FOYLE COLLEGE in Londonderry, Londonderry

Education Centre Information: Foyle College:

Institution Type:Secondary (grammar) school
Status: Open
Board: WESTERN EDUCATION & LIBRARY BOARD (WELB)
Management: Voluntary
Delivery: Internet
Total Pupils: 878
Admissions: Selective
Age Range: 11-18
Gender: Mixed
Gender of sixth form: Mixed

Background:

This school has been providing education since 1617, when the Free School of Londonderry was founded by Mathias Springham. It moved to a fine Georgian building on Lawrence Hill in 1814 and adopted the name Foyle College shortly afterwards. In 1896, the school amalgamated with the Londonderry Academical Institution (founded in 1868), giving it the use of further buildings at Lawrence Hill and Academy Road. A new school was opened in 1968 in 30 acres of grounds at Springtown on Northland Road. The school is well-equipped and the senior school offers nine science laboratories, a lecture theatre, two computer suites, technology suite, art and design suite, music suite, home economics room, business studies suite (including computer room), study hall, library, lower and upper sixth social centres, sports hall and 22 general classrooms. Drama and music performances take place in the assembly hall. The junior school, which serves pupils aged 11 to 14, offers a recently completed library, IT suite and technology suite, while its science laboratories have been completely refurbished and its home economics, art and music rooms renovated. It also offers 14 general classrooms, a fully-equipped gymnasium and an assembly hall. The school's grounds include two pavilions with rugby, hockey and cricket pitches, tennis courts and an all-weather hockey and athletics ground. Strengths include mathematics, design and technology, and science; top Northern Ireland pupil in 2005 A-level Religious Education, also top-10 pupil in ICT, joint-first and joint-second places in ICT, and joint-third in English Literature. Pupils regularly compete in Physics and Chemistry Olympiads. Over-subscribed, with 1.1 applications per place. Ethos: 'Education can flourish only in an environment of good discipline, which is also an expected outcome of the educational process. Society expects schools to encourage high standards of behaviour. All those involved in teaching and supervising pupils have a part to play in achieving these high standards which will more easily be realised where relationships are good between teachers and pupils, and where praise and rewards are held to be as important as sanctions and punishment. The main principles involved are: good relationships and mutual respect between teacher and pupil; high positive expectation of pupils' academic and social abilities; curriculum and teaching methods matched to pupils' needs; nurturing of pupils' growing maturity and self-esteem; fair and even-handed treatment of children; encouragement of self-discipline and maintenance of individual standards when one of a crowd; emphasis on praise and rewards; range of sanctions and punishments to register disapproval of unacceptable behaviour; need for teachers to guard against unconscious operation to create a 'downward spiral of negative expectations'; and need for corporate commitment to maintenance of good behaviour by all staff in all areas outside the classroom. With the above principles in mind, teachers should approach the maintenance of discipline in a positive way.' .