October 2015

On Friday 11th October, Yr 8&9 French pupils attended a French play in the college's assembly hall performed by the Onatti theatre group. The play was entitled "Mon Père ne me comprend pas! (My father doesn't understand me!) The Onatti theatre group is a regular visitor to the school and their plays are always well received by our junior pupils. They pitch the level of French just right and ensure active participation. This year was no exception with both years fully engaged from the onset. An enjoyable afternoon for both pupils and teachers.

A selection of pupils from 10D and 10E participated in the Gael Linn Quiz held in the Whitehorse Hotel in October 2015. Pupils also had the opportunity to do some Céilí dancing!

On Monday 19th October, the Year 11 Young Enterprise “Quick Start”  group had their ‘Halloween Treats’ sale.  These went down a ‘treat’ selling out within 10 minutes.  This was part of the extra schools curricular programme organised  by Ms C Doherty.

On Tuesday 13th October all Year 11 pupils took part in an Enterprise Day as part of their LLW programme of study. In the morning session, Invest NI delivered a digital masterclass which invited pupils to come up with an innovative app. Within their teams pupils had to assign roles within sales, marketing and finance. They had to present their pitch to a panel of judges who assessed teams on the uniqueness of the app and the delivery of the pitch. The panel were hugely impressed with the range of app designs and commented that some of them would be viable in today's market. The ideas included a Digital Diary which would allow teachers to upload homeworks for pupils to access electronically, Bringing Business Together, which allows employers and workers to link up,and Virtually Me, an app that allows you to try items of clothing before you buy by inserting your measurements.

In the afternoon session, a representative from Allstate, a local software development company with global links, came in to speak to pupils about globalisation and the benefits of achieving the status of a global company. This was followed by a globalisation workshop where pupils gained insight into the pros and cons of globalisation and its impact on Northern Ireland. They also were asked to consider the effect it would have on them as future employees. Pupils were fully engaged in all activities and reported positively on the workshops offered.

Representatives from 8A presenting a cheque for £500 to Mr Kevin Mc Corkell from MacMillan Cancer. The class raised this through a coffee morning and a bake sale.

On 12th October all Year 11 pupils participated in a Democracy Day as part of their Programme of Study for KS4 Learning for Life and Work. Pupils visited the Free Derry Museum and took a walking tour of the Murals in the Bogside with a key focus on the Civil Rights Movement. Over the course of the day pupils also engaged in a workshop, delivered by Ms Anne-Marie Fleming, the Stormont Education Officer. Pupils gained a better understanding of how democracies function and they became familiar with democratic institutions. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience and felt that it enriched their understanding of politics and how they fit into a democratic framework.

Congratulations to our Year 13 student, Eloise Smyth who has won first prize in the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, Voices of the Future, Public Speaking Competition that was held recently in the North West Science Park.

On Tuesday 22nd September fifty of our Year 9, two Year 10 and two Year 11 students were presented with their YCT1 and YCT2 certificates by the Chinese Consulate General Madam Wang Shuying and Mr Jonathon Bell NI Enterprise Minister in the Waterfront Hall Belfast. We were also treated to a magnificent performance of ancient Chinese martial arts and traditional folk music by Wulin Hanyun Troupe. Congratulations to all our students who were awarded YCT1, YCT2 and HSK examinations last summer.

On Friday 25th September, 10 Year 11 and Year 13 pupils accompanied by Dr Ferris and Miss Maeve Mc Menamin accepted an invitation from event coordinator SEC (School Employer Connections) to attend an "Introduction to the Northern Ireland Science Park" located at Fort George. 8 companies located at the Science Park delivered 10 minute presentations on their contribution to the Knowledge Economy. These companies are now operating on a global scale and firmly believe that world class talent creates world class outcomes! The companies involved were HR team, Connected Talent, Modern Democracy, Smith Dehn, Junkkouture, 8 over 8, Alleycats and Injixo.

Dr Norman Appsley (OBE) and Dr Joanne Stuart (OBE) from NISP Belfast also spoke to pupils about their vision to transform NI into one of the most entrepreneurial knowledge economies across Europe by 2030. They encouraged students to be more entrepreneurial and to actively seek out opportunities to develop their entrepreneurial skills. One such initiative is Generation Innovation which seeks ambitious students with the drive to become future leaders of the knowledge economy. Entrepreneurial flair, ability, inspirational leadership and aspiration are the key qualities and skills required. Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the event and are keen to participate in some of the initiatives outlined on the day. Our entrepreneurs of the future!