Carrickfergus Grammar School

Infobox UK school
name = Carrickfergus Grammar School
latitude = 54.729242
longitude = -5.816703
dms =
motto = "Praestantia"
motto_pl =
established = 1962
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Controlled Grammar
religion =
president =
head_label = Headmaster
head = W. K. Irwin
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label = Chairman of the Board of Governors
chair = C. H. C. Gould
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist = Science
street = North Road
city = Carrickfergus
county = Antrim
country = Northern Ireland flagicon|Northern Ireland
postcode = BT38 7RA
LEA = NEELB
ofsted =
staff = 55 Full-time, 4 Part-time (2007/08) [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=136&Itemid=145 Carrickfergus Grammar School - Staff ] ]
enrollment = c. 800
gender = Coeducational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses = Castle, Fergus, Knockagh and Thornfield
colours = Maroon, Navy & White
color box|Maroon color box|Navy color box|White
publication =
free_label_1 =
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = http://www.carrickfergusgrammar.com/
website_name = Carrickfergus Grammar School

Carrickfergus Grammar School is a grammar school situated in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Since opening in 1962 with 60 pupils and 4 teachers, its pupil numbers have increased to just over 800 pupils from ages 11 to 18 in Years 8 to 14.

The school is situated on the site on the old Thornfield Manor overlooking the town of Carrickfergus, and has a proud view of Carrickfergus Castle and Belfast Lough beyond.

The school is known for its sporting achievements, especially in rugby, hockey, and football and its music department, including the Senior Choir which often performs in high profile venues.

The school motto "Præstantia" roughly translates as 'striving for excellence' and the school's mission statement reads "Further Excellence from Present Strengths".

History

The school was founded in 1962 with just 60 pupils. When J. McK Grainger, the school's first headmaster, retired in 1977, over 600 pupils were in attendance. The new headmaster, Hugh Jamison, oversaw the school's expansion to deal with this increase in numbers when an extension was built in 1983.

The school's third and current headmaster, Kenneth Irwin, took over in 1990. He soon made his mark on the school, changing the motto to "Præstantia" and replacing the school crest with a new logo. The school continued to grow, and in 1999 was the first Grammar school in Northern Ireland to achieve the Investors in People award. It was also later awarded the Goldmark by the Northern Ireland Sports Council for the quality of its physical education. In 2008 the school achieved Specialist School status, specialising in science, and was awarded the International School Award in recognition of its work encouraging global awareness in school [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=282&Itemid=244] ] . The school is currently working towards gaining the Charter Mark Award for Excellence. [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=29 Carrickfergus Grammar School - School History ] ]

Facilities

Carrickfergus Grammar School has a wide range of on-site facilities for pupils.
* Over 40 classrooms, including laboratories, computer suites, Art and Design rooms and workshops
* The Grainger Centre, comprising the school library, careers office and pupil study area
* The Jamison Room: Years 13 and 14 Sixth Form Centre
* The Parkison Suite, a new, purpose-built H.E. department
* Playing fields, including rugby and hockey pitches, athletics track, and tennis courts,
* A music department, including classrooms, practice areas and study areas

Uniform

School uniform is compulsory and all pupils wear a navy blazer with the school logo emblazoned on a pocket on the left. The school tie is maroon and is imprinted with small white castles. Girls wear a grey pleated skirt, a white blouse, and either black tights or white ankle socks. Boys wear black or dark grey trousers, a white shirt, and black or dark grey socks. All pupils wear black low-heeled shoes. A navy v-necked jumper is also allowed. [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139&Itemid=141 Carrickfergus Grammar School - Uniform ] ]

Badges, Colours and Honours

School badges are awarded by many of the extra-curricular clubs and organisations which run in the school, including Young Enterprise, Sports, Music and other groups. Badges are also given to School Councillors.

Pupils who have excelled in sports, music or in other ways can be awarded with a Colours tie, the normal school tie with navy stripes running diagonally down it, and for further excellence in those fields pupils can be presented with a Colours with Distinction tie, the Colours tie with the navy and maroon reversed. Special achievements such as Head Boy and Girl, Outstanding Contribution to Sports or Music, or academic achievement such as 10 A*s at GCSE Level will be awarded with a maroon Honours blazer, and Honours tie.

Curriculum

There are a wide range of subjects offered at Carrickfergus Grammar [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=42 Carrickfergus Grammar School - Subjects ] ] :
*Accounting
*Additional Mathematics
*Art and Design
*Biology
*Business Communication Systems
*Business Studies
*Chemistry
*English
*English Literature
*European Studies
*French
*Further Mathematics
*Geography
*German (ending in academic year 2008/09)
*Government and Politics
*Home Economics
*History
*Information and Communication Technology
*Latin
*Learning for Life and Work
*Mathematics
*Music
*Photography
*Physical Education
*Physics
*Religious Studies
*Spanish
*Technology and Design
*Word Processing

Critical Thinking was also offered, however as of 2007 it is no longer available.

Carrickfergus Learning Community

Carrickfergus Grammar School is currently involved in a new curricular scheme called the Carrickfergus Learning Community (CLC), along with Carrickfergus College, Downshire School, and Ulidia Integrated College to provide a wider range of options to Carrickfergus' A Level students. Pupils from Carrickfergus Grammar will be able to study these subjects at the corresponding school. This initiative is popular and is an appealing choice for those who wish to remain at Carrickfergus Grammar yet want to study another subject which the school doesn't cater for.Subjects offered include:
*Health and Social Care (Carrickfergus College)
*Media Studies (Downshire School)
*Moving Images (Ulidia Integrated College)
*Performing Arts (Ulidia Integrated College)
*Travel and Tourism (Downshire School)

A number of pupils from the other three schools in the CLC group can attend Carrickfergus Grammar School for alternative subjects to those offered at their school: Government and Politics, Geography, and French for example. [ [http://www.ulidiacollege.com/Portal.aspx?tabindex=65&tabid=4570 Ulidia Integrated College - Carrickfergus Learning Community ] ]

YESIP

A new part of the curriculum is a programme called the Youth Education Social Inclusion Programme (YESIP). This program aims to educate Year 13s about cultural diversity and helps them learn more about their identity as a Northern Ireland citizen. [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=199&Itemid=198 Carrickfergus Grammar School - YESIP ] ]

Extra-Curricular Activities

*Army Cadet Force [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34]
*Bridge Club [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=30&Itemid=204]
*Blokus Club [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=280]
*Chess Club [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=201]
*Choral Groups
**Junior Choir
**Senior Choir
*The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=159&Itemid=157]
*Orchestral Groups
**Highly Strung (Senior Strings)
**Orchestra
**String Group
**The Breath-Breaking Ensemble (Wind Band)
*Science Club [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=204&Itemid=200]
*Scripture Union [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=73]
**Junior & Senior Scripture Union
**CONNECT
**Scripture Union Band
*Showjumping [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=222]
*Young Enterprise [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=72]

Houses

There are four school houses to which new pupils are assigned when they first start at Carrickfergus Grammar: Castle, Fergus, Knockagh and Thornfield. [ [http://carrickfergusgrammar.com/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=193 Carrickfergus Grammar School - School House System ] ] A Boys' and Girls' House Captain and Vice-Captain are elected each year by members of Year 13.

References