Slemish College
Address
Larne Road

Ballymena
,
County Antrim

Northern Ireland
Coordinates54°51′20″N 6°15′35″W / 54.855643°N 6.25965°W / 54.855643; -6.25965
Information
TypeIntegrated secondary school
Established1996
Local authorityNEELB
SpecialistHumanities College
PrincipalMichael Bennett
GenderCo-educational
Age11 to 18
Enrolment748
HousesGall, Comgall, Ultan & Lorcán
Colour(s)Blue and yellow    
Websitehttp://www.slemishcollege.org.uk/

Slemish College is a co-educational integrated secondary school in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

The college is named after Slemish Mountain near Ballymena in mid-Antrim, which tradition suggests was home to Saint Patrick during his youth.

Context

Integrated Education is a Northern Ireland phenomenon, where traditionally schools were sectarian,[1] either run as Catholic schools (Maintained) or Protestant schools (Controlled). On a parental request, a school could apply to 'transition' to become Grant Maintained (Integrated school)which would offer 30% of the school places to students from the minority community. Lagan College was the first integrated school to open in 1981.[2]

Under the delegated Northern Ireland education system, the year groups are numbered differently to their English cousins. In England the first year is Reception, then comes Year 1, in Education in Northern Ireland, reception is year 1, and 11 year-olds transition to post-primary (secondary) into Year 8.

History

Ballymena parents had established integrated primary schools, and wanted their children to complete their education in an integrated schools. A steering group formed in 1994, and support was received from NICIE on condition that 80 children could be found.[3] Ballymena and particularly Harryville Chapel had been a point of conflict during the 'Troubles'.[4] The violence did not stop until The Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998. Slemish first opened its doors in September 1996 with 84 pupils. The school takes in 120 new students every year. It was one of the most oversubscribed schools in Northern Ireland by 2001.[5] In June 2008 the college was given specialist school status in the area of the Humanities (Geography and English).[6] It is the first specialist school in the Ballymena area and one of only three schools in the province to specialise in humanities.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lord Baker of Dorking, Daily Hansard, 18 July 2006 : Column 1189 www.parliament.uk, retrieved 22 July 2007
  2. ↑ "The History of NICIE | Integrated Education Northern Ireland". www.nicie.org. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  3. ↑ "Slemish College - Our Journey". www.slemishcollege.org.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "Loyalist protest Catholic church at Harryville razed to the ground". belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  5. ↑ "Minutes of Evidence: Review of Post Primary Education in Northern Ireland". Northern Ireland Assembly. 22 May 2001. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  6. ↑ "College News – Specialist Humanities Academy". [www.slemishcollege.org.uk/ Slemish College website]. 4 June 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
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