Wider choice for students is a good thing

Editorial Department • Published 27 Aug 2009 09:00 0 Comments

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The Fermanagh Learning Community is a collection of the 16 post-primary schools in the county, together with South West College.

It was set up to promote a culture of collaboration between schools in the county and to increase the subject choices available to students.

This year, seven of the schools in Enniskillen and the College have agreed to allocate time in their timetables when they will offer some A Level subjects to students from other schools. By doing this, the range of subject options available to students who have completed their GCSE exams will be much wider.

Students who can't access a certain subject in their own school due to problems such as time-tabling constraints may find that the subject is available at one of the other schools in the Learning Community.

By working together, schools can provide access to a greater range of subjects for students in the town and equally students may get the opportunity to receive tuition in a subject for which they have an interest or aptitude.

It seems like a win-win situation. This will help students gain good grades and help them on the ladder to success.

A co-ordinator has been appointed to help with the time-tabling issues and the logistical challenge of seeing the right student in the right classroom at the right time.

Agreements have already been in place between a number of schools where pupils can take a certain subject at another school but this scale of collaboration is new.

It offers a fantastic opportunity for students. Not only will they meet new classmates and get a chance to study a subject they would previously not have had the opportunity to learn at A Level, but the scheme also gives them a taste of what it is like to learn in a different environment to the school they have come to know well over the years. What a brilliant way to build up a little bit of independence before university or the world of work beckons.

The much-publicised late posting of GCSE results this year -- some of which will be made available today -- will put additional pressure on our schools and the Learning Co-Ordinator. No doubt the pressurised days before term starts will be worth it if young people gain greater access to the courses they want to take.

Well done to our schools for being open to this initiative. Together with excellent exam results, this latest project reminds us how well we are served by the schools here in Fermanagh.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 27 Aug 09

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