Since September 2006, the school has been a Specialist School for the Arts – Performing and Visual – as part of the Department of Education’s pilot project. Limavady High School has a long tradition of excellence in both Visual and Performing Arts. Our results in externally examined Art and Design, Drama, Media Studies and Moving Image Arts courses have been of the highest standard. We have a well-established tradition of successful, school-generated musical/dramatic productions and of involvement in local community Arts festivals.
Becoming a Specialist School has not only recognised these past achievements but has also provided huge impetus for the development of shared Arts-related learning in the context of the Limavady Learning Partnership. Pupils from our partner schools are already joining classes in Limavady High School to participate in GCSE Drama and Dance in A(S) Level Moving Image Arts and Performing Arts. Our facilities have been enhanced by new teaching and support staff, new technologies and equipment and a new Community Arts minibus provided by a combination of finance from partners and sponsors in the Limavady business community, as well as by increased capital grants from the Department of Education.
The rationale behind the decision to apply for Specialist status in 2006 was two-fold:
(a) to provide balance in our curriculum provision which had become increasingly vocationally orientated in recent years, and
(b) to raise achievement across the whole school curriculum, at all levels of ability and in all Key Stages, by the principles of celebration of student success and the sharing of Arts-related teaching strategies across all departments.
‘Lively Learning’, in environment and in teaching styles, is our motto and goal.
The school:
- has an enthusiastic and experienced staff
- achieves excellent examination results in a wide range of subjects – academic and vocational
- is at the forefront of Curriculum Development
- offers a wide range of support programmes for pupils experiencing learning and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties
- provides for Work Related Learning at Key Stage 4
- caters for a wide range of extra-curricular and sporting activities (See Extra-curricular Activities)
- has a well developed and highly successful Pastoral System
- has excellent teaching facilities for students at all levels of ability
- cares about children
- has a positive approach to Behaviour Management and a Discipline Policy which is firm but fair
- welcomes parents for pre-arranged interviews
- has an active, supportive parent body and School Forum (See School Forum)
- is enjoyed by its pupils
- is very well resourced
- has a sixth form catering for Advanced Level study in a wide variety of courses; (See Curriculum)
- works in close co-operation and partnership with the other local schools and Further Education College in the Roe Valley Learning Community (See RVLC)