Ballyclare Secondary School is a non-selective, controlled secondary school in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The majority of students are White British, with a small number of young people from a range of ethnic minorities. 25% of the students are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), 39% have medical conditions, 1.3% are Looked After and 48% have a Special Educational Needs (SEN) status. There have been no permanent exclusions for a significant number of years, and the suspensions to date are significantly below the national average. There are many factors that contribute to Ballyclare being an inclusive school, but a recurring feature is the school’s “family-like atmosphere where we all look out for each other, including the parents and carers”.
Members of the school community, from staff to students, work towards the same inclusive school. The Senior Leadership Team are welcoming and friendly, and strive to give “the students a chance to be the best version of themselves they can be”. The SLT are visible every morning to ensure staff and students are welcomed warmly. Inclusion is at the very heart of life at Ballyclare, where daily routines, systematic structures, and the introduction of relational practices and adult role-modelling are the building blocks of daily positive interactions. The school’s recently redesigned ethos embodies what it means to be an inclusive school. The three “R” values, “Ready, Respectful and Responsible”, set the standard for behaviour and expectations of pupils across the school community.
Enrichment activities and wider community engagement are central to the well-rounded educational experience at Ballyclare. Whole school events are just that, where staff and pupils alike engage. From participating in productions like The Wizard of Oz to engaging in the breakfast club initiative, everyone gets involved in making Ballyclare a welcoming place for all. The Year Forum, Student Forum, and Prefect Team allows students to take leadership and responsibility roles within the school and encourages cross-year collaboration on building an educational environment that supports them.
Over 30 different lunchtime and after-school enrichment activities, such as musical productions every two years, EGO, Eco Club, Games, Scripture Union, and Esports, ensure there is something for every student to enjoy. Inclusion runs through these enrichment opportunities too, through groups like The Culture Club, that celebrates culture and diversity through food, language, and music from different countries. Most importantly, nearly all of the clubs are free of charge, or available to those on free school meals through funding. Strong links with the Royal Marines and local organisations, such as Youth Worker, allow pupils to become active and engaged members of their local community.
The school provides exemplary provision for SEND pupils. The Autism Spectrum Condition Units provides an excellent learning environment where students can thrive due to the staff’s kind and respectful approach. The school’s SEN provision is led by the SENCo and supports a student body with a large number of pupils on the SEN register, including a high proportion with dyslexia. Learning Support Assistants are assigned to small groups or individuals, showing the school’s commitment to individual support for all learners. Specialised facilities, such as a sensory garden, sensory room, time-out room, along with a therapy dog, provide a feeling of community and belonging for all students at Ballyclare. Strong communication with parents and carers of children with SEN is important at the school, as they provide regular updates via phone or meetings to update them on their child’s progress. The teachers describe the pupils of Ballyclare as a “wonderful group to work with”. All staff, including LSAs, participate in whole staff training days to reinforce a collaborative approach to school development. Learning is an inclusive and whole-school commitment at Ballyclare.
Even the curriculum has inclusion in mind. A three strand approach, Believe, Strive, and Succeed, allows students to follow a path that meets their individual needs. The PSHE curriculum equips students with life skills as well as personal development and citizenship. From equality issues to mental health, the PSHE curriculum makes students aware of how important inclusive values are in everyday life. Indeed, this is further reinforced in the pastoral system. The “Being Well, Doing Well” initiative connects emotional wellbeing with academic success, and the school works closely with external agencies, such as the Emotional Wellbeing Team Service (EWTS), to provide targeted interventions. The sense of emotional and academic wellbeing is reinforced by the strong connection with parents and carers. 87% of parents reported that their child feels safe at school, and 93% felt their child is welcomed by the school community. As one Governor described, “we all share the responsibility”, showing inclusion really is a whole school commitment at Ballyclare Secondary School.