Biology Department
Department Ethos:
At our Lady & St Patrick’s High school, our biology department considers the process of developing the whole child to be a crucial and an important part of our work.
Academic Success through encouraging confident learners: The academic success of pupils is encouraged by providing a range of highly interactive and stimulating courses. In addition, the classroom ethos is considered as an important aspect as we feel that a positive and safe learning environment enables pupils to feel valued and part of a team. This creates an atmosphere in which a strong sense of purpose is always evident.
We encourage our pupils to become responsible citizens. This is achieved by using our courses to highlight social, ethical and economic issues which underpin science. Class teachers frequently use a variety of different media sources and teaching methods to encourage pupils to consider and develop their own knowledge and understanding of their world and how they can successfully contribute to this.
Finally, the department encourages pupils to be effective contributors by encouraging an enterprising spirit, resilience and self-reliance.
In summary, the biology department is not only committed to teaching the subject of science and biology but also to developing every child to ensure they reach their full potential to succeed in school and for the rest of their lives. We understand the importance of working collaboratively with parents and we use a variety of resources to keep them informed, for example, personal progress reports, end of term reports, the schools website and the departmental newsletter. Every pupil is entitled to receive the highest level of education and the department regularly strives to deliver this to our pupils.
Department Aims:
The department aims to:
- Contribute to the general education of pupils through their involvement in scientific investigation.
- Encourage objectivity and an analytic approach to problems.
- Develop the pupil’s understanding of themselves and the natural world in which they live and to develop the ability to apply biological principles to relevant areas such as health care, environmental management and technology.
- Develop skills and confidence in using these skills independently.
Staff List:
Mrs N. O’Neill (PT)
Mrs C. McLafferty / Miss A. Murney
Mrs L. Seagrave (APT PC)
Ms N. Dalrymple