Fifty marvellous years celebrated

Fifty marvellous years celebrated

23 September 2015

FIFTY years of St Colman’s High and Sixth Form College in Ballynahinch were celebrated at the school’s annual prize distribution last Thursday.

The principal, Mr Mark Morgan, said he was “honoured and privileged” to congratulate St Colman’s students who had excelled in the last academic year and also the thousands of students who had been educated at the school over the last 50 years. 

Mr Morgan said the world was a very different place when St Colman’s first opened its doors to 200 students on September 6, 1965. 

“1965 was a very significant year in global history as Winston Churchill was laid to rest, Martin Luther King was marching to Selma with the civil rights movement and The Beatles and The Rolling Stones topped the charts with ‘Help’ and ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction’.

“History was being made here too in Ballynahinch as the ambition to open a ‘state of the art’ secondary school with the capacity to educate 300 pupils was realised. Bishop Eugene O’Doherty performed the opening ceremony in front of 200 students and a teaching staff of nine.

Mr Morgan paid tribute to those who had helped the school develop and grow over the past 50 years, including the first principal, Mr Harry Bent, and his successors — Mr Hugh Graham, Mr Francis Duffy and Mr Hugh McCann.

He also had special words of praise for three former vice-principals — Mrs Maureen Hanna, Mr Michael Boyd, who was also acting principal for a time, and Mr Peter Cassidy — and governors past and present.

Mr Morgan listed many of the schools achievements in arts, music, sport and drama down the years and referred to the school receiving a National Curriculum Award in 1990.

“St. Colman’s was the recipient because it demonstrated that its broad and balanced curriculum was enriched by and enriching to the local community,” he said.. This tradition is being carried on today as our extensive curriculum offers a full range of subjects both academic and vocational to all our students.

“ Just as in 1990 when our innovation was recognised, today we still aim to stay at the forefront of education and wish to provide our students with only the best.

“This is evidenced in our scheme to equip every student with their own iPad, creating an equal playfield for our students and preparing them for the ever-changing and increasingly technology driven world of tomorrow.

“Over the years, the personnel in the school has changed and yet the ethos has remained intact. St.Colman’s has been under the leadership of five principals in those 50 years, each leaving their own mark, each with their own vision for the school. 

“Over the last eight years, great strides have been taken to offer a wide range of A’ Level and equivalent courses to our students and we are delighted with our thriving sixth year, numbering over 200 students. 

“St.Colman’s is ambitious for all of our students to reach their optimum potential, be it in third level education or in employment. In today’s tough economic climate, where the notion of a job for life is no longer viable, our students are trained to be adaptable, independent and equipped with the necessary qualifications to help them succeed after they leave this nurturing environment.”

Mr Morgan reported that 91 per cent of students achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C and over 63 per cent attained five A* to C grades, including English and Maths, once again exceeding the national average.

At A Level 50 per cent of students achieved three A* to C grades, while an ever increasing number of students were university places.

Mr Morgan continued: “St Colman’s High School and Sixth Form College is a flourishing educational community. In our latest ETI inspection report, the quality of education provided by St.Colman’s was designated as ‘very good’.

“The inspectors commented that we meet the educational needs and pastoral needs of our learners and that we demonstrate a capacity for self-improvement.”

He said the formula for self-improvement included hard working and dedicated staff and governors, receptive and well behaved students, and supportive parents.

He told his audience: “St Colman’s possess this blessed trinity and will continue to thrive. What we achieve with the students is only possible with your continued support; it is always appreciated and never taken for granted.”