A Specialist School for the Arts – Performing and Visual

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 and by increased capital grants from the Department of Education.

The rationale behind the decision to apply for Specialist status is two-fold:

(a)      to provide balance in our curriculum provision which has 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, will be our motto and goal.

The school -

• has a mature and experienced staff
• achieves excellent examination results in a wide range of subjects – academic and vocational
• is at the forefront of Curriculum Development
• provides for Work Related Learning at Key Stage 4
• caters for a wide range of extra-curricular and sporting 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 at all times
• has an active, supportive parent body and PTA
• is enjoyed by its pupils
• is extremely well resourced
• has a sixth form catering for Advanced Level study in a wide  variety of courses
• works in close co-operation and partnership with the other local  schools and Further Education College in Limavady Learning Partnership