Annual Report 2009-2010
In
September Mr Robert Smith took up the post of Vice-Principal of the school
succeeding Mrs Evelyn O’Neill who had fulfilled the role for eighteen years.
Throughout
the year children in P2/3 and P4/5 received football training from Mr Mark Dinsmore under an initiative funded by the Department of
Education and the Irish Football Association. Over the year the children
developed many useful skills and in May a team of P4 children took part in a
‘Mini World Cup’ competition in Ballycastle
representing
P4/5
children received interesting talks from representatives of the Dogs Trust and
from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue.
This was
the first year in which the Department of Education did not organise transfer
tests for children in Northern Ireland and all of our P7 Pupils opted to
transfer to our local non-selective post-primary school; Dunluce
School.
The Board
of Governors and staff responded to the Education and Inspectorate’s report of
May 2009 and are actively implementing the recommendations therein.
Pyramid
Plus Clubs; in conjunction with Barnado; were
organised throughout the year with children in P5 and P7 attending. These
popular clubs help the children get on with each other and build up their
self-esteem.
Children in
P4, 5, 6 and 7 completed INCAS computer based assessments in Literacy and
Mathematics in October and their results were reported to parents at the
Teacher/Parent meetings at the end of October.
This years harvest celebration was organised by the children in
Mr Gault and Mr Smiths Classes and was well supported by parents and friends of
the school.
The
Extended Schools initiative continued throughout the year with after-school and
breakfast clubs. The after-school clubs continued to be well supported and were
popular with both parents and pupils. Numbers attending the breakfast club
continued to be disappointing and following a survey of parents it was decided
to discontinue the club at the end of June. This will facilitate the
organisation of a second sports club on Thursday afternoons. As part of the
Moyle Cluster of Extended Schools we offered expert coaching in Table Tennis
and Tag Rugby and another successful P1 Reading Support Programme.
At
Christmas Foundation/Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 performed separate very
successful concerts which were again well supported by parents and friends of
the school.
Both boys
and girls attended regular football training, taken by Mervyn
Greer and the school was again took part in the Coleraine
and
Throughout
the year we received regular support from NEELB CASS staff and particular
thanks must go to Elizabeth McParland and Lorna
Gardner, Advisers , and their staff.
In Summer
Term the children in the Nursery visited Finvoy Fun
Farm while P1,2 and 3 visited the zoo in
Children in
P3 to 7 completed standardised tests in Maths and English and these were
included in most Annual Reports. Standardised scores measure progress measured
against established norms and mean that children’s progress can be accurately
compared against children from anywhere else in the
During the
year a new Board of Governors was established with some new faces joining and
some old friends moving on. We would like to thank all past Governors for their
support and look forward to working with the current Governors.
The Board
of Governors are: Rev S. Carson, Chairman (Board Representative); Mr R Bolt,
Vice-Chairman (In Lieu of Transferors); Mrs M. Warnar
(Board Reprentative); Mr R. McIlroy
(In Lieu of Transferors); Miss A. Creith (In Lieu of
Transferors); Mr J. Wishart (In Lieu of Transferors);
Mrs N. Dunlop (Parent Representative); Mrs C. O’Halloran
(Parent Representative); Mr R. Smith (Teacher Represntative)
Of course I
must take this opportunity to thank the many people who all help to make this
school what it is, the teachers and classroom assistants, my frontline forces, David and Christine
who keep everything so spick and span,
Myrtle, Ivy and Margaret, our dinner supervisors, Samuel or other
lollipop person, Bartley who looks after our grounds, Jane and her team in the
kitchen.
PROTECTING
OUR PUPILS
The whole
of the Bushmills Primary School and Nursery Unit
community, that is the members of the Board of Governors and everyone who works
or helps in the school, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, is fully
committed to the welfare and safety of all the pupils.
The Child
Protection Policy is part of our commitment to the Pastoral Care of the pupils
and should be read in conjunction with the other documents that make up our
Pastoral Care Portfolio; Pastoral Care Policy, Discipline Policy, Anti-Bullying
Policy and Anti - Drugs Policy all available online at www.bushmillsps.org.uk .
Reference
should also be made to ‘Area Child Protection Committees’ Regional Policy and
Procedures’.
Designated
Teacher for Child Protection: Mr Jack
Gault, who is also the Principal
Deputy-Designated
Teacher: Mr Robert Smith, who is also
the Vice-Principal
Chairman of
Board of Governors: Reverend S Carson
The
Designated and Deputy Designated Teachers will attend regular refresher courses
provided by NEELB, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, NHSSB or any other
appropriate agency. The Designated
Teacher will ensure that everyone who works, or helps in a voluntary capacity,
in the school is kept up-to-date on child protection issues. Child Protection will be an agenda item for
the Board of Governors at least once a year.
All persons who work or help in the school will have gone through
appropriate screening.
What a parent should do if they have a concern about
any child.
