Sacred Heart Grammar School

Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, is a grammar school with 855 students and 51 full-time teachers. Established in 1930 by the Sisters of St. Clare.[1] It is one of Northern Ireland’s top grammar schools.

Sacred Heart Grammar School
Address
10 Ashgrove Avenue

Newry
,
County Down
,
BT34 1PR

Northern Ireland
Coordinates54.190050°N 6.341655°W / 54.190050; -6.341655
Information
TypeGrammar School
MottoDeus Meus et Omnia (My God and my all)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1930
FoundersSisters of St. Clare
Local authorityEducation Authority (Southern)
PrincipalShane Comer
GenderGirls
Age11 to 18
Enrolment855
Colour(s)Dark green, light green & gold      
Websitehttp://www.shsnewry.com/

Brief history

The school was established in 1930 by the Sisters of St. Clare on a site adjacent to the Poor Clare Convent in Castle Street, Newry.[2] Due to steady expansion of student numbers the school rapidly outgrew the original six classrooms and by the 1980s teaching required over 30 mobile classrooms.

The school relocated to a new state-of-the-art complex at Ashgrove, Newry in 1985. It now occupies a 17-acre (69,000 m2) site on the Northern side of the city and has views of the Mourne Mountains to the East. It was formally opened by Mr J. Parkes, the then Permanent Secretary to the Department of Education. A further Science and Technology Block was opened in 1997 by Mr J. Smith, Assistant Secretary to the Department.

Academics

The school offers instruction in a full range of subjects through to A-level. 84.2% of its students who sat the A-level exams in 2017/18 were awarded three A*-C grades.[3] In 2018 it was ranked 19th in Northern Ireland for its GCSE performance with 98.4% of its entrants receiving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including the core subjects English and Maths.[4]

Activities and Clubs
  • Athletic Club
  • Bank
  • Badminton
  • Camogie
  • Drama Club
  • Gaelic Football
  • Golf
  • Health Awareness Committee
  • Junior / Senior Art Club
  • Junior/ Senior Choir
  • Junior/ Senior Orchestra
  • Liturgy Committee
  • Mini Company
  • Netball
  • Politics Society
  • Quiz Club

In addition to these, there is also a wide range of educational visits, expeditions and field trips.

Musicals and Operas

There is a strong tradition of musicals within Sacred Heart dating back to 1956; recent productions have been:

Principals
No.NameTenure
1 Angela Chambers 1930–1932
2 Sr. Marie Celine Turley 1932–1954
3 Sr. Teresa Mary Fitzpatrick 1954–1961
4 Sr. Imelda Fahy 1961-1965
5 Sr. Máire O'Hara 1965-1972
6 Sr. Anne Thérèse O'Shea 1972-1977
7 Sr. Mark Hollywood 1977-1989
8 Sr. Patricia Rogers 1989-2000
9 Sr. Julie McGoldrick 2000-2017
10 Paul Kane 2017-2022
11 Shane Comer 2022-present

Notable former pupils

References
  1. "Sisters of St. Clare". Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  2. "Newry Cathedral Parish - Sisters of St. Clare". Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  3. "Belfast Telegraph A-Level: Northern Ireland School League Tables 2019". Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  4. "Belfast Telegraph GCSE 2018". Retrieved 22 September 2018.
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