Carrickfergus Learning Community
Encyclopedia
Carrickfergus Learning Community (CLC) is a collaboration project between the four post-primary schools in Carrickfergus
, Northern Ireland
. The project aims to increase the number of subjects available to sixth-form
students in the area.
and BTec
qualifications.
between the four schools involved, and sit exams in the school in which they are taught.
because of the negative effects produced by cross-school timetabling, reducing the flexibility of individual schools to alter their timetable to offer unusual subject combinations that prior to the CLC were possible, for example music and technology. The CLC also gives schools the opportunity to save money by dropping subjects they original taught and offering pupils the subject at other schools for example, Carrickfergus Grammar School
no longer offers media-studies but instead offer the subject at Downshire Community School
through the CLC, reducing costs but increasing strain on the timetable.
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The project aims to increase the number of subjects available to sixth-form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
students in the area.
Schools Involved
All four post-primary schools in Carrickfergus are involved:- Carrickfergus CollegeCarrickfergus CollegeCarrickfergus College is a secondary school located in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The college was opened in 1959 and has over 750 students and 52 teachers. It is within the North Eastern Education and Library Board area.-College Ethos:...
- Carrickfergus Grammar SchoolCarrickfergus Grammar SchoolCarrickfergus Grammar School is a grammar school situated in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Since opening in 1962 with 60 pupils and 4 teachers, its pupil numbers have increased to just over 800 pupils from ages 11 to 18 in Years 8 to 14....
- Downshire SchoolDownshire SchoolDownshire School is a community high school in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Downshire Road. It opened in 1977 and currently has an enrolment of 803 pupils and 59 teachers....
- Ulidia Integrated CollegeUlidia Integrated CollegeUlidia Integrated College is situated in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. It was opened in 1997 with an initial 63 students. It is the 44th integrated school to be created in the province and currently provides education for over 530 Catholic and Protestant children.- Catchment area background...
Subjects Available
The schools offer AS and A2, Applied GCEsGeneral Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
and BTec
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
qualifications.
Applied GCE
- HealthHealthHealth is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
& Social Care (Single Award) - ICTInformation and communication technologiesInformation and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
(Single Award)
AS/A2
- Accounting
- BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
- ChemistryChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
- French languageFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
- GeographyGeographyGeography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
- Government and Politics
- Home EconomicsHome EconomicsHome economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
- MusicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
- PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- PhysicsPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
- Technology
Applied GCE
- TravelTravelTravel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
& TourismTourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
(Single Award) - Physical EducationPhysical educationPhysical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
(Single Award)
Logistics
Pupils travel by taxiTaxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
between the four schools involved, and sit exams in the school in which they are taught.
Criticisms
The CLC is often criticized by pupils in attendance of Carrickfergus Grammar SchoolCarrickfergus Grammar School
Carrickfergus Grammar School is a grammar school situated in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Since opening in 1962 with 60 pupils and 4 teachers, its pupil numbers have increased to just over 800 pupils from ages 11 to 18 in Years 8 to 14....
because of the negative effects produced by cross-school timetabling, reducing the flexibility of individual schools to alter their timetable to offer unusual subject combinations that prior to the CLC were possible, for example music and technology. The CLC also gives schools the opportunity to save money by dropping subjects they original taught and offering pupils the subject at other schools for example, Carrickfergus Grammar School
Carrickfergus Grammar School
Carrickfergus Grammar School is a grammar school situated in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Since opening in 1962 with 60 pupils and 4 teachers, its pupil numbers have increased to just over 800 pupils from ages 11 to 18 in Years 8 to 14....
no longer offers media-studies but instead offer the subject at Downshire Community School
Downshire School
Downshire School is a community high school in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Downshire Road. It opened in 1977 and currently has an enrolment of 803 pupils and 59 teachers....
through the CLC, reducing costs but increasing strain on the timetable.