All welcome at Limavady Grammar School’s Open Night

Matthew has made an enormous contribution to school life in recent years. In addition to his academic ability he has played rugby, been a member of the school orchestra, taken part in various school dramatic productions including most recently, ‘Juno and the Paycock’ and was part of the team that spent a month in Kenya last summer. At six feet four tall he is also easily recognisable around the corridors!

Matthew is the first to admit that Limavady Grammar’s broad range of academic and extra-curricular activities was one of the main reasons that attracted him to the school, aged eleven. The school prides itself not just on the range of, but also the large numbers of pupils involved in, these activities. Last autumn brought the renewal of its prestigious International School Award – recognition of long-standing links with France, Germany, Spain, Sri Lanka and South Africa, as well as Kenya. Next summer a squad of fifty boys will be involved in the school’s fifth rugby tour to South Africa. Groups of exchange students from Europe are regular visitors and reciprocal visits take place every year.

Limavady Grammar School is a well-established controlled grammar school catering for girls and boys, aged 11-18, from all communities and from a wide catchment area including Eglinton, Ballykelly, Greysteel and Dungiven and increasingly pupils are attracted from the Coleraine, Articlave, Castlerock and Macosquin area, all well serviced by buses.

The secret of the school’s success lies in its welcoming and inviting approach to students. From the first day of induction into Year 8 until the final farewell in Year 14, the emphasis of the school is on caring for students, and ensuring that they are focused and motivated. This ethos is supported by a highly qualified, well-motivated staff who contribute to the huge range of extra-curricular sporting, cultural, recreational and artistic activities for which the school is renowned. Students, including Niall O’Connor, Philip Lowry, Simon Olphert, Andrew Pierce, Becky Mc Mullan Shay McIntosh and Stuart Thompson have represented Ulster, Northern Ireland and Ireland at cricket, hockey, rugby and soccer. Last year the school’s respective Under-15 teams won the Coleraine and District Soccer League and the Ulster Schools’ Cricket championship, while the Medallion (U-15) team reached the Medallion Shield final at Ravenhill for the first time.

The school is proud of its 11-year link with Kenya. Last July a team of 36 staff and pupils were present in Kajiado when the Principal, Mr Robert Wilson, officially opened Oloosuyian Girls’ School. The product of five years’ fund-raising, this school will transform the lives of teenage Kenyan girls, fifty of whom are enrolled in January 2012.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continues to go from strength to strength with many successes at Silver and Gold levels. Music and Drama have always been strong and have been further strengthened in the last few years, with concerts, musicals and drama productions a frequent delight. Recent productions have included Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ (2009), ‘We Will Rock You’ (2010), which received excellent reviews, and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (2011).

The school’s Open Evening is tomorrow,Thursday, January 26, from 6.45pm.