Greenland Larne High School

The Official Story

Headmaster: Mr L.S.Polley M.Sc, B.Ed., D.A.S.E.

Address:

20 Sallagh Park
Larne, Co.Antrim.
Northern Ireland.
BT 40 1 NT

Telephone: +44 (0)1574 272159 Fax: +44 (0)1574 278230 E.Mail: larnehs@rmplc.co.uk

Fortieth Anniversary.

Larne High School celebrates forty years of educational provision in August 1997. Although the foundation stone was laid on the 26th July 1955, the school did not open until September 1957. It was then known as Greenland Intermediate Secondary School and was the first of its type in County Antrim.

It is interesting to note that the initial intake was just over 500 and that the Headmaster, Mr Saunders had a staff of eighteen. The school population peaked at 1116 during the early 80's and has now stabilised at approximately 720. Today Mr Polley has a staff numbering fifty-one.

A programme of events has been planned to celebrate the anniversary and a video, commemorative book and range of merchandise are being produced.

The Rt Hon Michael Ancram QC DL { April 1997 }, the then Minister for Education made the following comment in his contribution to the book :-

"A look at the history of Larne High School shows two common themes. The first is innovation and willingness to adapt and change to meet challenges and always to strive to improve the quality of the service offered to pupils and parents."

In his foreword, Mr Polley commented :-

"What of the future? The Northern Ireland Common Curriculum is firmly established, our sixth year or as we now call them, Year thirteen, are an integral part of our school community. The facilities which we have are second to none, recently we completed a refurbishing of our Technology and Design Department and not so long ago the Macintosh resource suite was upgraded. Our school numbers have stabilised at around seven hundred and twenty pupils. Our students continue to experience success both academically and socially. Throughout all the changes in recent years our central aim remains the same, to ensure that each child can, in the words of our school mission statement, 'feel secure in a caring, happy, learning environment where everyone is valued, respected and committed to working together to achieve success in preparation for a changing world.'

AIMS .

The general aims of the school are:

a.. To provide all pupils with the opportunity to develop their potential and to encourage and guide them to take a meaningful place in society.

b.. To ensure that pupils have experiences which include those that are academic, aesthetic, ethical, human and environmental, linguistic, mathematical, physical, spiritual, scientific and technological.

c.. To promote close reciprocal links with home and community.

d.. To provide a curriculum appropriate to the needs of each pupil at each stage in his / her development, including the provision of opportunities for pupils to achieve success in a variety of contexts.

It is our desire to impart knowledge and offer worthwhile experiences to our pupils which will help him / her develop into a responsible member of society. To this end we recognise that each child is an individual entitled to a quality education which is relevant to the world in which we live.

CURRICULUM.

Larne High School endeavours to offer the compulsory and appropriate contributory subjects from the six areas of study - English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Environment and Society, Language Studies and Creative and Expressive Studies - as detailed in the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989. All pupils, with the exception of those whose parents have conscientious objections, also study Religious Education throughout their five years of secondary education. Cross-curricular themes are delivered through Programmes of Study with additional modules which specifically address pupils needs. The school's additional distinctive provision is provided for, through subjects which reflect the strengths of the school, as they relate to the aptitudes, needs and abilities of the pupils and to the immediate and wider community. For pupils with statements of educational needs there may be exemption from, or modification of, certain parts of the curriculum.

Pupils in the senior school are given the opportunity of preparing for GCSE while examinations offered by RSA, Pitman's, WJEC and other bodies may be available in some subjects as supplements or alternatives to GCSE.

Those pupils wishing to continue their studies after the end of compulsory education may return to the school's Year 13 where they have the opportunity of following a GNVQ course in either Business, Health and Social Care or Engineering. The Year Thirteen curriculum also includes Leisure Studies, Religious Education, Careers, Communication, Numeracy and Information Technology, the latter three being allied to the GNVQs studied.

PASTORAL CARE AND DISCIPLINE.

We in Larne High School place a high degree of importance on the Pastoral aspect of education by providing a secure base to which every pupil can relate. In delivering Pastoral provision, teachers adopt a positive attitude to pupils; encouraging, guiding and treating them with respect. They accept pupils as individuals of worth and value them as important members of the school community.

The school operates a discipline policy and has a code of conduct to which it is expected that every pupil should adhere and which every parent should support. The school also has a Charter which clearly emphasises the need for PARTNERSHIP in a child' education.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

Larne High School encourages pupils to develop interests in a wide range of sporting, recreational and cultural activities including :-

Sports Clubs : - Soccer, Hockey, Netball, Rugby, Cricket, Dancing, Aerobics, Golf and Swimming. Music and Drama :- School Choir, Band and Drama Club. Educational visits :- trips have recently visited Scotland (Hockey), Switzerland and France. Charity :- The school charity committee organise a range of events and have contributed many thousands of pounds to charities in recent years.

The school also operates one of the largest and most successful Youth Clubs in the North Eastern Education and Library Board. It has a team of well qualified youth leaders who ensure that all members are supervised in a safe and friendly environment.

CLOVER LINK.

E MAIL LINKS.

The following addresses may be of interest :-

Larne High: larnehs@rmplc.co.uk

COMMENTS AND CONTACTS.

Any comments / suggestions about our web site will be appreciated - it is our intention to update it at regular intervals so please feel free to E Mail us at: larnehs@rmplc.co.uk

The True Story

Hame Noo