REGENT HOUSE GRAMMAR SCHOOL

'Regent House School'

Address	Circular Road Newtownards BT23 4QA
Phone	(028) 91813234
Fax	(028) 91 822657
Headmaster	Dr T. McCavery
School type	Voluntary Grammar
School Board	SEELB
Location	Mid-Town Central, Newtownards, Northern Ireland, UK
Enrollment	1444 students
School colour(s)	Black & Red, Green & Red

'Regent House Grammar School' is a co-ed voluntary grammar school situated in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. It comprises two parts: the preparatory department, known as "the Prep" and the main school itself. It has around 1,500 pupils from ages 4 to 18.
The school is known for its sporting achievements especially in rugby and athletics and its music department, including the senior choir which often performs in high profile venues.
The school is divided into 4 houses: Castlereagh, Strangford, Scrabo and Clandeboye. Regular inter-house competitions are held.

Contents

School building

Sport

Music

Air Training Corps

Notable alumni

External link

School building

The final phase of the school's building work has recently completed, concluding the six year renovations. The school buildings are among the most extensive in Northern Ireland and feature a specialised Technology department with 3 workshops, state of the art Music department with performance hall and recording studio, a dozen modern science labs, a completely refurbished library and languages block, drama studio, new staff room, "B" block containing new English and Maths departments, sports facilities including gym with full range of modern equipment and a new canteen and sixth form centre.

Sport

Regent has won the Ulster Schools Cup and Medallion Shield. Rugby continues to be a popular sport in the school, alongside hockey and athletics. The athletics team is one of the best in the country regularly producing Ulster and Irish Schools Champions. The school has produced a long list of international athletes at junior level with many also going on to gain senior international honours. Recently at Ulster schools, David Keys and Scott Hamilton took two golds in the throws and sprints respectively, with James Niblock taking the 400m title. The cricket team reached the final of the 2006 Ulster Bank Schools Cup, only to disappointingly lose to RBAI by 10 wickets. The team contained many talented players who have a bright future in the game. However, in the shorter McCullough Cup, the 1st X1 recorded an incredible one wicket victory against the same opponents in the semi final, with a four being struck off the very last ball. They duly didn't disappoint in the final, bowling Ballyclare out for 34 and winning by six wickets.

Music

The School's Choir is well known as being one of the better school music groups in Northern Ireland. The School Choir has won the Bangor International Choral festival and in 2005 performed in the Waterfront hall with Amici Forever in a concert to raise money for Action Cancer.

Air Training Corps

Regent also boast an Air Cadet squadron, 2241 sqn, a school squadron. The squadron was created out of an army cadet unit after the Second World War by Mr. Duff, a teacher and the squadron's first Commanding Officer.
There are a number of opportunities on offer from the squadron including Gliding/flying training. The Squadron is well located as Newtownards Airfield is nearby, this is the home of 664 VGS.
2006 saw the creation of the squadrons first marksman team, the only other Air cadet marksman team being in Belfast Royal Academy. Practicing both small-bore .22 Target rifle and full-bore 7.62 Target rifle at Ballykilner Training Camp (Army) and competing at H.M. Pirbright as well as Bisley Camp in Surrey.
2241(R.H.S) Squadron has a very successful record of sporting achievements in Hockey, Cross country and Rugby.
There are a number of RAF camp opportunities throughout the year, Autumn camp, Easter camp as well as Summer camp, held at RAF bases around the U.K. Additional opportunities include Cyprus, Gibraltar and Germany camps as well as the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE).

Notable alumni

★ Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blair 'Paddy' Mayne DSO & 3 Bars, founder member of the Special Air Service.

★ Eddie Irvine, Formula 1 racing driver

★ Jim Allister, Unionist politician and MEP for Northern Ireland

★ Andrew Telford, Boat king and P.W.C. Chairman

★ Colin Murray, Radio 1 DJ

★ Ottilie Patterson, Blues singer

External link

★ School Web Site