Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus

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Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
Holy Trinity College
    Prospectus
Welcome to your future…
Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
“Inspiration,
Innovation, Excellence”

Holy Trinity College
9-29 Chapel Street, Cookstown BT80 8QB
Tel: 02886762420 Fax: 02886763457
Email: info@holytrinityc.cookstown.ni.sch.uk Website: www.holytrinitycollege.org

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Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
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Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
School Leadership Team

                             Mrs D. Gilvary – Vice Principal        Mrs M. McDonald – Vice Principal

          Mrs C. Magee- Senior Teacher          Mrs M. Quinn - Senior Teacher       Mrs N. McAshea - Senior Teacher

                            Mr A. O’Donnell - Senior Teacher         Mr E. Loughran - Senior Teacher

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Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
Hello and Welcome to Holy Trinity College.
                                       Choosing the right school is a significant decision for any family. We know that you want the very best, and that you want your child to thrive as a happy,
                                       responsible young person. We take this responsibility very seriously and work tirelessly to ensure that all pupils have a sense of belonging to a strong and
                                       vibrant school community, experience a wide range of activities on offer, and have a desire and passion for learning.
                                       In Holy Trinity College, we believe strongly in giving pupils every opportunity possible to excel in all that they do. We expect a lot of our pupils - to work
                                       hard, to fulfil their potential, to be challenged, to have self belief and achieve even more than they think is possible, and to prepare themselves for adult
                                       life. As an all-ability, inclusive college, we welcome and value all pupils, and we place the highest expectations both on staff and pupils in our pursuit of
                                       excellence.
                                       Each child only has one chance at education and in Holy Trinity College, we aim to make that count. We work together to embed a culture of success
                                       with high academic standards, a diverse and growing curriculum, high aspirations and our belief in ‘Inspiration, Innovation and Excellence’. However, we
                                       believe that education is not just about examination results and as a Specialist Sports and English Academy, we offer an enriched curriculum outside the
                                       classroom which will have activities to interest you, challenge you and give you the best possible start in life.
                                       We pride ourselves in being a caring school with strong positive relationships between staff, pupils and parents. Our Catholic ethos permeates the life
                                       and work of the College and we are committed to creating a positive environment where pupils enjoy coming to school, where they feel happy, safe and
                                       motivated to achieve their personal best in a vibrant and busy school.
                                       No booklet however, can truly show the warmth and welcoming environment within Holy Trinity College, so I invite you to judge for yourself, talk to staff
                                       and most importantly, talk to our pupils about their experiences to date. We are very proud of our pupils and staff, and we have ambitious plans for the
                                       future. We look forward to meeting you at Open Evening and hope you will be able to join us in September as a pupil of Holy Trinity College.

                                       Isabel Russell
                                       Principal

    “The Senior Leadership Team, teachers & support staff recognise the centrality of developing literacy and numeracy and
    they are at the heart of the school development plan and feature as a whole school objective in Performance Review and
    Staff development. Additional teaching time, smaller groups and setting arrangements are practical and effective means of
    enabling progression in these all important areas.”
    Survey of Best Practice in English and Mathematics (ETI)

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Page: 5
Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
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Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
Our Students

 Ema Jakabovacoca– Year 8                                   Pearse Og Foster – Year 10                             Michelle Campbell - Year 12                                    Sean McClean – Year 14

 I chose to come to Holy Trinity as I was at one of         I am a year 10 student in Holy Trinity College         I am currently in the final year of my GCSE’s                  I am a Year 14 student studying Maths, Biology,
 the summer camps in July and I really enjoyed              and am currently choosing my GCSE subjects.            studying Art, Music and French, as well as the                 Applied Business and Applied ICT. Recently I
 it. Even though the school is very big, I found            At the moment I like Technology and ICT. I             compulsory subjects. I hope to stay on in Holy                 have been involved in the Bank of Ireland
 my way around it really easily. I have made new            hope one day to become an architect as I like          Trinity and complete my A ‘Levels, hopefully                   School Bank and the school production of Sister
 friends, met new teachers and I am now                     engineering and discovering how things work.           studying Art and possibly English, Moving                      Act, which has been one of the highlights of my
 learning new subjects. I also like being in this           The teachers here are very supportive and              Image or a Science. I have yet to decide on my                 time at Holy Trinity College. I hope that with
 school as I live very close to it. I think this            always show an interest in helping us and              future career but I know I would like to do                    success in my ‘A’ Levels I will progress to a career
 school would be perfect for anyone, I really               talking through ideas.                                 something artistic!                                            in finance or teaching in the future.
 enjoy it. For me, the best thing in this school is
 the food in the canteen (yum!)

In Partnership with Parents
Parental encouragement and support, both at home and in school, is critical to children’s education. Building      Parents of Year 8 pupils who enrol with the school will be invited to attend a Pastoral meeting with their child’s
effective relationships between parents, the school and the community leads to improved learning outcomes.         form teacher before mid-term to ensure their child has successfully made the transition from KS2 to KS3.
                                                                                                                   A formal Parent/ Teacher meeting will follow in Term 2. Should parents wish to meet with teachers or the
Parents who are considering sending their child to Holy Trinity College may attend the school’s Open Night. This   Principal at other times appointments can be made through the general office.
is an opportunity to receive detailed information about the school and view the facilities.
                                                                                                                   Additional support is available from the Education Welfare Officer and Pastoral Support Officer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Page: 7
Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
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Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
Uniform

Aims of Holy Trinity College
π   To be a community inspired by the Catholic faith, living out Gospel Values and reflecting all traditions of our
    Irish Cultural Heritage
π   To enable pupils to acquire a sense of purpose and have a good opinion of themselves by giving everyone
    access to a religious, academic, moral and social and physical education.
π   To provide a wide, varied and effective curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils and with appropriate provi             -
    sion for pupils with special and additional needs, in an attractive school environment.
π   To provide all staff – both teaching and support – with the necessary accommodation, equipment and train              -
    ing to achieve our Vision.
π   To maintain a safe and healthy work environment where everyone will feel valued and their creative and
    innovative ideas will flourish.
π   To involve Parents, Educational Agencies and Industry in the work of the school which in turn will benefit the
    greater Cookstown Community.
π   To foster a spirit of cheerful co-operation and provide a caring environment which promotes high achieve          -
    ment and self-esteem amongst both staff and pupils.

College Mission Statement
“Holy Trinity College is a Catholic, maintained school committed to providing
high quality educational opportunities for each pupil to develop his/her
unique talents to the full in a secure, caring environment.”

                                                                                                                                  School uniform is available to buy in the following stockists:
    In discussions with the pupils, they report that they feel safe                                                               Robert Kee, 36 James St., Cookstown (Tel. 028 8676 2331)
    and secure in school and they are aware of what to do if they                                                                 Sophie’s Draper, 27 Main St., Pomeroy (Tel. 028 8775 8560)
    have any concerns about their safety or well-being.
                                                                                                                                  Frank McGirr’s Menswear and Mecca Boutique, 27A, The Square
    ETI Inspection 2016                                                                                                           Coalisland (Tel. 028 8774 9752)
                                                                                                                                  P.E. Uniform Stockist:
                                                                                                                                  Intersport, 16 William St., Cookstown (Tel. 028 8675 8686)

                                                                                                                                                                                                   Page: 9
Welcome to your future - Holy Trinity College Prospectus
Pastoral Care and Support
The general welfare and personal development of all    structure in place for all pupils. We believe that positive   Preparation for transfer to Holy Trinity College begins   aptitudes. These initial steps are followed by an
pupils is of paramount importance to all who work      values enable pupils to become responsible, grow in           in Primary school via subject sampling, talking to        invitation to participate in the Year 8 Summer Scheme
within Holy Trinity College. We are a caring school    confidence, show respect and become worthy citizens           P7 pupils and parents, and liaising with the Primary      and Summer Reading Challenge. A further Year 8
with positive relationships and an excellent support   of their community.                                           Principal / Teacher to discuss pupils’ needs and          Induction Programme occurs in September. All of
                                                                                                                                                                               these initiatives are designed to ease transition from
                                                                                                                                                                               Primary to Holy Trinity College.

                                                                                                                                                                               Each pupil is a unique member of a Tutor group,
                                                                                                                                                                               receiving personal attention from a Form Teacher with
                                                                                                                                                                               responsibility for attending to pupils’ well-being and
                                                                                                                                                                               progress on a daily basis. This work is co-ordinated
                                                                                                                                                                               by the Head of Year who has overall responsibility for
                                                                                                                                                                               progress and who works with parents /guardians to
                                                                                                                                                                               address any concerns. Year 8 pupils may also avail of
                                                                                                                                                                               specially trained student mentors who are on hand to
                                                                                                                                                                               offer practical help and advice, as well as helping with
                                                                                                                                                                               Literacy, Numeracy, and School Clubs. The School
                                                                                                                                                                               Matron is available at all times, along with a Pastoral
                                                                                                                                                                               Support Officer, trained counsellors and external
                                                                                                                                                                               agencies to provide support to meet our pupils’ needs.

                                                                                                                                                                               In addition, a unique initiative in the form of Nurture
                                                                                                                                                                               Provision now offers pupils, a short- term focused
                                                                                                                                                                               intervention strategy to address barriers to learning
                                                                                                                                                                               arising from social, emotional and/or behavioural
                                                                                                                                                                               difficulties.

                                                                                                                                                                               Safeguarding Procedures
                                                                                                                                                                               All staff have a duty to refer disclosures of abuse /
                                                                                                                                                                               neglect to the Designated Senior Teacher (Mrs Quinn)
                                                                                                                                                                               and in her absence, the Deputy Designated Teacher
                                                                                                                                                                               ( Mrs Coleman). Further details are available in the
                                                                                                                                                                               College’s Child Protection / Safeguarding Policy

                                                                                                                                                                                    “Sarah has settled in well
                                                                                                                                                                                    at Holy Trinity and is very
                                                                                                                                                                                    happy”.
                                                                                                                                                                                    Quote from parent

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The Haven

 “The recently established nurture unit provides a
 caring environment for those pupils identified by the
 school as requiring support.”
 Susan Irwin, Educational Psychologist

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The School Curriculum
           Key Stage 3
           The Curriculum for Years 8, 9 and 10 reflects the Revised Curriculum. Students will learn about a broad range of subjects to
           prepare them for future choices in life. An extensive Careers Programme complements the Key Stage 3 curriculum in Year 10.

           During Years 8, 9 and 10, pupils will have the opportunity to study the following subjects:

            Art and Design                                                      Irish
            Careers(Year 10)                                                    Literacy
            Drama                                                               Mathematics
            Environment and Society (comprising Geography and                   Music
            History)
            English and Media                                                   Numeracy
            Employability                                                       Personal, Social and Health Education
            European Studies                                                    Physical Education
            French                                                              Religious Education
            Home Economics                                                      Science
            Information and Communication Technology                            Technology and Design

                  …..Pupils engage enthusiastically with, and display positive
                  attitudes to, their learning…..they co-operate and support one
                  another well in pairs and groups.

                  ETI Inspection 2016

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Key Stage 4
The GCSE core subjects are compulsory in Years 11 and 12.

π     Religious Education
π     English
π     Mathematics
π     Science (Single and Double Award Science)
π     ICT
π     Learning for Life and Work

In addition to the list of subjects below, Edexcel BTEC Level 2 qualifications are offered in Information and
Communication Technology, Business, Construction, Agriculture and Sports Studies. (Equivalent to GCSE Status).

Some students are offered Essential Skills in Communication, Application of Number and all students attend
classes in Careers Education and Physical Education.

The following optional GCSE subjects are offered to pupils in Key Stage 4:

 Additional Mathematics                                     Hospitality
 Art and Design                                             Irish
 Business and Communication                                 Media Studies
 Child Development                                          Moving Image Arts
 Construction                                               Music
 Contemporary Crafts                                        Physical Education
 Double-Award Science                                       Polish
 Drama                                                      Portuguese
                                                                                                                 “By focussing on emotional well-being and resilience,
 English Literature                                         Preparation for Life and Work
                                                                                                                 Holy Trinity College are aiming to equip their young
 Engineering                                                Religious Education
                                                                                                                 people with the resources to meet diverse challenges
 French                                                     Sociology
                                                                                                                 and enhance their capacity to engage more fully in
 Geography                                                  Success and Personal Well-Being
                                                                                                                 learning. The Nurture Group is a warm and vibrant
 History                                                    Technology and Design
                                                                                                                 area, staffed by a dedicated and enthusiastic team
 Home Economics                                             Travel and Tourism
                                                                                                                 who care about the young people on a level beyond
                                                                                                                 their academic development”
                                                                                                                 ETI Inspection 2016

                                                                                                                                                                         Page: 13
The School Curriculum                                                                                                       SUBJECT                                                              AS      A2   APPLIED

                                                                                                                            Art and Design                                                                    •

Years 13 and 14                                                                                                             Biology                                                              •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Business Studies                                                                  •
All Year 13 pupils are offered a choice of three or four A Level subjects or Applied GCE courses from the table opposite.
                                                                                                                            Chemistry                                                            •       •    •
In Year 14 students are expected to study at least three A.S subjects to A2 level.                                          Double - Award Science                                                       •    •

Pupils in Year 13 also sample enrichment opportunities, including GAA and Coaching Awards, Driving Lessons, Personal        Engineering                                                                       •
and Social Development Courses, Peer Mentoring, Paired Reading, COPE (Certificate of Personal Effectiveness), First Aid,    English Literature                                                   •       •    •
Heartstart and many Career orientated activities.
                                                                                                                            French **                                                            •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Geography**                                                          •       •    •
                                                                                                                            History                                                              •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Home Economics**                                                     •       •    •
                                                                                                                            ICT                                                                               •
                                                                                                                            Mathematics                                                          •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Media                                                                             •
                                                                                                                            Music (Performing)                                                                •
                                                                                                                            Moving Image Art                                                     •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Physics**                                                            •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Physical Education                                                   •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Portuguese                                                           •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Psychology                                                           •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Religious Education                                                  •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Russian                                                              •
                                                                                                                            Sociology                                                            •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Software Systems Development                                         •       •    •
                                                                                                                            Sports Studies                                                                    •
                                                                                                                            Technology and Design**                                              •       •    •
                                                                                                                            BTEC National Certificate in Travel and Tourism                                   •
                                                                                                                            BTEC National Certificate in Agriculture                                          •
                                                                                                                            BTEC National Certificate and Diploma in Children’s Care,                         •
                                                                                                                            Learning and Development (Double and Triple Award)
                                                                                                                            BTEC National Subsidiary and National Diploma in Health                           •
                                                                                                                            and Social Care**
                                                                                                                            (** These courses are offered in collaboration with Cookstown High School)

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“I first joined Holy Trinity College at the end of 3rd year and have loved every minute of
being here. The school has provided me with many opportunities to develop both
personally and academically. At the beginning of this year I was given the role of Deputy
Head Boy, a position which I feel honored to have received and I hope I have fulfilled the
duties of this role to the best of my ability. I am currently studying for my A’ Levels in ICT,
Business and Sports Studies and I hope to continue onto a degree in Primary Teaching. I
know I would not be where I am now without the help and advice of the staff within this
school.”

Tiernan McVey

    “The school and staff are very
    encouraging about my child’s
    personal and social development”.
    Quote from Parent

                                                                                                  In Mathematics, the pupils attain very good standards. At GCSE, the
                                                                                                  percentage of pupils who attain at grades A* to C is consistently well
                                                                                                  above the corresponding three year average for non-selective schools.
                                                                                                  ETI Inspection 2016

                                                                                                                                                                           Page: 15
Alternative Vocational
           Curriculum
           A number of students in Years 11 and 12 avail of the opportunity to pursue
           curriculum initiatives established between Holy Trinity College and South
           West College. These initiatives enable students to begin their transition to
           the world of work. Students benefit greatly from their experiences, leading
           to an increase in self-esteem and promotion of their self-confidence. Each
           initiative offers the individual student external accreditation. In addition, and
           in consultation with parents, individualised work-related packages can be
           arranged that fulfil Department of Education guidelines. Pupils also work
           closely with the EA Youth Services in Personal Development.

           Learning Support
           Holy Trinity College adopts a whole school approach to Special Educational
           Needs. We aim to create an environment that is understanding and
           sympathetic to pupils who may exhibit learning difficulties during their school
           careers. Student needs are the shared responsibility of the entire staff.
           Specialist subject teachers give support in the most integrated setting possible
           – in the ordinary classroom, using a range of appropriate support strategies.

           Holy Trinity College has a Learning Support Team, which provides additional
           individualised help for these pupils, through in-class support and/ or
           withdrawal for specialist tuition with parental support and involvement at all
           times.

               The standards achieved by the pupils in
               science are very good…..the standards
               achieved by the pupils at GCSE are
               outstanding, being consistently above the
               corresponding NI average.
               ETI Inspection 2016

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Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance
The College CEIAG programme is a key element in the curriculum provision
across all Key Stages and is designed to equip students with the skills and
experience to make sound career choices and to progress to third level
education or the world of work.

The College provides a high quality Careers Education Programme with
guidance at key transition points.

A range of work-related learning activities complements the Curriculum,
whilst Post 16 students participate in work experience and work shadowing.

The involvement of employers and the business community, further
enhances learning opportunities via work placements, industrial visits,
sponsorship and support for students involved in a range of academic and
vocational courses.

Our Sponsors: Steelweld Fabrications, Tesco, O’Neills, McAleer & Rushe
group, CDE, Copeland, Bank of Ireland, CAFRE, Rocwell, ASDA, Mc Donald’s,
Lissan Coal Company

Raising Standards:
The Professional Development of
Staff
The centrality of continuous professional development for teaching and
support staff has been recognised by the awarding of the prestigious
Investors in People (Bronze) to the college. All staff are offered a
comprehensive programme of Continuous Professional Development. This, in
turn, will result in:

π    Capacity building
π    Innovative approaches to learning and teaching
π    Provision of engaging and challenging experiences for all students in
     every aspect of college life.

    CEIAG is afforded a high profile in
    the school; this is evident in the well-
    developed role of individual subjects
    in the promotion of careers, which is
    robustly monitored and mapped.
    ETI Inspection 2016

                                                                              Page: 17
Sports
Holy Trinity College is keen to promote healthy lifestyles and a lifelong love of sport and physical activity. Therefore   As well as participating in a range of sports our pupils are also given the opportunity to achieve coaching
students are given opportunities to sample a diverse range of sporting activities such as canoeing, archery and            qualifications. Accredited courses such as Foundation Level GAA, Young Referees, Performance Analysis,
golf to name but a few. The discipline and skills pupils acquire through their participation in sport are readily          Leadership and Heart Start all allow for personal development and contribute to pupils’ Record of Achievement.
transferable to their studies in school and to their community and will benefit the quality of their life and their
general health and well- being.

All pupils in KS3 and KS4 take part in Physical Education classes as well as participating in sports orientated extra-
                                                                                                                           Sporting Facilities and Resources:
curricular activities. Pupils can choose to pursue this pathway at KS4 by opting for GCSE PE and Edexcel Level two         π       Gymnasium
in Sports Studies. At Post -16 both A Level and Edexcel Level 3 Sports Studies are also available.                         π       Fitness Suite
                                                                                                                           π       Outdoor tennis court and table tennis tables
These accredited qualifications allow students to combine a love of sport with an opportunity to gain relevant and         π       All weather pitch
productive formal qualifications.                                                                                          π       Indoor and Outdoor Handball Courts
                                                                                                                           π       Access to local Leisure Centre, including swimming pool
Traditional Irish games including camogie, hurling, handball and Gaelic football are central to the school’s PE            π       Access to Mid-Ulster Sports Arena
programme. Indeed all our teams are competing at a high level within the Ulster Colleges’ framework, the most              π       Access to local Equestrian Centre
recent success this year being, the victory of our Year 8 Boys’ Team who won the Oisin Mc Grath Shield, and
the U-16 Team who won the Rafferty Cup. Both Teams are very worthy winners of their Ulster Colleges’ titles.               Sports available to students in Holy Trinity College:

Individuals are given opportunities to develop their creative and expressive talents. With our numbers ever
increasing so too is the range of sporting activities. Dance, Cross-country, Darts, Olympic handball, Jujitsu are all       Archery                                                  Athletics
proving to be popular with our pupils. The rise to prominence of our Basketball and Netball teams this year is a
result of the hard work from a dedicated coaching staff. We also look forward with much optimism as our newly               Basketball                                               Badminton
formed Golf team continue to impress in the Darren Clarke League.
                                                                                                                            Camogie                                                  Canoeing
                                                                                                                            Cross Country Running                                    Dance
                                                                                                                            Darts                                                    Equestrian
                                                                                                                            Fishing                                                  Gaelic Football (Boys and Girls)
                                                                                                                            Golf                                                     Gymnastics
                                                                                                                            Netball                                                  Olympic Handball
                                                                                                                            Orienteering                                             Outdoor Persuits
                                                                                                                            Soccer                                                   Softball
                                                                                                                            Swimming                                                 Table Tennis
                                                                                                                            Tennis                                                   UniHoc
                                                                                                                            Volleyball.

                                                                                                                                      “My child needs to be stimulated and encouraged. His
                                                                                                                                      teachers constantly do this and this has brought about a
                                                                                                                                      positive effect”.
                                                                                                                                      Quote from parent

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Promoting Quality Teaching and
           Learning
           π    Recognising the importance of every lesson
           π    Employing a range of active learning and teaching strategies to engage and
                challenge all students
           π    Enabling students to acquire the skills and dispositions needed to become
                successful lifelong learners.

           Assessment for Learning
           π    Involving pupils in their learning by focusing on the learning process as well as the
                product.
           π    Sharing of information with learners via learning intentions, agreed success criteria
                and quality feedback.
           π    Providing opportunities for peer and self-assessment and self-evaluation.

           Raising Standards
           π    Additional support for pupils with special educational needs and for whom English
                is an additional language
           π    Provision of extension resources for Gifted and Talented pupils
           π    Personalised targets in each subject
           π    Key Stage 4 pupils meet with their Form Teachers to discuss results from
                Cognitive Ability Tests
           π    Principal academic progress meetings
           π    Intervention and mentoring programmes

           Tracking Pupil Progress:
           π    Making effective use of baseline data to gauge the potential of each pupil on entry
                to the college.
           π    Setting, monitoring and reviewing challenging personalised targets for academic
                achievement.
           π    Employing an electronic tracking system to ensure students are on track to
                achieve their academic goals and fulfil their potential.

               “My daughter has settled and taken to Year
               8 really well. It is such a change from a small
               Primary school but I am delighted with the
               support she is getting”.
               Quote from Parent

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Young People at all Key Stages will be
           provided with experiences which will :
           π   Build confidence and self esteem
           π   Promote enjoyment and participation in curricular and extra-curricular aspects of
               college life
           π   Develop personal capabilities and thinking skills, particularly ICT, communication
               and numeracy skills
           π   Develop positive attitudes to lifelong learning and the emotional resilience and
               intelligence to become responsible members of society

           Pathways to Success
           π   Pupils will be given a wide range of opportunities allowing them to experience
               success.
           π   Pupils will undergo a comprehensive programme of Careers Education,
               Information, Advice and Guidance to develop their ability to make well-informed
               career choices.
           π   The involvement of local businesses and employers will enrich the college’s
               vocational, employability and careers programme.

           Using e-learning technologies
           π   Ongoing development of a Virtual Learning Environment
           π   Regularly updated Website
           π   Develop independent learning skills through the use of software packages
               and programming
           π   Increased use of iPads and laptops
           π   Effective digital communication with parents and stakeholders

                In the most effective practice in English,
                the teachers establish good working
                relationships with the pupils which underpin
                the positive, supportive ethos in the
                classrooms.
                ETI Inspection 2016

Page: 22
Information and Communication Technology
In Holy Trinity College we recognise the constant changes taking place in
computer and communication technology and now, more than ever, realise
the need to introduce courses that will empower our students to be able to
apply for a wide range of jobs in the ICT industry currently available here
in Northern Ireland. New jobs vacancies exist with worldwide technology
companies such as Kainos, Liberty IT and Allstate as computer operators,
technicians and highly paid ICT professionals.

To achieve this we have set about the steady introduction of computer
programming, enabling our students to attain a high level of coding skills
beginning when they are in our partner primary schools through the
Rainforest and Titanic projects. As a result when students begin school life
in Holy Trinity College they will already have a good basic knowledge of
spreadsheets, databases, presentation software and coding.

We aim to take this basic knowledge further and introduce courses that
provide programming skills useful for app, game and web development.

Beginning in year 8 our aim is to build programming skills through the use
of software such as Scratch, Gamemaker, HTML, JavaScript, Python, C
Sharp, Ruby game development, Appy Pie, Minecraft etc

We believe that students can learn from hands on experimenting with
hardware and robotics using the Raspberry Pis, Makey Makey kits,
Microbits, breadboards, LED panels etc. We believe in teaching students
how to code and create their own programmes; not just how to work a
computer; but how a computer works, and how best to make it work for
them.

We have an active ICT club who meet weekly and have recently produced
an arcade gaming machine, table football game and LED e.safety signage
for each department using our new 3D printer and design software. We
have recently purchased a Phantom 4 Drone and used it extensively to
produce a whole school e safety movie which the students filmed and
edited using I Movie and Sony Vegas. In addition to this they produced
all the publicity material using Photoshop and advertised it through the
website and app development software.

All our classrooms are equipped with the latest computer hardware and
software which is continually updated and courses currently on offer to our
students are constantly being revised.

We continually look at ICT career prospects and work with the Careers
Department, universities and local employers to ensure our students are
well informed of the possible career paths available to them.

                                                                               Page: 23
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The pupil community will benefit                                                 We will provide:
                                                                                                                                                             A feature of the most effective
from a whole school experience                                                   π   A high quality learning and teaching experience for all pupils at all
                                                                                                                                                             lessons is the high quality teacher
                                                                                     Key Stages
which:                                                                           π   A rich and varied enrichment programme which will allow pupils to       exposition and the opportunities for
                                                                                     participate in a range of recreational and competitive activities.
π    Encourages young people to strive for excellence.                           π   Opportunities for students to gain accreditation and awards in a        the pupils to engage in a wide range
π    Encourages pupils to assume responsibility for their learning and plan          number of courses and competitions.                                     of learning activities, including
     positively for their future.                                                π   A programme for Gifted and Talented students.
π    Actively encourages healthy lifestyles                                                                                                                  practical and investigative work.
π    Promotes physical and emotional well-being.
π    Enables young people to aim high and achieve their personal best.                                                                                       ETI Inspection 2016

Primary School Links
Holy Trinity College is ideally placed to share its professional expertise and
facilities with the local community. We are currently involved in exciting
and innovative Sport, Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Technology & Design,
ICT and Art & Design programmes with a number of our Partner Primary
Schools.

Partners will benefit from:
π    Access to the college’s resources, facilities and expertise in a wide
     range of subjects.
π    Opportunities to participate in a range of projects and activities
     designed to ease transition, provide curricular continuity and
     strengthen Area Learning Partnerships.

Raising Pupil Self-esteem and
                                                                                     The recently established nurture
Self-belief                                                                          unit provides a caring environment
π    Creating a school environment which will inspire and encourage                  for those pupils identified by the
     young people to succeed.
π    Recognising and celebrating success and endeavour.                              school as requiring support.
π    Encouraging pupils to accept responsibility for their learning, set                                                                                     “There is a warm and welcoming
     targets for themselves and aim high.                                            ETI Inspection 2016                                                     atmosphere in the school. I am
                                                                                                                                                             kept up to date through reports,
Pastoral Support for Learning                                                                                                                                meetings and the school website,
π    Providing a structured pastoral support programme and a pastoral
                                                                                                                                                             particularly the principal’s weekly
     support network which values and supports all students.                                                                                                 updates”.
π    Providing a range of support structures such as mentoring and
     coaching to address the pastoral and academic needs of students.                                                                                        Quote from parent
π    Providing a dedicated Pastoral Support Officer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                    Page: 25
Spiritual Dimension
           ‘Holy Trinity College is a community inspired by the Catholic
           faith, living out Gospel values and reflecting all traditions of
           our Irish Cultural Heritage.’

           Aims of Holy Trinity College
           Holy Trinity College is an inclusive school where diversity is respected with a vibrant
           liturgical life and value system rooted in our Catholic faith. The ethos is evident in all
           relationships which are based on mutual respect and understanding. Central to school
           life is our dedicated prayer to the Holy Trinity which is recited daily in registration and in
           class. Morning assemblies also allow us to pray in community and faith with each other.

           Religious Education is delivered in Key Stage 3 using the Fully Alive Programme which
           promotes listening, understanding, trust and reconciliation. Key Stage 4 and 5 pupils
           study CCEA GCSE and A Level Religion which facilitates faith development, and
           challenges and equips them to lead constructive and meaningful Catholic lives in the
           modern world. Post-16 pupils may participate in Diocesan Faith Development through
           the Pope John Paul 11 Award which enables them to take an active part in the life of their
           Church and to develop spiritually and socially through participation in school, parish and
           community life.

           Our ethos extends beyond our school through our close links with the St Vincent de Paul
           Society, MacMillan Trust and Trocaire. More recently, events have included Christmas
           hampers, Coffee Morning and a Spinathon to raise awareness and fund-raise for local
           and national charities. The priests of Holy Trinity parish and the parishes of our partner
           primary schools support the College in liturgical and sacramental events.

               In these lessons, the teachers have high
               expectations of what the pupils can and
               ultimately do achieve.
               ETI Inspection 2016

Page: 26
Achievements and Assessments
The College believes in the importance of celebrating the many achievements of our
students; academic, sporting, musical and personal.
                                                                                              There is a clear commitment
Sporting achievements, Key Stage 3, GCCE and A Level successes are recognised at the
Annual Prize-Giving in the Autumn Term.
                                                                                              to the welfare and holistic
                                                                                              development of the pupils.
The academic and pastoral achievement of each student is acknowledged by the
College’s newly revised ‘Promoting Positive Behaviour for Learning Policy’, which             ETI Inspection 2016
recognises and rewards pupils’ positive attitude to work, contribution to school life in
addition to promoting good attendance.

Assessments are carried out in an ongoing way, and each pupil completes two informal
assessments throughout the year as well as two formal exams. Student progress
is monitored via the College’s electronic tracking system which allows for early
identification of under achievement and appropriate intervention strategies to be put in
place.

Homework, which reinforces class work, is used to monitor progress.

Internal examinations are held twice annually. Parents are issued with formal reports
which include results, place in class and individualised comments from teachers. During
the course of the school year, plasma screens and notice boards publicly recognise and
promote individual and collective achievements.

                                                                                           The classroom assistants make a valuable
                                                                                           contribution to supporting pupils with
                                                                                           additional needs in their learning.
                                                                                           ETI Inspection 2016

                                                                                                                                      Page: 27
Community and Cultural Awareness
Holy Trinity College Staff and students are fully committed to involvement in community activity, developing   The school has forged links with many community groups and organisations and can sign post pupils and
cultural awareness and working to build a united community.                                                    parents to these when they need to avail of more specialised services.

During the year fund-raising is organised with many local and national charities receiving significant         The school works in conjunction with various organisations to promote healthy lifestyles and raise awareness of health and well-
donations as a result of our students’ hard work and the generosity of the wider community. Year 8 pupils      being issues. Workshops are delivered by Action Mental Health, Aware Defeat Depression, Womens’ Aid, Love 4 Life and other
annually raise money for MS by taking part in a sponsored walk. Year 8 pupils also take part in the now        agencies.
annual cross-community Public Speaking event in partnership with Cookstown High School. Every class
contributes to Trocaire during their Lenten Appeal and at Christmas our pupils create hampers for St           Positive cross-community relationships, inclusion and diversity are also very important issues which are addressed in the school’s
Vincent de Paul. Recently, our Year 10 pupils were involved in a cross-community event involving The HUB       Shared Education Project with Cookstown High School. During a recent ETI visit the schools’ joint shared education project was
in Cookstown and prepared ‘Blessing Bags’ for people in the local community. Year 12 pupils organised a        described as ‘an effective and productive partnership’ which has ‘tremendous’ potential.’
very successful coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer, and it was a whole school effort in raising money
for the Southern Area Hospice by taking part in our ‘Christmas Jumper Day’ along with Post 16 students         Holy Trinity College’s community work allows our school to serve our community and make significant differences to the lives of
participating in their ‘Santa Run’ which they thoroughly enjoyed. Our senior pupils regularly visit local      our pupils and their families, strengthening the home-school bonds with innovative, inspirational and excellent standards.
residential homes as part of their enriched curriculum programme.

Pupils are encouraged to be aware of environmental issues. Testimony to this increased awareness is
the College’s award for ‘Most Inspiring Environmental Project’ awarded by Sustainable Ireland and more
                                                                                                               Irish Gaeltacht Trip
recently, the securing of the ‘Green Flag Award’. Both staff and pupils are enthusiastic about managing        An overnight trip to the Donegal Gaeltacht proved to be very popular with 30 of our Year 10 pupils in November.
sustainability and conserving the natural and built environment.
                                                                                                               We enjoyed a visit to the beautiful Glenveagh National Park and Castle and a tour of the Raidió na Gaeltachta
As part of our Extended Schools Programme and community classes the College is open throughout
                                                                                                               studio in Bunbeg. Teach Leo the homestead of the famous band “Clannad” provided us with a beautiful meal and
the week providing a range of activities for parents and other community members. These activities
                                                                                                               entertainment where the pupils definitely experienced the ceol agus craic!
include: Fitness Classes, Zumba, Circuit training, jewellery making, ICT for beginners, Cookery, Parenting
Programmes, First Aid Courses and Art Projects.
                                                                                                               A very enjoyable trip where the pupils heard our native language and made the effort to use what they knew!
                                                                                                               Beidh muid ar ais!!
Halloween Fundraiser

     Page: 28
Extra-Curricular Activities
Holy Trinity College has a tradition of providing extra-curricular activities equipping pupils with opportunities
to enhance their self-esteem and to strengthen friendships outside of the school environment.

These activities often involve partnership with organisations such as Ballyronan Watersports Marina,
Beechhill Stables, Burnavon Arts and Tourist Centre, Cookstown Leisure Centre, Killowen Outdoor Education
Centre, Mid-Ulster Sports Arena and Slatequarry Golf Club.

Students can also access the following
activities:
Drama, Jewellery Making, School Musicals/ Productions, Dance, Theatre Visits, Creative Writing
competitions, Environmental projects, Fashion Club, Film Club, Entrepreneurs’ Club, Bookworm Club,
Ceramics, European Handball, Raspberry PI / Micro Bit Club, Animation, Early Birds, Traditional Music Club

                                                                                                                        Pictured is Year 9 pupil Cara Monaghan who is part of the Beyond Skin Intercultural Arts Organisation. Cara
Educational Trips Include:                                                                                              spent last Summer participating in the project where she wrote and performed her own song, ‘What If’ to a
                                                                                                                        selected audience during her workshops. Indeed, some of these performances were shared with the partner
                                                                                                                        organisation in Sri Lanka via social media links.
Bi-annual ski trip to European resorts, Pilgrimages to Knock, Lourdes, Outdoor Pursuits, Geography
Fieldwork, Visits to Irish language colleges in the Donegal Gaeltacht, Educational trips to London and France,          Cara is pictured here with Shalini Wickramasuriya (Director of partner organisation in Sri Lanka – ‘The Music
Amma Centre, STEM related activities, Business Trips, CAFRE, Agricultural shows, Visits to Croke Park and               Project’), Amada Benavides (President of Schools of Peace in Columbia), Mr Darren Ferguson, Head of Year 9
                                                                                                                        Mrs Conway and Head of Junior School Mr O’Donnell, Good Relations Officer from Cookstown & Mid-Ulster
Carrickfergus Castle, and participation in the Widening Participation Programme.                                        District Council, Mr. Oliver Morgan and a selection of Ambassadors for Peace guest speakers.

                                                                                                                                                                                         “Holy Trinity has excellent provision
                                                                                                                                                                                         for my child who is dyslexic. His
                                                                                                                                                                                         progress has been brilliant since
                                                                                                                                                                                         going to the College”.

                                                                                                                                                                                         Quote from parent

             Donal McAnallen visiting author                                                                        Christmas Jumper Day

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Page: 29
Sporting Triumphs
Rafferty Cup Champions 2017
                                                                            The Yr 12 footballers in Holy Trinity made history this year by
                                                                            winning the Rafferty Cup for the first time.
                                                                            Their campaign began back in late September with a victory
                                                                            over St Eunans Letterkenny. After coming through a tough
                                                                            group the boys defeated St Malachys Belfast in the quarter final
                                                                            and then played superbly to edge out St Pats Armagh after
                                                                            extra- time. This left them facing St Pats Keady in the final. Once
                                                                            again the lads rose to the occasion and on a cold night in St
                                                                            Pauls Lurgan they clinched victory on a scoreline of 2-12 v to
                                                                            1-7. It was left to joint captains Oran Mulgrew and Mark Devlin
                                                                            to hoist the Rafferty Cup amid much celebration. The team was
                                                                            managed by Mr Canavan and Mr McKeever ably assisted by
                                                                            Mark Bradley and Ethan Bloomer.

                                                                                  “It was a great honour to captain such a great
                                                                                  group of players. This was the team’s first
                                                                                  success; we have been beaten in finals and
                                                                                  semi-finals from year 8, so to win was just
                                                                                  brilliant. I would like to thank my managers Mr
                                                                                  Canavan and Mr McKeever for helping us to
                                                                                  achieve this.”

                                                                                  Team Captain: Oran Mulgrew

Oisin McGrath Champions
Holy Trinity secured their second Oisin McGrath title in three years with
an emphatic performance against a determined St Marys Belfast at
Ardboe on 28th November.

Holy Trinity were in the ascendancy from the outset and with four
minutes on the clock, captain and corner-forward Michael McElhatton
burst onto a loose ball on the deck and had the composure to fire past
Conor Corr in the St. Mary’s goals and give the Cookstown men a dream
start to the decider.

With less than ten minutes remaining in the game Shay McCann
successfully converted a free before Eoghan Canavan drove the ball over
the bar for the final score of the afternoon as Holy Trinity ran out
convincing 3-09-2-02 winners to lift the Oisin McGrath Shield for the
second time, having lost last year’s final to St. Pats, Armagh. Well done
to all the staff and players involved.

Page: 30
Sister Act
In November Holy Trinity College presented ‘Sister Act-A Divine Musical
Comedy’. Produced and directed by our musical department duo Roisin
McCurry and Plunkett McGartland, in collaboration with English and
Drama teachers Abigail Hyndman and Eimear Gervin, it proved to be a
huge success featuring dazzling dance routines and songs inspired by
the Motown, soul and disco era. Nearly 90 pupils had the opportunity to
get involved either on stage, in the choir or helping backstage over the
course of a very exciting week. We had brilliant audiences at each of our
performances and the great feedback was very befitting for all of our
hardwork. We’ll remember the experience for years to come.

                                                                            Page: 31
Our proposed new school
It is with great excitement that we can publicly announce that our current/existing school site has been deemed the most suitable to facilitate the proposed new school building, external hard and soft play areas and car-parking.

The new school project, when complete will provide pupils with state of the art teaching facilities and resources, thereby continuing to provide a first class, quality education for our children and for future generations, within a
modern, inspiring and innovative bespoke learning environment.

The proposed new school will be designed to ensure quality post-primary education provision in both academic and vocational pathways, with a very simple aim – that of enabling pupils of Holy Trinity College to achieve their very
best not only in terms of education, but also personally, socially and emotionally. The range of facilities will successfully serve our local school community for many years to come.

Early design works continue on the proposed new school project and we would envisage that a planning application will be submitted to Mid-Ulster Council around mid-2018, (subject to funding) when there will be an opportunity
for everyone to comment on all of the proposals for the new school project as part of the planning consultation process.

Feasibility/concept designs will be available to view at the College Open Evening.

     Key Features:
     New cutting–edge facilities to benefit pupils & staff across the curriculum

     Specially designed parking bays for buses & cars

     Academic & Vocational Curriculum

     Synthetic GAA Pitch & MUGA

     Integrated Canteen and Snack bar

     Learning Support Centre

     1300 pupil capacity

Page: 32
Page: 33
January                                              February
                           P7 Taster Days, Open Night                           Year 13 Work Experience

March                                                         April
Post 16 Options Evening,                                      Easter Holidays
Assessment Week 2

                            May                                                 June
                            Pilgrimage to Lourdes, GCSE and                     Exams, Sports Day, P7 Parents
                            A’ Level Examinations                               Information Evening
July                                                     August
                                           Relax and enjoy your Holidays!                           Year 8 Summer Scheme, GCSE and
                                                                                                    A ‘Level Results

September                                                                       October
                                                                                Assessment Week 1
Back to School!, Annual Prizegiving

                                      29

                                           November                                                 December
                                           Exam Revision                                            Winter Exams, UCAS Deadline

                                           Interim Reports, Quality Assurance
“Inspiration, Innovation, Excellence”
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