St. gerard's school & support services
St. Gerard's is a catholic co-educational special school that caters for pupils from the ages of 3-19 with a range of additional needs.
All students are referred to the school by the Education Authority, Belfast region and have a Statement of Special Educational Need.
We provide small class settings with highly skilled and experienced Teaching and Learning Assistant support staff.
We work as part of a multidisciplinary team. Allied Health Professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists are an integral part of our school team. The team works closely with education staff, other professionals and parents/carers to facilitate each child's development and maximise their potential. we link with a number of outside agencies to support students.
Our Mission Statement:
Achieve, Believe and Celebrate
encompasses everything we do in St. Gerard's in helping our pupils reach their full potential: spiritually, physically, emotionally, academically and socially.
ETHOS OF ST. GERARD'S
"I feel it in my fingers,
I feel it in my toes"
Ethos is like the wind, it can't be seen but it can be felt around us.
When we get the ethos right then everything else follows.
The word ethos comes from a Greek word that really means "how we do things around here". Ethos describes how we treat each other - pupils, staff and parents.
In St. Gerard's we base our ethos on the teaching of the gospel. Love is the corner stone of our ethos. St. Paul to the Corinthians tells us what love is:
"Patient and kind
Never rude,
or irritable.
It never gives up".
Hence in our relationships with each other we must show respect and sensitivity. A feeling of efficacy must be present - the views of all have to be considered.
St. Gerard's is a place where people want to go to work - a place where we all want to learn.
Our curriculum and the way we teach it reflects the ethos.
We encourage and cajole our pupils to reach their full potential. We teachers use wit and its cousin wisdom to fill our pupils with real confidence.
When things go wrong we teach our pupils and ourselves to learn from our mistakes. Our discipline procedures are anchored in our pastoral care of each other.
The extra things we do for each other are done with good grace.
The ethos of St. Gerard's is visible in the extra miles we go.
Images of St. Gerard's School and Support Services
OUR STAFF
The main strength of our school is our hardworking, highly skilled and knowledgeable staff, whom are committed to ensuring every child achieves his/her full potential.
We believe in the concept of lifelong learning. While we are professional teachers, we are also learners and as such we continue striving to improve our practice.
This means coming to a better understanding of the learning and teaching process and being committed to continuous professional development.
We believe that with effective and enjoyable learning and teaching experiences we can help our pupils lead happy, healthy and rewarding lives.
RATONALE
As a staff, we aim to provide an education which promotes:
* The development of knowledge, understanding, positive attitude and, above all, enjoyment of the learning process.
* Continuity and progression, including opportunities to consolidate and build upon prior learning.
* Achievement of potential, taking account of the needs of the whole child and equality of opportunity for all.
* A broad, balanced, real and relevant curriculum in line with the NI curriculum at a level appropriate to our pupils.
* Use of cross-curricular links to make learning meaningful.
* Use of homework to consolidate learning and to keep parents aware of what is being taught.
* Promotion of personal and social development as well as academic achievements.
