PRINCIPAL'S SPEECH DAY ADDRESS 29 OCTOBER 2010 Mr Mayor, Madam Mayoress, Mr Chairman, Honoured Guest Matt Baggott, Members of our Board of Governors, distinguished guests, colleagues and, most importantly students and parents, good afternoon and welcome to this special event in our school calendar. To-day we gather in this magnificent building to celebrate the outstanding successes of our students and I would extend our collective thanks to the Reverend Campbell and the Select Vestry for their kind permission to hold this special event here to-day. A very special welcome to the Chief Constable, Matt Baggott; I am delighted you have been able to accept our invitation despite a most demanding and punishing schedule. Your influence and positive impact on policing in Northern Ireland has been widely recognised. I must note that I admire the courage and tenacity with which you have approached this challenging role. People have often stated to me that they would not take on the job of a school Principal for neither love nor money. Chief Constable, you currently hold a job at which even a school Principal in the toughest of schools would baulk. We look forward to your contribution as you join us in celebrating the successes, academic and extra-curricular of our college community. I would also like to welcome other special guests including: Local Politicians: Mr David Simpson MP Councillor George Savage Alderman Sydney Anderson Alderman Sammy Gardiner Representatives from education: Mr Tony Murphy, Chief Executive of the SELB Principals and Chairmen form local schools: Mr Trevor Canning, ClounaghJunior High School Mr David Gillespie, TandrageeJunior High School Mrs Betty McClurg, CraigavonSenior High School Ms Diane Hunniford, Brownlow Integrated College And Mr Robin Lyttle representing the Southern Regional College. Mrs Helen McClenaghan, former Chief Executive of the SELB and a former teacher and student of PortadownCollege. Mr T H Armstrong, former Principal of Portadown College. You are all most welcome this afternoon. At this point I would like to pay tribute to the sterling work carried out by the school’s Board of Governors. Our Governors are at the core of running our school, working long hours, almost invariably in the evening, and shouldering a considerable burden of responsibility and accountability. All this and no pay! It is a genuine pleasure to work with our governors who have a single minded determination to secure what is best for this school, the young people, staff, parents and wider community. The genuine enthusiasm shown in this service is to be commended and I am privileged to be working with this very capable, committed and good humoured team. Our Governors show a remarkable grasp of the intricacies of a modern educational system whilst demonstrating a clear appreciation of the need for change and how to implement it effectively. Perhaps the greatest asset Governors bring to our school is their breadth and depth of experience in many walks of life, their total commitment and a large smattering of common sense. All of this ensures our school community remains vibrant and dynamic. Your sense of duty and willingness to embrace positive change has enabled our school to forge ahead and provide the outstanding educational experiences and outcomes celebrated by our students this afternoon. Such benefits will be enjoyed in the future by those children still transiting the educational path towards us. Thank-you one and all for your loyal support for PortadownCollege. I must pay tribute to those Governors who have moved on having completed their term in office: Mr Tom Atkinson, Mr Peter Robinson, Mrs Marion Hammond and Mr Mark Smyth. We were joined this year by: Mr Mark Montgomery, Mr David Dougan, Miss Pauline Curry and Miss Gillian Gibb. This afternoon, of course, we are here to celebrate the success and achievements of our young people. I have the pleasure of reporting our considerable academic success and our Senior Prefects will, in a few moments, outline our extensive extra curricular programme. At ‘A’ Level our students quite simply excelled with a staggering 100% pass rate in all exams, all 575 of them! The new A* grade proved beyond all doubt that this fine group of students were truly on top of their game. A total of 12.2% of all grades awarded were A* compared with NI and UK figures of 9.5% and 8.1% respectively. Three students scored a full set of four A* grades, Rachel Calvin, Daniel Clarke and Rachel Johnston. Additionally, Kathryn McClure was placed 1st in CCEA A Level Moving Image Arts, Joanne McNeill 2nd in CCEA A Level Health and Social Care, Danielle Lockhart 2nd in CCEA A Level Home Economics, while Katharine Holland was joint 2nd in CCEA A Level Music and 3rd in CCEA A Level Moving Image Arts. A total of 93.7% of all grades were recorded at A* - C, almost 10% higher than the NI average. Despite reports in the media regarding a shortage of places in universities, the vast majority of our students were successful in moving on to Tertiary education. Academic success achieved through the College is already paying tangible and early benefits. I am especially delighted that so many have made the journey to join us this afternoon – it is a pleasure to see you once again. At AS Level 674 exams were entered with a terrific 98.4% pass rate with an impressive 43% recorded at grade A. Many students produced exceptional results with straight A grades and their achievements are recognised through our Year 13 prizes at AS Level as noted in your programme. This bodes very well for next year. At GCSE Level a mere 2273 exams were entered by 214 students. Once again the performance far outstrips the NI average in all of the key measures, for example 93.4% of grades were at A* - C where the average figure in the Province is 76.3%. A terrific 98% recorded 5+ passes at grades A* - C. Lauren Cornett was placed 2nd in CCEA GCSE ICT out of a total entry of 7705. Cheur Zhang recorded 9A*s and 1A (along with an A grade in AS Chinese) while Katie Best, Ben Frazer, Adam Shuaib and Sarah White each gained a veritable haul of A*s and As. The vast majority of our Year 12 students have progressed on to AS studies here in PortadownCollege where they also benefit from an enhanced enrichment programme. Some have chosen to follow alternative pathways in education or employment. We wish them every success, health and happiness for the future. We were of course delighted to be joined in Year 13 by students from other schools such as CraigavonSenior High School, MarkethillHigh School and BrownlowIntegratedCollege. The arrival of students from other schools enriches the College and we very much value their contribution to College life. We look forward to consolidating and strengthening our links with these and other schools so that their leavers can share in the provision and success of the PortadownCollege community. This year has been special because, as many of you will be aware, PortadownCollege was ranked as the top controlled grammar school in the Province in a recent Irish Times league table. No mean feat and weighty affirmation of all that has been reported this afternoon. Clearly PortadownCollege is meeting the needs of our students through high quality teaching and learning, extensive provision and appropriate pastoral support. All of the successes noted have required considerable application and dedication from our students. At this point I would ask everyone to join together to applaud our students for their superb achievements. Our extra-curricular programme last year included some academically focused work. Our mathematicians in Years 11 and 12 entered the UK Intermediate Mathematics Challenge winning 7 Gold, 13 Silver and 19 Bronze Awards. Year 13 and 14 students also entered the UK Senior Mathematics Challenge collecting 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 8 Bronze Awards. A team of Year 12 and 13 students wereNorthern Ireland runners-up in the QUB Mathematics Team Challenge. Portadown College was awarded the title of “BestSchool in Northern Ireland” for the British Biology Olympiad. Dissecting this performance reveals one Gold Medal, one Silver Medal and two Bronze Medals. Two students were Highly Commended with another two being Commended. Year 11 Biologists entered the UK “Biology Challenge” run by the Olympiad Group with the following awards being obtained. 5 Golds 1 Silver 2 Bronze 3 Highly Commended And 1 Commended Not to be outdone the chemists clearly had the solutions and struck 1 Gold and one Bronze Medal in the Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad. In Physics our bright sparks achieved 2 Silver Awards in the UK Physics Olympiad. In the Irish Physics Olympiad one Gold Medal and one commendation were secured. The Portadown College Debating Team won the Northern Ireland final of the Business and Professional Women’s Speaking Competition with 3 students winning individual awards. The team went on to record an impressive second place in the United Kingdom. One aspect of our young people which is of course not so well documented or indeed subject to statistical analysis is the type of people they are when they leave us. By this I mean those all important values and attributes such as good manners, courtesy, appearance and communication skills which are vital in modern life both in terms of employment prospects and in the ability to get on with others. I firmly believe that our academic outcomes, coupled with our high expectations of behaviour and manners, will ensure continued success for our students wherever they find themselves. I too believe that being a well-balanced, thoughtful and considerate individual also leads in some measure to personal contentment and fulfilment. The young people of Portadown College are second to none and provide much hope for the future in which they will play pivotal roles and shape our society; believe me, we are in good hands. It was with deep sadness we learned of the untimely death of one of our past students, Lieutenant Neal Turkington. Our sympathies remain with his family. So where exactly does all of this great success come from? Well first of all I must pay tribute to the magnificent foundations laid by our local primary schools and our Junior High Schools, Clounagh, Killicomaine and Tandragee. Recent visits to our partners in the Junior High Schools revealed much creative work, a strong sense of shared purpose and community, and an utter commitment to the young people. The excellent work of these schools makes a tangible and very positive impact on the successes celebrated here to-day. Please join me in a round of applause for our Junior High Schools. We are also very much indebted to a multitude of individuals and organisations who bring diversity richness and professional support to our school community. This includes the Department of Education, the Inspectorate, SELB, CASS, CCEA, Southern Health and Social Services, Craigavon Borough Council and the PSNI. I would also acknowledge the contribution made by the local media as they share in our celebrations of success in our community. At the very heart of our success is our teaching staff who have proved themselves to be a most talented, industrious, creative, dedicated and inspired group of professionals. The demands on, and expectations of, teachers have placed a very heavy burden of responsibility on their shoulders. Teaching is an immensely rewarding job but a hugely taxing one too. Our staff show a genuine commitment to the young people and a level of support and caring second to none. I pay tribute to our staff for their generosity in giving so freely of their time and expertise to ensure our students experience a breadth and depth of challenges and opportunities through which they can develop, mature and enjoy the successes noted. I am indebted to our staff for their good will, working far beyond that which their jobs require of them whether it be academic, pastoral or extra-curricular. The quality of relationships within the school are testament to the calibre of teachers here in PortadownCollege. I have been struck by the sense of pride which past and current students have for PC; in truth I believe this is because the College is a happy school, one which genuinely nurtures the individual and is simply a good place to be. I would also like to pay tribute to my colleagues on the Senior Management Team who play a vital role in the success of the school. Mrs Greer of course needs no introduction. A veritable scholar and consummate professional, she is a first rate Vice-Principal tending to the pastoral needs of our students. She is also an accomplished and passionate English teacher. The College is yet further indebted to her for the exceptional manner in which she led the College as Acting Principal during the majority of last year, clearly leaving the College in a very healthy state. Mr Atkinson provides a very measured, considered and creative insight into the curriculum and he fulfils a pastoral role too. His flexibility, loyalty and talent make him a colleague of some substance and a great asset to our school. I would also like to thank Mrs Hammond for her diligence and industry last year as she stepped up to the mark and filled the gap of Acting Vice-Principal last year. I would therefore like to put on record my gratitude, and that of Governors, for the hard work of all of our teaching staff. I would also like to thank all other staff in the school – technical, secretarial, our buildings officers, our Librarian, classroom assistants, lunch-time supervisors, cleaners, canteen staff, school crossing patrol lady and exams invigilators. Each and every one of these staff contribute much to the welfare and progress of our young people and perhaps are too often the unsung heroes in any school setting. They are vital individuals who complete the team without whom the school simply could not operate or thrive. Special thanks must be extended to the following individuals who have contributed much to our event to-day: Mrs Doogan, Mrs Qua and Miss Watson for the musical items. Mrs Montgomery for the beautiful flowers. Mrs Willis and Miss Lyttle for the catering. Mr Jamieson and Mr Hawthorne for the sound and recording. Mrs Heyburn and the Office Staff. Thank-you also to our Prefects and musicians for their important contribution. Parents continue to play a central role in our success. Supportive parents who have a genuine concern for the progress of their son or daughter, and share our aims and ethos, make such a positive contribution. An effective partnership between school and home really does provide a terrific platform and foundation for any young person to succeed. Your support is very much appreciated. Our PTSA continued to provide support to the College through assisting at major events and organising events of their own during the year to raise vital funds. This is a small group of highly motivated individuals who are committed to contributing their time and talents for the betterment of our students. Last year for example saw our quadrangles being equipped with picnic tables for student use. Mrs Sandra Biscombe deserves particular mention and gratitude for her tireless and exemplary leadership. This afternoon I thought it appropriate to share with you some of my initial thoughts and impressions of PortadownCollege. Of course PC has an enviable reputation across the Province as a centre of excellence. This hard earned reputation will no doubt be further consolidated by the outcomes celebrated this afternoon. But I wish to scratch below the surface and disclose what lies beneath. Quite simply PortadownCollege is a very special place. It is made special by the quality of relationships so evident as you enter the school, by the excellent standard of teaching and learning, by the calibre of young person who is eagerly supported by caring parents and the shear breadth of provision, both curricular and extra-curricular. Opportunities abound in this vibrant and dynamic institution. My first visit to the College was late one November afternoon as darkness fell. I walked towards the main entrance to be met by a constant stream of muddy rugby players and, may I say, somewhat less muddy hockey players as they left for the day having completed their respective team practices. Once inside the building I could hear the strains of an electric guitar being played somewhere down the corridor. Rehearsals too were just finishing off in the assembly hall, clearly the first night of a large drama production loomed. Still more students emanated from other parts of the College having remained long after the school’s official closing time. This, I remember thinking at the time, is a place with a real heart to it, somewhere indeed where students can flourish and develop in a clearly relaxed atmosphere and a strong sense of purpose, with mutual respect between staff and students to the fore. My first highly positive impressions, gained in a matter of minutes, have simply been confirmed and strengthened over the past few months. I am indeed uniquely privileged to serve this superb school and the broader Portadown community. I too would like to share my thoughts on the current two-tier system in Craigavon. Having worked in several large 11-18 grammar schools and served as the Principal of an 11-16 non-selective school, I feel well placed to comment. The two tier system has some quite striking advantages. First of all, young people transiting the system are able to enjoy the benefits of holding positions of responsibility at an early stage for example in Year 10 when they may serve as a prefect or senior prefect in their Junior High School. On my visits to our feeder Junior High Schools it has been fascinating to see how 11 – 14 year olds are the key focus of attention, enabling them to grow in both confidence and maturity; that very maturity shines through as these young people join us in the College. The second clear issue is that of outcomes. Combining the examination successes enjoyed by the local ControlledGrammar Schools and CraigavonSenior High School show us to be collectively some 6% ahead of the NI average at GCSE level alone. The delay to 14 years old also facilitates the so-called “late developers” as they mature over the three years at Junior High School; it also provides a “clean slate” and a fresh beginning for all. On the issue of academic selection I am a firm supporter as our educational system remains the envy of the rest of the UK. Transfer at 14+ enables students to make informed choices through which they can access a truly tailored, challenging and appropriate educational experience at the next level. In the end it is simply about placing the right young people in the most suitable educational setting which recognises their aspirations, provides meaningful and challenging pathways for progression and fully meets their needs. The current two tier system does just that and does it extremely well. I would also reinforce the message that significant investment in a new build is a matter of priority. In a country of scant natural resources we must invest in our greatest resource of all – our young people. At a time of economic challenge I would ask all in positions of power and influence to consider the words of Sir Claus Moser who stated “Education costs money, but then so does ignorance”. Difficult political decisions must recognise the need for investment in the College as part of a considered strategic economic plan for the future prosperity of the Portadown and Craigavon areas. In conclusion, PortadownCollege has enjoyed an exceptional year. The school remains a pillar in our community and will continue to meet the best interests of our young people. We face the future in the sureness that we will be true to our school motto “Fortiter et Humaniter”; we will indeed proceed with confidence and show courage and courtesy as we meet the challenges which lie ahead. Mr Chairman, this concludes my report.
ACTING PRINCIPAL'S SPEECH DAY ADDRESS 23 OCTOBER 2009 Mr Deputy Mayor, Mr Chairman, Honoured Guest Mr Trevor Ringland, Members of our Board of Governors, distinguished guests, colleagues, students and parents, good afternoon and welcome. I am privileged to be here as Acting Principal of Portadown College in these beautiful surroundings. Today there are almost one thousand people present, as a College community, to celebrate the academic and extra-curricular success of our students, current and former. We are proud of each one of you; this is your day and it is wonderful to see in the audience those who support, encourage and love you. Isn’t it good to see that coursework, re-sits, re-marks, tiers of entry, modules, new specifications and endless hours of examination preparation pay off in the end? To Mr Trevor Ringland, well known in the sporting world and beyond, we are delighted that you are our special guest today. Welcome also to our colleagues from the Junior High Schools and the Senior High School. We in PortadownCollege are very aware that the successes we celebrate today are your successes as much as ours. To my colleagues in PortadownCollege I express my thanks. I believe there can be no better teaching and non-teaching staff than those in PortadownCollege. At every level of management the shared vision of what we are as a college is evident in the willingness to go far beyond what is required and the willingness to support and challenge the individual. They demonstrate what W B Yeats defined as education – “not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire” - and I think they deserve a round of applause. Our academic achievements 2008-2009 demonstrate the triumph of home and school working together. The examination season in Portadown College is intense. At A2 level 43 students gained 3 or more A grades with 13 gaining 4 Grade As. There were 548 examination entries across 24 subjects with 44% A grades and 95% at grades A-C, well above the NI average of 85%. Many of those students have come back to join us today. They certainly look as if university life suits them! Thank you for being here. At AS level 19 students gained 4 Grade As and 54 obtained 3 or more As. There were 709 exam entries across 26 subjects; the percentage with A grades was 45 with 87% achieving A-C, again well above the NI average of 78%. Almost all are now tackling the A2 challenge. At GCSE 212 students were entered for over 2000 examinations across 24 subjects. What a job our Examination Officer has! The 96% A*-C is well above the NI average of 75%. The vast majority of the GCSE students are now AS students, joined by some students from Markethill High School, Craigavon Senior High School and Brownlow College. They are being offered an enhanced enrichment programme and broader A level curriculum and are about to receive their GCSE certificates. We wish those who are continuing their education elsewhere every success. All of our students are mentioned in your programme and each will be called up in order so I will not refer to anyone individually. All deserve praise and every success should be celebrated. What about applause for all of them? When I think about the calibre of your young people, I am strangely comforted. These are the leaders of the future and society will be safe in their hands. These excellent results include new subjects introduced in response to the Entitlement Framework. We now offer Learning for Life and Work, Journalism, Astronomy, Health and Social Care, Moving Image Arts, Travel and Tourism, Environmental and Land Based Science, Business Studies and Music Technology. Again we see the willingness of staff to tackle the challenges of a constantly evolving educational world. At this point I must pay tribute to Mrs Deborah O’Hare. In her three years as Headteacher in Portadown College she made sure we knew the challenges, she made sure Portadown College standards of teaching and learning were maintained and she made sure we saw the broader educational canvas. I learnt a great deal from her (though sooth to say she’s many years my junior!) and I know that under her leadership Wallace High School in Lisburn will go from strength to strength. Thank you, Deborah. 2008-2009 also saw the retirement of three valued colleagues: Mr Brian Calvert who taught ICT, Mrs Rita McKeivor, Head of Art and Mr Robinson from the Chemistry Department. Mr Cupitt joined the teaching staff of CampbellCollege. These were colleagues who made significant contributions to many areas of College life. I wish them health and happiness and thank them for their dedication. We welcomed to the staff Mrs Hutchinson, Mrs McAleece, Miss Sinton and Mr McDowell. I would also like to thank Portadown College Board of Governors. Many hours are given voluntarily by Governors In particular I would like to thank former Chairman Mr Harry Wallace. It seems strange to have Speech Day without him. He is a wise and much respected gentleman. He led us through much change in his quiet, unassuming way and our best wishes go to him. Mr Sleator and Mr Twyble took on the roles of Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively in a temporary capacity until Mr Aiken and Mr Atkinson were nominated Chairman and Vice-Chairman. Our PTA, now known as the PTSA to include the student voice, also devote much time to looking after our well being. Picnic tables and seats are the most recent gifts bestowed upon us. Such kindness is much appreciated. The world of education continues to change. The Area Learning Communities and ESA have been set up. The Boards, the Inspectorate, Governors and all of us are facing changes motivated, I hope, by the desire to provide the best educational opportunity for each child in Northern Ireland. Area based planning and the Entitlement Framework are to become central to ensuring access to appropriate progression routes for our young people. We are to see school not as an institution but as part of a learning community. We continue to work with the SELB and Department of Education to progress the new school build. Currently the revised economic appraisal has been resubmitted for approval. We look forward to progressing the scheme over the next year. Students in Portadown are offered appropriate curricular pathways aligned with their aptitudes, interests and career aspirations and I am confident that whatever the challenges that lie ahead we will face them with wisdom and integrity. Look around us in this church. Transfer at 14 has brought us here today – 40 years after its introduction. Whilst the extra-curricular side of College life will be covered by our senior prefects I would like to mention some successes beyond GCSE and GCE. These are also in your programme. 2008-2009 gave 15 students the chance to achieve Level 1 in British Sign Language. Our Biologists brought PC the distinction of best NI school in the Olympiad. The Olympiad attracts the best young scientists in UK and is entered annually by well over 1000 talented students. PC Chemists were the highest performing students from any Northern Ireland grammar school in the Olympiad. Not to be outdone, the Physicists gained bronze medals and David Cox represented Ireland in Mexico, where he was placed in the top 2/3rds of over 300 participants. PC Mathematicians brought honour to Portadown in the Maths Challenge. PC Chamber Choir made it to the final 6 in the BBC Songs of Praise School Choir of the Year and World Challenge gave a number of PC students the chance to go to Peru to work, undertake charity work, live in a community and experience much, much more. Ladies and gentlemen, PortadownCollege has brought much credit to Portadown. Its name is respected far and wide. I was a student here when Mr Woodman was Principal. I have been a teacher during the Headship of Mr Armstrong, Mr Flannagan and Mrs O’Hare. All of these great leaders faced the educational challenges with courage and courtesy. I hope Portadown College will continue to do so in the rapidly changing world that lies ahead. Headteacher's Speech Day Address 2008 Headteacher's Speech Day Address 2007 Headteacher's Speech Day Address 2006 |