St. Louis Grammar School Cullybackey Road Ballymena Co. Antrim BT43 5DW Telephone: (028) 2564 9534 Fax: (028) 2563 0287 E-mail: [email protected] www.stlouisgrammar.com Welcome Principal’s Address We encourage you to take a close look at what we in St Louis Grammar School have to offer at Post 16 level – 29 courses and growing! We offer a broad range of subjects which will enable any student to develop their talents and abilities to the full in any number of areas; and achieve. At St Louis Grammar, we care, our staff are most professional and we guarantee every effort will be made to ensure if you apply yourself you can, and will achieve. With higher qualifications required for employment and University increasing each year, it is crucial for all our young people to have opportunities to succeed. At St Louis Grammar School we have an excellent track record of academic success. You too can be part of this success. Make your mark in society, by choosing subjects that will give you a fantastic career start, whether this be at university level or employment level in two years time. Our extensive and increasing range of Enrichment Courses from Romanian Orphanages, to debating School Mission Statement participation, guarantees you valuable experiences St Louis Grammar School is a Catholic, all the time during your study. Voluntary Grammar School committed Achieve your Potential: Achieve Highly. Join our Sixth to providing excellent educational Form at St. Louis Grammar School this September. opportunities for each pupil to develop his/her unique talents to the full in a secure, caring environment. Mr Sean Rafferty Our motto “Ut Sint Unum” That all may Principal be one, reinforces our St Louis family value system and family centred approach to education. At present we have 1035 pupils and this year we accepted 142 new students into our year 8 cohort. We are delighted to serve students and families from the communities of Antrim, Ballymena, Cargin, Corkey, Creggan, Cloughmills, Cushendall, Cushendun, Dunloy, Glenarm, Glenravel, Larne, Loughgiel, Moneyglass, Portglenone, Randalstown and Rasharkin and to develop our natural community links in this manner. St Louis Grammar School St Louis Grammar School Sixth Form at St Louis Grammar School St Louis Grammar Sixth Form Centre is very well established and provides approximately 320 students with the opportunity to choose from a range of 29 subjects. Students are taught by highly skilled, experienced and dedicated teachers and the expertise in the provision of Sixth Form is reflected in the consistently high results achieved. The Sixth Form experience at St Louis allows pupils to attain academic excellence and much more. Students are provided with the opportunity to work in a friendly, comfortable environment where students form lasting friendships, contribute to the wider community and take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Students can choose from an array of extra-curricular activities including Soccer, Gaelic Football, Golf, Camogie, Netball, Hurling, Choir, Orchestra, Traditional Music and may even become part of our very own rock band! Mrs O’Neill All of these activities allow students to work as part of a team and integrate Sixth Form Year Head with other members of the year group. Pupils can also add to their academic portfolio by gaining additional qualifications in First Aid, Sentinus and the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness. For those Sixth Formers who enjoy travelling the Sixth Form provides students with the opportunity to take part in a number of school trips. Our Sixth Form Drama students recently enjoyed an excursion to London, our Art students have visited the sites in Barcelona, while our French students enjoyed the sun in Nice. There is also the opportunity in Sixth Form to actively contribute to the wider community. A group of Sixth Formers is annually taken to Romania to volunteer in hospitals and schools while many also take part in our annual Lourdes Pilgrimage. Students within the Sixth Form can also develop leadership and organisational skills. The Sixth Form is led by our Head Boy, Head Girl and deputies. Under their direction our senior prefects are highly involved in the day to day running of the Sixth Form. Our Formal Committee is responsible for the organisation of the social event of the year - the school formal!! And to mark the end of an era a committee of students is also responsible for the administration of the Sixth Form Yearbook. The Sixth Form students are given the best possible opportunity to succeed in their chosen career or profession and this is due to excellent Careers provision within the school. Students within the Sixth Form take part in mock interviews, enjoy University visits, engage in work experience, and are given continual careers guidance and advice. The Sixth Form experience at St Louis Grammar is one which is treasured by those who experience it. The confident and articulate Sixth Formers who bid a fond farewell to St Louis are testament to the dedication of the staff and tradition of the school. Post 16 Prospectus Excellence, Endeavour, Empowerment Facilities for Sixth Form Students at St Louis Grammar School In addition to the dedicated teaching staff, sixth form Pupils experiencing difficulty can also avail of our students at St Louis have access to a wealth of school counsellor Mrs Toner. Independent counselling resources. All students have access to C2K computer is also available from the New Life counsellor Nuala technology in their study room and in the Sixth Form Wymes who is in school every Friday morning. ICT suite. Students in Sixth Form at St. Louis Grammar are also Students have access to a fully stocked library with encouraged to participate in a number of enrichment computer facilities for independent research. The library programmes to enhance their skills and add to their is organised and monitored by a qualified librarian who academic portfolio. is always ready to aid Sixth Form students. A full-time study supervisor is employed to supervise the Sixth form study room to ensure an environment conducive to study is established and the school nurse is always available in the event of illness. The Sixth Form students also have their own reading room in which they can take study breaks and avail of the facilities for making tea and coffee and take time out to relax. A strong pastoral care system is in place promoting the ethos of the School through Form teachers, and our Sixth Form Study Sixth Form Year Head. The Library www.stlouisgrammar.com St Louis Grammar School Careers Education in Sixth Form Resources The Careers Department is The Careers Department aims to provide 24/7 access responsible for all aspects to resources from all locations. In order to fulfil of careers education, guidance our vision, we have created our own microsite and resources within the http://www.stlouisgrammar.com/ceiag . school. Our Careers The vast majority of resources which will be required programme is delivered to by any student can be accessed from this website. ensure that pupils are Pupils and parents can access the site to download any sufficiently informed to make important letters/circulars. The Year 13 work placement confident decisions about their programme is managed using our own online database. education and career. Our bulk email system allows Year 13 and 14 students to receive regular updates and reminders. Pupils are able to Mrs McAllister contact the Head of Careers via email. Head of Careers The school careers room contains a range of printed and Sixth Form multimedia resources along with a computer suite which is always open to Sixth Form students. Pupils in Sixth Form undertake a programme which The department maintains links with numerous consists of careers classes, guidance interviews, work institutions and agencies including universities, placement, mock interviews, work related learning F.E. colleges, N.I. Careers Service, Eye4Education activities and university open day visits. Regular lunch and the Charter Work Experience programme. time seminars are held for guest speakers from university We work closely within the Ballymena Learning and from industry. Extracurricular sessions are held Together partnership to develop opportunities to share to prepare pupils for the H-PAT, UKCAT, St. Mary’s resources with other schools. We have also assembled interviews, Stranmillas interviews and teaching interviews a database of past pupils in work and higher education across the water. who are available to assist. Particular attention is paid to the online process for university application, with all pupils receiving detailed instruction and assistance. Year 13 pupils are given the opportunity to visit a major UCAS careers convention which is attended by numerous UK universities. Multi Mini Mock Interviews Interviews Post 16 Prospectus Excellence, Endeavour, Empowerment An Advanced Subsidiary (AS Level) This qualification forms the basis of all A Level subjects. It allows students to obtain interim accreditation as they progress to a full A Level (A2). AS specification comprises 2/3 Units which are completed in lower sixth and are separately certified. An AS is worth 50% of a full A’ Level. The full A Level will comprise of 2/3 AS Units and 2/3 other units at a more challenging level. These final units will assess knowledge of the course as a whole. A Level = AS + A2 = 4/6 units An AS can be awarded as a discrete qualification with its own value. UCAS Points System A* grade: 140 points C grade: 80 points A grade: 120 points D grade: 60 points B grade: 100 points E grade: 40 points Defibrillator training Multi Mini Interviews www.stlouisgrammar.com St Louis Grammar School Leadership within Sixth Form The Pupil Leadership Team 2014-2015 Eimear Higgins James McClintock Head Girl Head Boy Sorcha Conlon Clare Joyce Shannon McNeilly Joseph Harper Jack Magill Conor Montgomery Deputy Head Girl Deputy Head Girl Deputy Head Girl Deputy Head Boy Deputy Head Boy Deputy Head Boy All sixth Form students at St Louis Grammar are role Extra Curricular Activities in Sixth Form models and potential leaders.