Cookstown High School

Cookstown High School is a combined Grammar School and Secondary School in Northern Ireland. It is one of the largest in the area, falling within the Southern Region of the Education Authority.

Unlike many grammar providers in Northern Ireland the school does not make use of extra transfer tests, instead offering children grammar provision on the basis of their academic ability as evidenced through their primary school attainment.

History and development

Founded as Cookstown Academy in 1806 by the Reverend Thomas Millar Senior, the school has been through numerous transformations in the centuries since then. It merged with the Ladies Boarding School in the town around 1924, by which time it was known as Cookstown College. The school was renamed Cookstown High School in 1934 by which time it was a grammar school. In 1955, a new state of the art building was erected in Coolnafranky Demesne and placed adjacent to a newly created School, Cookstown Secondary Intermediate School. These two schools shared the site and some facilities until the nineteen seventies.

In 1977 the two schools merged into one, taking the badge and motto of the grammar school with a slightly amended uniform. Today's school has retained its academic tradition and focus while also providing vocational pathways to ensure that all pupils are able to access the curriculum. Pupils are placed on differentiated pathways guided by their academic ability and educational needs.

Site

The school is situated on the Coolnafranky site in Cookstown. It consists of a large nineteenth-century gentleman's residence named Coolnafranky House. The house is a listed building and provides accommodation for School Council meetings, the school nurse, a kitchen and numerous meeting rooms. The school site contains several wooded areas. In addition to numerous tennis courts, it also contains two artificial turf pitches used by both the school and Cookstown Hockey Club.

The school has five main buildings, housing the following facilities:

* Block 1: The 'Upper' Building - Millar Hall, Boys' Gym, Careers Suite, Technology, ICT, Art, English, History, Religious Education, Physical Education, Home Economics, Geography, Business Studies and Health and Social Care departments.
* Block 2: The Morrison (Middle) Building - General Office, Principal's and Vice-Principals' offices, Lecture Theatre, Library, New Careers Suite, The Granary (Junior Canteen) and Senior Canteen, the Music department and the Sixth Form Centre, comprising a common room and study areas.
* Block 3: The 'Lower' Building - McClay Hall, Modern Languages (French and Spanish), Maths, Biology and Physics departments.
* Block 4: The Learning Support Centre and changing rooms for the pitches.
* Block 5: New Science Building (Chemistry department).

Motto

The school's primary motto is "Virtus Cum Scientia", which means "character through knowledge". Beyond this, the school also uses minor mottos such as "Excellence, Opportunity, Support" and "Character Counts" in posters and assemblies throughout the year, with the intent of motivating students to achieve both their academic and behavioural potential.

The school hymn is "Lead Me, Lord, Lead Me in Thy Righteousness" by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, most often used during ''Prize Day'' and other significant assemblies.

Headteachers

;Cookstown Academy
* Reverend Thomas Millar Senior (Founder) (1806–1840)
* Mr John A Smyth BA (1840–1861)
* Mr John McKenzie MA (1877–1901)
* Mr J Rutledge BA (1910–1917)
* Mr W J Vaughan BA (1917–1934)
;Cookstown Ladies School
* Misses Remington (1834–1861)
* Miss Matilda Miller (1861–1877)
* Misses Houston (1877–1918)
* Miss Rowan BA (1918–1934)
;Cookstown High School (pre-merger)
* Mr A McNeill BA (1934–1959)
* Mr J C Cooper BSc (1959–1971)
* Canon Wilfred Young O.B.E. MA (1971–1977)
;Cookstown Secondary Intermediate School
* Mr J E Donaghey BA (1955–1974)
* Mr W K Armstrong BSc (1974–1977)
;Cookstown High School
* Canon Wilfred Young O.B.E. MA (1977–1990)
* Dr Samuel McGuinness (1991–1997)
* Mr Keith Hamilton (Acting Principal) (1997–1998)
* Mr Barry Freestone (1998–2006)
* Mrs Adele Sloan (2007–2013)
* Mr Graham Montgomery (2013–2018)
* Miss Gwyneth Evans (2018–)

Magazine

Every year since 1958, the high school has released a publication chronicling the academic and sporting successes of the school, changes within the teaching staff and any significant individual achievements by the school's pupils. Over the years, the editorial team has been led by Mrs Nicola Hagan, Mrs Leanne Johnston and Mr Richard Brown, who were assisted by various departments and a team of pupils. Reports and pictures are categorised by subject, highlighting all pupils' academic and social achievements. The School Council's yearly work, school traditions, and extra-curricular and sporting achievements are given devoted sections in each publication.

From the school year 2006–2007, the style of the magazine was reverted to its original A4 size, which had been abandoned in 2003.

From the school year 2020-2021, the physical sale of the magazine was discontinued, and each publication has instead been uploaded onto the school's website.

Sport

Sport is a fundamental part of life at the high school. Sports offered at the school include football, netball, hockey, rugby union, cross-country running and athletics.

The school is known for its preference for hockey. In previous seasons (most notably 2008–09), the 1st XI have won the McCullough Cup and Burney Cup, both for the second year running, beating Sullivan Upper and Banbridge Academy in the finals respectively. However the school lost their Irish Schools crown after losing 3-2 to St. Andrews College, Dublin. They were to avenge this defeat at the inaugural John Waring All Ireland Schoolboys Championship's final, where they defeated St. Andrews College in the final by 2 goals.

In the 2006–2007 season, the boys' first team reached the semi-final of both the McCullough Cup and the All Ireland Schoolboys Hockey Championship, and the final of the Burney Cup.

In the 2007–2008 season, the boys' first team won the All Ireland Schoolboys Hockey Championship when they defeated the holders Banbridge Academy by four goals to two in the final. This was followed six weeks later by a penalty shoot-out victory over the same opponents in the Final of the McCullough Cup. The boys capped a terrific season by completing the treble by winning the Burney Cup against Royal & Prior. This marked the first season the school had achieved this feat.

In the 2023-2024 season, the boys' U13 team won the Bannister Bowl on penalty shootouts, after drawing 2-2 with Friends School Lisburn. Soon afterwards, the boys' U14 team won a seventh Ferris Cup title after winning 2-1 against RBAI. The boys' U15 team marked the school's 13th Richardson Cup victory after yet again winning 2-1 against RBAI, marking the first time that the high school has held a treble in junior hockey.

In the 2024-2025 season, the school achieved a second consecutive treble in junior hockey, after their various boys' teams won the Bannister Cup, the Ferris Cup in a stunning 7-0 victory against Banbridge Academy, and the Richardson Cup.

School traditions

There are a number of annual events at the high school. ''Prize Day'' is a tradition within the school where pupils who have excelled in their studies, are formally congratulated and rewarded on their successes. There is an academic procession with teaching staff wearing academic dress and a special guest is invited to speak. Typically held in late September, it celebrates those who have excelled in their Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, GCSE, AS and A-Level studies, along with those who have excelled when it comes to sporting achievements and contributions to school life.

The School Formal Dinner Dance is held in June. This event is organized by the Head Boy, Head Girl and Senior Prefects, and is attended by hundreds of pupils from Sixth Form and Year 12 as well as many members of staff. In most years, a School Formal Video is also created to commemorate the leaving Sixth Form students, featuring a montage of satirical and humourous clips based on school events.

In November, a Service of Remembrance is held at the school war memorial. The memorial was dedicated in 2013 in memory of former pupils and staff who died in the service of their country during World War 1. It was designed by local artist Mr George Gourley, a past pupil and former Head of Art at the school. Wreaths are laid on behalf of pupils, the Former Pupils Association and the Parent Teachers and Friends Association, also being attended by members of the school community and representatives of civic society.

During most years, the CHS Society for Music and Drama has presented a play or musical in the Millar Hall. Performances usually run over two or three nights in October, and up to one hundred pupils and staff regularly participate. In recent years, the Director/Producer has varied (Conor O'Brien has held the role for Oliver! in 2024 and for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2025), and the current Musical Director is Mrs Fiona Gormley, Head of Music.

On the last day of the Christmas term, pupils and staff walk to Molesworth Presbyterian Church for the carol service. The school choirs sing and music is provided by the school band. Lessons are read by Senior Prefects and representatives of the wider school community. Governors and guests are afterwards entertained to festive food in Coolnafranky House.

To prepare for the upcoming generation of Year 8 students, each January an Open Day (formerly Open Night until 2022) is held over the weekend, where parents and children are invited to visit the school and partake in a range of activities.

The Spring Concert is held close to Easter and offers an opportunity for pupils involved in music to showcase their talent across a range of genres. The event is co-hosted by the Head Boy and Head Girl.

Each term ends with a ‘Final Assembly’. At this event, the Senior Leadership Team present awards that have been won for pupil achievement in Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10, and update the school community on the results of the house competition. In the summer term, this assembly includes farewells to departing staff and the presentation of the House Cup to the overall winner.

Notable former pupils

* Stuart Dallas, represented Northern Ireland at Euro 2016.
* Aaron Hughes, represented Northern Ireland at Euro 2016.
* Nick Laird, novelist.
* Ernest Walton (1903–1995); Nobel Prize in Physics (1951); known for his part in "splitting the atom".
* Jimmy Kennedy O.B.E. (1902–1984); songwriter and lyricist.
* Sir Allen McClay (1932–2010); pharmacist and entrepreneur.
* Martin Sloan, captained Ireland at the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup.
* Ian Sloan, represented Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
* David Ames, represented Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
* Sandra Overend, Ulster Unionist Party politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Mid-Ulster from 2011 to 2017.
* Robert Huey, former Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland. Chief Veterinary Officer (United Kingdom)#List of post holders for Northern Ireland

Sources

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Secondary schools in County Tyrone
1806 establishments in Ireland
High School