“Celebration, Consolidation and Commitment” was the threefold theme for Principal Elizabeth Armstrong’s report at Enniskillen Royal Grammar School’s annual prize giving on Thursday November 29 which was held at St. Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen.

The evening began with a speech from the chairman of the school’s Board of Governors, Mr. Peter Little, who welcomed the guest speaker of the evening, former editor of the Impartial Reporter Sarah Saunderson. Mr. Little’s speech was followed by Miss Armstrong’s report of the school year as she acknowledged the various successes of the pupils throughout the year, noting both academic achievements and extra-curricular accomplishments.

Miss Armstrong said: “We are now in our third year of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School and we have much to celebrate this evening as we salute the sterling commitment of our pupils, our staff and our parents in the many successes we have enjoyed together in the past year.”

She continued: “Successes which have allowed us as a school community to consolidate those strong purposeful relationships at the heart of our school community and to put down firm, strong and healthy roots for our new school as we have, in the words of our school motto, persevered and excelled together.”

Miss Armstrong continued by highlighting the high performance of pupils at A2 and GCSE level, with a number of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School pupils achieving top candidate status in individual subjects at A2 in Northern Ireland.

As a result of these successes, the school has been ranked at number 12 in the top 20 Northern Ireland schools in the Sunday Times Parent Power rankings based on both Advanced and GCSE Level results. Last year the school was ranked at number 20. The school also jumped from 133rd to 83rd position in the 150 top State Schools in the UK.

Commenting on the school’s position in the rankings, Miss Armstrong said: “To accomplish these rankings and particularly this significant improvement in the last year, is surely a testimony to the commitment and determination of our whole school community to make Enniskillen Royal Grammar School a place of caring excellence.”

She continued: “I use this phrase caring excellence because, behind this stellar snapshot of our pupils’ achievements, it is also important to recognise that there are many personal and individual triumphs, sometimes achieved in difficult circumstances. These testify to the enduring commitment and resilience of our pupils and staff as together they build and consolidate positive relationships for learning, based on trust and mutual respect, and strengthened in dialogue and communication: it is this caring excellence which is at the core of our ethos and at the heart of our vision for our school.”

During her report, Miss Armstrong spoke highly of her pupils’ extra-curricular accomplishments in a variety of fields. She said: “Our commitment to the development of our pupils’ potential in as many diverse ways as possible, also brought much cause for celebration in a dazzling display of talent, creativity, determination and resilience outside the classroom this year.”

She continued by listing the school’s various team and individual sporting achievements, along with the pupils’ successes in music, drama and literature plus many other endeavours locally, regionally and internationally.

Reflecting on the past school year and celebrating the consolidation of the identity and idiom of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School as a “persevering school focused resolutely on excellence,” Miss Armstrong said: “I pay a heartfelt tribute to the commitment of our school community, to the lively and energetic commitment of our pupils, both inside and outside the classroom and to the skilled and creative commitment of our staff, both inside and outside the classroom.”

Miss Armstrong also noted the “generous and willing support” of the pupils’ parents and the “stalwart work” of the Parents Support Groups.

Commenting on the “wise and insightful commitment” and support of the Board of Governors, Miss Armstrong added: “In particular, I pay tribute to Mr. Little whose energetic and perceptive leadership are significant assets for our school as we seek to ensure that our colleagues in the Department for Education and the Education Authority recognise the particular funding needs of a split site school and to press on with our much needed new build.”

Concluding her report, Miss Armstrong said: “Tonight we celebrate the achievements of the past year: we celebrate difficulties overcome as well as victories won: we are a year older and a year wiser, a year stronger and more secure and resilient in our understanding and knowledge of each other and in our collective commitment to the bright future of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School.”