The Year 8 House Festival of Sport was delivered in partnership with the PE department and our Year 14 BTEC Sport students as part of their Unit 10 module, Sports Event Organisation.

All Year 8 girls took part in the festival on Monday 12th January, enjoying a full afternoon of competitive and inclusive sport.

The event began with a cross-country run in Sixmile Park, after which students chose to represent their house in either football or rugby, competing for valuable points towards the school house system.

The festival took place in cold but dry conditions and showcased excellent effort, sportsmanship, and house spirit throughout.

*Cross Country Results*

1. Lindsay
2. McConnell
3. Ollar
4. Collin

*Netball Results*

1. Ollar
2. Collin
3. Lindsay
4. McConnell

*Hockey Results*

1. Lindsay
2. Collin
3. McConnell
4. Ollar

Year 8 Girls House Festival of Sport – Total House Points

Lindsay– 10 points
Ollar–7 points
Collin –7 points
McConnell–6 points

Well done to all students involved for their enthusiasm and commitment, and to our Year 14 BTEC students for their excellent organisation and leadership throughout the event. Special mention to Mr Cowden and Mrs Hall for overseeing the event.

The Year 8 House Festival of Sport was delivered in partnership with the PE department and our Year 14 BTEC Sport students as part of their Unit 10 module, Sports Event Organisation.

All Year 8 boys took part in the festival on Friday 9th January, enjoying a full afternoon of competitive and inclusive sport.

The event began with a cross-country run in Sixmile Park, after which students chose to represent their house in either football or rugby, competing for valuable points towards the school house system.

The festival took place in beautiful sunny conditions and showcased excellent effort, sportsmanship, and house spirit throughout.

*Football Results*

1. McConnell
2. Ollar
3. Collin
4. Lindsay

*Cross Country Results*

1. Ollar
2. Collin
3. Lindsay
4. McConnell

*Rugby Results*

1. Ollar
2. McConnell
3. Lindsay
4. Collin

Year 8 House Festival of Sport – Total House Points

Ollar – 11 points
McConnell – 8 points
Collin – 6 points
Lindsay – 5 points

Well done to all students involved for their enthusiasm and commitment, and to our Year 14 BTEC students for their excellent organisation and leadership throughout the event. Special mention to Mr Cowden and Mrs Hall for overseeing the event.

Please find below our Weekly Communication Bulletin for Parents and Carers, and other important information, which has been sent out to you via Sims App.

We are delighted to inform you that our Open Afternoon has been rescheduled to Wednesday 14th January from 3:30pm to 6:00pm. The Acting Principal's speech is at 3.45pm and again at 4.45pm.
We look forward to welcoming P6 and P7 pupils and showcasing what we have to offer!
You can book your arrival slot now at

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ballyclaress

We are pleased to confirm that school will be open tomorrow. However, extra caution is advised around the school site due to the risk of ice. For safety reasons, parents/carers should not drive onto the school grounds.

Translink has advised that some rural bus routes may not be accessible. Families are asked to check bus routes in the morning and make alternative travel arrangements if necessary.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to school tomorrow!

Due to the continuing adverse weather conditions and communication from Translink regarding very limited bus services tomorrow morning, we regret to inform you that the school will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday 6th January 2026.

We believe it is better to make this decision this evening rather than early tomorrow morning to allow families time to make necessary arrangements. Hopefully, everything will be a little more normal on Wednesday.

Apologies for the disruption this will cause, but the decision has to be based on the safety of everyone in the school community.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Please stay safe, and we will keep you updated regarding any further developments.

The decision has been made to close our school and cancel the Open Afternoon scheduled for tomorrow - Monday 5th January 2026 due to adverse weather conditions. We will share details of a rescheduled date as soon as possible. In the meantime, keep warm and safe!

The Senior Prefect team spread festive cheer by presenting a small token of appreciation to all staff, thanking them for their dedication and hard work throughout 2025. Merry Christmas to one and all!

We would like to say a huge congratulations to all of our pupils on their wonderful performances at last week’s Christmas concert. Your dedication, hard work and commitment truly shone through and made the evening such a special celebration. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported our pupils — your encouragement means so much. We wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.