York Castle High School

York Castle High School
Address
York Castle High Dr.
Egypt
Brown's Town, St. Ann, Middlesex
Jamaica
Coordinates 18°23′12″N 77°21′45″W / 18.3867696°N 77.3624396°WCoordinates: 18°23′12″N 77°21′45″W / 18.3867696°N 77.3624396°W
Information
School type Traditional
Motto Nil Sine Magno Labore
(Nothing is achieved without hard work)
Religious affiliation(s) Christianity
Denomination Methodist
Founded January 5th 1876
Status Open
School board Ministry of Education
Principal Mr. Raymon Treasure
Vice principal Mr. Seaton Jackson
Head of school Mr. Raymon St.A Treasure
Headteacher Mrs.Morgan-williams
Chaplain Rev. Athlone Harrison
Age range 12-16
Enrolment 1500
Pupils 1300
Average class size 48 students
Language Jamaica Standard English
Campus Egypt
Houses Bramwell, Murray, Henderson and Curphey
School colour(s) Black and Gold
Slogan

Up up you mighty Yorkist we can accomplish what we will.

BLACK AND GOLD BRAVE AND BOLD
Song York Castle High Reach for the Sky
Athletics conference Inter-School Sports Association
Sports Track & Field,Cricket, Basketball, Soccer (both male and female) Volleyball and Table Tennis (soon to be played)
Nickname Castle and YC
Test average 66%
Bar pass rate 75%
Newspaper The Student Voice
Yearbook The Egyptian

York Castle High School is a co-educational secondary school in Jamaica. The school has educated some of the region's best leaders and it continues to play a pivotal role in Jamaica's development.

History

On a hill side property by the name of Egypt in North-West St. Ann is a high school named "York Castle", tucked away for the past 52 years and responsible for some of Jamaica's most prominent scholars. York Castle High School has a rich history and roots dating back as far as 1875.

In that year, the Methodist Church purchased a property named York Castle near Alderton, where they established a Theological College in 1876. In 1896, York Castle closed its doors due to financial difficulties. Despite this closure, the need for education in the area remained a constant challenge to men of vision who embraced the idea which has originally led to the founding of York Castle in 1876. Before the closure, Mr. T. Bramwell had in 1903 set up a Middlesex High School in Brown's Town. Mr. Bramwell served as principal for over 40 years. After his death, Middlesex High School was renamed Henderson High School in 1947, after a Baptist Minister - Rev. George Henderson. Henderson high school closed its doors in 1954.

By this time, the idea of continuing the principle of education found custody in the hands of concerned citizens who renamed the school Northside in 1955.

At the synod of the Methodist Church in 1946, there was a resolution asking the church to recognize its obligation to establish a school for boys, or possibly a coeducational school to be called "York Castle". A committee was set up which was entrusted with the task of establishing a new school in St. Ann. This committee contemplated a site for this new school. On November 30, 1956, the committee, consisting of educators, churchmen and others met and considered an offer from Northside secondary school that the school be handed over to the Methodist Church. The offer was accepted. with a proposed loan from the Methodist Church and gifts from past students of the former York Castle and the sale of the property which the former York Castle was sited, it was agreed that as of January 1, 1957 the Methodist Church would assume control over Northside Secondary School. the Egypt site was decided on in March 1957 and the stone laying ceremony took place on May 16, 1957. By August, the school was given a full ministerial recognition as a secondary grant aided school now bearing the name York Castle High School.

On January 7, 1958, the new school building was opened with 195 day students and 40 boarders. In February, the official opening of the building was done by the Hon. N.W. Manley, Premier of Jamaica.

School crest

The book in the upper left hand corner of the crest bears the words, "Gloria Deo", meaning Glory be to God.

Schools Challenge Quiz

In 1972, York Castle High School was the winner of Television Jamaica's Schools Challenge Quiz competition in Jamaica. This team was led by James Walsh, now Principal of Brown's Town Community College. Other team members were Omar Brown, Lorence Brown and Lawrence Alexander. York Castle High School holds the following records in the Schools Challenge Quiz competition:

Curriculum

Subjects offered to students at the CSEC level include Agricultural Science, Biology, Building Technology, Caribbean History, Chemistry, Clothing & Textiles, Electronic Document Preparation & Management, English A, English B, Food & Nutrition, Geography, Home Economics Management, Human & Social Biology, Industrial Technology, Information Technology, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering Technology(starting soon), Music, Office Administration, Physical Education & Sport, Physics, Principles of Account, Principles of Business, Religious Education, Social Studies, Spanish, Technical Drawing and Visual Arts.

The School Song

York Castle High Reach for the Sky

Like a Pyramid upon the plains of Egypt
Dominating the whole countryside
Your future can be what you make it
Success will come once you have tried

York Castle High, reach for the sky
Be the best you can be
It's a part of your destiny (repeat x1)

Like a seed growing out of the ashes
Like a shoot from the stark of a tree
Keep believing that you have a future
Think how bright your tomorrow can be

York Castle High, reach for the sky
Be the best you can be
It's a part of your destiny (repeat x1)

Let us give thanks unto the almighty
Who has helped men to labour within
And who gave us the determination
To enter, to fight and to win.

York Castle High, reach for the sky
Be the best you can be
It's a part of your destiny (repeat x1)

We will go forth across every nation
But you will have a place in our heart
We'll reflect and give consideration
And remember you gave us a start.

York Castle High, reach for the sky
Be the best you can be
It's a part of your destiny (repeat x1)

Principals

York Castle High School principals
Name of principal Years served
Rev. John W. Poxon 1957–1969
Hon. Mr. Burchell A. Whiteman 1969–1976
Mr. James V. McDonald 1976–1980
Mr. Sterling Gordon 1980–1991
Mr. Carl Brown 1991–1995
Mr. Caswell Burton 1995–1997
Mrs. Beverely Hawthorne 1997–2009
Mr. Raymon St.A Treasure 2009–present

Houses

There are four houses at York Castle High:

  • Bramwell - Green
  • Henderson - Blue
  • Curphey - Yellow
  • Murray - Red