Established 1959 Principal Mr J. A. Maxwell Gender Co-educational Province Ulster Founded 1959 | Type All-Ability Local authority Phone +44 28 3755 1270 Number of students 490 | |
Location Mowhan RoadMarkethillCounty ArmarghBT60 1RQNorthern Ireland Similar City of Armagh High Sch, Newtown High School, St Patrick's High School, St Paul's High School, Clounagh Junior High School | ||
Markethill high school open night
Markethill High School is a secondary school located in Markethill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The school caters for 11- to 16-year-olds and currently has 490 pupils. It is within the Southern Education and Library Board area.
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Overview
The school is highly successful. In 2011 the school's GCSE results were 17% above the Northern Ireland average for non-selective schools. The school offers a total of 27 subjects, both general and applied, and as such offers one of the broadest curricula of all schools in the Armagh City and District area. In 2012 the school enrolled a record number of pupils in its 53-year history. 490 pupils attended in 2011-2012 - the highest number ever, and predicts 494 pupils in 2012-2013.
In March 2012 the school won the British Academy Award for the Best Mainstream School for Modern Languages in Northern Ireland. In addition, the school has been shortlisted to the final 3 entries for the Best Mainstream School in the UK for Modern Languages. In January 2012 the school won £4000 to fund a STEM project (Science / Technology / Engineering / Mathematics) based on an exciting, innovative and highly creative cross-curricular initiative.
In 2011 the school opened a new state-of-the-art fitness suite and gymnasium which is open to the public three evenings per week. In 2012 the school's Art and Music Departments will be refurbished and there will be new rugby posts on the Pinley Green site.
The school offers pupils an excellent, extensive range of extra-curricular activities including: Football, Hockey, Badminton, Volleyball, Rugby, Netball, Basketball, Tug-of-War, Running Club, Orienteering, Fitness, Athletics, Chess, Choir, Drama, Scripture Union, ICT, Young Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Debating.
Exam Results
In 2012 the school received its best ever GCSE results, with 85% of pupils attaining five A*-C GCSE passes or better. This is an 8% increase on 2011 and the first time the school has achieved over 80%. The 85% statistic would put the school into the top 6% of all non-selective schools in Northern Ireland, and would make it one of the top two performing non-selective controlled schools in the Southern Education and Library Board, with results more than 20% above the Northern Ireland average for non-selective schools.
History
The school opened in 1959, and was renovated and extended in 1985.