Newpark Comprehensive School
Encyclopedia
Newpark Comprehensive School (Irish
: Scoil Chuimsitheach na Páirce Nua) is a non-fee paying, co-educational comprehensive
secondary school
under Church of Ireland
management, located on Newtown Park Avenue in Blackrock, County Dublin
, Ireland
.
Newpark was established in 1972 primarily to provide free post-primary, co-education for the Church of Ireland
community of South County Dublin. The primary objective to provide places for members of that community persists, though while recognizing the Church of Ireland background and ethos, and acknowledging Archbishop of Dublin
as Patron of the school, Newpark also embraces a policy of openness and affirmation of different traditions and cultures. As a comprehensive school
, Newpark welcomes boys and girls of all religious, social or ethnic backgrounds. The need for an appropriate gender balance in order to fulfil the purpose of a co-educational school is recognized. Newpark describes itself as celebrating the diversity in academic, creative and practical intelligence in its students. Over the years, Newpark has gained the status as one of the most successful comprehensive schools in Europe.
The Newpark campus covers 100,543m² (25 acres). The school is centred in a purpose-built block, which was opened in 1974, but also uses two large houses, "Melfield" and "Belfort" (Affectionately referred to as the Red-Brick by students), a purpose-built extension to Belfort (The D/F Building), a gate lodge and other ancillary rooms.
and Rugby
are the two main sports of Newpark. Basketball
is also increasingly played.
, being the winner of several national and international titles. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, hockey at Newpark went into decline in the late 1990s and the current status is far from that of the glory days. Gladly, after the opening of Avoca Hockey Club
's new state of the art, water based hockey pitch on the Newpark campus in 2005, hockey in the school has undergone a revival. In 2008 the Newpark Senior Boys won the Leinster (B) League. In 2009 the hockey at the school cotinues to grow.This is evident from the u13 boys who won the league,beating St. Killians in the final 10-0, cotinuing the revival. In 2010, the 1st year (u13) girls won the A league beating St. Andrews 1-0 in the final. The same team (now minor/2nd years) won it again in 2011 beating Mt Anville 2-1 in the final. This is the most promising bunch of players the school has seen in many years and this bodes well for the future.
Bowling is played by boys and girls in Newpark in every age group
The Senior team has held the McMullen Cup since 2007 and was promoted to the Leinster Schools Senior Cup for 2010, entering the fray with a match against St. Mary's College on 2nd February 2010.
The tradition of teaching at Newpark can be traced back more than a century. Avoca School came into existence in 1891, in a small terraced house at Avoca Place in Blackrock. Three years later in 1894 Kingstown School was founded on York Road. They were both privately-owned schools, providing a unique form of education for children from the ages of four to eighteen, and were imbued with the personalities of the founding figures:
As a founder member of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ), Newpark Music Centre established its Jazz and Contemporary Music Department in 1986 and is now recognised as the primary centre for jazz and jazz related music education in the country. The staff is drawn from the greatest performers and teachers from Ireland and abroad, ensuring that students are kept up to date with the latest musical techniques, concepts and trends.
Since then, the centre has developed into a multi-purpose facility providing an extensive range of activities for the local community. The aim of which is to provide sport for all with activities for everyone from the crawling toddler to the active retired.
The Adult Education Centre:
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Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
: Scoil Chuimsitheach na Páirce Nua) is a non-fee paying, co-educational comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
under Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
management, located on Newtown Park Avenue in Blackrock, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Newpark was established in 1972 primarily to provide free post-primary, co-education for the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
community of South County Dublin. The primary objective to provide places for members of that community persists, though while recognizing the Church of Ireland background and ethos, and acknowledging Archbishop of Dublin
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
as Patron of the school, Newpark also embraces a policy of openness and affirmation of different traditions and cultures. As a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, Newpark welcomes boys and girls of all religious, social or ethnic backgrounds. The need for an appropriate gender balance in order to fulfil the purpose of a co-educational school is recognized. Newpark describes itself as celebrating the diversity in academic, creative and practical intelligence in its students. Over the years, Newpark has gained the status as one of the most successful comprehensive schools in Europe.
School
School facilities
- 25 General Classrooms (A1/A3/A5/A7/A9/B2/B4/B6/B7/B9/B11/C10/C12/C13/D1/D2/D3/D4/D5/F1/F2/F3/F4/F5/G1 etc..)
- 10 Prefabs (P1/P2/P3/P4/P5/P6/P7/P8/P9/P10)
- 3 Theaters
- Library and 8 IT Rooms (A2/D8/H6/P9/S5/T3)
- 2 Canteens
- 4 Home Economics kitchens (B1/B3/K7/U5) + Sewing Room (B5)
- 20 Science laboratories
- 8 Large art rooms, usually partitioned into 2 separate rooms (C5/C7)
- 4 Technical Drawing Room
- 2 Woodwork/Construction Studies Workshops (C9/C11)
- Metalwork & Engineering Workshop (F6)
- 2 Photographic darkrooms
- Music room (Students learning instruments also have access to the Music Centre)
- 4 Prefect Rooms (E2, E3, E4, E5)
- Upper Gate Lodge (fire damaged)
- Lower Gate Lodge (rugby changing rooms)
- Belfort House (G Block) a redbrick building housing various classrooms and offices
Sport at Newpark
HockeyField hockey
Field 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...
and Rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
are the two main sports of Newpark. Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
is also increasingly played.
Hockey
In the past Newpark enjoyed a reputation as a great hockey school, in connection with Avoca Hockey ClubAvoca Hockey Club
Avoca Hockey Club is a hockey club based in Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The club is affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
, being the winner of several national and international titles. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, hockey at Newpark went into decline in the late 1990s and the current status is far from that of the glory days. Gladly, after the opening of Avoca Hockey Club
Avoca Hockey Club
Avoca Hockey Club is a hockey club based in Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The club is affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
's new state of the art, water based hockey pitch on the Newpark campus in 2005, hockey in the school has undergone a revival. In 2008 the Newpark Senior Boys won the Leinster (B) League. In 2009 the hockey at the school cotinues to grow.This is evident from the u13 boys who won the league,beating St. Killians in the final 10-0, cotinuing the revival. In 2010, the 1st year (u13) girls won the A league beating St. Andrews 1-0 in the final. The same team (now minor/2nd years) won it again in 2011 beating Mt Anville 2-1 in the final. This is the most promising bunch of players the school has seen in many years and this bodes well for the future.
Bowling is played by boys and girls in Newpark in every age group
- Senior
- Junior
- U16s
- Minors
- U13s
Rugby
Rugby is played solely by boys in Newpark at every age level. Morgan Freeman, Andrew Plunkett, Noel Edmunds, Ciaran Kavanagh, Dermot Devlin, Stephen Byrne all share the coaching duties, building on the work of notable past coaches, including Pat Short and John McCabe.The Senior team has held the McMullen Cup since 2007 and was promoted to the Leinster Schools Senior Cup for 2010, entering the fray with a match against St. Mary's College on 2nd February 2010.
Basketball
Basketball is also played at Newpark by both boys and girls at every age level.- 1st years
- 2nd years
- 3rd years
- 4th years
- 5th years
- 6th years
History
- The Devlins, father and son, at Kingstown
- The McDonagh family (A.J. founded the school, his sons were the cornerstone of the school's great hockey tradition; his daughter, Ida, taught French until the early 1960s)
- The Parkers, Cyril and Cerise, who pioneered so much in Irish education (the use of IQ tests, sex education, musical appreciation, the formation of one of the country's first Parent-Teacher Associations)
- John Draper, Michael Classon and John Harris (subsequently headmaster of Wesley College), who brought the two schools together in 1968 and managed the transition from private secondary to state comprehensive school, Newpark, which opened its doors in September 1972
Newpark Music Centre
Founded in 1979 to provide much needed music school facilities in south Dublin, Newpark Music Centre now caters for over 1000 students and is one of the largest public music schools in Dublin. While the emphasis is on learning music for enjoyment, students and choirs from the Music Centre have been extremely successful in competitions throughout the country. All exam syllabi are covered up to and including diploma level and several specialised courses not available in other music schools are offered.As a founder member of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ), Newpark Music Centre established its Jazz and Contemporary Music Department in 1986 and is now recognised as the primary centre for jazz and jazz related music education in the country. The staff is drawn from the greatest performers and teachers from Ireland and abroad, ensuring that students are kept up to date with the latest musical techniques, concepts and trends.
Newpark Sports Centre
Newpark Sports Centre was built in 1972 with the sole purpose of providing a modern Physical Education facility for the pupils attending Newpark.Since then, the centre has developed into a multi-purpose facility providing an extensive range of activities for the local community. The aim of which is to provide sport for all with activities for everyone from the crawling toddler to the active retired.
Sports facilities
- Water-based artificial Grass Hockey Pitch
- Basketball Courts
- 25 m Swimming Pool
- Health Suite
- Fitness Centre
- Multi-use Sports Hall
- Rugby Pitches (off school grounds)
Newpark Adult Education Centre
Newpark Adult Education Centre offers evening and night classes in a wide range of subjects for leisure and personal development.The Adult Education Centre:
- Caters for approx 1,000 students each term
- Runs two ten-week terms, Autumn and Spring
- Offers over 100 courses
- Visit www.newparkdayschool.ie
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Notable alumni and teachers
- John de Courcy IrelandJohn de Courcy IrelandJohn de Courcy Ireland was an Irish maritime historian and political activist.-Biography:Born in Lucknow, India, where his County Kildare native father served in the British Army, he was educated at Marlborough College, Oxford University and Trinity College Dublin, where he was awarded a PhD in 1951...
, noted historian and political activist - Bryan DobsonBryan DobsonBryan Dobson is a newscaster with RTÉ in Ireland. He has presented RTÉ News: Six One for almost 15 years. He previously presented RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock.-Early life:...
, RTÉ NewsRTÉ NewsRTÉ News and Current Affairs , is a major division of Raidió Teilifís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. It is, by far, the largest and most popular news source in Ireland - with 77% of the Irish public regarding it as their main... - Jonathan Philbin BowmanJonathan Philbin BowmanJonathan Philbin Bowman was an Irish journalist and radio broadcaster.-Early life and education:Born in Dublin in 1969, Jonathan Philbin Bowman, the son of the historian and broadcaster John Bowman, was educated at Sandford Park School and at Newpark Comprehensive School in Dublin...
, broadcasterPresenterA presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show... - Mario RosenstockMario RosenstockMario Rosenstock born 31 August 1971, is an Irish actor, comedian, impressionist and musician who is best known for his parody music singles and his role in the Gift Grub comedy series on Irish radio station Today FM....
, actor, comedian - David McCullaghDavid McCullaghDavid McCullagh PhD is an Irish journalist and author. He is currently Political Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs.McCullagh attended Newpark Comprehensive School and studied politics in University College Dublin. He holds a PhD in the subject....
, RTE Journalist, Author
See also
- Blackrock
- Republic of IrelandRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
- Church of IrelandChurch of IrelandThe Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
- Dun Laoghaire-RathdownDun Laoghaire-RathdownDún Laoghaire–Rathdown is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. Located to the south-east of Dublin city, its county seat is the town of Dún Laoghaire. It is one of the four constituent parts of the Dublin Region...
- An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna
- Avoca Hockey ClubAvoca Hockey ClubAvoca Hockey Club is a hockey club based in Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The club is affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
External links
- Newpark Comprehensive School – official website
- Newpark Adult Education Centre – official website
- Newpark School Sports Centre – official website
- Newpark Music Centre – official website
- Avoca Hockey Club – official website
- http://www.maryhanafin.ie/news/21/64/Hanafin-welcomes-new-school-building-for-Newpark-Comprehensive-School-Blackrock.html