Orangefield High School

Orangefield High School is a secondary school in east Belfast, Northern Ireland. Formerly Orangefield Boys' Secondary School and Orangefield Girls' Secondary School, it is now coeducational.

Notable alumni of the Boys' School include Van Morrison,^[1] Brian Keenan,^[2] David Ervine,^[3] Gerald Dawe,^[4] Walter Ellis and Ronnie Bunting.^[5]

Orangefield High School has a student population of approximately 300 pupils from age 11 to 18.^[6] This means that the school has a Lower and Upper Sixth forms. The school offers a wide range of subjects from compulsory such as English, Mathematics, Science that are required through years 8-12. The school also offers other subjects such as technology and design, home economics, information computer technology, media, music, geography, history, business studies, physical education and religious education. The school educates pupils of many different ethnic origins and races.^{[citation needed]} The school is predominately of the Protestant community. The school also accepts pupils from other countries such as South Africa, Denmark & Poland.^{[citation needed]} There are about 25 members of staff.

The school's main competitors for pupils are the local Ashfield Girls' and Ashfield Boys' schools.^{[citation needed]}

History

Orangefield has had a long history within the east Belfast community, with many local celebrities and international icons having been educated at the school. The most famous former student is Van Morrison. Morrison wrote a song entitled "Orangefield" and included it on his 1989 Avalon Sunset. He also referred to his school days in Orangefield in the songs "Got To Go Back" (1986 album No Guru, No Method, No Teacher) and "On Hyndford Street" on his 1991 album Hymns to the Silence. John Malone was the headmaster in the 1960s.^[7]

Location

Some of the older school buildings are still in use today, although the original boys school building is now used ony for physical education lessons. The new buildings added throughout the years have brought together the girls and boys schools with additional add ons such a dedicated science wing built in 1991 and a reception area added on to the school building. The school shares the area with other local schools, Grosvenor Grammar School and Orangefield Primary and was built in an area away from the local area of Orby in the corner, creating a very quiet and wildlife friendly school.

Principals & vice-principals

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• John Malone / Brian Weston
• Brian Weston / Ken Stanley
•  ? Hyndman / Jennifer Mussen
• Karen Burrell / Maurice Johnston

School houses (boys)

There were 4 school houses during the period to 1974 (linked to local businesses with respective colours) i.e.:

• Davidson (red) - Davidson Sirocco Work
• Hughes (blue) - Hughes Tool Company
• Musgrave (green) - replaced by O`Neill house after the Musgrave company went bankrupt.
• Bryson (yellow) - Spence Bryson ??

Integration of sexes

During 1972 to 1974, a couple of girls from 6th & Upper 6th Girls school shared classes with the Boys school and lessons were undertaken in what was known as the 'new' block.

Notes

1. ^ Turner 2003. p20.
2. ^ "Former Beirut hostage to appear at ennis book club festival". prlog.org. 2008-02-11. http://www.prlog.org/10050305-former-beirut-hostage-to-appear-at-ennis-book-club-festival-2008.html. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
3. ^ "David Ervin". saoirse32blogsome.com. http://saoirse32.blogsome.com/2006/05/27/ever-the-twain/. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
4. ^ "Gerald Dawe biography". gerald-dawe.net. http://www.gerald-dawe.net/biography. Retrieved 2008-08-18. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "My killing cousin". timesonline.co.uk. 2006-02-19. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article732409.ece. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
6. ^ "Orangefield High School". tutor2u.net. http://tutor2u.net/schools/Orangefield-High-School.html. Retrieved 2008-08-18. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Diary of a somebody from the north". independent.ie. 2006-04-01. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/diary-of-a-somebody-from-the-north-100769.html. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 

http://www.orangefieldhighschool.co.uk - Orangefield High School website

References

• Turner, Steve (1993). Too Late to Stop Now, Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-85147-7

http://www.orangefieldhighschool.co.uk - Orangefield High School website

External links

• Schools.net Orangefield High School, Belfast