Blast Off!
‘Learning from Each Other’ – since 1994
Planning academic excellence for all in a small and all-ability school means starting early with high expectations, a rich curriculum and plenty of opportunities to broaden horizons.
Right from induction for incoming year 8 students, programmes such as Blast Off ensure that every student knows that their school has confidence in them. Every student shares a rich academic curriculum with a particular emphasis on learning languages, so often rationed and available only to students perceived as more able.
Principal Kevin Lambe negotiated a place for Shimna on the Queen’s University widening participation schemes, the QUB Junior Academy, Sports Academy and Senior Academy.
The programmes offered opportunities for students right from year 8 to visit the university regularly and to experience a wide range of subjects, activities, careers advice and encouragement. The Sports Academy offered places from year 9 to boys in in particular, who might not have valued their own learning power. Sports Academy students had the opportunity to qualify in sports leadership.
The Senior Academy built on these experiences, offering taster days in university departments and access to additional tuition. Careers adviser Alicia Rooney ran the scheme, and travelled with the students, getting to know their interests and their challenges which all helped her to help them when it came to year 14 and applying for university, for further education college, for higher level apprenticeships or employment.
The Academy programme also offered opportunities to work with students from other schools. The programme’s generous graduations, help with transport and free pizza lunches all combined to make the QUB Academy a very fulfilling experience.
One of the best experiences of the Academy is when students got to meet up with a Shimna OldScholar, Michaela, who had already found success at Queen’s. It was also great to meet up with supporters of Integrated Education such as Carl Frampton at the Sports Academy.
Every subject department sought out opportunities for further learning and achievement beyond the normal curriculum. The maths department built in the UK Mathematics Challenge from Junior level through Intermediate and Senior levels, with Gabriel even qualifying for the Senior Kangaroo Challenge, the toughest mathematical challenge of all! The computing department got students involved in the Hour of Code. Technology students had the opportunity to enter an innovative Irish Football Association design competition. Science students entered the Science Olympiads.
The opportunities for University visits, Innovation events, Days of Ambition etc. all combined to inspire students to broaden their horizons and explore an ever-expanding range of opportunities.
Students in earlier years benefited hugely from the International Fund for Ireland LET and KEY programmes, joining with students from both sides of the border. The programme was led in school by Joan McAllister and involved students in a series of residentials full of outdoor activities and entrepreneurial activities. The year long programme ended with the students running their own enterprise at a market or enterprise fair.
A local entrepreneurial awards programme sponsored by one of our local councillors, Dermot Curran, offered more opportunities for challenge, and our students won awards both for Business and Enterprise and for Culture and Citizenship.
We always made sure that our youngest students would be encouraged to look ahead and to appreciate the inspirational successes of OldScholars across every area of learning and making and doing.
