A visit to Victoria College, Belfast

Abstract

We had the opportunity to visit Victoria College Belfast in Northern Ireland between the 6th and 11th March 2006. The College offered us the opportunity to 'shadow' the college's Senior Management Team and other members of staff holding posts of responsibility. Victoria College Belfast is a girl's grammar school with boarding and preparatory departments, situated in extensive grounds in South Belfast. It is interdenominational and its pupils, from age 3 to 18, are drawn from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds. The College, renowned for its high standard of teaching, offers a rich curriculum based on the principles of the Northern Ireland Common Curriculum. The girls at Victoria College are encouraged to combine academic achievement with a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. Our report includes a study of the school as an organisation and how it is managed, the school's well defined policies, the strong pastoral system, the curriculum, assessment, record keeping and reporting and a description of life at Victoria College. We concluded by discussing the College's main strengths and their relevance to the Maltese educational system. Our visit to Victoria College has surely provided us with an invaluable hands-on experience regarding school management and administration.