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St Colman's College, Newry has become the first school on the island of Ireland, and one of only 20 worldwide, to achieve the Gold AI Quality Mark. The accreditation from the Good Future Foundation recognises schools that demonstrate excellence in the ethical, strategic and impactful use of artificial intelligence in teaching, learning and leadership.
The award marks the latest in a series of accolades for the College's work in artificial intelligence. In June, St Colman's received the Most Ethical Use of AI in Education Award at the Ulster University AI in Education Awards, while Michael Fegan, Associate Senior Teacher with responsibility for Digital Learning and Teaching, was named Rising Star in AI in Education. The College's work in the field was also recognised previously at the Northern Ireland ICT Excellence Awards, where it received the 2025 post-primary award for its innovative use of artificial intelligence.
Rather than treating AI as a standalone subject, the College has embedded AI literacy throughout all stages of its curriculum. Students learn how artificial intelligence works, how to write effective prompts, how to critically evaluate AI-generated responses, how to recognise bias and how to use emerging technologies ethically and responsibly. The curriculum is refined regularly through dialogue with students to ensure it keeps pace with one of the fastest moving areas of technology.
The College has also developed recognised qualifications in the area. Last year, thirty students completed the pilot Pearson Generative AI Foundations certification, becoming among the first young people to gain formal accreditation in generative artificial intelligence. The qualification will now become a permanent part of the curriculum, with plans to extend learning opportunities to parents and carers. Staff have also taken part in a sustained programme of professional learning to build their confidence and expertise in using artificial intelligence to enhance teaching while reducing workload, and the College's next focus will be upskilling technical and administrative staff to realise further efficiencies.
The College's expertise has increasingly been recognised beyond its own classrooms. Fegan was invited to present at the National Conference on Generative AI in Education for the second consecutive year and, alongside Vice Principal Helen Doherty, contributed to the 'AI in Education Teacher Professional Learning Thursdays' webinar series, sharing practical approaches with teachers from the north. Science teacher Rosemary Matthews was also invited to present to members of the Chartered College of Teaching, and the College's work has featured in the Impact Journal, a prominent education research publication.
Principal Cormac McKinney welcomed the recognition, saying artificial intelligence presented enormous opportunities for education when introduced thoughtfully and responsibly. "Achieving the Gold AI Quality Mark is a tremendous endorsement of our approach and reflects the commitment of our staff, students and the wider school community. We are very grateful to everyone who supports us in our journey," he said.
Fegan said the College's approach had always been guided by educational purpose. "We want every young person leaving St. Colman's College to have the confidence to question AI, understand its limitations, recognise its ethical implications and use it to enhance, rather than replace, their own thinking. That same philosophy underpins the professional learning we provide for our staff and the work we continue to share with the wider education community," he said.
Doherty, who leads on Curriculum, said artificial intelligence would influence every profession the College's students go on to enter. "We are incredibly proud that our work has been recognised in this way. However, our focus remains firmly on ensuring every student benefits from the opportunities artificial intelligence can provide, while developing the judgement and confidence to use it wisely," she said.
