Investors in People Gold Award
Education Minister presents St Cecilia’s with IIP Gold award
The Education minister, Pter Weir visited St. Cecilia's College today to present their Gold Standard Award from Investors in People, putting the school in the top 7% for World class business performance through its people.
The Award has been conveyed following a comprehensive audit by Investor in People assessors who evaluate a company’s performance and approach to its people through ten key areas which include Business Strategy, Leadership and Management, Continuous Improvement, Recognition and Reward and Performance Management. This is then evidenced across 165 sub-criteria through a series of interviews with staff at a variety of levels within the organisation.
Key areas of strength identified by those who assessed St. Cecilia’s included:
St. Cecilia’s is proactively aligning the curriculum to more accurately address the needs of local industry. The inclusion of Coding and Software Development and Engineering at A level are in direct response to the needs of local industry. Links to the local community are good and a range of effective partnerships have been established to ensure the curriculum is delivered to the highest standards.
The St. Cecilia’s motto of Aspire, Endeavour and Achieve totally encapsulates the school’s culture and philosophy. .Throughout the school, whether on wall mounts, twitter feeds or interactions between pupils and teachers, the many successes are acknowledged and reinforced.
The final report states:
“From BOG/Principal and the rest of staff the emphasis is placed on hard work, dedication, and commitment with the aim of continuously improving the school. All feel valued and appreciated. There is a very strong sense of team, all working for the same cause, all moving in unison and in the same direction.”
During the ministerial visit dignitaries, including our Mayor, Hilary Mc Clintock were treated to a whole school choir performance and were serenaded by former “Belle’ from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ school show, Emma Mc Clinchey who sang ’Wishing you were here again,’ from Phantom of the Opera. This was followed by a dance performance from Junior Dance students,;many of whom are current World Champions.
The Minister also met with St. Cecilia’s College Greenpower Formula 24 All Ireland Champions 2016. who, three years ago as a group of year 9 student undertook the massive task of building their very own race car to compete at Greenpower’s Formula 24 racing competition.
The girls worked tirelessly over the last three years to complete the project. They made their debut at the 2015 championship at Nutt’s Corner in Belfast The 2015 championship was an excellent learning experience for the girls and they have worked have over the last twelve months reaping rewards at Kirkistown race track. The young women are the All Ireland Formula 24 Champions, as well as having been presented Best Team Award, Best Kit Car Award and their qualification for the World Championship has been confirmed. Pupils will now complete against the World’s best in Rockingham this month. The pupils have also featured on UTV news:
http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2016-07-02/girl-racers-win-competition-in-car-of-their-own-design/
Whilst touring the school Minister Weir also participated in activities with the Code, Create, Communicate I.T. department in their Apple Mac suite.
St. Cecilia’s boasts a unique I.T curriculum offering coding from year 8 onwards. It is also the only secondary school in the Foyle Learning Community to deliver systems programming in Year 13. The department are proud to say that all I.T courses, seven in total which are delivered are taught both in the classroom and online. The young Digital Champions who the minister met, also have a key role to play in the life of the school having completed a series of accreditations in internet safety with iteach the UK’s leading company in providing technical support and mentoring in the use of apple technology and education. All Year 8 pupils will receive tablets this month as part of the digital badge scheme.
Investors in People is the UK's leading people management standard specialising in transforming business performance through people. Less than 3 % of recognised Investors in People achieve a Gold status - about 300 in total. St. Cecilia’s College is also working towards ‘Investors in Pupils’.
F 24 team: Team MMXVI: Laura Mc Fadden (Captain), Karen Breslin, Beth Haughey, Aisling Wilson, Donna Brennan, Betty Healy and Lauren Edgar.
Dance pupils included: Aoibheann O’ Doherty, Tegan Mc Conomy, Caoimhe Devlin, Aoibh Logue, Maomh Mc Kane, Alex Gill, Darcie Callaghan, Aimee Donaghy.