Newtown School is a multidenominational,

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

independent school with both day and boarding pupils in

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is run by a

Board of Management A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

, but owned by the

Religious Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

History

Newtown School was founded in 1798 by the

( Quaker), on the estates of the former home of Sir

Thomas Wyse Sir Thomas Wyse (24 December 1791 – 16 April 1862), an Irish politician and diplomat, belonged to a family claiming descent from a Devon squire, Andrew Wyse, who is said to have crossed over to Ireland during the reign of Henry II and obt ...

. Its original purpose was the education of

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

in the south of Ireland, and until 1858 no non-

were admitted, although priority is still given to applicants who are Quakers. In 1924 Newtown adopted a fully

policy which it has maintained to the present day. Newtown School is a co-educational boarding and day school. Boarding facilities are offered on a three-weekly basis. Some students may opt for weekly boarding. There are two residences, for girls and boys separately. Accommodation is mostly in dorms but there are also twin and single rooms. Day students have the opportunity to become day boarders and remain in school until after evening study thus allowing them to take a full part in all aspects of school life.

Curriculum

Junior cycle

For the Junior Cycle, Newtown follows the curriculum for the

Junior Certificate Junior Cycle ( ga, An tSraith Shóisearach ) is the first stage of the education programme for post-primary education within the Republic of Ireland. It is overseen by the State Examinations Commission of the Department of Education, the Stat ...

. All offered subjects offered are available in Higher and Ordinary levels. First Year Scholars have access to twenty-one subjects. In Second and Third Year, all Junior Certificate candidates study Art, Craft & Design and Science, all have access to French and/or German and:or Spanish and all take a practical subject, either Materials Technology (woodwork) or Home Economics, Technical graphics , business studies or music.

Transition year

Newtown operates a compulsory

Transition Year Transition Year (TY) ( ga, Idirbhliain) is an optional one-year school programme that can be taken in the year after the Junior Certificate in Ireland. However, depending on school population and funding it may not be available, and in other sch ...

program. In recent years students have participated in kayaking, outdoor pursuits, Young Social Innovators, surfing,

lifesaving Lifesaving is the act involving rescue, resuscitation and first aid. It often refers to water safety and aquatic rescue; however, it could include ice rescue, flood and river rescue, swimming pool rescue and other emergency medical services. ...

courses, drama, media, personal development, nutrition, enterprise, crafts and fashion design. The programme also includes week-long work experience placements, and a European studies tour on themes pertinent to the programme, along with other courses that vary from year to year.

Senior cycle

The senior cycle begins at the end of

when students are asked to choose the subjects in which they would like to be examined at Leaving Certificate, in order of preference. The subjects offered in addition to the three compulsory subjects (English, Maths and Irish) vary each year, depending on demand(e.g. Applied Mathematics). At present there are over 20 Leaving Certificate subjects offered, all of which are available for study at any level.

Sports Facilities

Newtown has a 25m indoor swimming pool (with diving platforms and a diving board), a gym, a weights-room, an astroturf hockey pitch, an athletics track, two hockey training pitches, two rugby pitches, a cricket lawn and tennis courts. A cross-country track also runs along the perimeter of the grounds.

Notable alumni

Erskine Barton Childers Erskine Barton Childers (11 March 1929 – 25 August 1996) was an Irish writer, BBC correspondent and United Nations senior civil servant. He was the eldest son of Erskine Hamilton Childers (Ireland's fourth President) and Ruth Ellen Dow Chil ...

– writer, journalist, United Nations civil servant *

Jeamie Deacon Jeamie Deacon, also referred to as Jamie Deacon, is an Ireland women's rugby union international and an Ireland women's rugby sevens international. Deacon represented Ireland at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. Deacon is also a former Irela ...

– rugby union and field hockey player *

Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes ( ; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. A Shakespeare interpreter, he excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shak ...

– actor * R. F. Foster – historian of the Modern Irish period * Ian Gibson – historian, author and Hispanist * Sinéad O'Connor – singer *

Nick Popplewell Nick Popplewell (born 6 April 1964 in Dublin) is an Irish former rugby union player who won 48 caps for his country between 1989 and 1998. He played club rugby for Greystones RFC, Wasps RFC, Newcastle Falcons, and also captained Leinster Rugb ...

– rugby union player *

Philip Boucher-Hayes :''This is an article about an Irish person of note. For the similar-sounding French Canadian ice-hockey player, see Philippe Boucher.'' Philip Boucher-Hayes (born 1971) is a journalist at RTÉ. He is a news reporter, television and radio presen ...

– journalist * Phill Jolly Upper Class

References

External links

Newtown School official website

Newtown School Waterford, Mountmellick & Foy Old Scholars Association

{{Coord, display=title Buildings and structures in Waterford (city) Education in Waterford (city) Quaker schools Secondary schools in County Waterford Educational institutions established in 1798 Boarding schools in Ireland Private schools in the Republic of Ireland Protestant schools in the Republic of Ireland Co-educational boarding schools 1798 establishments in Ireland