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S C’ CPROSPECTUS 2023
WNational BSI AwardWinners for Trust(Inclusion & Diversity Standards)“Building on the past to inspire the future”
J 2023 Dear Parent/CarerWelcome! In our Prospectus we give you a avour of our school community, which we hope you nd interesting and informative, as you decide your child’s post-primary school. St Cecilia’s is a joyful, caring school, in which children ourish and achieve highly, both inside and outside of the classroom. As a result, we endeavour to prepare them for their future choices in further and higher education or in the workplace. For myself, as Principal, it is a privilege to serve the pupils, sta and community, based on the values of Aspire, Endeavour, Achieve. As a Catholic school, our core principle is to develop within each of our pupils the values of faith, understanding, self-belief, resilience and success. We nurture relationships, which are based on respect and positivity, to ensure our pupils use their gifts and talents to achieve their best. Our Pastoral Care permeates all aspects of school life and contributes to the creation of a supportive atmosphere in the school for both teachers and pupils. At St Cecilia’s we have high expectations of all of our pupils. Year in, year out, our outstanding results reect these expectations of our pupils and we are delighted to perform consistently well above the Northern Ireland average for similar schools. Our teachers are highly qualied, enthusiastic and dedicated, with a love of their subject that inspires the pupils in their care. Our outstanding success has been recognised nationally, with St Cecilia’s achieving ‘UK Secondary School of the Year, 2020’ a UK BSI award for ‘Trust’ in 2021 and in 2022 an ISO standard for ‘Inclusion and Diversity.’ I hope you nd our prospectus, video and website helpful as you consider your options. Should you wish to avail of any further advice or guidance, please feel free to contact me or to visit our website. Yours sincerelyMJ O’Carolan (Mrs)Principal
S. C’ C , , ALL .Delivering high quality teaching and learning is at the forefront of everything we do as a school community. Approaches to assessment are consistent across the school with pupils’ progress rigorously monitored and reported on at four key points in the school year. Pupils have access to academic and vocational pathways that are tailored to suit their individual abilities and interests.St. Cecilia’s College is at the forefront of curriculum development, working with business, industry and other educational establishments to ensure we provide quality courses that meet the needs of a modern, progressive society. Girls aspire to careers, professions and occupations that are the result of quality provision and experiences. St. Cecilia’s pupils are inspired to see endless possibilities for self-development, and they are always encouraged to be the very best that they can be. A O S
O S E Our most recent examination season saw 96.4% ofour year 12 students achieving 5 or more A* - Cgrades in their GCSEs. Whilst a record breaking73% of students achieved a minimum of 5 A*- Cgrades including their Maths and English. Whenwe consider the most recent NI average is 54.8%you can understand what a truly outstandingachievement this is. E HSt Cecilia’s CollegeNI Average*5 or more GCSEs at A*-C96.4% 77%5 or more GCSEs at A*-CIncluding English & Maths73.2% 54%However, what is most pleasing is the very high percentage of students across the board in every subject and at every level who surpassed their personal target grades.*2018/19 Averages
A H S At the core of our happy school lies the strength of relationships between the pupils and the sta. Positive behaviour is at the heart of our school. This comes about through mutual respect between pupils and sta. We foster an enjoyable working atmosphere which allows pupils to engage in their learning. These relationships are developed further through a wide range of extra-curricular activities. St. Cecilia’s College is a dynamic and vibrant learning community. Our Catholic ethos pervades all aspects of school life; making St. Cecilia’s a focused, caring and happy community in which all our girls can ourish. We value each member of our community, recognising the dignity and unique nature of each individual. In this way the presence of Christ is celebrated. Making Happy Memorie
St. Cecilia’ i such a welcoming school, and staff alway have a smile on their face. M - Year 8 pupil
A C SWe pride ourselves on being a caring school. St. Cecilia’s is a happy place, where respect for others underpins all our dealings with one another. Our aim is to create an environment where every child feels safe and where everyone can succeed. The welfare of our students is our highest priority.F T You and your daughter will develop close links with her Form Teacher. You can rely on the dedicated and caring support of your daughter’s Form Teacher to comfort, challenge and motivate her through her life at St. Cecilia’s.H Y The Head of Year’s principal role is to ensure the welfare of the children within their year group. They will guide the academic, social and emotional progress of all the students in their care.D T Every pupil’s safety is paramount at St. Cecilia’s. You and your daughter will be made aware of the role of the Child Protection Ocer, her deputies and how they can be contacted for support.C We have a professional counselling service available one day a week for pupils in need of extra support. Pupils can refer themselves or be referred by a parent or member of sta. We benet from having a full time, fully qualied, CBT practitioner on our sta. G A Our ‘Guardian Angel’ team play their part in ensuring a smooth transition from primary to secondary school for our Year 8 pupils. Each Year 8 pupil has her own Guardian Angel. This is a 6th Year pupil committed to helping her ‘little St. Cecilia’s sister’ settle in and nd her feet in her new school.A-B P At St. Cecilia’s we have a comprehensive anti-bullying policy which was written in consultation with pupils, parents, the Education Authority and the NI Anti-Bullying Forum. Bullying reports are dealt with quickly and sensitively in a professional and caring way.C S We benet from support from a wide range of external organisations. We have a dedicated family support worker from FACT (Families Achieving Change Together) as well as numerous programmes delivered by community partners and experts.
I love St . Cecilia’, everyone i so kind and helpful.. A - Year 9
A D SHere at St. Cecilia’s College we are committed to using innovative and creative ways of delivering our curriculum through the use of ICT. We aspire to ensure that all our students are digital citizens and to this end we focus on seven key concepts; empathy, how the internet works, understanding user data, practicing digital literacy, acknowledging the digital divide, practicing digital wellness and securing digital devices.Under the guidance of sta, students enjoy opportunities to collaborate and share, to be truly creative and have fun. We have an innovative, ‘Create, Code and Communicate’, ICT curriculum at KS3 and oer coding and software development courses at both GCSE and A-Level. Junior pupils are introduced to programming and can attend our Coding Club at lunch times. Our pupils are encouraged to engage in coding from Year 8 as we recognise the importance of developing these particular skills to enhance their future employability prospects. We must not forget the moral and ethical challenges posed by the Internet. Learning to use digital devices responsibly is an essential part of the education of all our students and we have a comprehensive eLearning Policy. To keep up with the pace of change we engage local expertise to support the teaching of online safety.
Education should prepare young people for job that do not yet eist, using technologie that have not yet been invented, to solve problem of which we are not yet aware. R R
A H W S“It takes courage to be kind”“Let your hopes shape your future”“Embrace grace”“Have faith in what will be”“Peace begins with a smile”
The aim of the House System is to further build on the eective relationships across the school and to have each pupil be part of a ‘House Family’.Every pupil is placed with their Form Teacher in one of ve Houses; Courage, Faith, Grace, Hope and Peace. Houses are identiable by their ties, and each house competes each term to collect the most house points to win a treat for the entire house. Treats could include a house breakfast or a movie afternoon. Points are awarded for kindness, good deeds, manners, participation in after school activities and for representing the school. You did not pick the name of local townland or of colour. Instead you picked Faith, Courage , Peace , Grace and Hope. That speak of the value and ideal that the school want to hand on to it young people. In a world of very fragile heroe, you invite them to dream of doing beautiful thing with their live and you offer them the vocabulary which will support them in that. B D MK
An Inclusive School “Every child i unique and so i the way we work.”At St. Cecilia’s we believe that every pupil should have the best possible learning opportunities and we therefore promote inclusive practice. We recognise that all of our pupils are dierent and have individual needs. We take strategic action to support and encourage our pupils within a nurturing environment. Our Learning Support Coordinator and his team work closely with sta, pupils and parents to provide extra support where it is needed. We enable all pupils to participate fully in a varied curriculum which responds to a wide range of individual talents. We work closely with parents and other agencies to monitor pupil progress carefully. We provide eective additional support to meet our pupils’ needs. One such strategy is the Lexia Reading Programme. Pupils in Year 8, 9 and 10 are registered online for the Lexia programme allowing pupils access in school, where pupils are supported by school sta, and at home, where parents can oer additional support. All of our pupils are screened for dyslexia in Year 8. Pupils identied with dyslexic tendencies are oered bespoke one-to-one support with one of our qualied Dyslexic Tutors. Our homework club operates four afternoons per week. The homework club aords pupils the opportunity to complete homework, access school resources, attempt assignments and revise for exams.A I S
St. Cecilia’ College celebrate all pupil and their successe a individual. It i the strength of our relationship, our knowledge of each child, that allow them to be the best they can be.
H ? It might seem strange to be thinking about what your daughter will do when she leaves school, but rest assured that at St. Cecilia’s College we are constantly preparing all of our students for whatever they choose to do next. We aim to build your daughter’s condence, skills and abilities through a balanced and exible curriculum, as well as through a vast array of enriching opportunities.“Curriculum planning is well led, evaluated and reviewed to very good eect. It is pupil-centred and takes account of the pupils’ interests, abilities and career aspirations, providing them with the core skills and capabilities to meet the demands of the next phase of their education or the world of work.” (ETI)Through conversations with employers and our partners in further and higher education we have developed a multi award winning careers programme that “enhances the pupils’ understanding of the world of work and of the education, training and employment opportunities available to them locally and regionally.” (ETI)At St. Cecilia’s we are aware that our young people will be entering a world of work that is very dierent to what we currently know. We recognise that the pace of change in technology means that the ability to cope with change will be a key skill for all our students. All of our year 8 pupils are given the chance to develop the key skills identied by employers such as exibility, problem solving, resilience and change agility. Major local employers such as Allstate NI and Seagate are supporting our pupils and training our sta to ensure that St. Cecilia’s students are equipped for the world of work.“St. Cecilia’s understands that the world is changing and they are supporting their young people to develop the skills and determination to take that world on.”A S F
A S M D“You teach much more than subject. You have taught thousand of young people from all sort of background and have been committed to giving them qualitie and not just qualification.”B D MK,50 A MSt. Cecilia’s pupils enjoy a wealth of experiences outside the classroom. As well as Extended Schools activities and clubs there are a number of extra-curricular activities organised throughout our school year, the rst being our Summer School every August for new Year 8 pupils. Our commitment to Shared Education provides opportunities for students across KS3 to participate in learning experiences with their peers in other schools. The Modern Languages department have organised trips to Disneyland, Paris, Gardaland in Italy and Rhineland in Germany. Our pupils have had the opportunity to go skiing in Italy and to participate in outdoor pursuit residentials. Our most recent trip was to New York City and one lucky pupil won the rae for a free place!Many St. Cecilia’s pupils are Millennium Volunteers, John Paul II Award volunteers and have active roles in the community. Our pupils volunteer as Maths mentors, sports leaders, librarians, anti-bullying ambassadors, student council representatives, House Captains and Guardian Angels for Year 8 pupils. This commitment to service to others is the very essence of a St. Cecilia’s pupil.We continually encourage our students to broaden their learning experiences. We aim to establish and maintain a sense of responsibility, co-operation, fairness and discipline within our young women which will serve them into adulthood.
A E SAt St. Cecilia’s College, we provide a wide range of activities and services during and beyond the school day to help meet the needs of our pupils, their families and the wider community. Free transport home is provided for pupils who attend after school programmes.St. Cecilia’s pupils learn and achieve so much outside the classroom. They learn to compete, win well, accept defeat, follow rules, treat others fairly and respect decisions made by ocials. All pupils in St. Cecilia’s have the opportunity to improve their level of tness and skill in a range of activities including Netball, Cross Country, Athletics, Swimming, Aquathon, Soccer and Cheerleading. Pupils develop resilience through sport. • Art• Athletics• Brass and Woodwind• Choir• Coding Club• Crochet Club• Cycling Club• Cross Country• Dance Club• Debating• Drama• Drumming• Environmental Club• F24• Football• Gaelic Football• Guitar• Gymnastics• Language Clubs• Lego Club• Lunch Bunch Club• Maths• Netball• Piano• Public Speaking• Reading Club• Robotics• School Band• Science• Singing lessons• STEM club• Student Council• Study Centre• Swimming Club• Technology Club• Traditional Irish Music• Triathlon• UkeleleHere are some of the opportunities normally available at St. Cecilia’s College:
I like the after-school club at St Cecilia’ because there i such a wide variety of thing so everyone can be included. A - 8 Courage 1
A S V “I am confident that the Student Council ha a poitive influence on school life”. Dear propective pupil,We are so ecited that you are considering St. Cecilia’ College a your net school . We remember how stressful thi decision can feel and we wanted to see if we could hel to reassure you.There i a school in our city that i right for every child but here i why we think that our school, St. Cecilia’ College, might just be the right school for you !· Everyone i so friendly and helpful. A a new Year 8 the whole school will look after you and make you feel at home. Our teacher are lovely and our pupil all remember what being new i like and will do their best to hel you to settle in!· Our etho i about being kind. Mr O’Carolan alway remind u to be kind every day in everything we say, do, write and pot. Thi help u to remember that we are only a happy a the people around u. The kinder we are to each other the happier we all get!· Pupil are really listened to in our school . When our student council kept asking for school trouser to be introduced the school listened . We worked with our teacher to get a uniform we can all be proud to wear and be comfortable in.· You will be encouraged to be the very best you can be . We have all been able to try out new thing and have eperience that have allowed u to figure out where our talent lie . The really special part i that every talent i valued in our school because every pupil i valued a an individual .We really hope you decide to chooe St. Cecilia’ College; it wa definitely the best decision we ever made !Lauren Ni DochartaighHead Girl A I P
St. Cecilia’s College is a caring, inclusive school rooted in local parish communities. We are committed to the development of the whole person and believe personal relationships help establish an aspiring community of girls with condence which stems from self-belief, a Catholic conviction and personal success. Our College cares for young people in a way that encourages them to develop to their full potential within a supportive Christian community. We seek to prepare our students to play an active and responsible role in society, and to use their talents for the service of others.Our faith and worship are an essential part of daily life within the college. Our day begins with morning prayer at assembly. Signicant events are marked with communal prayer and events such as our annual Carol Service, which is enjoyed by our whole community. We celebrate the start of our academic year with a mass attended by the whole school.As in all Catholic schools, the intention of the College is to build on the faith already laid down in the home. The Religious Education Department of St. Cecilia’s College has as its primary objective the development of the student’s spirituality in order to equip our girls for the rigours and the full enjoyment of life. It approaches this task in a holistic way in an attempt to enrich all the dimensions of the student’s school life.A S FThe primary aims of St. Cecilia’s College are:• to develop the whole person as a follower of Christ.• to exist as an extension of the Catholic Home.• to create a believing community committed to the Christian Way of Life. • to promote justice in all areas of College Life.• to prepare the individual to live in a changing social, political, cultural and technological environment.
As currently required by the law, priority will be given to pupils normally resident in Northern Ireland, before children who normally reside elsewhere. In the event of over-subscription, the following criteria, which was drawn up by the Board of Governors of St Cecilia’s College, will be applied in the order set down, to select pupils for Year 8 entry in 2023/24.1. Pupils whose sister(s), half-sister(s), step sister(s) or foster sister(s) are presently or were formerly enrolled at the school. 2. Pupils who presently reside in the following parishes (in no particular order) who have chosen St Cecilia’s College as their rst preference school. • Ardmore• Claudy• Culmore• Faughanvale• Glendermott/Waterside: (St. Columb’s-Chapel Road, Immaculate Conception-Trench Road, St Mary’s- Newbuildings)• Holy Family (Ballymagroarty)• Our Lady of Lourdes (Steelstown)• St Mary’s (Creggan)• Strathfoyle: StrathFoyle/Enagh Lough• Templemore (St Eugene’s, St Columba’s, Long Tower)• Three Patrons (St Patrick’s- Pennyburn, St Brigid’s - Carnhill, St Joseph’s -Galliagh) 3. Pupils presently resident in the above named parishes (in no particular order) who have chosen St Cecilia’s College as their rst preference all ability school.4. Pupils presently resident in the above named parishes (in no particular order).5. Pupils who are presently resident in other parishes in Northern Ireland.Sister to be dened as ‘girls who at the date of their application, have a sister of the family currently or previously enrolled at the school’.The permitted admission number for Year 8 as determined by the Department of Education for the academic year 2023/24 is 129.In the event that the school would exceed its permitted admission number by accepting all A C – 2023/2024
applicants qualifying for selection using the nal criterion so required, then selection for all places remaining in this category will be on the basis of initial letter of the surname (as appears on the birth certicate), in the order set out below:Mc X N K Mac C F I Q W B D E V L Z J R P M A Ni Y H S O G U T O’The order was determined by a random selection of letters, witnessed by the Board of Governors. In the event of surnames beginning with the same initial letter, the subsequent letters of the surnames will be used in alphabetical order. In the event of 2 identical surnames, the alphabetical order of the initials of the forenames will be used.When considering which children should be selected for admission, the Board of Governors will only take into account information which is detailed on or attached to the online application. Parents should therefore ensure that all information pertaining to their child and relevant to the school’s admissions criteria is stated on the online application or attached to it. Examples of such information include whether the child is the has sisters currently/formerly enrolled in St Cecilia’s etc.
A S DWe don’t think you will nd another school like St. Cecilia’s College and here is why... ROur pupils achieve great results. Every. Single. Year. In fact, the GCSE results our pupils achieve are consistently above the NI average with pupils attaining “very highly at GCSE or equivalent at grades A* - C including English and Mathematics” - ETI EEvery opportunity we give our pupils is designed at developing them either socially, intellectually, emotionally or spiritually. This holistic approach to education means that St. Cecilia’s pupils are known to be kind, community-minded and highly employable young people. P CYou don’t have to take our word for it that your daughter will be well looked after in St. Cecilia’s. The quality of provision for care and support in our school has been rated “highly eective” by the Education Training Inspectorate who commented that “there is evidence of a genuine rapport between the pupils, teachers and peers which fosters a positive climate for learning.”H SOur House System provides our pupils with a home within school. Their House family includes pupils from Year 8 to 14 as well as both teaching and non-teaching sta. This means that our pupils build strong relationships and have an all-important sense of belonging from their very rst day.
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Bligh’s Lane, Derry, Northern Ireland, BT48 9PJT: 028 7128 1800 E: oce@stceciliascollege.com stceciliascollegederry StCeciliasDerrywww.stceciliascollege.com