Rockport School
54°39′54″N5°46′23″W/ 54.665°N 5.773°W
| Rockport School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
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| Information | |
| Type | Independent school; day and boarding |
| Motto | Virtus Repulsae Nescia Sordidae |
| Established | 1906 |
| Headmaster | George Vance |
| Colours | Green and White |
| Age Range | 3 to 18 |
| Website | rockportschool.com |
Rockport Schoolis an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls from 2.5 years to 18 years in the British Public School tradition. It is situated in 25 acres (10 ha) of woodland on the shore ofBelfast LoughinCraigavad,nearHolywood,County Down,Northern Ireland,betweenBelfastandBangor.[1]
History
[edit]The school was founded in 1906[2]by Geoffrey Bing of Rossall School andKeble College, Oxford,with the original aim to "prepare boys for the Public Schools and theRoyal Naval College, Dartmouth".Bing was 29 and had taught previously in St George's,Broadstairsand at St Andrew's School,Southborough,Tunbridge Wells.Rockport began with only four boys, an assistant master and a matron but quickly grew in size. The school now has around 300 pupils and accepts both boys and girls from the age of 3 until 18 (A Level)[2]as day or boarding pupils. The school celebrated its centenary year in 2006 by building a new arts centre.[citation needed]
The headmaster is a member of the 16 Group of theIndependent Association of Preparatory Schoolsand the school is represented by theIndependent Schools Council(ISC). In January 2014, the school became the first school in Ireland, north or south, to be granted regional membership of the international conference ofRound SquareSchools. Global membership of Round Square was conferred upon the school in March 2016. In September 2016 Rockport established the first school-based Golf Academy in Ireland.
Notable alumni
[edit]Arts and media
[edit]- Dudi Appleton,journalist and film director
- Lady Caroline Blackwood,journalist and novelist
- Turlough Convery,actor
- Shaun Davey,composer
- Daniel Edelstyn,filmmaker, screenwriter and actor
- Howard Ferguson (composer)
- Gary Lightbody,musicianSnow Patrol
- William MacQuitty,film producer
- Flora Montgomery,actress
- Jonny Quinn,musician (Snow Patrol)
- James Quinn (film administrator),one of the longest-serving Directors of theBritish Film Institute
- Jessica Reynolds,actress[citation needed]
- Willoughby Weaving,poet of the Great War
Politics
[edit]- Geoffrey Bing,Labour MP for Hornchurch and firstAttorney General of Ghana
- Gordon Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy,Conservative politician andSecretary of State for Scotlandfrom 1970 to 1974
- Nigel Casey,Diplomat, formerBritish High Commissioner to South Africa
- Natalie Evans, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park,formerLeader of the House of Lords
- Robin Glendinning,playwright and former politician instrumental in founding theAlliance Party of Northern Ireland
- Will Glendinning,Alliance politician
- SirJohn Gorman,soldier, Unionist politician
- Charles Johnston, Baron Johnston of Rockport,Conservative politician, businessman
- Alan McFarland,Unionist politician
- Rafton Pounder,Unionist politician
- John Robb,surgeon;Irish Senatorand founder of theNew Ireland Group
- John Turnley,Irish nationalist activist
Business
[edit]- John Crosslé,founder of theCrosslé Car Company
- SirPeter Gadsden,652ndLord Mayor of London
Military
[edit]- SirMichael McCorkell,soldier, public servant andLord Lieutenant of County Londonderryfor 25 years
- SirJohn Morrison Forbes,Vice-Admiral. Royal Navy officer who becameNaval Secretary.
Sports
[edit]- Ronnie Adams,car racer
- Fred Covington,cricketer
- Ben Reynolds,athlete[citation needed]
- Paddy Wallace,Irish international rugby player
- John Watson,Formula 1racing driver and commentator
References
[edit]- ^"Independent Schools UK".Archivedfrom the original on 25 March 2008.Retrieved16 March2008.
- ^ab"Boarding NI".Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2016.Retrieved17 May2016.