Carrickfergus Learning Community


Carrickfergus Learning Community is a collaboration project between the three post-primary schools in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. The project aims to increase the number of subjects available to sixth-form students in the area.

Schools Involved

All three post-primary schools in Carrickfergus are involved;

Subjects Available

The schools offer Advanced [Level (UK)|AS and A2], Applied GCEs and Business And [Technology Education Council (BTEC)|BTec] qualifications.

At Carrickfergus College

AS/A2

Applied GCE

At Carrickfergus Grammar School

AS/A2

At Downshire School

AS/A2

Applied GCE

At Ulidia Integrated College

AS/A2

BTec

Logistics

Pupils travel by taxi between the three schools involved, and sit exams in the school in which they are taught.

Criticisms

The CLC is often criticized by pupils in attendance of Carrickfergus Grammar School because of the negative effects produced by cross-school timetabling, reducing the flexibility of individual schools to alter their timetable to offer unusual subject combinations that prior to the CLC were possible, for example music and technology. The CLC also gives schools the opportunity to save money by dropping subjects they original taught and offering pupils the subject at other schools for example, Carrickfergus Grammar School no longer offers media-studies but instead offer the subject at Downshire Community School through the CLC, reducing costs but increasing strain on the timetable.