St Ninian's High School, Douglas Explained

St Ninian's High School
Established:1985
Head Label:Headteacher
Head:Chris Coole
Address:Ballaquayle Road
Postcode:IM2 5RA
Local Authority:Isle of Man Offshore Establishments
Ofsted:yes
Urn:132463
Enrolment:1333
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:18
Website:http://www.snhs.im

St Ninian's High School (Manx: Schoill Ard Noo Ninian) is a secondary school located in Douglas and Onchan, on the Isle of Man. The School is set over two different sites, catering for different year groups.

History

The modern institution originated as a 1985 union of previously independent upper and lower schools. The lower dates to 1894, originally based at Park Road in central Douglas. The upper school, Douglas High School for Boys was founded in 1927 at Ballaquayle.[1] Alumni of the high school formed the football club Douglas High School Old Boys A.F.C.

A review of secondary education in Douglas in 1985 formed St. Ninians, establishing a new name and uniting the two parts.[2] [3]

In 1998, staff member Alex Townsend developed the Manx Telecomputer Bus program, which saw the development of a mobile IT classroom. While primarily aimed at supporting primary schools, the computer bus facilitated a trip to London for St. Ninian's students in 1999.[4]

A new location was established for the lower school in 2012- relocating to Bemahague, in Onchan. This was because the Park Road site was falling into disrepair and space for further expansion was limited. The upper school had also become crowded by this time, relying on several mobile classrooms. This necessitated the construction of a new school which could take Park Road's former students as well as one year group from the upper school.

Facilities

The Upper School campus has received many renovations over its period of existence. It is now much larger than the original construction of the 1920s. Most recently a new Sixth form Centre was built in 2000. Named the Barbra Cottier Centre, it formed a purpose built centre for Sixth Form studies. In 2006 a new dining area and Special Needs centre was built on the site of a central courtyard.

The new lower school in Onchan has several tennis courts, playing fields, modern football pitches and a large gymnasium.

Notable alumni

External links

54.1644°N -4.4844°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 90th anniversary of Douglas High School for Boys. Manx Radio.
  2. Web site: 2017-12-03. About us. 2021-02-09. snhs.sch.im. en.
  3. Web site: Memories of St Ninian's High School 90 years after the building opened. www.iomtoday.co.im.
  4. Web site: Relaunch January 23rd 2008. www.computerbus.com.
  5. News: Sam Barks update . St. Ninian's High School . 30 April 2008 . 2008-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080603145912/http://www.sch.im/snhs/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=1. 3 June 2008.
  6. Web site: Mathematics and the Isle of Man. www.maths.bath.ac.uk.
  7. Web site: Craine, Peter Alfred. Tynwald.
  8. Isle of Man Examiner, Friday, September 26, 1930; Page: 7
  9. Web site: St Ninian's celebrates Olympic gold medal.
  10. Web site: Sir Frank Kermode obituary. John. Mullan. August 18, 2010. www.theguardian.com.
  11. Web site: Nigel Kneale. November 3, 2006. www.telegraph.co.uk.