Ballakermeen High School

Ballakermeen High School
Motto "Passionate about Learning"
Type Comprehensive
Headteacher P. A. Burnett
Location St Catherine's Drive
Douglas
IM1 4BE
Isle of Man
54°09′16″N 4°29′36″W / 54.1544°N 4.4933°W / 54.1544; -4.4933Coordinates: 54°09′16″N 4°29′36″W / 54.1544°N 4.4933°W / 54.1544; -4.4933
Students 1500+
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–18
Houses

    Conister

    Hillary

    Langness

    Maughold

    Patrick
Colours

    Blue

    Yellow
Website www.ballakermeen.com

Ballakermeen High School is a coeducational comprehensive secondary school based on a single site in Douglas, on the Isle of Man.

History

Ballakermeen formed part of HMS St George during the Second World War. This was the Royal Navy's only Continuous Service Training Establishment, where cadets would receive an education comparable to that of a Secondary School.[1]

Starting at the age of 16, the cadets who passed through HMS St George received a concentrated 15 months training course in the Seaman, Signal and Wireless Telegraphy Communications branches. A staff of over 300 officers provided the educational background to the practical and technical training for the cadets.[2]

To give breadth to their education, English subjects and Naval history were taught, with lectures additionally being devoted to mathematics and its service application to science and navigation, with emphasis placed on the practical rather than the academical aspects of the subjects. Classroom work at Ballakermeen was supplemented by instructional films and practical experiments. Separate classes were formed for cadets of different branches of the service, with each class consisting of 25-30 cadets under the charge of a qualified Naval Schoolmaster.[3]

The officer in charge of Ballakermeen was Captain A.J. Lowe[4]and by the end of the war over 8,000 cadets had passed through the establishment.[5]

Current use

The school currently has 1500+ students aged 11-18, making it the larger of the two secondary schools in Douglas in terms of student numbers and the largest on the island (St Ninian's High School is the other secondary school in Douglas). The school offers GCSEs, BTECs and City and Guilds qualifications for study. The sixth form department of the school (renovated and extended during 2013-2014 period) offers A-level qualifications. Facilities at the school include a swimming pool, sports hall, ICT suites, laboratories and a theatre.

The school was used as a location in the 2006 British Spy film Stormbreaker.

Notable former pupils

References

  1. ↑ Mona's Herald, Tuesday, August 28, 1945; Page: 3
  2. ↑ Mona's Herald, Tuesday, August 28, 1945; Page: 3
  3. ↑ Mona's Herald, Tuesday, August 28, 1945; Page: 3
  4. ↑ Ramsey Courier, Friday, August 24, 1945; Page: 5
  5. ↑ Mona's Herald, Tuesday, August 28, 1945; Page: 3
  6. ↑ "Quayle, Hon George Martyn MHK Middle". Google Docs. Retrieved 3 October 2011.


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