Newry: Evangelical church member decline affects school number

A fall in pupil numbers at a Newry school is down to fewer members of an evangelical church community living in the area.

That is according to an inspection of the OneSchool Global campus in the city.

The OneSchool Global (OSG) network was originally established by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.

As well as the school in Newry, County Down, it also runs another in Knockloughrim, County Londonderry.

The network had previously planned to merge the two schools to create a voluntary grammar school.

But that plan was turned down by the former Education Minister Michelle McIlveen.

The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church dates back to 1827.

According to the church's core doctrine, believers regard the Old and New Testament "as being the inspired and infallible word of God".

They also practice the principle of separation - "drawing away from the world in a moral sense" - although communication and interaction with non-brethren are permitted.

As independent schools, the two OSG schools in Northern Ireland are not currently funded by the Department of Education (DE) but are inspected by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI).

OneSchool Global has 26 schools across the United Kingdom and others in the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Australia.

According to an ETI inspection, which has just been published, there are 80 children in the school at Knockloughrim - up from 73 in 2021/22.

Of those, 30 are primary-age children and 50 are of post-primary age.

But overall pupil numbers in the school in Newry have fallen to 21, down from 34 in 2020/21 and almost half of what they were four years ago.

The Newry school "provides education for learners mainly from the Warrenpoint Plymouth Brethren community", the ETI inspection report said.

"Newry enrolment has declined due to fewer numbers within the Plymouth Brethren community living in that area."

The two schools do not have to follow the Northern Ireland curriculum and instead take subjects similar to other OSG schools in the UK.

For instance, as well as GCSEs, post-primary pupils take "Cambridge International" A-Levels which are not currently recognised by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.

"All of the learners have access to devices and complete almost all of their work online," the ETI inspection of the OSG schools said.

"The lessons reflect well the school ethos that places self-directed learning and independence at the core of its work."

'Confident and articulate pupils'

Due to online learning, pupils in the Northern Ireland schools can take part in classes with other OSG schools in the UK.

Year 14 pupils at the schools also take their A-Levels in November, then enter a 'graduation' programme run by the schools to prepare them for employment.

The inspectors said the pupils were "mature, confident and articulate" and "work well independently and collaboratively".

"The school provides efficient and suitable instruction which meets the needs of all of the pupils," the ETI said.

OneSchool Global has 26 schools across the United Kingdom and others in the USA, Europe, the Caribbean and Australia.

Its two schools are not the only independent schools in Northern Ireland.

According to the department there are 12 other independent schools - over half of which are connected to the Free Presbyterian Church.

Another independent school, the Buddy Bear School in Dungannon for children with cerebral palsy, has long campaigned to be funded by the Department of Education.

The Buddy Bear School currently relies on grants, fundraising and donations in order to operate.