Thinking ahead at Ballymena Primary

Following an accreditation visit by Professor Robert Burden from Exeter University’s Centre for Cognitive Education the school achieved its prestigious new status after four years of intensive staff and curriculum development.

A special celebration event was held in the school on Thursday, December 8, attended by Ballymena Borough Councillors, James Henry, Declan O’Loan and Deputy Mayor, Robin Cherry together with special guest, Mervyn Storey MLA, Chair of the Education Committee at Stormont.

Recently the school has introduced an ambitious plan to place cognitive education or thinking skills at the heart of learning and teaching.

Cognitive education deals with gathering information and it is not the same as learning of academic skills or content, it teaches the how of learning.

The school has introduced ‘tools for thinking’ including thinking maps, thinking hats and philosophy for children. Each

Principal of Ballymena Primary school, Mr Harold Brownlow told the Times that he is immensely proud of the school being recognised.

He said: “I am proud and delighted for our school to be recognised for Northern Ireland’s first thinking school. This award has interest and

“Mr Storey came to visit the school as he is chairman of the Education Select committee, along with members of the borough council.

In his opening address, Principal, Harold Brownlow, spoke of the importance of Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities in the Northern Ireland Curriculum which alongside Literacy, Numeracy and ICT are a key component in a well-rounded education. He said he was delighted that the school was one of a select few in the UK to have achieved this wonderful accolade and paid particular tribute to the school’s thinking skills coordinator, Jackie McWilliams, who had provided such excellent leadership. The pupils in Ballymena Primary integrate thinking tools such as Thinking Maps, Six Hat Thinking, Philosophy for Children, and Mind Maps in their daily learning.

Commenting on his visit, Professor Burden noted that the school was, “characterised by an impression of light, colour and warmth and by at atmosphere which was both friendly and learning orientated.” In his report back to the school he remarked that he was left with an impression of an integrated and supportive staff and of a group of pupils appreciative of how much they had gained from the various aspects of the cognitive tools to which they had been introduced.

After visiting a number of classrooms and addressing all the staff and pupils in the assembly hall, Mr. Storey congratulated the school on its achievement. He said he was particularly delighted that a school in his own constituency was the first in Northern Ireland to achieve the Thinking School Award. He felt certain that the pupils in Ballymena Primary were receiving the kind of education that would serve them well in the future.

Chair of the Governors, Mrs. Hilary Caithness, spoke of her family’s long association with the school and on behalf of the governors expressed her congratulations and thanks to the Principal, staff and pupils. She hoped that the school would go from strength to strength in the future and looked forward to the day when the school would achieve Advanced Thinking School status.