Collective Responsibility Raises Standards – Ruane

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, paid a visit to St Joseph’s College and Fleming Fulton Special School in South Belfast.

Speaking after the visits the Minister said: "Both St Joseph’s and Fleming Fulton are part of the South Belfast Learning Community. By working collaboratively, sharing facilities, resources and expertise, schools in Area Learning Communities (ALC) are helping to increase the range of courses available to young people. The ALC can include schools, further education colleges and other organisations, working together to enable our children to access not just a good education but an excellent one. Through their collective responsibility they are ensuring that educational attainment and standards are being raised for all children.

"I would have to agree with the famous civil rights campaigner, Marian Wright Edelman, when she said: ‘Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.’ I would therefore like to congratulate all those involved in working together to help our children and young people reach their full potential, enabling them to contribute to not only their local areas but also the wider global community.

"I would like to thank both Joseph McCourt from St Joseph’s and Jeremy Taylor from Fleming Fulton for the opportunity to visit their schools and meet with the children and staff."

Notes to Editors:

1. Area Learning Communities comprise schools from all sectors and have evolved to plan collaborative 14-19 provision with a specific focus on delivering the Entitlement Framework.

2. The South Belfast Learning Community consists of 12 schools; Aquinas Grammar, Glenveagh, Malone College, Park Education Resource Centre, Royal Belfast Acad. Inst, Victoria College, Fleming Fulton, Hunterhouse College, Methodist College, Rathmore, St Joseph's College, Belfast, Wellington College.

3. Fleming Fulton has 142 pupils and is a controlled co-educational special school based on the Upper Malone Road Belfast.

4. St Joseph’s College has 587 pupils and is a catholic maintained co-educational secondary school based on the Ravenhill Road, Belfast.