Ballytrea Primary School pupils celebrate success

Situated on an elevated site on the Coagh Road outside Stewartstown, the school enjoys a rural setting.

Ballytrea makes good use of a broad range of visits and visitors to the school to enhance the children’s learning experience.

The school is funded by DENI for the Extended Schools Programme and offers a wide variety of afterschools clubs for the children to participate in including hockey, football, netball, music, drama, arts and crafts.

Ballytrea is proud to be an Eco School and it has gained three green flags for the work in the Northern Ireland Eco Programme.

Some of the activities which are part of the programme are recycling clothes and recycling Christmas cards. The organic garden in which the children plant fruit and vegetables is also part of this programme.

The school also uses solar power and it monitors its electricity costs. The classrooms are also equipped with energy monitors. The pupils collect mobile phones and cartridges from printers in the scheme.

Ballytrea’s achievements continue with the school having recently been placed runner up in the Local Tennis Schools Competition which was held at Cookstown Primary School.

And this month the school was awarded Class of The Year at Cookstown Leisure Centre for swimming.

A recent inspection report paid tribute to the staff and pupils and highlighted some very positive aspects of the school.

The report stated that the children demonstrate good levels of motivation, engagement and enjoyment in their learning and that they listen attentively and are respectful to the staff and their peers.

Their behaviour is exemplary and indeed their behaviour was exemplary during the inspection.

The report also stated that staff work hard to create a positive climate for learning which encourages the pupils’ confidence and self-esteem.

The report pointed out that arrangements for pastoral care are very good and it highlighted the very good working relationships between staff, children and parents.

Many useful links and partnerships within the community have been developed, the report added.

The school is linked through the Dissolving Boundaries Programme with St Mary’s National School, Castlefin, Donegal and through the ICT programme the children email each other. The school also has strong links with St Mary’s Primary School in Stewartstown and the pupils enjoy fostering positive relationships with each other through their learning.

A grant has been available through the University of Ulster and the college in Maynooth.

The pupils, led by principal Mrs Swaile and her team of teachers, enjoy school life and maximise it to the full.