Write a commentOver 250 students and their parents at St Paul’s High School gave a warm reception to the special guests at the Annual Prizegiving Ceremony at St Paul’s High School last Monday. Principal, Mr Oliver Mooney, extended a cordial welcome to Minister for Education, Ms Caitríona Ruane, MLA, Vice Chairperson of the NI Assembly Education Committee, and past pupil and teacher of St Paul’s, Mr Dominic Bradley, Very Reverend Father Seán Larkin, PP, Chairman of Board of Governors, Very Reverend Father Dermot Maloney, Parish Priest of Dromintee and Chaplain to St Paul’s, Mr John Rafferty, Head of PE & Sport, Mr Brendan McArdle, Head of Year 12 and Ms Christine Fearon, Head of Year 14.
After the opening prayer Mr Oliver Mooney, Principal at St Paul’s, began the Prizegiving Ceremony in the school Assembly Hall by welcoming the special guests, staff members and students who were present.
Mr Mooney addressed the gathered parents, staff and students and said that is was “a night of great celebration looking back at the Year of St Paul.”
Mr Mooney continued, “We are fortunate to have with us tonight the Minister for Education, Caitríona Ruane, a staunch advocate for our quality, non selective, all ability approach to education. St Paul’s prides itself on being a community school supporting its parishes and in return receiving great support from them.”
“It has been another record breaking year in examinations at both “A” Level and GCSE. This is the largest graduating Year 14 class in the history of the school. We now have a post 16 enrolment of over 260 and it will probably increase again next September. This is about three times the Post-16 group of some years ago and the phenomenal growth is due to the ever-increasing grades being gained by our Year 12 students that allow them the option to stay on in St Paul’s for further study and qualifications. This success is down to an enriched, imaginative, choice built, multi-pathway, curriculum at Key Stage 4 which has been designed by Mrs Anne Mallon, the Curriculum Vice-Principal, and the excellence of teaching and endeavour by the entire teaching and support staff.”
“Our Year 13 students are the top performing GCSE Year 12 group in the history of the school achieving a 71% pass rate for 5+ GCSEs, A* to C. Given the wide, all ability nature of the year group, this is an astounding achievement and is double the equivalent pass rate of some years ago. Each subject is consistently outperforming the Northern Ireland averages for equivalent schools.”
Mr Mooney added, “The Year of St Paul saw trips to a whole range of countries with the highlights being the International trips to Brazil and Romania and the Pilgrimage to Rome. Everyone who participated on the Pilgrimage to Rome agreed that it was a wonderful experience and personally I regard it as the most significant and rewarding experience of my entire career. I was so proud of our pupils singing in St Peter’s Basilica at the Sunday evening mass, it was literally nerve tingling.”
“Groups of students also visited England, Spain, and France and in September we had a group on exchange to Sweden and in October a group went on what has become an annual trip to Kenya. Father Tom McDonnell, of St Patrick’s Missionaries from Kiltegan, who look after us so well in Kenya, is here with us tonight.”
“It is with some sadness I mention the trip to Kenya as this weekend saw the return of Fr Jeremiah Roche’s remains following his brutal murder during a robbery at his home in Kericho in Kenya. Fr Jerry was a good friend to St Paul’s and several of our students and staff had the privilege of knowing him. May God now look after him as Fr Jerry looked after so many others during his long ministry abroad.”
A moment of silence was held in honour of Father Jeremiah Roche.
Mr Mooney congratulated the Under 16 BT Herald Cup team on winning the school’s first Ulster Colleges’ title in only our second year in the Colleges’ competitions. Mr Mooney paid tribute to the staff involved, Mr Rafferty, Mr Digney and Mr Quinn and indeed the whole PE department, and also the parents who supplied the players and did the taxi runs to pick them up after training and travelled to matches to offer support. Thanks was also expressed to all the local clubs involved for their work for Gaelic games.
Mr Mooney concluded his address by offering his congratulations to Year 13 student Caolán Trainor, Year 13, on being selected as the school’s first Colleges’ All Star. “Caolán is a worthy recipient and a great ambassador for St Paul’s in every way,” said Mr Mooney.
Mr Mooney then welcomed Minister for Education, Ms Caitríona Ruane, MLA.
“It has been an honour to attend the Prizegiving here at St Paul’s. The awards being presented help recognise the young people’s individual achievements in areas including sporting and musical activities and academic studies.
“With its ethos of inclusion and mutual respect St Paul’s must be commended. All schools are a central part of any community, with the children and young people playing an important role both now and in the future.
Ms Ruane added, “I would like to recognise the excellent work St Paul’s are doing in working in collaboration with surrounding schools and education establishments. This has ensured that pupils are offered a wider range of opportunities and choices in their studies, which I am confident, will help them to make the right choices in the future.
“I want to commend the strong leadership of Oliver Mooney and the Board of Governors in helping to make the school a success. It is their dedication along with the teachers and school staff which help the young people to achieve their goals. Finally of course we should congratulate the young people themselves on their hard work and enthusiasm and I wish them every success in the future.”
As part of the school’s Annual International Projects a cheque for £18000 was presented for Father Tom McDonnell, representing St Patrick’s Missionary Society, Kiltegan, who host students and staff from St Paul’s each year in the Kenyan parish of Londiani.
