St Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Catholic School is an English
secondary school
in Longbenton
, Newcastle
, England
.
, one in Walker
and one in Killingworth
. These three sites were brought together some years later to its current site in Longbenton and is now the only Catholic co-educational secondary school in Newcastle. The school is part of the family of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
The site has been developed to provide a wide range of opportunities for young people. In recent years they have extended and upgraded facilities for science, design and technology, information and communications technology, drama, and music. They have also provided new dining facilities and a chapel.
he main teaching areas radiate out from the atrium. On the ground floor, the teaching of music, dance and drama, design and technology, R.E. and English will take place. The classrooms are bright, spacious and fully equipped with modern furniture and fittings. Each room has a splash of colour on a feature wall and will be equipped with an interactive white board for teaching and learning. On the first floor, there are well equipped science laboratories, classrooms for history, geography, mathematics and modern language teaching. Each of the teaching areas is connected by wide, well-lit, carpeted corridors, with locker areas provided at strategic points in the school. The sixth form facilities are found on the second level and include a café style work area, study facilities and a suite of sixth form classrooms. Year 11 students are very excited at the prospect of a dedicated sixth form area with their own facilities. It is a great time to be working and learning in St Mary’s. Once the students arrive, the building will become a school in September, where we can all explore and develop our gifts and talents to the full. Sir Robert McAlpine will then turn their attention to the old building and surrounding areas. The building, which has served the community of St Mary’s so well since Catholic re-organisation in 1977, will be demolished and the site prepared and landscaped to provide a full range of sports areas, a memorial garden, a wildlife area, seating areas for students and outdoor teaching spaces. In another eighteen months, the construction company will leave and the school and site will once again be fully occupied by the community that is St Mary’s.
contained within the arms
of St Mary's is the symbol most commonly used by the school, and is used on letterheads and newsletters as the logo. The lily represents the Mother of God and the three castles represent the city of Newcastle upon Tyne
. The present arms of the school were designed by the long serving Art teacher John Croney and replaced an earlier version. The motto of St Mary's is "Auxilium Christianorum" a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the Litany of Loretto.
The school tie is composed of silver and blue diagonal stripes. The colours are taken from the lower part of the school arms.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
in Longbenton
Longbenton
Longbenton is a district of North Tyneside, England. It is largely occupied by an extensive estate originally built as municipal housing by Newcastle City Council in the 1950s and 1960s. It is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro stations Longbenton Metro station and Four Lane Ends Metro Station...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
St Mary's started life as a technical school for boys in 1954, and was located on Bath Lane off Westgate Road in Newcastle until September 1966. As a result of the re-organisation of Catholic Schools in 1977 St Mary's became a co-educational Catholic Comprehensive. The school was based on three sites, one in LongbentonLongbenton
Longbenton is a district of North Tyneside, England. It is largely occupied by an extensive estate originally built as municipal housing by Newcastle City Council in the 1950s and 1960s. It is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro stations Longbenton Metro station and Four Lane Ends Metro Station...
, one in Walker
Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne
Walker is a residential suburb and electoral ward just east of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Walker's name is a hybrid of Old English and Viking Norse, "Wall-kjerr", where "kjerr" is Norse for "marshy woodland"...
and one in Killingworth
Killingworth
Killingworth, formerly Killingworth Township, is a town north of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in North Tyneside, United Kingdom.Built as a planned town in the 1960s, most of Killingworth's residents commute to Newcastle, or the city's surrounding area. However, Killingworth itself has a sizeable...
. These three sites were brought together some years later to its current site in Longbenton and is now the only Catholic co-educational secondary school in Newcastle. The school is part of the family of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
The site has been developed to provide a wide range of opportunities for young people. In recent years they have extended and upgraded facilities for science, design and technology, information and communications technology, drama, and music. They have also provided new dining facilities and a chapel.
New School Building
After more than 3 years of planning, followed by eighteen months of construction, we will start using the school in September 2011 for teaching and learning. Staff and students are excited at the prospect of working together in an attractive, spacious environment, equipped to a very high specification. On entering the school, you will have a clear view into the school library and beyond. After passing through reception, you will enter the impressive atrium which forms the central hub of the school and it is from here that the main teaching areas radiate outwards. It is also a place where students will be able to gather before school, break time and at lunchtime, and will be used for teaching, display and presentations. Overlooking the atrium, at the heart of the school, is the school Chapel, a place for reflection and prayer. Along the front of the school is the spacious main hall, together with the attractive dining room to the east and excellent sports facilities to the west of the main entrance. The sports facilities include a superb four court sports hall, a large activity studio and a modern fitness suite. This will be equipped with the latest in fitness machines and will no doubt prove very popular with students and staff.he main teaching areas radiate out from the atrium. On the ground floor, the teaching of music, dance and drama, design and technology, R.E. and English will take place. The classrooms are bright, spacious and fully equipped with modern furniture and fittings. Each room has a splash of colour on a feature wall and will be equipped with an interactive white board for teaching and learning. On the first floor, there are well equipped science laboratories, classrooms for history, geography, mathematics and modern language teaching. Each of the teaching areas is connected by wide, well-lit, carpeted corridors, with locker areas provided at strategic points in the school. The sixth form facilities are found on the second level and include a café style work area, study facilities and a suite of sixth form classrooms. Year 11 students are very excited at the prospect of a dedicated sixth form area with their own facilities. It is a great time to be working and learning in St Mary’s. Once the students arrive, the building will become a school in September, where we can all explore and develop our gifts and talents to the full. Sir Robert McAlpine will then turn their attention to the old building and surrounding areas. The building, which has served the community of St Mary’s so well since Catholic re-organisation in 1977, will be demolished and the site prepared and landscaped to provide a full range of sports areas, a memorial garden, a wildlife area, seating areas for students and outdoor teaching spaces. In another eighteen months, the construction company will leave and the school and site will once again be fully occupied by the community that is St Mary’s.
Achievements
In July 2007 the school was awarded Humanities College status by the government, and given an additional £500,000 to develop further expertise in English, religious education and the performing arts . The school has also been awarded the Arts Mark, and has the Healthy Schools Award. Its website has also won the purpleyouth.com Bronze award for best school website.Emblem, logos and identities
The Fleur-de-lisFleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
contained within the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of St Mary's is the symbol most commonly used by the school, and is used on letterheads and newsletters as the logo. The lily represents the Mother of God and the three castles represent the city of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. The present arms of the school were designed by the long serving Art teacher John Croney and replaced an earlier version. The motto of St Mary's is "Auxilium Christianorum" a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the Litany of Loretto.
The school tie is composed of silver and blue diagonal stripes. The colours are taken from the lower part of the school arms.
External links
- St Mary's Catholic Comprehensive School Website
- BBC News Article - BBC News Article - St Marys' participation in Operation 60 GCSE.