Principal's Welcome

Dear Visitor I am delighted to have this opportunity to welcome you to the new St Paul’s website which I hope offers you a brief glimpse of what life is like in St Paul’s.    St Paul’s is a very special school that can offer an attractive and dependable education to every child in a family no matter what their educational achievement up to now.  Boys and girls can attend the same school and learn to grow and respect each other during their teenage years in preparation for a successful adult life.  St Paul’s values the entire child and seeks to look after not just their educational attainment but also their physical, moral and spiritual well being.  For the academically gifted we offer a huge range of post-16 courses and an excellent gateway to third level education in universities both within the island of Ireland and also abroad.  St Paul’s graduates today span the entire globe in a wide range of exciting and rewarding careers.  For those whose interests and talents are concentrated elsewhere our wide range of courses offer endless possibilities for other careers, trades and professions.     St Paul’s is above all else a caring school, very proud of its young people, with a dedicated staff constantly seeking to expand and improve on the facilities and opportunities that already exist for our pupils.  The great strength of St Paul’s lies in its strong, active relationship with our surrounding community and it greatly appreciates the support from all the families and townlands that entrust their young adults to our care. St Paul’s is much more than a school.  It is a focal point within South Armagh and South Down that has always been associated with a quality and a caring education.  The countless past pupils of St Paul’s who speak so fondly and so proudly of their association with the school on their return with their own children is the best recommendation and guarantee I can give you for your child’s future.   I encourage you to have a look at our webpages and savour the wide range of activities which are enjoyed in St Paul's, as well as the academic curriculum that is on offer and then come along and visit our new state of the art facilities.   Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and I look forward to meeting you individually in the near future.   Yours sincerely     Oliver Mooney Principal

Mission Statement

“St Paul’s recognises the individual abilities and needs of all its pupils providing them with quality education enabling them to realise their potential, to lead fulfilling lives and to play productive and positive roles in society as persons whose learning and development have been holistic.”      (Burns 2001) “St Paul’s is a creative community of learners where everyone can succeed and develop individual talents.  A love of learning is our priority.  We believe in developing confident, responsible citizens who will contribute to and lead society in the 21st century.”             (Haggeston 1996) Underlying principles: Learning, as a central component of life, is recognised as the key to the future. The world is changing at an ever increasing space. Schools must open up the school gates and welcome in the outside world.   Schools in the 21st century will need to engage in systems thinking, to utilise technology in learning (especially the internet), to work co-operatively in teams, to take initiative and to acquire actively new skills. The role of the teacher is to learn how to teach pupils to learn.  Schools as learning communities. The voice of pupils must be listened to (Formative Assessment  -  self assessment by pupils).  “Pupil voice is the most powerful and creative agent for change.” Objectives: 1.  To develop each pupil’s competence in literacy, oracy, numeracy and I.C.T. 2.  To develop each pupil’s personal qualities, knowledge and understanding in order to achieve individual abilities and self belief and self confidence. 3.  To assist each pupil’s progression to employment through work based training or further and higher education. 4.  To empower pupils to take advantage of changing employment opportunities in the new knowledge-based economy. Leadership Roles in Schools today 1.  Establish and communicate a vision/mission for the school. 2.  Create through staff a defined ethos, climate, values. 3.  Formulate strategic priorities. 4.  Outline an implementation plan; monitor, review and evaluate regularly. 5.  Create an environment that welcomes changes and seek opportunities for personal and organisational development. “Leadership exists where people are no longer victims of circumstances but participate in creating new circumstances.  Leadership is about creating new realities.”

School Aims

To be a community inspired by the Catholic faith, living out Gospel Values and reflecting all traditions of our Irish Cultural Heritage. To enable pupils to acquire a sense of purpose and have a good opinion of themselves by giving all access to a religious, academic, moral and social and physical education with appropriate provision for pupils with special needs in an attractive school environment. To provide teachers with the necessary accommodation, equipment and training to achieve aim two. To involve Parents, Educational Bodies and Industry in the work of the school. To foster and spirit of cheerful co-operation and provide a caring environment which promotes high achievement and self-esteem among staff and pupils.