Area Learning Community
In St. Patrick’s College we work in collaboration with our local schools and the Southern Regional College to deliver access to the Entitlement Framework. This enables us to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum to meet the needs of all our students and to provide them with access to a wide range of learning opportunities suited to their aptitudes and interests.
ALCs exist in order to increase the number of subjects our Key Stage Four and Post 16 students can choose from, providing them with greater choice of academic and vocational course at GCSE and A’ Level.
Our Banbridge Area Learning Community consists of seven schools and the Southern Regional College. The chairperson of the Banbridge ALC is our own school Principal, Roisin Woods.
The schools include:
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St. Patrick’s College
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Banbridge High School
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Donard Special School
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Banbridge Academy
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NewBridge Integrated
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Rathfriland High School
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Dromore High School
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Each school involved within our area learning community has a Coordinator whose role is to manage the courses available throughout the BALC, monitor the delivery of these courses and ensure that the pupils experience while partaking of these courses is fulfilling and ultimately leads to a recognised worthwhile qualification for each student.
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The SRC offers Occupational Studies to our Year 12 students at the Newry Campus. These classes can lead to a level 2 qualification which is equivalent to one GCSE and is delivered in one year.
The SRC also delivers BTEC Countryside and Environment to our Year 11 and 12 students leading them to achieve a level 2 double award which is equivalent to two GCSEs.