FOR decades, St Patrick's in Keady has been celebrated as a quality all-abilities Catholic school - long before Pat McGuckian was appointed.
In 1980 there began automatic transfer to St Patrick's from partner primary schools and an abandonment of academic selection in the area.
When Church officials sought a location in 2009 to announce that Catholic grammars should scrap the 11-plus, they chose St Patrick's. Cardinal Sean Brady praised it as an outstanding school providing "an excellent standard of education".
It consistently featured on the Irish News's annual GCSE performance lists - placing top five in 2007, 2008 and again in 2011. Ms McGuckian took over that year.
It was its table-topping performance in 2014 that caused a bit of a stir. It sat top of the pile when 80 per cent achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and maths.
It put this success down to ending streaming. Banding pupils on entry in Year 8 was reviewed in consultation with the staff, and a pilot of mixed ability groupings was put in place.
Read more:Harassment forcing me to stand down says principal
The percentage of pupils achieving top grades went from 52 per cent to 62 to 70 to 80 in four years.
The Irish News observed some classes during a visit. Year 8 was almost a continuation of the primary approach. All abilities were catered for in the same classroom although there were subtle difference to the way teachers interacted with groups of pupils.
There followed success when it was voted top secondary school at the 2015 TES awards.
In January this year, it emerged that an investigation into allegations of exam cheating was taking place. The school said the allegations affected "a small number of pupils entitled to additional access arrangements".
There was no suggestion of systemic or widespread malpractice, the school said.
In 2017, St Patrick's was again the best-performing non-grammar - with a massive 91.3 per cent pass rate.
Ms McGuckian declined to comment on the results in light of the investigation.
She will leave at the end of the school year, but says this is not linked to the probe. She said she was the target of a campaign of harassment lasting more than a year.
Sustained and vexatious malicious communications are `hate crimes' and police are understood to be investigating.
Ms McGuckian has said St Patrick's will continue to be an innovative and progressive school with a dedicated staff.
Read more:Harassment forcing me to stand down says principal
