About Our School

School Organisation

Birches Primary School occupies a large pleasant site close to the M1, 1Km South of Lough Neagh, six miles from Portadown. The school was built in 1965 and has accommodation for 170 pupils .

The school has a well stocked, modern library and a large assembly / dining hall which is also used for PE. The building is in excellent repair having been recently renovated with two new offices and storage areas. There are ramps to the school and is in line with new legislation for the Special Education and Disability Order 2005.

Children who attend Birches Primary School are from a variety of backgrounds and bring with them their own characters and experiences which knit together into one happy family.

A happy atmosphere is apparent to the visitor and the ethos of the school would be of industry within a caring friendly environment.

Our Vision

Birches Primary School will offer the best possible educational opportunities to each child in an atmosphere where they feel happy, secure and committed to their school.

We aim to have a pleasing appearance on the outside and a welcoming environment inside. School will have a happy, industrious atmosphere with polite, well-mannered children where people are valued and where good relationships are evident.

Displays of children’s work will be dominant, being attractively presented at all times.

High expectations will be set for all the children.

It will be a smooth-running school, where roles have been well defined, and there is effective communication between all people and agencies involved in the day-to-day running of the school. Resources will be well managed, and the building well maintained.

There will be events which involve parents. Cross-community contacts will be maintained and promoted.

Our school will encourage an ‘open door’ philosophy.

By raising the profile and reputation of the school it will go from strength to strength into the new millennium drawing pupils from an ever wider catchment area yet still remain a focal point in the local community.

Aims

It shall be the policy of the Board of Governors to ensure as far as possible that the provision of all necessary resources to implement the following aims are made available to the school.

General School Aims

Based on the premise that:

Every child is unique and has a positive contribution to make to society

All children should have access to all educational resources depending on needs

The Board of Governors accept the following aims to be beneficial and desirable for the school:

The development of the practical skills, attitudes, concepts and values required in everyday life.

The development and encouragement of creative thought and expression.

Encourage each child to be independent and a responsible individual.

The provision for opportunities for children to explore, question and reason.

Children should be given the opportunity to acquire, record and use information.

Children should be given the opportunity to operate and use technical equipment.

Children should be encouraged to understand, respect and accept the views of other cultures in the community.

The development of spiritual, moral, physical, emotional and social attitudes of the children.

Opportunities to be given to each child to attain their highest level of attainment in each area of study.

These aims will be developed through the Northern Ireland Curriculum as laid down in the Programmes of Study which will

Be broad based and practical where appropriate

Encourage independent learning

Place equal worth on all areas of study

Be planned around attitudes, skills, concepts, values and knowledge

Take account of individual needs

It shall also be the Board of Governors policy to support the Principal and staff in the presentation and delivery of these aims and to support the staff in enforcing firm and fair discipline to establish an atmosphere in which the children can study effectively.

Curriculum

Birches Primary School is proud of its high standards in teaching and learning and always endeavours to provide a broadly balanced curriculum for all of the pupils. The Northern Ireland Curriculum is fully implemented in all year groups throughout the school.

The learning areas of the curriculum are:

The Arts

Language and literacy

Mathematics and numeracy

Personal Development and Mutual Understanding

Physical Education

The World around us

Religious Education

The children will be given the opportunity for practical involvement in all the areas of learning. The school curriculum will be seen as being in need of constant revision and evaluation.