Meet our Principal

Our Principal, Mr Harold Brownlow, M.A.,B.Sc.(1st class hons) began teaching in Tobermore Primary School before becoming Vice-Principal in the Hezlett Primary School, Castlerock. For a further three years he was seconded as a Field Officer for ICT with NEELB after which he became Principal of Ballymena Primary, a post which he has held for the last ten years.

In 2000 he was awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship. This allowed him to travel to the USA where he visited schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Texas and Oklahoma. On presentation of his research report on "The Management of ICT in Teaching and Learning", Mr Brownlow was awarded The Churchill Medallion at a ceremony in London's Guildhall. For further information on The Churchill Trust visit http://www.wcmt.org.uk/default.asp

Following our school's success in winning the WWF Our World Challenge Mr Brownlow has been invited to become a consultant on Education for Sustainable Development. In September 2002 he was invited to No10 Downing Street for a reception hosted by the Prime Minister and Mrs Blair to honour those who look after the nation's children and young people.

Mrs Simpson, our Vice-Principal and some pupils nominated Mr Brownlow for the Dromona "Big Cheese" award sponsored by Dale Farm and ITV in 2003. We were proud that he was short-listed to the last 5 out of over 250 nominations. Here are some of the children's thoughts:-

"He is No 1 because he stops bullying"

"He made the school grounds really beautiful."

"He always consults us if he is doing anything to the school."

"If we have a problem, he offers good and helpful advice."

"He treats all of the children in our school equally."

"I think he is the best because he is kind, generous, funny and fair."

The School Ethos
At Ballymena Primary School we are committed to:-

• The promotion of Christian values as guiding principles for life and living.
• Valuing the sanctity of human life and the uniqueness of each individual member of the school community.
• Developing an ethos where each member of the school community is sensitive to the personal and pastoral needs of others.
• Equal opportunities for all.
• The development of tolerance, respect and acceptance of the diversity of human life.
• The provision of a safe, secure, happy and stimulating learning environment.
• Caring for the natural and material environment.
  

Children
In relation to themselves, to others and to the world around them, we will encourage children to:-

• Develop as well rounded individuals, socially, culturally, morally, spiritually, emotionally, physically and academically.
• Maximise their full potential and achieve success.
• Prepare for life-long learning and their future roles in society.
• Develop self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Grow in self-discipline, personal responsibility and independence.
• Develop a healthy lifestyle.
• Be creative and imaginative and to solve problems.
• Develop a caring and charitable attitude compatible with the school's Christian ethos.
• Respect others, irrespective of race, colour, religion, class, gender or ability.
• Build positive relationships.
• Work hard, play well and enjoy learning.
• Respect the environment and understand the need for conservation and sustainability

Early in the nineteenth century a large "blackstone" school was built on the Ballymoney Road. The townspeople were proud of this modern place of learning, known as Ballymena National District Model School, one of the four original "model" schools in Ulster. On the one site there was a boys'school, a girls' school, an infant department and a headmaster's residence.

Some time later the name changed to Ballymena Model Public Elementary School. Pupils attended the school until they were fourteen years old. Some sat the Scholarship Exam for entrance to a grammar school, others went to technical school or left to take up employment.

The introduction of the "Qualifying Examination" following the 1944 Education Act meant that children then transferred to second level schools at eleven years of age and pupils of primary school age moved from "The Model" to Guy's and Ballymoney Street schools. For a number of years the building housed Ballymena's first Intermediate school and a new assembly hall was added.

As Ballymena continued to develop, new schools were needed to cater for the educational needs of children and in 1971 Dunclug Primary School was opened. Children from the northern side of the town who had attended Ballymena County Primary were encouraged to go to the new school. Some teaching staff also transferred at this time.

After the re-organisation of education in Northern Ireland when control of the school changed from County Antrim Education Authority to The North Eastern Education and Library Board, the term "County" was dropped and the school became known as Ballymena Primary School.

Ballymena Primary School is therefore, one with a rich historical heritage. Many people who have had distinguished careers in politics, business, education, community work, religion and sport, to name but a few, look back with appreciation to their early days as pupils of the school. To them, and to many in the wider community, it is still referred to affectionately as "The County Primary".