Established 1934 Religion Roman Catholic Phone +44 28 4461 9722 Province Ulster | Type Grammar Headmaster Sean Sloan Number of students 689 Founded 1934 | |
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Native name Scoil Ghrámadaí Naomh Pádraig Location Saul Street
Downpatrick
Co. Down
BT30 6NJ
Northern Ireland Address 109 Saul St, Downpatrick BT30 6NJ, UK Motto Signum Fidei; ("Sign of faith") Genders Single-sex education (Year 8 - Year 12), Mixed-sex education (Year 13 - Year 14) Similar De La Salle High School, St Mary's High School D, Saintfield High School, St Malachys High Sch, St Colmcilles High Sch | ||
Saint Patrick's Grammar School (Irish: Scoil Ghrámadaí Naomh Pádraig) is a Catholic grammar school located in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is currently owned by the De La Salle Brothers. It has an enrollment of around 725 students, with girls admitted at sixth form level. Pupils come from all over the East Down area. Working to support the ideals of this Lasallian School is a staff of 75 lay teachers. Recently, the school has been awarded the Investor In People award, and has been named a specialist school in humanities by the Department of Education.
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History
Saint Patrick's Grammar School was founded in 1934 and moved to its present site in 1937. In 2009, the school celebrated its 75th anniversary. A new school building was built and opened in April 2011. The new building contains improved modern facilities including a large music department and enhanced Physical Education amenities. The PE department includes a modern gym, two indoor sports halls and a floodlit outdoor pitch.
School and community
The school and its students are linked with the local community. Extra-curricular organisations such as the St. Vincent de Paul School Conference operate within Saint Patrick's Grammar School to raise funds for worthy causes as well as out in the community, conducting regular visitations to the Lecale Lodge Nursing Home which is operated by Four Seasons Health Care.
In the area of Performing Arts, the school has brought a number of productions to fruition over the years, the most recent being Philadelphia, Here I Come! , The Phantom of the Opera and Oliver!.
The school is involved in many local, county and national leagues in sports such as football, Gaelic football, hurling and athletics. Its sports teams have achieved a number of county and province-wide titles under the guidance of the P.E. Department.
School houses
Upon admission into the school, students are placed into one of four houses (classes). These are:
The Saul house is used as a separate class for Creative and Expressive studies in the junior school.
New school building
After years of planning, the construction of the new school building commenced in the summer of 2009. The school was constructed on the "junior" playing fields, which can be seen on the Downpatrick skyline. When completed, the previous school building was demolished and the site was converted into all-weather playing fields and tennis courts. The new school campus opened on April 1, 2011.