Limavady Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Limavady Grammar School, styled locally as the Grammar, is a secondary school in Limavady
, County Londonderry
in Northern Ireland
. Situated on the Ballyquin Road, it is close to other schools in the town, including Limavady High School
and St. Mary's High School
. In 2008, the school was placed 139th in the Times
school league table for the UK, which is based on both GCSE and A-level results.
The school is non-denominational and features a broad mix of pupils from different communities in the County Londonderry area, and currently enrolls 910 pupils. The admission policy of the school is based on academic selection and Year 8 students are admitted in order of grade in the 'eleven plus
' transfer test.
Limavady Grammar School follows a common curriculum, with options added at GCSE and A-level. Due to the founding of the Limavady Post-Primary Learning Partnership in 2002, A-level students can study certain subjects outside of school on link courses, with the other secondary schools in Limavady and the North West Regional College
.
The mission statement is "Learning, Caring, Preparing for Life".
rooms was completed in 1998. It has won several awards such as Best Kept School in the North West of Northern Ireland, and the International Schools Award 2008.
The subjects which are available at Key Stage 3 level are:
In their fourth year, pupils begin studying for GCSEs. All the subjects previously mentioned are retained, with the following extra options introduced:
After completion of the GCSEs, students may decide to continue at school to study at AS/A2 level. Here, the school in cooperation with the Limavady Learning Partnership, introduces the following additional subjects for study:
{|
|-
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Year
!GCSE Rank
!A-level Rank
!Overall UK Ranking
|-
|2005||118th||62nd||
|-
|2006||170th||103rd||
|-
|2007||105th||99th||96th
|-
|2008||119th||175th||139th
|}
is the main boys sport at the school. The school usually has two teams at each age level from U12 to Medallion level, with a 1st XV, a 2nd XV and a 3rd XV at senior school. The Medallion XV are coached by Stephen Bogle with the 1st XV coached by Master-In-Charge Stephen Barr and Ian Gallagher. In the past, the school has had players who have represented the province at underage level such as Out Half Niall O'Connor
represented both Ireland U19
and Ireland U20 in 2007 and has recently signed a contract extension with Ulster Rugby
until 2011. The biggest honour goes to past pupil Derek McAleese who gained one cap for Ireland against France in 1992 and played many times for Ulster
. Many students go on to play rugby for City of Derry RFC, who play in the Ulster Senior League and in the AIB All Ireland Division 3 or Limavady Rugby Club who play in the Kukri Qualifying League.
The school teams have been on many tours, mostly to South Africa
, Scotland
, Rep. of Ireland, England
and Canada
with the school planning another tour to South Africa in 2012. The school takes part in the Northern Bank
Medallion Shield competition and in the Northern Bank Schools Cup for 1st XV. The school also takes part in the 2nd XV and 3rd XV cups.
when the Gaelic Athletic Association
claimed a training session arranged at the school was cancelled after objections from parents and teachers. The school principal, Dr. Sam McGuinness, claimed he knew nothing about the meeting, but said that Gaelic Games would be made available throughout the Roe Valley learning association in September 2008, therefore as an option for 6th form students only.
sports pitch. It was opened by the Mayor of Limavady, Cllr. Edwin Stevenson and Minister for Sport, Edwin Poots
MLA
. The pitch was funded by the Big Lottery Fund
, which awarded £585,000 and Limavady Borough Council
, which donated £50,000. The pitch is available for use by schools in Limavady and the surrounding area and various clubs and associations, day and evening.
The school also has a broad musical programme with activities such as Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Guitar Club, Brass Band and the Traditional Music Group, all available to students. The Choir and Musical Bands actively take part in concerts and festivals, notably the Jazz Band in the Limavady Jazz & Blues Festival.
Limavady Grammar also has a range of clubs involved with the Arts
including the Craft Club, Photography, Pottery, the Art Club, Drama and Public Speaking. Clubs associated closely with subjects include Chemistry Club, Technology Club, Computer Club and the afore mention Art Club. Languages also influence some of the clubs such as Exchange Visits and Cultural Activities. The School also has two debating Societies, one in English and another in French. The French Debating Society were the 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 Northern Ireland NICILT Post-16 French Debating Champions.
As well as those previously mentioned, the school also has its own Charity Committee, School Magazine Committee, and Scripture Union. It also runs the School Bank in association with the Northern Bank
.
network, running C2k-managed Windows XP
PCs supplied by RM plc
and Dell
. At the start of the 2008-2009 Academic year, Dell
laptops were made available for both student and teacher use.
(Sinn Féin
), the Board of Governors has resolved that the school will be one of 30 schools forming the Association of Quality Education, 'AQE'. This Association will provide assessment papers on Saturday mornings in November 2009 which P6 pupils are invited to sit. Details of assessment papers may be found on the AQE website. The papers will be similar to those currently used for the 11+ test with the exception that there will be no science questions. They will focus on English and Mathematics.
The tests will be available in Limavady Grammar or in other centres including Foyle and Londonderry College
and Coleraine Academical Institution
. Prospective applicants may choose any centre and use the result to apply to whichever school they wish. Application for schools will be through the WELB
as at present and the criteria for admission to Grammar Schools mentioned will be similar to that currently used.
While details are not finalised, it is envisaged that schools offering the test will allow access on a Saturday prior to the test day to allow pupils to acclimatise themselves to the school hall.
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
in 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...
. Situated on the Ballyquin Road, it is close to other schools in the town, including Limavady High School
Limavady High School
Limavady High School is a secondary school in the North-Western town of Limavady in Northern Ireland. It currently around 800 pupils enrolled. The school is part of the Limavady Learning Partnership.-History:...
and St. Mary's High School
St Mary's High School (Limavady)
St Mary's High School is a secondary school situated in Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is one of three secondary schools in Limavady, the others being, Limavady High School and Limavady Grammar School. St. Mary's however is predominantly Roman Catholic. St. Marys is the only...
. In 2008, the school was placed 139th in the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
school league table for the UK, which is based on both GCSE and A-level results.
The school is non-denominational and features a broad mix of pupils from different communities in the County Londonderry area, and currently enrolls 910 pupils. The admission policy of the school is based on academic selection and Year 8 students are admitted in order of grade in the 'eleven plus
Eleven plus
In the United Kingdom, the 11-plus or Eleven plus is an examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education, governing admission to various types of secondary school. The name derives from the age group for secondary entry: 11–12 years...
' transfer test.
Limavady Grammar School follows a common curriculum, with options added at GCSE and A-level. Due to the founding of the Limavady Post-Primary Learning Partnership in 2002, A-level students can study certain subjects outside of school on link courses, with the other secondary schools in Limavady and the North West Regional College
North West Regional College
North West Regional College is a further education and higher education college in the north west region of Northern Ireland. The College has three main campuses: Strand Road, Derry, Main Street, Limavady and Derry Road, Strabane....
.
The mission statement is "Learning, Caring, Preparing for Life".
History
The origins of Limavady Grammar School can be traced back to a late-nineteenth-century foundation. Founded in 1957, the school previously resided where the modern day Limavady High School is situated. The school moved to the present site on the Ballyquin Road. A major extension took place in 1982 when new science labs and a sports hall were built. A second extension comprising twenty-two classrooms including three information technologyInformation technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
rooms was completed in 1998. It has won several awards such as Best Kept School in the North West of Northern Ireland, and the International Schools Award 2008.
Curriculum
At Limavady Grammar School, pupils follow a common curriculum for their first three years at Key Stage 3. In the fourth year the curriculum is still general but certain options are introduced, and at the end of the 5th Form, pupils sit the examination for the Northern Ireland GCSE. Pupils may then begin study for the AS/A2 levels, leave school and study full-time at an Further Education College, take up apprenticeship, or begin work.The subjects which are available at Key Stage 3 level are:
In their fourth year, pupils begin studying for GCSEs. All the subjects previously mentioned are retained, with the following extra options introduced:
- Business Studies
- Computing
- Additional Mathematics
- English Literature (Compulsory)
After completion of the GCSEs, students may decide to continue at school to study at AS/A2 level. Here, the school in cooperation with the Limavady Learning Partnership, introduces the following additional subjects for study:
Examination results
Limavady Grammar School has consistenly been ranked highly among schools. It is currently ranked 139th in the UK, and 14th in Northern Ireland. This is a drop from 2007, when the school was ranked 96th in the UK.{|
|-
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Year
!GCSE Rank
!A-level Rank
!Overall UK Ranking
|-
|2005||118th||62nd||
|-
|2006||170th||103rd||
|-
|2007||105th||99th||96th
|-
|2008||119th||175th||139th
|}
Rugby
RugbyRugby 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...
is the main boys sport at the school. The school usually has two teams at each age level from U12 to Medallion level, with a 1st XV, a 2nd XV and a 3rd XV at senior school. The Medallion XV are coached by Stephen Bogle with the 1st XV coached by Master-In-Charge Stephen Barr and Ian Gallagher. In the past, the school has had players who have represented the province at underage level such as Out Half Niall O'Connor
Niall O'Connor
Niall O'Connor is a rugby union player for Connacht Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12.He is also contracted to Belfast Harlequins who play in AIB League Division 2.O'Connor's position of choice is as a Fly-half....
represented both Ireland U19
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and Ireland U20 in 2007 and has recently signed a contract extension with Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby
Ulster 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...
until 2011. The biggest honour goes to past pupil Derek McAleese who gained one cap for Ireland against France in 1992 and played many times for Ulster
Ulster Rugby
Ulster 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...
. Many students go on to play rugby for City of Derry RFC, who play in the Ulster Senior League and in the AIB All Ireland Division 3 or Limavady Rugby Club who play in the Kukri Qualifying League.
The school teams have been on many tours, mostly to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Rep. of Ireland, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with the school planning another tour to South Africa in 2012. The school takes part in the Northern Bank
Northern Bank
Northern Bank , is a commercial bank in Northern Ireland. It is one of the oldest banks in Ireland having been formed in 1809. Northern Bank is considered one of the leading retail banks in Northern Ireland with 82 branches and four finance centres...
Medallion Shield competition and in the Northern Bank Schools Cup for 1st XV. The school also takes part in the 2nd XV and 3rd XV cups.
Other sports
There is a range of sports available throughout the school. These include:- HockeyField hockeyField 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...
- the main girls sport - Football - alternative sport for girls
- Football - alternative winter boys sport
- CricketCricketCricket 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...
- summer sport for boys and girls - NetballNetballNetball 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 ...
- alternative girls sport - GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Athletics
- BadmintonBadmintonBadminton 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...
Gaelic football controversy
In May 2008 the school was involved in a controversy over the provision of Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
when the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
claimed a training session arranged at the school was cancelled after objections from parents and teachers. The school principal, Dr. Sam McGuinness, claimed he knew nothing about the meeting, but said that Gaelic Games would be made available throughout the Roe Valley learning association in September 2008, therefore as an option for 6th form students only.
Astroturf pitch
On 14 September 2007, Limavady Grammar School opened its new synthetic astroturfAstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
sports pitch. It was opened by the Mayor of Limavady, Cllr. Edwin Stevenson and Minister for Sport, Edwin Poots
Edwin Poots
Alderman Edwin Poots MLA is a Northern Irish politician and a Democratic Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lagan Valley. He is one of three DUP MLAs for Lagan Valley.-Biography:...
MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)
Member of the Legislative Assembly is a representative elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland.- About :...
. The pitch was funded by the Big Lottery Fund
Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund is a grant-making non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom created by the Government to administer the funding of "good causes" following the creation of the National Lottery. It has an annual expenditure of £630 million...
, which awarded £585,000 and Limavady Borough Council
Limavady Borough Council
Limavady Borough Council is a Local Council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters is in the town of Limavady. The Borough has a population of over 32,000 with 63% of the population living in a rural setting. It covers an area of 586 square kilometres and includes the valley...
, which donated £50,000. The pitch is available for use by schools in Limavady and the surrounding area and various clubs and associations, day and evening.
Extra curricular activities
The school offers a range of extra-cirricular activities. The most prominent of these are Rugby, Hockey and the Duke of Edinburgh Award, where the majority of students take part in these. Closely linked to the Duke of Edinburgh Award, is the Orienteering Club. A range of other sports, such as Athletics, Badminton, Cricket, Golf, Netball, Soccer, Swimming, Chess and Tennis are also on offer throughout the course of the year. All the sports are run by teachers, with additional assistant coaches in the case of Rugby and Hockey.The school also has a broad musical programme with activities such as Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Guitar Club, Brass Band and the Traditional Music Group, all available to students. The Choir and Musical Bands actively take part in concerts and festivals, notably the Jazz Band in the Limavady Jazz & Blues Festival.
Limavady Grammar also has a range of clubs involved with the Arts
The arts
The arts are a vast subdivision of culture, composed of many creative endeavors and disciplines. It is a broader term than "art", which as a description of a field usually means only the visual arts. The arts encompass visual arts, literary arts and the performing arts – music, theatre, dance and...
including the Craft Club, Photography, Pottery, the Art Club, Drama and Public Speaking. Clubs associated closely with subjects include Chemistry Club, Technology Club, Computer Club and the afore mention Art Club. Languages also influence some of the clubs such as Exchange Visits and Cultural Activities. The School also has two debating Societies, one in English and another in French. The French Debating Society were the 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 Northern Ireland NICILT Post-16 French Debating Champions.
As well as those previously mentioned, the school also has its own Charity Committee, School Magazine Committee, and Scripture Union. It also runs the School Bank in association with the Northern Bank
Northern Bank
Northern Bank , is a commercial bank in Northern Ireland. It is one of the oldest banks in Ireland having been formed in 1809. Northern Bank is considered one of the leading retail banks in Northern Ireland with 82 branches and four finance centres...
.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
The School annually operates the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. Due to high demand, Limavady Grammar is allowed to omit the Bronze Award. Year 10 pupils are introduced to the Award by a short 3 day residential style event held at White Park Bay, County Antrim at the end of their school year. Year 11 pupils then begin their course the following year with the Silver Award. The award attracts large interest, with many pupils completing their Gold Award. The teacher-in-charge, Stephen Bogle, is assisted by other staff members who are recipients of the award through the course of the year.Technology
In 2005, the school installed a plasma screen, which displays information regarding current school activities and more recently world affairs. The school contains four computer suites and as of 2007, classrooms were fitted with Smartboards, consisting of an interactive whiteboard, projector and computer. The school uses the C2kC2k
C2k is a Northern Ireland-wide information and communications network operated on behalf of the five Education and Library Boards in the province...
network, running C2k-managed Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
PCs supplied by RM plc
RM
RM may refer to:-People and titles:* Radioman, a former rank of the U.S. Navy* Resident Magistrate* Returned Missionary, a phrase used by Mormons to refer to young men and women who have served as full-time missionaries...
and Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
. At the start of the 2008-2009 Academic year, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
laptops were made available for both student and teacher use.
Association of Quality Education
Due to the recent abolishment of the 11+ Transfer System by the Minister for Education, Caitríona RuaneCaitríona Ruane
Caitríona Ruane MLA is a Sinn Féin politician and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down....
(Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
), the Board of Governors has resolved that the school will be one of 30 schools forming the Association of Quality Education, 'AQE'. This Association will provide assessment papers on Saturday mornings in November 2009 which P6 pupils are invited to sit. Details of assessment papers may be found on the AQE website. The papers will be similar to those currently used for the 11+ test with the exception that there will be no science questions. They will focus on English and Mathematics.
The tests will be available in Limavady Grammar or in other centres including Foyle and Londonderry College
Foyle and Londonderry College
Foyle College, which is also known by its former name Foyle and Londonderry College or FALC, is a co-educational voluntary grammar school in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. In 1976, two local schools, Foyle College and Londonderry High School, merged under the Foyle and Londonderry College Act...
and Coleraine Academical Institution
Coleraine Academical Institution
Coleraine Academical Institution , styled locally as Coleraine Inst, is a voluntary grammar school for boys, situated in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland....
. Prospective applicants may choose any centre and use the result to apply to whichever school they wish. Application for schools will be through the WELB
WELB
WELB is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Elba, Alabama. The station is owned by Rhett S. Snellgrove. It airs a mixed Classic Country and Southern Gospel music format....
as at present and the criteria for admission to Grammar Schools mentioned will be similar to that currently used.
While details are not finalised, it is envisaged that schools offering the test will allow access on a Saturday prior to the test day to allow pupils to acclimatise themselves to the school hall.
Notable former pupils
- Niall O'ConnorNiall O'ConnorNiall O'Connor is a rugby union player for Connacht Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12.He is also contracted to Belfast Harlequins who play in AIB League Division 2.O'Connor's position of choice is as a Fly-half....
- Ulster and Ireland rugby player - Jason SmythJason SmythJason Smyth is a visually impaired Irish Paralympian. His central vision is affected by Stargardt's disease. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Mormon...
- Double gold medal winning and Double World Record Holder Paralympian - Derek McAleese - Former Ireland rugby player