Page 146 - Bellfort Magazine 2024

Year 9 have had some fantastic opportunities this year, making the school term both exciting and
memorable. We kicked off the year with a Junior social for both Year 8 and Year 9 pupils, the first of
its kind for our Year 9 students. It was not only an event filled with dancing, but also fun games,
providing a chance to welcome our Year 8 pupils into the school community. Year 9 truly stepped up,
showing great leadership and enthusiasm in encouraging the younger pupils to get involved.

We marked the final week of 2023 with our Festive Fun activity, which took us on a trip to the
cinema to watch Wonka. Year 9 students conducted themselves with maturity and respect,
thoroughly enjoying the new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic story. It was a fantastic way to close
the year.

Year 9 also had the chance to support our Year 11 and 12 boys in the Rugby Final at Kingspan. Along
with the rest of the school, we cheered them on with great pride, even though the final result didn’t
go our way. Nevertheless, we were immensely proud of the team’s tremendous achievement and
their hard work leading up to the final.

In addition to whole-school activities, Year 9 participated in several engaging workshops. One of the
highlights was the STEM Programme, designed to inspire and educate students about potential
career opportunities within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This initiative made
a positive impact, helping students make informed decisions as they look ahead to selecting their
GCSE subjects in Year 10.

Through Shared Education, Year 9 joined forces with St. Patrick’s College for some friendly
competition in dodgeball and basketball. It was a great opportunity to make new friends and enjoy
some healthy competition.

We also took part in an important Internet Safety workshop, ensuring that our Year 9 students are
aware of how to use the internet responsibly and safely, which is crucial in today’s digital world.

Throughout the year, Year 9 pupils have excelled, whether through merit and attendance awards or
individual accomplishments outside of school. It has truly been a year filled with growth, learning,
and success.

As we look forward to Year 10, Year 9 pupils are setting high expectations and goals for the future.
We anticipate another busy and productive year as they prepare for the important step of choosing
their GCSE options.