Calendar
Year 8 Induction Day (No Transport)
Year 8 and Year 12 (No transport)
All students return
Mid-Term
Staff development day (no students)
Christmas Holidays ( school ends for pupils @ 11.45) (students return 7th Jan 2025)
Principal’s Address
As Principal of Blackwater Integrated College, I am delighted you have taken the time to visit our website. I believe that Blackwater Integrated College truly offers an education that caters for students of all academic abilities. Our school motto is Building, Inspiring, Caring and these three words show clearly why Blackwater is an excellent choice for post primary education.
Building for the future:
As an integrated College we are very proud of the fact that we accept students from the two main religions of Catholic and Protestant in Northern Ireland as well as other religions and none. Integration to us means respecting yourself and others, even when they have different beliefs from yours.
Building relationships is very important when joining a new school and we have a very comprehensive induction program for our year 8 students and any new students joining the College after Year 8. We have developed our primary links greatly in the last few years and a plan is in place over the next two years to further increase the curriculum links with our main feeder primary schools allowing these relationships to grow allowing the transition from Primary to Post Primary to be a less daunting one.
As an integrated College we also take an active role in our local community and work closely with other schools as part of Lecale Learning Community and also with SERC to deliver Vocational Qualifications. We have high standards, asking that everyone works and learns to their full potential, helps those around them to do their best, and develops into thoughtful, caring members of their community.
Inspiring success:
Our accelerated learning groups are aimed at students who are more academically able, so they can be encouraged to progress with both stimulation and pace. The intention is to make sure that they are happy, that they are stretched and that they fulfil their potential. Our current Year 8 accelerated group consists of many students who narrowly missed out on grammar school places and I am very confident that the environment we provide will allow those students to excel in their studies over the next five years.
I am delighted to report that our GCSE results are now above the Northern Ireland average for similar schools for the last two years in a row with an average of over 90% of our students attaining 5 or more GCSE passes at grades A* – C.
The way we inspire success is through an excellent teaching staff who are dedicated to ensuring each and every student in the College is encouraged to succeed. We regularly use technology in teaching and staff have all been trained in the use of Google Classroom. We have very recently got Chromebooks in the College available for all students that can be used in all classrooms.
We are very proud of the fact that we cater for the needs of all of our students. We have an excellent Learning Support Centre for Stage 5 students who join mainstream classes for some lessons. We also provide vocational options at Key Stage 4 for students who are looking for a more practical pathway.
Caring for all:
Children will naturally achieve more and be successful if they are happy in their studies. Our pastoral team, from form tutors to Head of Junior and Senior School to Pastoral Coordinator, provides an environment and structure that allows students to be safe, very well cared for and happy. Small class sizes and the relationship developed with the form tutor allow each child to receive the care and attention they need to enable them to achieve their best throughout their time in the College. In 2021 we have also welcomed a full time Youth Worker to the Blackwater staff. We believe this is an invaluable addition to our Pastoral team to support the well being of our students at a very difficult time.
As an Integrated College parental involvement is very important. We have regular parental consultations and we welcome contact with home. The College has an active Parents’ Association which contributes to the life of the College and holds a number of successful events throughout the college year.
I would like to thank you for visiting the Blackwater Integrated College website and if you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me at the College on 02844612115 or info@blackwateric.downpatrick.ni.sch.uk
Mr Stephen Taylor
Principal