Board of Governors Designation s1
Annual Report
of the Board of Governors
2016 - 2017
Board of Governors Designation
Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School
2016/2017
Name / CategoryMr Terry McDaid (Chair) / Trustee Representative
Mr Peter Coll / Trustee Representative
Mr Patrick Leggett / Trustee Representative
Mrs Joan Cronin / DE Representative
Mrs Geraldine Goodall / DE Representative
Mr Brian Jamison / DE Representative
Mrs Helen Macklin-Burns / Elected Parent Representative
Mrs Margaret Hart / Elected Staff Representative
Mr Barry Kelly (Principal) / Secretary to Board of Governors
The Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School Community is very proud of its catholic ethos. It is very difficult to do justice to our ethos by listing all the events that take place. It is best experienced by being here as a pupil or a teacher on a daily basis or as a parent or friend by attending the wide variety of celebrations that take place throughout the school year.
It is best reflected in the mutual respect that is evident between all members of our community. As a Catholic school we welcome students from a wide variety of backgrounds – accepting that there are different faith backgrounds and none. Nevertheless, we are Catholic in our welcome and in the Gospel values we try and live up to in our daily relationships in school and with all our partners in the local community and beyond.
CONTENTS
Page NumberAccounts/Finances / 4
Art & Design / 5
Biology / 8
Business Studies / 10
CEIAG / 13
Chemistry / 16
Community Link / 18
Drama and Theatre Studies / 19
English / 22
French / 25
Fundraising / 27
Geography / 28
Government and Politics / 31
History / 33
Home Economics / 35
ICT / 37
Irish / 40
Mathematics / 42
Moving Image Arts / 45
Music / 48
Physical Education / 50
Physics and Double Award Science / 53
Religious Studies / 55
Sociology / 57
Spanish / 58
Technology & Design / 61
Year 8 / 65
Year 9 / 67
Year 10 / 68
Year 11 / 70
Year 12 / 72
Year 13 / 74
Year 14 / 76
ACCOUNTS/FINANCES AGM 2016-2017
2017 / 2016£ / £
INCOME
Department of Education Grants / 4,536,670 / 4,319,588
Other Income / 68,314 / 85,037
4,604,984 / 4,404,625
EXPENDITURE
Teaching Staff Costs / 2,749,813 / 2,684,940
Non Teaching Staff Costs / 1,352,422 / 1,186,451
Other Operating Costs / 448,836 / 438,565
4,551,071 / 4,309,956
Operating surplus / 53,913 / 94,669
Bank Interest Payable / (2,675) / (3,524)
SURPLUS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR / 51,238 / 91,145
ART & DESIGN AGM 2016-2017
The number of students studying Art and Design in 2016/17 are as follows;
Key Stage / Nos. of Students Studying Art and DesignKey Stage 3 / 351
Key Stage 4 / 33
Post-16 / 12
Staffing Structure
The department consisted of three part-time teachers and a part-time technician in addition to a part time ancillary member of staff who was employed throughout the year sharing housekeeping roles with general duties around the department.
Examinations
We continued to follow the CCEA specifications at GCSE, AS and A2 Levels, having introduced the new specification for AS level in Year 13.
Aquinas Art and Design Results 2017
Art and Design NI Grammar School Average/Aquinas Grammar Average
Level and Grade Band / NI Grammar School Average(CCEA 2017 provisional) / Aquinas Grammar Average
GCSE A* - B / 78.8% / 84.6%
GCSE A* - C / 94.8 / 100%
AS Level A - B / 88.9% / 100%
A2 Level A* / 18.9% / 40%
A2 Level A*/A / 46% / 80%
A2 Level A*- B / 80.1% / 100%
Celebrating Excellence
One of our A2 level students was awarded Joint Top Candidate in NI at the CCEA “Celebrating Excellence” ceremony held in Stormont in December 2016 having achieved full marks in his A level Art and Design. One of our GCSE Art and Design students was also awarded Joint Top Candidate, having also achieved full marks.
Two of our students exhibited in the CCEA “true colours” exhibition in the Ulster Museum. This exhibition profiles the best and most interesting work from GCSE, AS and A2 levels in Art and Design across Northern Ireland and we were delighted to have two units of work selected; one from an A2 student and one from an AS student. We enjoyed the opening of this exhibition in January 2017 and returned with our Year 11, 12, 13 and 14 students to celebrate the display of work of the two Aquinas students.
Focus for Department 2015-2016
The main focus for the department in 2016-2017 was in line with the school development plan. We explored possible Numeracy strategies for use within our department.
Links with Community/Outside Agencies
We promoted our department through the continuation of our after school KS3 art club, which was ably and enthusiastically led by two Teaching and Learning Assistants.
KS4 and KS5 Art and Design support from the art and design teachers continued two evenings per week throughout the year.
We also promoted the art and design department through the exhibition of student work in the Mall and Foyer areas.
Our A level students entered their work for the Saatchi Gallery School Art Prize, an online competition that provides students with the opportunity to exhibit their work on a public forum through the Saatchi website.
One of our Year 11 GCSE students achieved highly commended in the “Your City” competition where she won art supplies and a guided tour of the Art College.
CEIAG
We continue to work extensively with our senior students on their portfolios for applications to further and higher education art related courses and conduct mock interviews to assist them in their preparation.
Aquinas A-level students visited UU’s Foundation Art Exhibition in addition to the Faculty of Art, Design and the Built Environment’s Information Evening. They also enjoyed a number of presentations by visitors to the art and design department including past pupil, Damian Campbell who visited and talked to examination level students about the textile pieces he had been working on for his portfolio and Rachel McCloskey who outlined her career and showcased her work as a model designer to Year 11, 12 and 13 students.
Year 11-14 students gleaned insight into careers within art and design in their visit to the RUA Exhibition in the Ulster Museum in October 2016. Year 13 and 14 students enjoyed an intaglio printing workshop in December 2016 which gave them the opportunity to work alongside practising artists in Seacourt Print Workshop and to see successful business opportunities within the field of art and design. Year 11 and Year 13 students also created prints during a visit by Seacourt Print Workshop in June 2017.
KS3 Year 8 students researched architecture, providing insight into possible career paths within art and design.
Year 10 students learned about Careers in Art and Design and researched a range of careers giving a presentation to their class.
Professional development
A member of Aquinas art and design department attended the GCSE Agreement trial, the AS Agreement Trial and the A2 Agreement Trial. One teacher was employed by CCEA as an A2 Moderator and two teachers were employed by CCEA as AS Moderators. All members of staff were encouraged to engage in professional development where relevant and possible.
Summary of main highlights:
KS3
KS3 art club students grouped together to create designs for the school bins in an anti-litter campaign.
The Year 8 “Welcome to Aquinas” graphic design poster continued with the work of the winning entrant published on the covers of the introductory booklet for our in-coming Year 8 students.
KS4 and KS5
Staff and all examination level students enjoyed an educational visit to the Ulster Museum in October 2016. We viewed the RUA Exhibition, which students found to be beneficial in addressing Objective 1 of the CCEA assessment criteria.
The department continues to offer after school tuition and support for exam students on a weekly basis. The KS3 art and design club continued and proved very successful. We are delighted that art and design remains a successful choice in Aquinas and that many of our students pursue art and design related courses in further and higher education, leading to careers in this field.
BIOLOGY AGM 2016-2017
There are two specialist teachers within the Biology department. The number of pupils taught in each year is given below.
Year / No. of pupils2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
10 Bio / 119 118 118 120 121
11 DA / 36 28 20 29 17
11 Bio / 61 73 70 61 79
12 DA / 32 65 13 24 31
12 Bio / 59 62 71 80 64
13 Bio / 43 37 32 27 34
14 Bio
Total / 35 33 26 35 18
385 386 351 376 364
Results overview for 2015 is as follows:
A2: A*-A, 33.0%, A*-B, 62.9.3% B, A-C, 74.0%
AS: A, 28.0 %, A-B, 60.0%, A-C, 68.0 %
GCSE: A* 12.3%, A*-A 50.6% , A*-B 75.3.6%,
Departmental three year average results compare favourably with N. Ireland figures for the same time period.
At GCSE, and GCE the CCEA specification is used.
The department continues in its efforts to promote achievement and this is reflected in the results above. Pupils who were underachieving particularly at AS and GCSE were identified and given additional help both during and after school hours. Pupils taking re-sits at AS/A2 were given additional classes at mutually agreeable times and after school. Lunch time sessions were also provided. Core material in Double Award and Biology has been supplemented with extension materials for gifted and talented pupils and support resources were also extended for those with special educational needs. Continued extensive use has been made of the shared area and Goggle Classroom has been trialled with GCSE and GCE pupils. It is intended to make more widespread use of electronic communication methods in the future.
The department has continued to focus on sharing good practice and improving the quality of feedback to our pupils. Standard cover sheets for tracking assessments and homeworks continue to be developed. Pupil self-evaluation and peer evaluation sheets are also in use.
Careers in biology are promoted during classroom teaching and through the prominent display of wall posters. Reference to careers is also made in the options booklets and has been integrated into schemes of work. Some topics in GCSE and AS/AS have obvious vocational implications and every opportunity was taken to raise pupil awareness of career issues. Careers materials from the Royal Society and the Society of Biology are being used with A’level students.
Departmental members continue to be vigilant regarding staff development opportunities particularly in relation to the new specifications which have been introduced.
This year, the department once again hosted students from Queen’s University. They both observed and participated in learning activities on two occasions. It is hoped that their experience will inspire them to enter the teaching profession
Highlights of the year have been the fieldwork exercises conducted with Yr 12 and Yr 13. As far as “value added” is concerned, we engage in a range of activities, talks, competitions and educational visits. The “Pathology Week” activities where well received. The school based electronic news sheet “BioBubble” has been revitalised using Google classroom and has provided A’level pupils a means of experiencing stretch and challenge. A wide range of web based A’level resources provide biological content, self-tests, and feedback.
Members of the department look forward to the future with great enthusiasm and are eager to implement the 2017-18 school development plan. It is our aim to continue to be a vibrant, self-improving department through the sharing of good practice and focusing on the needs and aspirations of all our pupils. This will continue to be achieved through the provision of high quality learning and teaching, effective leadership and community involvement. It is our intention that every learner will fulfil his or her full potential at each stage of his or herdevelopment. The interests of the pupils will be at the centre of all efforts to improve educational achievement and address under-achievement. Consequently, a child-centred approach and provision for a diversity of need will continue to be evident in all our work. Quality assurance will be employed in the self-evaluation cycle with the aim of improving learning and teaching, the experiences of the pupils and the standards they achieve.
BUSINESS STUDIES AGM 2016-2017
The Business Studies department has 2 members of staff. In 2016-17 we taught 70 pupils at Key Stage 4 and 36 at Key Stage 5.
At Advanced Level the Year 14 pupils studied the CCEA Business Studies specification. In 2017 there was a 100% pass rate at grades A*-C. This compares favourably with the NI Grammar School average of 85%. At AS level 94.4% achieved grades A-C. At GCSE level the pupils cover the CCEA specification. The results were again favourable with 79.4% of the pupils achieving grades A*-B in comparison to the NI Grammar School Average of 71.1%.
In line with the School Development Plan, ‘Together Towards Improvement’ and ‘Every School a Good School’ documents, one focus of the Business Studies department in 2016-17 was to participate in at least two TLNI training sessions and implement strategies to include skilful questioning, plenary sessions, and peer and self-assessment in lessons. Department members also participated in lesson observation and discussed outcomes with a trusted colleague. A second focus was to promote and develop numeracy within Business Studies. Use of maths was identified and included in schemes of work at GCSE and A level. The numeracy skills audit was reviewed and updated.