Keeping up high standards in the classroom

Editorial Department • Published 1 Sep 2011 13:00 0 Comments

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Whether we have connections with schools or not, many of us will discover to-day that many schools re-open their doors after the summer holidays.

One clue will be the increased traffic on the roads, particularly on the main arterial routes around Enniskillen. Just how well our roads and junctions will cope again, time will tell. One potentially difficult area will be Enniskillen's East End where new traffic lights at the junction of Tempo Road and Castle Coole Road, will be tested to the limit as the school traffic builds up in that area.

For our schoolchildren, to-day marks the beginning of another new era in their lives as they set their goals to achieve qualifications which will lead them into the world of work at a later stage. And many of them have already achieved great success when you look at our pages inside of GCSE results and last week of the A level results. The pressure is not only on our schoolchildren to perform strongly but also of schools who are monitored closely about their performance and efficiencies.

One school, Portora Royal School makes history as the first co-educational grammar school in Enniskillen by taking in girls this year for Sixth Form study. And it appears their aim to grant opportunities to study subjects at Sixth Form at their school to anyone, regardless of gender and school background has been entirely justified with around 18 transferring there from other schools, of whom more than a dozen are girls.

Of course schools having achieved great success in GCSEs and A levels will also be pressurised to maintain the high standard in the next year. This can be achieved in a team effort involving the pupils, teachers and parents whose co-operation is vital.

With the Department of Education getting tougher on its sustainability school plan, all schools in the county, whether primary or post-primary will be endeavouring to convince the powers that be that their institution is vital to serving the needs of the local community.

Let's hope that the year ahead will be a prosperous one not only for our schoolchildren but the providers of that education who have once again excelled in qualifications making our young people among the the best educated in Northern Ireland.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 01 Sep 11

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