Assembly Committee Learns About Schools' Success

Belfast Model School for Girls hosted a meeting of the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education today (19 January 2011). The meeting focussed on the Committee’s Inquiry ‘Successful Post-Primary Schools Serving Disadvantaged Communities’.

As well as Girls’ Model, representatives from three other schools - Ashfield Boys’ High School, St Louise’s Comprehensive College and Coláiste Feirste attended the meeting and presented their thoughts to MLAs on what makes their school successful.

Committee Chairperson, Mervyn Storey MLA said: “The Committee was delighted to visit Belfast Model School for Girls today and to hear first hand from four different Belfast schools about the excellent work they are doing in what are often challenging circumstances. We have already received some very useful information on our Inquiry, and to speak to pupils and teachers directly on these issues has been incredibly valuable.

“To visit Belfast Model School for Girls is of particular interest because it is a Full Service School providing support for pupils and parents and the local community to work together.

“The Full Service Schools scheme supports schools to work with voluntary and statutory agencies and local communities to offer a range of services to young people, their families and the wider community such as adult learning classes, vocational classes and parental and pupil support.”