News

School that abandoned streaming is best in UK

St Patrick's High School in Keady, Co Armagh, was voted top secondary school at the prestigious 2015 TES awards
St Patrick's High School in Keady, Co Armagh, was voted top secondary school at the prestigious 2015 TES awards St Patrick's High School in Keady, Co Armagh, was voted top secondary school at the prestigious 2015 TES awards

A pioneering, all-abilities school that scrapped the streaming of pupils has been named the best in the UK.

St Patrick's High School in Keady, Co Armagh, was voted top secondary school at the prestigious 2015 TES awards.

Since it took the decision to stop banding its pupils, going beyond advice from the education minister, it has rocketed to the top of Northern Ireland league tables.

Instead it operates an almost primary-style approach to secondary teaching, and results have been improving every year since it made the change.

The percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at A*-C including English and maths has risen in the last four years from 52 to 62, 70 and 80.

Judges noted that it was a non-selective school in a wider area where academic selection is the norm. The town has been 11-plus-free since 1980, operating a system of automatic transfer between primary schools and St Patrick's.

The TES said: "It created three core school-improvement groups focused on teaching and learning, motivating and engaging boys, and assessment for learning. It built stronger links with its partner primary schools and embarked on ambitious staff-led development schemes, including professional learning groups. A learning resource centre now assists students who are struggling and stretches those who are achieving at the highest level.

"But it's not all about the academic side: St Patrick's is prominent in the local community, sending food hampers to those in need at Christmas and organising regular visits to the elderly. As the school's entry to the TES Schools Awards pointed out, the emphasis is on education in its `fullest sense'."

In a competitive category, the judges said the "innovative work and move away from banding, the amazing results achieved and rate of acceleration" made St Patrick's stand out.