A NORTH Belfast school is taking A-Level Science to a new level by teaching dentistry with the help of a former past pupil.
Blessed Trinity College have replaced the traditional Biology, Chemistry and Physics A-Levels with a more well-rounded Life and Health Science A-Level instead.
The A-Level includes a dentistry unit, which is being taught to 13 pupils by past pupil Ciara McAllister.
After leaving school, Ciara, from Duncairn Gardens went on to become a dentist for around 15 years.
After deciding on a career change, Ciara went on to complete her PGCE and is now a permanent teacher at Blessed Trinity College, where her own education began (before amalgamation) in Little Flower Girls.
Speaking to the North Belfast News, Ciara said she is delighted to be back teaching at the North Belfast school.
"I was a dentist for 15 years and decided to train as a teacher, so I completed my PGCE at Queens," she said.
"I always enjoyed working with young people and completed part of my teacher training at Blessed Trinity College.
"I became aware of the Life and Health Science degree and the opportunity came up to teach a dentistry unit to the students.
"There is such an avenue of jobs in dentistry.
"All the students are really enthusiastic about the course. They will gain that qualification to move on to dentistry or other science-related jobs. There will be so many opportunities for them.
"I am so happy to be back in North Belfast, where I grew up and loved and still love."
Brendan Scott, head of Science at Blessed Trinity College, added: "The new Life and Science A-Level mimics a lot of things that students will do when they move on in a career.
"It gets them more of a practical experience of what science is like in the workplace, one unit of which is dentistry with Ciara.
"Provided they do well, it will get them into 95 per cent of all degree courses."
