Carrickfergus Grammar School
| Address | 120 North Road Carrickfergus BT38 7RA |
| Phone | (028) 9336 3615 |
| Fax | (028) 9336 4270 |
| Headmaster | Mr W. K. Irwin |
| School type | Controlled Grammar |
| School Board | NEELB |
| Enrollment | 800 students (approx.) |
| School colours | Navy & Maroon |
| Motto | Præstantia |
Carrickfergus Grammar School is a medium-sized coeducational controlled English-medium grammar school situated in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It currently has just over 800 pupils from ages 11 to 18 in Years 8 to 14. It is an excellent school for young people in Carrickfergus and is highly competent in providing education which rivals that of local secondary schools, such as Downshire and Carrickfergus College.
The school is situated on the site on the old Thornfield Manor overlooking the town of Carrickfergus, and has a proud view of Carickfergus Castle and Belfast Lough beyond.
The school is known for its sporting achievements especially in rugby and hockey and its music department, including the Chamber Choir which often performs in high profile venues. The lack of a School's Cup victory is a a huge disappointment for the First XV, but there is great optimism for making it past the first round in next year's competition.
The school is divided into four houses: Castle, Fergus, Knockagh and Thornfield. Regular inter-house competitions are held, including Pop Act (House Karaoke) and Sports Day.
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, and the first principal was Mr J. McK. Grainger, who stayed at the school until 1977, when the school had reached around 600 pupils.
The second principal was Mr Hugh Jamison, who served from 1977 until 1990.
The third and current principal is Mr W. Kenneth Irwin. The vice-principals are Mr Keiran Mulvenna and Mr Oswald "Osy" Graham.
Facilities
Carrickfergus Grammar has a wide range of on site facilities for pupils including:
- Grainger Centre: library, careers office and pupil study area
- Jamison Room: Years 13 and 14 Sixth Form Centre
- Parkison Suite: recently refurbished H.E. department
- Playing fields: rugby and hockey pitches, athletics track, and tennis courts
- Music department: This includes the newly added recording studio.
- Garden centre and greenhouse
Uniform
School uniform is complsory 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.
Mrs Lively, the Senior Teacher in Charge of Girls, works very hard with the female members of the school in ensuring the uniform looks respectable, but that pupil's rights to express individuality are not breached. Thus, discreet make-up is allowed and hair-styles are allowed to express the pupil's individuality. Hair accessories must be in one of the school colours - navy or maroon.
Mr Mulvenna in addition to being vice principal, is in charge of the boys thus works hard to ensure that the uniform is a firm representation of the school's academic reputation.
Colours and Honours
Pupils who have excelled in sports and music 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 (for example, throwing a treble 20 on the dartboard, or learning to play a recorder) or academic achievement such as 5 A-C grades at GSCE Level, will be awarded with a maroon Honours blazer, and Honours tie, as well as a week off school.
Curriculum
There are a wide range of subjects offered at Carrickfergus Grammar, a list of which follows:
- Accounting
- Additional Mathematics
- Art and Design
- Biology
- Business Communication Systems
- Business Studies
- Chemistry
- Critical Thinking
- English
- English Literature
- European Studies
- French
- Further Mathematics
- Geography
- German
- Government and Politics
- Home Economics
- History
- Information and Communication Technology
- Learning for Life and Work
- Mathematics
- Music
- Photography
- Physical Education
- Physics
- Religious Studies
- Spanish
- Technology and Design
- Word Processing
Carrickfergus Learing Community
Carrickfergus Grammar School is currently involved in a new curricular scheme called the Carrickfergus Learning Community (CLC), along with Carrickfergus College, Downshire, 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 initative 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)
- Moving Images (Ulidia)
- Performing Arts (Ulidia)
- Travel and Tourism (Downshire)
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.
YESIP
A new part of the cirriculum is a programme called youth education social inclusion programme. This is aim to educate the lower sixth about cultural diversity and learn more about their idenity as a Northern Ireland citizen.
Extra-Curricular Activities
- Army Cadet Force
- Bridge Club
- Chess Club
- Choral Groups
- Chamber Choir
- Junior Choir
- Scripture Union Band
- Comenius
- Drama Group
- Jewellery Club
- Public Speaking
- Quiz Team
- Salsa Club
- Science Club
- Scripture Union
- Young Enterprise
Houses
There are four school houses to which new pupils are assigned when they first start at Carrickfergus Grammar. A Boys' and Girls' House Captain and Vice-Captain are elected each year by members of Year 13. The four houses, the current captains and vice-captains, and the colours associated with each house are as follows.
| House | Colour | Boys' House Captain | Boys' Vice-Captain | Girls' House Captain | Girls' Vice-Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle | Yellow | ||||
| Fergus | Red | Owen Leckie | Peter Johnston | Emma Stewart | Lyndsey Hutton |
| Knockagh | Blue | Glen MacAuley | Ross Crymble | Louise Archibald | |
| Thornfield | Green | Aaron O'Neill | Edwin Johnston | Monica Duong | Rebbecca Moore |
Competitions
- Pop Act
- Sports Day
- Swimming Gala
- Fun Day
- House Rugby
- House Football
- House Hockey
- House Netball
- And More...
Pop Act
Awards
In 1999, Carrickfergus became the first grammar school in Northern Ireland to be presented with the Investors in People Award, has achieved Goldmark and is currently working towards the Charter Mark Award for Excellence. The excellent staff/pupil relationships are reflected in a Charter of Rights and Responsibilities drawn up jointly by teachers and pupils. An external assessor summarising the ethos commented that "the school is epitomised by a culture of trust and value".