| Friends' School, Lisburn | |
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| Friends' School, 1830.
Quae sursum sunt quaerite - seek the things that are above
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| Location | |
| Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
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| Information | |
| Type | Preparatory Department and Voluntary Grammar |
| Established | 1774 |
| Principal | Mrs Elizabeth Dickson |
| Colours | Red, Green and Yellow |
| Age Range | 5 to 18 |
| Denomination | Quaker |
| Website | www.friendsschoollisburn.org.uk/ |
Friends' School, Lisburn is a Quaker voluntary grammar school in the city of Lisburn, Northern Ireland founded in 1774.
Contents |
Founded in 1774 on the basis of a bequest from John Handcock, a Quaker linen trader, when twenty acres were purchased at Prospect Hill from the Earl of Hertford. In 1774 the first Headmaster, John Gough, took up his post. The school was known as the Ulster Provincial School, and in 1794 became the responsibility of the Ulster Quarterly Meeting, the body representing the Religious Society of Friends in Ulster.
It is the only Quaker school in Northern Ireland (Newtown School, Waterford being in the Republic of Ireland); it is, however, one of nine in the United Kingdom. Friends' still embraces the Quaker ethos inherent within Quaker schools across the United Kingdom, as well as this, members of the Religious Society of Friends still have seats on the Board of Governors. The school emphasises strongly the need for people of all races and religions to come together in a spirit of community and friendship. It originally only accepted pupils from Quaker families and could have been described as a public school, this term has, however, lost its meaning in Northern Ireland with the introduction of Grammar Schools. A period of silence is still observed in morning Assemblies, this is used for reflection and silent worship.
In 2011 the school was named by the Sunday Times as the best in Northern Ireland.
The School consists of a fee-paying Preparatory Department, Prospect House, and a Grammar School, the latter of which, until recently had a boarding department attracting pupils from abroad (mostly Hong Kong) due to its reputation. Friends' now only accepts day pupils, of around 140 a year contributing to a full enrollment of 970 for the Grammar school.
The latest addition to the school was a playground, opened in 2009. It stands in the place of the old swimming pool, beside Harding House. The swimming pool was reputed to be the oldest heated one in Ireland (1901).
Recent building programmes have included a new Preparatory Department, the refurbishment of all the science laboratories and significant improvements in the provision of disabled access, including the construction of two lifts, giving access to all floors of the West Wing and to all floors of the Main Building.
The refurbishment of the former Boarding Department has included the provision of new accommodation for the Geography Department and the expansion of ICT facilities. A purpose built greenhouse and potting shed was completed in November 2004. Improvements to pupils’ cloakroom areas were made during the 2004 – 2005 school year.
A purpose built preparatory department was completed in 1996 and retains the name Prospect House, after the old building which housed the department for almost fifty years. The Preparatory Department houses Lisburn's Friends meeting House.
Every year pupils from Friends' participate in the annual Quaker Pilgrimage with pupils from other Quaker Schools, such as Bootham School and Leighton Park.