education Northern Ireland
“St Cecilia’s College is already reaching out to the community, locally, nationally and internationally, and we believe this bid will further develop an active learning community and will provide a strong vibrant culture consistent with the ethos of the school and the cultural heart of the area”.
Mr J. M. Doherty, Principal, ModelSchool
Further information on the objectives of specialist schools in Northern Ireland can be found at www.deni.gov.uk/22-ppa-kaspecialsitschoolconcept.pdf
If you wish to be involved in any of the above activities, or if you can help the school in any way please contact Juliette Barber, Extended Schools Development Manager on 028 71281800, or jbarber957@c2kni.org.uk