How do I apply for a place at Movilla High School for September 2021?

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This year there will be an online application open between 12 noon on Monday 1 March 2021 and 4pm on Tuesday 16 March 2021. This is not a first come first served basis and post-primary schools will only begin to make decisions on applications after the closing date for applications has passed.

Your child’s primary school will share with you an electronic copy of the key information leaflet ‘Applying for a post-primary school place’ in the coming weeks. If you haven’t received this yet, you can download a copy at https://www.eani.org.uk/parents/admissions/post-primary-admissions-guide

The admissions criteria for all post primary schools are now available https://www.eani.org.uk/search-schools . Before you start your application it is very important that you read the admissions criteria of all the schools you are interested in sending your child to.

The online application is very straight-forward to complete and you will be guided through each page. In addition to the guidance videos and documents on the EA website, the Admissions Helpdesk will be available for digital assistance if you need it.

It is the responsibility of the Board of Governors of our school to determine the admissions criteria to be used in the event of oversubscription.

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Why should I go to Movilla High School?

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As the only non-selective post primary school in the town, the school is at the heart of the community. It has a long tradition of nurturing and enhancing learning which has led to outstanding GCSE successes in the last two years especially.

There is a very strong ethos of support, encouragement and aspiration that allows our pupils to flourish and be challenged, but also supported, should their learning need careful fostering and structure.

Our aim is “to encourage the development of the whole individual” and that is shown in the wide range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities, school trips, community involvement and business connections. We aim to support our young people as they mature into responsible young men and women, motivated and resourced to take their place in the adult world.

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What is the average class size in the school?

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Pupils are taught in classes where the average class size is 20 pupils. Practical classes (eg. PE, Art, Music, RE, Science, Design & Technology) are limited to 20 pupils.

This allows for greater focus on individual and small groups of pupils.

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My child requires extra support. Who should I contact regarding this?

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Please contact the school by phone on 02891 812079 and ask to speak to Mr Martin (Learning Support Co-ordinator/SENCO) who will be happy to discuss your requirements.

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How many lessons are there in the school day and how long do these last?

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The school day is split into 8 periods lasting 45 minutes each. One of these is used for Lunchtime (either Senior school or Junior School), and there is a break of 15 minutes in the middle of the morning. Further details can be found on our website at:

School Day | Movilla High School | Newtownards

In Junior school, the full NI Curriculum is studied, with opportunities to study subjects in all Areas of Learning. Further details on our Keystage 3 curriculum can be found on our website KS3 | Movilla High School | Newtownards

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My child currently receives Free School Meals. Do I need to reapply?

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Yes, when your child moves schools you have to apply again.

The Education Authority (EA) for Northern Ireland is responsible for assessing eligibility for Free School Meals. Details of this process can be found at:

https://www.eani.org.uk/financial-help/free-school-meals-uniformgrants

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I don’t live near the school. How do I apply for transport assistance?

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The school is situated on a main arterial route in Newtownards within 100m of the intersection of road links from Bangor, Ards Peninsula, Donaghadee, Dundonald and Newtownards town.

We are situated 10 minutes walk from Newtownards Bus Station and bus stops for Bangor, Millisle/Donaghadee and the Greater Ards Peninsula are in even shorter distances.

If you don’t live near the school you can apply for a bus pass by contacting the Education Authority Transport section on Home to School Transport | Education Authority Northern Ireland (eani.org.uk)

They also will be able to indicate whether you would be entitled to a free bus pass. https://www.eani.org.uk/financial-help/home-to-school-transport/how-to-applyfor-transport-assistance-for-my-child

Translink bus routes and times of scheduled services can be viewed at https://www.translink.co.uk/JourneyPlanner

Provided you are willing to get yourself up on time to get your bus, there is no reason why you can’t join the large number of pupils who travel by bus to us each day.

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My child is really nervous about starting a new school? Where do they go to get help?

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All the staff at Movilla High School understand how anxious young people will be about transferring from their primary schools. The last months have been very challenging and it has made us all feel even more worried about the future. But there is no need to be stressed about the next stage in your school career. Have a look at what one of our Year 9 pupils, Oliver, has said about his first experiences in Year 8 and how he feels now.

If you have a problem in school or are worried about anything there are lots of people in school who are here to help. Every pupil has a Registration teacher who would be your first ‘go to’ person. You will have a 15 minute period with them every morning and if there are any problems, these can be aired here. You will have a new Registration teacher who will remain with you from Year 9 onwards throughout the rest of your education.

If the problem is more serious you can approach your Learning Co-ordinator. This is Mr Orr for Year 8 and he is located in Science Room 1.

The Head of Pastoral Care and Welfare is Ms Gilpin and our Designated Teacher for Child Protection is Mrs Laird. We also have a Safeguarding Team of teachers whose photographs are in every room. It’s their job to make sure you are safe and happy inside school and at home, and you could talk to them if you needed help in that way.

Any member of school staff will be there to help you if you need it and if they can’t they will know who the best person is to be able to make sure your issue is sorted out.

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Is it possible to arrange a visit or tour of the school?

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This year we have been unable to accommodate visits and tours of the school as we have done in previous years. This is due to the current Covid-19 restrictions.

Please refer to our new Prospectus and the range of Departmental video and webpage entries on our website. Our virtual tour will give you a flavour of proud we are of our school and what we have to offer.

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