Banbridge Academy
Encyclopedia
Banbridge Academy is a grammar school
located in Banbridge
, Northern Ireland
. The school was founded in 1786.
The current Principal is Mr Raymond Pollock OBE, who was previously a Vice Principal at Friends' School, Lisburn. Mr. Pollock was preceded by Mr. Charles Winston Breen (1984–1995), a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. Mr. Breen is widely credited with overhauling the Academy and transforming it into one of the best performing grammar schools in the United Kingdom. His passing in 1995 was mourned with great sadness by the whole school community.
The work of Mr Breen has been continued by Mr Raymond Pollock, who was recognised for his significant achievements in the 2009 New Year Honours list, For services to Education in Northern Ireland. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. .
Enrollment stands at over 1318 pupils and the School has around 90 teachers. The School Colours are Petrol Blue, Red and Black. It is consistently one of the strongest Academic, Sporting and Musical schools in Northern Ireland, and was in the Top 100 Schools in the United Kingdom for A-Level results 2008 in a list compiled by the Times.
The school traces its roots to the building now known as Dunbar nursery near the current site of Banbridge Leisure Centre but moved to its present home, Edenderry House on the Lurgan Road, in 1950. A major redevelopment in the 1990s (begun in 1989) has provided a new building, while retaining much of magnificent original House frontage, whose interiors and facade is listed. The School building now has a glass atrium and dedicated technology suite and science block. The school also has two sports halls, and a large amount of land serving as playing fields for hockey
, rugby union
, cricket, football and netball
, together with five tennis courts.
The school has recently undergone major building work. The assembly hall was demolished and a new, modern dining hall with a small sports hall and a large fitness suite inside was built. A new science block has been constructed where the old dining hall existed. The entire building has been refurbished, and there is a hockey pitch where the mobiles were.
A focused inspection of the school in 2000 and follow up inspection noted many strengths of the school in Science and Technology, including, "the relationships between the pupils and their teachers; the commitment of the teachers; some very good teaching; some very high standards of pupils’ project work in technology and design, and the improvement in standards in science through effective target setting." The original report noted weaknesses in the range of teaching methods used, ICT skills and monitoring of pupils. Between 2000 and 2002 the inspectors found "thorough process of review and planning, to address the issues identified at the time of the inspection." It is noted in the follow-up inspection that results had improved, self-evaluation had been introduced, the opportunity for pupils to investigate scientifically and IT provisions had been improved.
and McCullough Cup
s over the years. In 2006 they were crowned Irish schools champions
and came 2nd in the European schools competition in Dan Haag.
The school gives pupils the opportunity to take part in a number of sports including badminton
, cricket
, football, hockey
, netball
and rugby
The school has a strong musical interest, with four choirs (Chamber choir, Girls Choir, Junior Boys Choir and Junior Choir) and two orchestras (Junior Orchestra and Senior Orchestra). The school has an annual theatrical production in November/December, Christmas carol concert and Spring concert.
There are a number of other extracurricular activities, including Bridge Club, Craft Club, Young Enterprise and Junior and Senior Scripture Unions.
All internal school competitions are based around the House system. Every pupil is randomly assigned a House in Year 8 (if they have older siblings in the school they will be assigned to the same house as their sibling), and when they participate in any activities during their time in the school, points are awarded to their House. The Houses are named after notable local figures, and are:
Each House is represented by a colour and an animal; Dunbar (red) is represented by a dragon, Waddell (green) a duck, McWilliam (yellow) a lion and Crozier (blue) a polar bear. Points are added to an overall scoreboard and pupils keep track of house activities via House assemblies and the House blog http://www.banbridgeacademy.org.uk/houses/.
Department, using Joomla, an open source content management system (CMS).
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
located in Banbridge
Banbridge
Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road. It was named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. The town grew as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The school was founded in 1786.
The current Principal is Mr Raymond Pollock OBE, who was previously a Vice Principal at Friends' School, Lisburn. Mr. Pollock was preceded by Mr. Charles Winston Breen (1984–1995), a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. Mr. Breen is widely credited with overhauling the Academy and transforming it into one of the best performing grammar schools in the United Kingdom. His passing in 1995 was mourned with great sadness by the whole school community.
The work of Mr Breen has been continued by Mr Raymond Pollock, who was recognised for his significant achievements in the 2009 New Year Honours list, For services to Education in Northern Ireland. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. .
Enrollment stands at over 1318 pupils and the School has around 90 teachers. The School Colours are Petrol Blue, Red and Black. It is consistently one of the strongest Academic, Sporting and Musical schools in Northern Ireland, and was in the Top 100 Schools in the United Kingdom for A-Level results 2008 in a list compiled by the Times.
The school traces its roots to the building now known as Dunbar nursery near the current site of Banbridge Leisure Centre but moved to its present home, Edenderry House on the Lurgan Road, in 1950. A major redevelopment in the 1990s (begun in 1989) has provided a new building, while retaining much of magnificent original House frontage, whose interiors and facade is listed. The School building now has a glass atrium and dedicated technology suite and science block. The school also has two sports halls, and a large amount of land serving as playing fields for hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, cricket, football and netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, together with five tennis courts.
The school has recently undergone major building work. The assembly hall was demolished and a new, modern dining hall with a small sports hall and a large fitness suite inside was built. A new science block has been constructed where the old dining hall existed. The entire building has been refurbished, and there is a hockey pitch where the mobiles were.
Academic Results
Banbridge Academy consistently ranks in the top 100 schools in the UK, as rated by The Times Its placing in 2009 of 93rd is a fall from 73rd in 2008, however the 40.2% A grade success rate at A-Level and 53.8% of submissions achieving A/A* at GCSE level still places it as the 7th best school in NI.A focused inspection of the school in 2000 and follow up inspection noted many strengths of the school in Science and Technology, including, "the relationships between the pupils and their teachers; the commitment of the teachers; some very good teaching; some very high standards of pupils’ project work in technology and design, and the improvement in standards in science through effective target setting." The original report noted weaknesses in the range of teaching methods used, ICT skills and monitoring of pupils. Between 2000 and 2002 the inspectors found "thorough process of review and planning, to address the issues identified at the time of the inspection." It is noted in the follow-up inspection that results had improved, self-evaluation had been introduced, the opportunity for pupils to investigate scientifically and IT provisions had been improved.
Extracurricular activities
Banbridge Academy is one of the strongest schools in boys' hockey in Ireland, having won numerous BurneyBurney Cup
The Burney Cup is an annual competition involving the strongest schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
and McCullough Cup
McCullough Cup
The McCullough Cup is a hockey competition. It is an annual tournament played for by schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
s over the years. In 2006 they were crowned Irish schools champions
All Ireland Schools (Boys) Hockey Championship
The All Ireland Schools Hockey Championship is an annual competition involving the strongest schools affiliated to the Irish Hockey Association. The competition is held in the Autumn term of each school year...
and came 2nd in the European schools competition in Dan Haag.
The school gives pupils the opportunity to take part in a number of sports including badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, football, hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
and rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
The school has a strong musical interest, with four choirs (Chamber choir, Girls Choir, Junior Boys Choir and Junior Choir) and two orchestras (Junior Orchestra and Senior Orchestra). The school has an annual theatrical production in November/December, Christmas carol concert and Spring concert.
There are a number of other extracurricular activities, including Bridge Club, Craft Club, Young Enterprise and Junior and Senior Scripture Unions.
All internal school competitions are based around the House system. Every pupil is randomly assigned a House in Year 8 (if they have older siblings in the school they will be assigned to the same house as their sibling), and when they participate in any activities during their time in the school, points are awarded to their House. The Houses are named after notable local figures, and are:
- Dunbar (Hugh Dunbar, local Linen merchant),
- Waddell (Helen WaddellHelen WaddellHelen Jane Waddell was an Irish poet, translator and playwright.-Biography:She was born in Tokyo, the tenth and youngest child of Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian minister and missionary who was lecturing in the Imperial University. She spent the first eleven years of her life in Japan before her...
, scholar and writer who spent her last years living with her sister Meg at Kilmacrew House, near Banbridge), - McWilliam (F. E. McWilliamF. E. McWilliamF.E. McWilliam , was a British surrealist sculptor, born in Banbridge, County Down. He worked in stone, wood and bronze chiefly.-Biography:...
, surrealist sculptor), - Crozier (Captain Francis CrozierFrancis CrozierFrancis Rawdon Moira Crozier was born in Ireland at Banbridge, County Down and was a British naval officer who participated in six exploratory expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic...
, British naval officer and Arctic explorer, born in Banbridge in 1796.).
Each House is represented by a colour and an animal; Dunbar (red) is represented by a dragon, Waddell (green) a duck, McWilliam (yellow) a lion and Crozier (blue) a polar bear. Points are added to an overall scoreboard and pupils keep track of house activities via House assemblies and the House blog http://www.banbridgeacademy.org.uk/houses/.
School Website
The school's website was created by its own ICTInformation and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
Department, using Joomla, an open source content management system (CMS).
Notable former pupils
- Tyrone HoweTyrone HoweTyrone Gyle Howe is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for University of St Andrews RFC, Ulster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions....
- Northern Irish rugby player/ former UUP Councillor - Eugene Magee - Irish International hockey player. 117 caps (February 9)
- Diane Dodds - Member of the European Parliament
- Joanne CashJoanne CashJoanne Cash is a media barrister. She was the unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for Westminster North in the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
- Barrister and Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Westminster North (2010) - Alan NelsonAlan Nelson (cricketer)Alan Norris Nelson is a former Irish cricketer. Nelson was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm fast-medium. He was born at Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland. He was educated at Banbridge Academy....
- Cricketer - Ian Porter - Current member of the Ulster RugbyUlster RugbyUlster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
squad - Jo-Anne DobsonJo-Anne DobsonJo-Anne Elizabeth Dobson is an Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland who was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011.Jo-Anne is also a member of Craigavon Borough Council.-External links:***...
UUP Councillor and UUP Candidate - Professor Deirdre Heenan - First female provost at University of Ulster's Magee campus