Our Moving Image Arts pupils are again working hard to complete their movies for this years exam series. As a little boost and also to share their talents with a wider audience we have decided to release one movie a month from last year’s submissions. Also keep a eye out for the odd special release from the MIA Archives.
This months release is “Baby Doll” by Gage McAlister.
The talents of Dalriada’s young artists were recognised by the Coleraine Art Society at their Student Art Competition held in the Riverside Theatre. Our winners were: Jade Houston (1st 14-15 age category), Hannah Bradley (2nd 16-17 age category), Claudia Byers (Special Commendation) and Sophie McPherson (The Colonel Clark Salver for best work in the exhibition). Well done girls.
A ski tour to New Hampshire in the USA has been organised for our current year 8 and 9 pupils. It will take place during the February 2017 half term break, departing on Saturday the 11th of February and returning one week later. There are a limited number of places available so book yours early. Booking forms and other information can be obtained from Mr. Bradley on Monday 4th January 2016.
You can also download the booking form here.
Year 8 pupils have been busy preparing for Christmas. Here are some of their decorations and wrapping paper.
Tickets available from the school office. Get yours now.
2014-2015 proved to be a very successful and rewarding year for Dalriada’s Debating Society! Under the instruction of Miss Turner and Thomas Hancock, the society continued to meet at lunchtime – every other Friday – to examine, discuss and contest important (and sometimes not so important!) ideas.
Some of the motions this year included: This House believes men are the weaker sex, This House would censor the internet and This House believes sportspeople should not be seen as role models. And, of course, one of the highlights of the year was the Staff-Pupil debate which saw Chris McLean and Mr Gamble take on – and beat – the mighty Dr Hunter and Thomas Hancock!
A group of Year 12 and 13 pupils left Dalriada on Saturday 27th June to spend 7 days in the land of Israel.
Throughout the week they visited many Biblical sites they had encountered in their studies. They spent time in Joppa, Caesarea, the Mount of Beatitudes and Capernaum before taking a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee.
Nazareth Village proved to be a highlight for many of the pupils and staff as it provided a real insight into what life was like in Palestine in the time of Jesus. A walking tour of Jerusalem allowed the group to visit the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane.
Pupils and staff also visited the River Jordan, enjoyed the Sound and Light Show against the walls of Jerusalem, had the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea and experienced a camel ride at Genesis Land.
This trip was a busy one, however it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for our pupils and a fantastic way to begin the summer holidays!
Wednesday 14th October saw forty Year 11 pupils board a bus and travel to the University of Ulster, Coleraine. The UUC School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences had organised their annual ‘Chemistry at Work’ Exhibition. Exhibitors from different Global Pharmaceutical companies all based in Northern Ireland were represented (Almac, Nicobrand, Norbrook, Randox and Warner-Chilcott), the University’s Department of Environmental Studies and then the Pharmacy Department itself which has been voted top of the League Tables for the past two years. Each presenter outlined their area of work, a little bit about how they got there and explained different aspects of Chemistry within what they do. The students were impressed by the global nature of the companies represented and the large sums of money involved in the Pharmaceutical industry. The Pharmacy Department outlined some of the practical work that their undergraduate students complete in the laboratory e.g. how much water does a nappy hold? You might be surprised to know that it is an incredibly large volume…about one litre in fact. Following the exhibition the students enjoyed ‘Scientific Sue’ and her ‘Crazy Chemistry Show’. She explored lots of different aspects of chemistry and there were plenty of explosions in her show. She was accompanied by dragons of various sizes…all toys of course…which she made fly, breathe smoke and even fire. There was plenty of audience participation and it was great fun to see how the students reacted when there was a loud explosion or there was something messy happening! We would like to thank the University for organising the event and the school for facilitating attendance at it. The students came away with plenty of information regarding employment opportunities in this sector and how the Chemistry they study in class impacts on our everyday lives from nappies to Sudocrem!
CCEA have officially notified the school of the top performers in its recent summer GCE and GCSE exams.
1st place in GCE Music – Thomas Hancock
1st place in GCE Geography – Sophie Sterne
1st Place in GCE Biology – Sarah Cassells
2nd Place in GCE Mathematics – Thomas Hancock
2nd Place in GCE Moving Image Arts – Claire Crawford
2nd Place in GCE History – Sophie Sterne
2nd Place in GCE Art and Design – Alice McCabe
2nd Place in GCSE Geography – Peter Forde
3rd Place in GCE Moving Image Arts – Alice McCabe
3rd Place in GCSE English Language – Peter Forde.
Congratulations to all the pupils and also to the eight departments represented. This adds to the highly successful year that the school enjoyed in terms of examination results at all levels.
High Standard
Very High Standard
The new term started very well for many of our Year 10 pupils. In June each Year 9 pupil had written and submitted a competition entry to the Schools Bible Project. Thousands of pupils from schools across the UK enter each year and 22 Dalriads have been awarded prizes in this year’s competition.
The Schools Bible Project Competition allows students the opportunity to find out more about a major event in the life of Christ by imagining they had been present. This year the Bible passages studied were: ‘Jesus calms the storm at sea’ and ‘The Last Supper’. Both events were studied in class and pupils were then given the task of writing their essay.
Rachel Anderson received a copy of ‘Mere Christianity’ by C.S. Lewis. Her essay had been shortlisted for a major prize and the judges agreed that her work was outstanding. Ten other pupils were awarded a copy of the same book for work of a very high standard. A further eleven pupils were presented with a copy of ‘Light in the Darkness’ in recognition of the high standard of their work.
