Downpatrick school praised for ‘educational excellence’

Downpatrick school praised for ‘educational excellence’

4 September 2024

ST Brigid’s Primary School, Downpatrick, has been heralded as a model of educational excellence.

That was the verdict of an inspection report carried out by the Department of Education’s Education and Training Inspectorate.

The report highlighted the school’s commitment to “providing an inclusive and enriching educational environment, recognised for its active learning experiences both indoors and outdoors”.

The report said this approach not only engaged students but also enhanced their emotional and physical wellbeing.

This inspection marks one of the first in Northern Ireland since before Covid, and the findings have set a high benchmark for primary education across the region.

The school said the report followed one of the first inspections in Northern Ireland since Covid and that the findings set a high benchmark for primary education across the region.

The principal, Mrs Dolores Miller, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the commitment has been recognised where the focus is unwaveringly on the children.”

The inspectors noted that inclusivity was a cornerstone of St Brigid’s ethos with “high quality provision for children with special educational needs”.

This will be the third year of the school’s specialist provision for learners with severe learning difficulties.

In September, an additional specialist provision opened for learners with moderate learning difficulties.

The report acknowledged the positive relationships between teachers, classroom assistants and students that “create a nurturing environment, where children can thrive”.

Mrs Miller reflected on the “expertise of the creative and inspirational staff who recognise the children’s unique starting points and provide well-chosen learning experiences to progress every child’s learning”.

She remarked: “As a new class of P1 pupils embark on their seven-year learning journey, they enter a school environment that has been recognised by ETI as both welcoming and inspiring.

She added that the school’s commitment to “fostering a love of learning and empowering each child to succeed is evident in every aspect of school life, making it a place of educational excellence”.