Orangefield High School is a secondary school in east Belfast, Northern Ireland. Formerly Orangefield Boys' Secondary School and Orangefield Girls' Secondary School, it is now coeducational.
Notable alumni of the Boys' School include Van Morrison,[1] Brian Keenan,[2] David Ervine,[3] Gerald Dawe,[4] Walter Ellis and Ronnie Bunting.[5]
Orangefield High School has a student population of approximately 300 pupils from age 11 to 18.[6] This means that the school has a Lower and Upper Sixth forms. The school offers a wide range of subjects from compulsory such as English, Mathematics, Science that are required through years 8-12. The school also offers other subjects such as technology and design, home economics, information computer technology, media, music, geography, history, business studies, physical education and religious education. The school educates pupils of many different ethnic origins and races.[citation needed] The school is predominately of the Protestant community. The school also accepts pupils from other countries such as South Africa, Denmark & Poland.[citation needed] There are about 25 members of staff.
The school's main competitors for pupils are the local Ashfield Girls' and Ashfield Boys' schools.[citation needed]
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Orangefield has had a long history within the east Belfast community, with many local celebrities and international icons having been educated at the school. The most famous former student is Van Morrison. Morrison wrote a song entitled "Orangefield" and included it on his 1989 Avalon Sunset. He also referred to his school days in Orangefield in the songs "Got To Go Back" (1986 album No Guru, No Method, No Teacher) and "On Hyndford Street" on his 1991 album Hymns to the Silence. John Malone was the headmaster in the 1960s.[7]
Some of the older school buildings are still in use today, although the original boys' school building is now used ony for physical education lessons. The new buildings added throughout the years have brought together the girls' and boys' schools with additional add-ons such as a dedicated science wing (built in 1991) and a reception area. The school shares the area with other local schools Grosvenor Grammar School and Orangefield Primary School.
There were 4 school houses during the period to 1974 (linked to local businesses with respective colours) i.e.:
During 1972 to 1974, a couple of girls from 6th & Upper 6th Girls school shared classes with the Boys school and lessons were undertaken in what was known as the 'new' block.
http://www.orangefieldhighschool.co.uk - Orangefield High School website
http://www.orangefieldhighschool.co.uk - Orangefield High School website
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