Victoria College, Belfast
Encyclopedia
Victoria College, Belfast is a voluntary non-denominational grammar school
in Cranmore Park, Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. In 2007, the college had 867 pupils aged 11 – 18 and a Preparatory Department with 175 girls, aged 3 – 11.
Victoria College has been awarded specialist school
status beginning from September 2009. The college will specialise in STEM-related areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
In 1887, Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year, the name of the school was changed by Royal Command to Victoria College and School. A century later, Victoria College amalgamated with Richmond Lodge School, a neighbouring girls' school of similar status.
The origins of Richmond Lodge lie in a school opened in 1879 by the Misses Hardy on the Stranmillis Road. It moved to the Malone Road in 1913 and soon acquired full academic recognition. Richmond Lodge past pupils continue their association with the school through the Arellian Association.
Over the past 150 years, Victoria College (as it is now called) has relocated several times. Former Belfast locations include Howard Street, Pakenham Place and Lower Crescent before the current school was established at Cranmore in the 1970s. School house names reflect the past locations.
The whole school is situated within extensive mature grounds in South Belfast. This location between two of the main arterial routes into the City is convenient to city, town and country bus routes and the local railway network. It is also within walking distance of the Queen's University Belfast and the Ulster Museum
and many local art galleries and theaters.
In addition, the college has been successful in several competitions. These include
F1 in Schools
2009 - National champions, GT class.
UKAYRoC
2009 - Only all-girls' team to finish in the top three.
.
, Germany
, Hungary
, Italy
, Poland
and Portugal
.
% pass rate at grades A* to C (exams at age 16 - GCSE or equivalent): 97%
% pass rate (exams at age 18 - 'A' Level or equivalent): 100%
The school usually admits several pupils to Oxbridge every year.
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...
in Cranmore Park, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, 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...
. In 2007, the college had 867 pupils aged 11 – 18 and a Preparatory Department with 175 girls, aged 3 – 11.
Victoria College has been awarded specialist school
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
status beginning from September 2009. The college will specialise in STEM-related areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
History
Founded by Mrs Margaret Byers in 1859, it is one of the longest established girls' schools in the British Isles. The college was established in Wellington Place and was first known as The Ladies' Collegiate School Belfast. It soon acquired, and continues to maintain, a high reputation for academic excellence and sporting prowess.In 1887, Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year, the name of the school was changed by Royal Command to Victoria College and School. A century later, Victoria College amalgamated with Richmond Lodge School, a neighbouring girls' school of similar status.
The origins of Richmond Lodge lie in a school opened in 1879 by the Misses Hardy on the Stranmillis Road. It moved to the Malone Road in 1913 and soon acquired full academic recognition. Richmond Lodge past pupils continue their association with the school through the Arellian Association.
Over the past 150 years, Victoria College (as it is now called) has relocated several times. Former Belfast locations include Howard Street, Pakenham Place and Lower Crescent before the current school was established at Cranmore in the 1970s. School house names reflect the past locations.
The College
The school has two campuses the Richmond Campus (for Forms 1 & 2) and the Cranmore Campus (for Forms 3-U6). In addition, a kindergarten for boys and girls is located within the Richmond Campus and the girls only Preparatory Department is located on the Cranmore Campus.The whole school is situated within extensive mature grounds in South Belfast. This location between two of the main arterial routes into the City is convenient to city, town and country bus routes and the local railway network. It is also within walking distance of the Queen's University Belfast and the Ulster Museum
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
and many local art galleries and theaters.
Boarding
Drumglass House was built in 1820 and serves as the Boarding Department for girls of all ages and all backgrounds. It is located within the grounds of the Cranmore Campus. The Boarding Department caters for up to 60 boarders, many from Europe or East Asia.150th Anniversary
2009 sees the 150th anniversary of the founding of the college. Throughout 2009, events celebrating the history of the school will take place. An exhibition will open in May 2009 at the college.In addition, the college has been successful in several competitions. These include
F1 in Schools
F1 In Schools
F1 in Schools is an international competition for school children , in which groups of 3 - 6 children have to design and manufacture a miniature "car" out of balsa wood using CAD/CAM design tools. The cars are powered by CO2 cartridges and are attached to a track by a thin wire...
2009 - National champions, GT class.
UKAYRoC
United Kingdom Rocketry Association
The United Kingdom Rocketry Association is an enabling body set up to promote and represent high power, medium power and model rocketry in the United Kingdom for educational, recreational and amateur research purposes....
2009 - Only all-girls' team to finish in the top three.
STEM related achievements
In 2010, a team of pupils from the College won their regional heat of the Faraday Challenge and subsequently took first prize at the National Finals held in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Comenius
The College also takes part in the Comenius project along with partner schools from EstoniaEstonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
Exam Results
GCSE and A-level results in the college are consistently high every year. The exam boards offered to students are Edexcel, AQA, OCR, CCEA, WJEC.% pass rate at grades A* to C (exams at age 16 - GCSE or equivalent): 97%
% pass rate (exams at age 18 - 'A' Level or equivalent): 100%
The school usually admits several pupils to Oxbridge every year.
Winter uniform
- Grey blazer
- Regulation knitted scarf (1st & 2nd Forms)
- Optional fleece scarf (3-U6th Forms)
- Maroon skirt.
- White shirt.
- School tie.
- Regulation grey pullover - available in either wool or courtelle with stripes at V-neck.
- Regulation grey cardigan, striped at edges - Sixth Form only
- Grey knee-length socks or tights.
- Plain black, flat, laced, shoes.
Summer uniform
- Grey blazer.
- A regulation grey and blue striped dress to be worn May, June and September. (Prep)
- A regulation white and maroon striped open necked shirt to be worn May, June and September. (1st & 2nd Forms)
- A regulation white striped open necked shirt to be worn May, June and September. (3rd-U6th Forms)
- Regulation grey pullover.
- Plain grey knee length socks or grey tights.
- Plain shoes (laces or straps)