St Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick

Coordinates: 54°19′55″N 5°42′32″W / 54.332°N 5.709°W / 54.332; -5.709

Saint Patrick's Grammar School
Ardscoil Ghrámadaí Naomh Pádraig
Motto Signum Fidei
("Sign of faith")
Established 1934
Type Grammar
Religion Roman Catholic
Headmaster Joe McCann
Location Saul Street
Downpatrick
Co. Down
BT30 6NJ
Northern Ireland
Local authority Education Authority (South Eastern)
Students Approx. 689
Gender All-Male (Year 8 – Year 12)
Co-educational (Year 13 – Year 14)
Ages 11–18
Houses Down, Killard, Lecale, Quoile
Colours Maroon, yellow          
Publication Pulse
School Years Year 8 – Year 14
Website www.spgs.org.uk

Saint Patrick's Grammar School (Irish: Scoil Ghrámadaí Naomh Pádraig) is a Catholic grammar school located in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is currently owned by the De La Salle Brothers. It has an enrolment of around 725 students, with girls admitted at sixth form level. Pupils come from all over the East Down area. Working to support the ideals of this Lasallian School is a staff of 75 lay teachers. Recently, the school has been awarded the Investor in People award,[1] and has been named a specialist school in humanities by the Department of Education.[2]

History

Saint Patrick's Grammar School was founded in 1934 and moved to its present site in 1937. In 2009, the school celebrated its 75th anniversary. A new school building was built and opened in April 2011. The new building contains improved modern facilities including a large music department and enhanced Physical Education amenities. The PE department includes a modern gym, two indoor sports halls and a floodlit outdoor pitch.

School and community

The school and its students are linked with the local community. Extra-curricular organisations such as the St. Vincent de Paul School Conference operate within Saint Patrick's Grammar School to raise funds for worthy causes[3] as well as out in the community, conducting regular visitations to the Lecale Lodge Nursing Home[4] which is operated by Four Seasons Health Care.

In the area of Performing Arts, the school has brought a number of productions to fruition over the years, the most recent being Philadelphia, Here I Come! , The Phantom of the Opera and Oliver!.[5]

The school is involved in many local, county and national leagues in sports such as football, Gaelic football, hurling and athletics. Its sports teams have achieved a number of county and province-wide titles under the guidance of the P.E. Department.

School houses

Upon admission into the school, students are placed into one of four houses (classes). These are:

  • Down
  • Killard
  • Lecale
  • Quoile
  • Saul (In Year 13/14 only)

The Saul house is used as a separate class for Creative and Expressive studies in the junior school.

New school building

After years of planning, the construction of the new school building commenced in the summer of 2009. The school was constructed on the "junior" playing fields, which can be seen on the Downpatrick skyline. When completed, the previous school building was demolished and the site was converted into all-weather playing fields and tennis courts. The new school campus opened on 1 April 2011.

Notable former students and staff

References

  1. ↑ Minister encourages business improvement | Department for Employment and Learning
  2. ↑ St Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick – Specialist Schools Award
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ "Paddy Kielty". Downpatrick Manchester United Supporters' Club. Archived from the original on 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2011-05-18.
  7. ↑ "Board". Northern Ireland Screen. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Quigley, Maeve (27 January 2002). "It's great being the youngest at work..you can get away with so much". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
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