Press Release
Date: Friday 03 June 2005 (NR/12/05)
Pioneering Pupils lead the way on Employability
Pupils at St Peter’s High School in Derry have been leading the way in developing a new area of the school curriculum. Education for Employability is due to be phased into Northern Ireland’s schools from September 2007 and Year 8 pupils in the school have been involved in trialling a range of activities to help develop their understanding of the world of work.
On Friday 3 June St Peter’s hosted an ‘Employability Day’ to showcase some of the activities in which they have been involved. Teacher at the school, Paul Nolan explained more:
“We believe that Education for Employability is a priority not only for young people in schools but also for the future economic well being of Northern Ireland . Over the last year we’ve been working with the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and the Western Education and Library Board to help develop materials and resources that will help all post –primary schools implement this important area.”
Today 45 of our students will be showing their understating of various jobs and professions by performing a mime while fully dressed up in the attire of the job they will be representing. We have invited along representatives from CCEA, WELB, local businesses and primary schools to share what we’ve learnt. “
Education for Employability is one aspect of a new compulsory part of what will be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools – Learning for Life and Work.
Learning for Life and Work
In June 2004 the Minster for Education, Barry Gardiner MP, accepted in full CCEA’s proposals for future curriculum and assessment arrangements in Northern Ireland .
A key priority of the reforms is the introduction of Learning for Life and Work which includes the following elements:
- Education for Employability
- Citizenship
- Personal Social and Heath Education
- Home Economics
Pilot projects in Education for Employability, Citizenship, and Personal Social and Heath Education are currently running in Northern Ireland Schools to help with the smooth introduction of these new areas. Both Entry level and GCSE Learning for Life and Work qualifications are being piloted this year.
Aspects of Learning for Life and Work will become part of the statutory curriculum from September 2007 onwards.
Media enquiries to Ruth Maguire on (028) 9026 1216, Mobile 07796947993. E mail rhmaguire@ccea.org.uk
ENDS
Note to Editors
CCEA is the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
CCEA places learners and those who have a concern for their educational and personal development at the forefront of its thinking. CCEA's mission is:
"To enable the full potential of all learners to be achieved and recognised"
What we do
CCEA is a unique educational body in the UK , bringing together the three areas of curriculum, examinations and assessment.
Advising Government – on what should be taught in Northern Ireland ’s schools and colleges.
Monitoring Standards – ensuring that the qualifications and examinations offered by awarding bodies in Northern Ireland are of an appropriate quality and standard.
Awarding Qualifications
– as Northern Ireland’s leading awarding body we offer a diverse range of qualifications, such as GCSEs, including the new GCSE Double Award specifications in vocational subjects, GCE A and AS levels, Entry Level Qualifications, and Graded Objectives in Modern Languages.
- CCEA also offers a range of Awards and Certificates in Education, Training and Skills (ACETS) targeted at learners who want to get
the knowledge, understanding and skills needed
to hit the ground running in the world of work.
