It has been a very successful year for the school with strong academic performances in CEA End of Key Stage Assessments in English, maths and Information Communication Technology.
The school's Principal, Mr Malachy Conlon, congratulated the children for their academic performances this year and drew their parents' attention to a number of significant achievements in examinations. At the End of Key Stage 1 (P4] 100% of the pupils reached the required national standard for 8 year olds with 72% (NI average 41%] of the children achieving the highest possible level in English and 80% (NI average 48%] of the pupils achieving the highest grade in mathematics. At the End of Key Stage 2 (P7] 81% of St. Brigid's pupils got level 4 or higher in English which is the expected level for 11year olds (NI average 79%]. In maths 93% of the children achieved the national standard (NI average 80%].
The school's Prize Day also celebrated the children's spiritual, sporting, artistic and cultural achievements which is a strong focus of the ethos of St. Brigid's Primary School.
Sporting achievement was recognised with presentations to the Foundation Stage Pupils (P1-2] who participated in a Fun & Fitness Morning which saw the children complete group based, sporting activities. The emphasis was very much on fun and working together, a strong feature of the new Primary Curriculum. Presentation of medals were also made to Sports Day winners in P3-7 who competed in sprints, relay races, three-legged races, obstacle course and sack race. As with the younger children, the importance of team sports and working together was also recognised with the awarding of medals for the soccer team, hurling/camogie team and netball team who won the inter-school competitions. Individual excellence was also recognised with Sports Day Champion shields presented to the top boy and girl in both Key Stage 1 and 2; Gaelic games, soccer and netball players of the year as well as Endeavour, Circle Time, Achievement, Creative & Expressive individual pupil awards.
Trophies won by the school's netball team were also on display. These included the Year 7 Ballymoney Primary Schools' Leavers Shield and Coleraine and District Shield which were won once again by the netball team. The school's Principal also recognised the school's soccer, rugby, hurling, swimming and camogie teams who competed in tournaments throughout the year.
Sport forms a very important part of the curriculum and after schools programme with golf, table tennis, camogie, hurling, soccer, netball, hockey and cycling all on offer to the children. However sport is only part of the programme as the children can also enjoy computers, art, cookery, nature, reporter and craft clubs. The extensive programme of after school activities in St. Brigid's was recognised by the National Lottery Fund, which granted a five figure sum to the school in recognition of the broad programme offered by the Ballymoney school.
Prize Day was also an opportunity for the school to reflect with the parents and pupils on the important of religion in the life of the school. During the year the children have grown spiritually under the guidance of their teachers and Fr O'Brien with their preparation for First Confessions, Holy Communion and Confirmation.
Attendance certificates were presented too, with 25 children in the school having 100% attendance.
In a unique twist to Prize Day the school found that it wasn't just giving out prizes but instead was the precipitant of one itself. This year St. Brigid's Primary School was awarded the ECO Schools' Green Flag for environmental excellence in education. It was a whole school community of parents, staff and pupils working together which resulted in the school successfully achieving the flag and Mr Conlon thanked everyone for the part they played.