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Last Update 01\07\09

From the Headmaster:

Welcome to our website.

I am delighted to introduce you to Dalriada, a school with an outstanding record of academic achievement and extra-curricular success. We are proud of our unique school ethos where each person feels valued and respected in a caring learning environment. We value our long established tradition of tolerance, hard work, high standards and happy pupils.

If you would like to find out more about what Dalriada has to offer, please contact the school. We will be happy to provide you with our prospectus or arrange for you to visit the school.

Mr. Thomas Skelton
Headmaster

DALRIADA SCHOOL OFFERS COMMON ENTRANCE TEST

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Dalriada School is one of over 30 grammar schools who have now decided to offer a common entrance assessment for those pupils who wish to take it to measure their suitability for an academic education.
Dalriada is one of the leading academic grammar schools in the province with pupils each year producing outstanding results in external examinations. The school consistently attracts pupils from the upper range of academic ability; from a wide geographical area and from the full range of social, religious and cultural backgrounds.
Dalriada is oversubscribed and to allocate places the Board of Governors includes an academic criterion in the admissions criteria. To maintain its excellent academic status and in the absence of any credible alternative, Dalriada has decided to use a common entrance assessment, devised by the Association for Quality Education, www.aqe.org.uk as part of their criteria for entry. This assessment is designed to “match” the skills and abilities of individual pupils to the schools best suited to respond to their potential talents and interests.
Mr. Tom Skelton , Headmaster of Dalriada, has met with the principals of feeder primary schools to explain in detail the main features of the tests. An information evening for parents also took place in June and attracted over 400 parents.

DALRIADA WIN “SUNDAY TIMES NORTHERN IRELAND SCHOOL OF THE YEAR” AWARD

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There were scenes of celebration at Dalriada on Friday when the Headmaster, Mr. Tom Skelton, informed staff, pupils and parents that Dalriada had won the prestigious Sunday Times “ Northern Ireland School of the Year” award. Each year, the newspaper compares the top 2000 independent and state schools, ranked by their recent external examination results and in 2008 Dalriada broke into the top 10 schools in Northern Ireland, being placed 5 th in the Province and 67 th in the UK. As a result, the school will be featured in the Sunday Times Educational supplement on Sunday, 16 th November.
Mr. Skelton enthused “This is a great honour for Dalriada to win this prestigious award and reflects the hard work and commitment of pupils, staff and governors and the support of parents. Our external examination results this summer were outstanding and I feel that everyone associated with Dalriada can feel justifiably proud. This has given us all a tremendous boost. We are proud of our unique school ethos where each person feels valued and respected in a caring, learning environment. We strive to help each pupil, whatever his or her background or range of interests, to develop personally and socially as well as academically”.
Dalriada is a co-educational voluntary grammar school which provides education for pupils transferring from primary schools with high grades in the Transfer Test.
Traditionally Dalriada draws pupils from the entire Causeway Coast area and from all religious backgrounds. This, together with an emphasis on the happiness and wellbeing of pupils, provides a basis for them to gain maximum benefit from their time at Dalriada.
Over 95% of Dalriada Sixth Form leavers enter university degree courses. In 2008, over half of all A level grades obtained by Dalriada students were A grades. 87% of Upper Sixth form students gained 3 A levels at A-C grades. 39 students obtained at least 3 A grades including 10 students who obtained 4 A grades or more. Two students, Natasha Robinson and Jeremy McCauley, achieved an outstanding 5 A grades each.
In addition to academic success, the variety of activities carried on in Dalriada reflects one of the great strengths of the school. This year’s achievements have been both outstanding and diverse – from British Debating Champions to All Ireland Volleyball Finalists, from Irish Chemistry Olympiad to Duke of Edinburgh Awards, from World Aid Group charity events to the school gaining eco-school status. The list goes on.
This year the school staged a memorable production of “ Joseph” which was watched by over 2000 people. The school “Evening of Music” highlighted the musical talents of pupils in the school. Members of the choir and orchestra have also performed at Hillsborough in the presence of Prince Philip and appeared on television in the “Our Wee World” programme.
Sport continues to flourish in Dalriada with success in rugby, hockey, volleyball, netball, cricket and athletics.
In conclusion Mr. Skelton stated, “Dalriada consists of a huge variety of teams, teaching and non-teaching staff, pupils, governors, parents and volunteers all striving towards the pursuit of a common goal – the pursuit of excellence in an environment where we all feel valued and respected. I feel this common goal encapsulates the unique ethos which exists in Dalriada.

Dalriada School Ballymoney