Education proposals: Now Ballee reveals its scheme

In its response to the consultation, which ended on Friday, the school proposes “that the current system of nursery, primary and post primary provision is challenged in a pilot initiative bringing pupils from all sectors together in a single school complex with a single budget and management plan.

The response points out: “This option ensures a realistic, innovative and creative solution to address the education and other needs of children and young people enhancing the quality of provision to raise standards. It will reduce the number of surplus places and maximise the use and sharing of the school estate with potential for co-location of mainstream and special schools and includes Further Education sector provision for 14-19 year olds.”

The proposal identifies “a single school option for the community which generates a community ethos and support, and creates a “Hub of Education Excellence.”

Explaining how the option could meet the needs of all children and how it could enhance the quality of provision and raise standards, the Ballee Community High School response states:

“By ensuring that resources are managed through a central management plan additional resources can be directed at the children most in need at the most appropriate stage of their development.

“This option recognises the need to engage with children earlier in their education and commits the school to direct resources at enhancing development at the earliest opportunity and provide continuity of education and other essential provision”.

The school’s response also points out that its preferred option is unique “and therefore provides an opportunity to provide for the maximising of use and sharing of the existing school estate. It also provides an opportunity to provide schooling in a cross sectoral basis, via an education hub.”

The response states: “This option provides an innovative approach to delivery which has the potential to attract pupils from across the 45min travel time catchment area irrespective of background. Such an initiative will succeed best where the concept of a learning community is promoted with the school at the heart of such a community.

“By identifying new education progression routes designed to meet the needs of pupils with a wide range of abilities the school will be ideally suited to the integration of pupils with a wide range of physical and learning needs. The location and design of Ballee Community High School makes it easily reachable from across the area.

“As with all other schools in the catchment area the school will work closely with the NRC to ensure the maximum accessibility for its pupils to FE courses. The school could be an NRC outreach base providing education and training not just for 14-19 year olds but also reaching into the community as an adult centre for learning.

“The proposed school provides the opportunity to pilot initiatives which resonate with the needs of similar communities across Northern Ireland. It is expected that if agreed this model will attract significant interest from educationalists and academics and will provide a model of delivery to be considered across many other areas.

“This option requires the recognition that addressing educational under achievement requires new and innovative thinking. It will require the support of the Minister, DE, NEELB, ESA, staff parents and pupils and the political will to drive forward change.

“The strength of the proposal puts the needs of the child first and will identify and focus on the most appropriate investment in educational delivery for each child through their entire school experience.”

The response points out also that the proposal “takes advantage of the existence of a large, modern school with excellent infrastructure which requires only a change in educational focus”.

It concludes that to implement it will require “strong educational and community leadership“ as well as “pro-active promotion and clear target setting with a well communicated vision of the outcomes that can be achieved”.