Dominican College, Fortwilliam

{{Infobox school

| name = Dominican College, Fortwilliam

| native_name =

| image =

| motto = Veritas (Truth)

| established = 1930

| religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic

| r_head_label = Principal

| r_head = Lynda Catney

{{cite web |title=Principal's Welcome |url=https://www.dominicancollege.org.uk/principal-s-welcome |website=Dominican College |access-date=5 June 2021 |language=en}}

| chair_label = Board

| chair = Education Authority (Belfast)

| address = 38 Fortwilliam Park

| city = Belfast

| county = County Antrim

| country = Northern Ireland

| postcode = BT15 4AQ

| enrolment = 1000 (approx)

| staff =

| gender =

All female

| colours = {{Color box|Green}}{{Color box|White}}{{Color box|Black}}

| type = Grammar School

| website = {{url|https://www.dominicancollege.org.uk}}

}}

Dominican College is a Catholic grammar all-girls school in Fortwilliam Park, north Belfast, Northern Ireland.

History

The school was established in 1930 by the Dominican Sisters. It was initially established as a Catholic commercial college for Belfast, alongside a second-level school. In 2006, the management of the school passed from the Dominican Sisters to lay management. The school is now under the trusteeship of the Cabra Dominican Sisters, with a board of governors whose membership also includes parents, a teacher and appointees of the Education Authority.{{cite web|title=Dominican Sisters|date=7 February 2019 |url=https://www.dominicansisters.com/education/secondary-schools-ni|accessdate=11 November 2019}}

In 2005 it underwent a major £13.1 million redevelopment.{{cite web|title=Dominican College|url=http://www.rmi.uk.com/projects/dominican-college-fortwilliam-belfast.php|accessdate=15 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116171951/http://www.rmi.uk.com/projects/dominican-college-fortwilliam-belfast.php|archive-date=16 January 2017|url-status=dead}}

The school chapel has been listed as a building of special architectural merit.{{cite web|title=New listed buildings|url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/new-listed-buildings-have-links-to-van-morrison-loyalists-and-more-1-7296473|accessdate=15 January 2017}}

In 2017, the total student population was just over 1000, a quarter of it the sixth form.{{cite web|title=school Board of Governors Report 2017-2018|url=https://8e4bb26b-cca7-4299-ab29-3b0fb713d23d.filesusr.com/ugd/024943_c1849d6f050e4db7ad546511c2f22023.pdf|accessdate=11 November 2019}}

Academics

In 2019 the school was ranked 5th out of 159 secondary schools in Northern Ireland with 91.7% of its A-level students who sat the exams in 2017/18 being awarded three A*-C grades.{{cite news|title= Belfast Telegraph A-Level: Northern Ireland School League Tables 2019|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph.co.uk |date=21 March 2019 |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/league-tables/2019/alevel-northern-ireland-school-league-table-2019-37935474.html|accessdate=21 March 2019}}

In 2018 it was ranked joint ninth in Northern Ireland for its GCSE performance with 99.3% of its entrants receiving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including the core subjects English and Maths.{{cite news|title=Belfast Telegraph GCSE 2018|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph.co.uk |date=15 March 2018 |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/league-tables/gcse-northern-ireland-school-league-table-2018-36708204.html|accessdate=22 September 2018}}

Facilities

The modernist design of the chapel, which was built in 1964, was influenced by Le Corbusier's chapel at Ronchamp in France.{{cite news |title=Belfast buildings: Cyprus Avenue properties among those granted listed status |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/35898575.amp |access-date=15 August 2021 |work=BBC News |date=25 March 2016}}

Alumnae

{{See also|Category:People educated at Dominican College, Fortwilliam}}

Eileen Bell CBE (born 1943) – politician, Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Down from 1998 to 2007
Marianne Elliott OBE (born 1948) – academic historian.{{cite news|title=A perspective on Irish Studies|newspaper=The Irish Times |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/a-perspective-on-irish-studies-1.285450|accessdate=15 January 2017}}
Medbh McGuckian (born 1950) – poet
Katie Melua (born 1984) – Georgian-born popular singer{{cite web |url=http://www.katie-melua.com/ |title=Katie Melua katie melua Call Off The Search pictures,katie melua gallery lyrics pictures video music |publisher=www.katie-melua.com |accessdate=2010-01-29 }}
Nuala McAllister (born 1989) – politician; Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Belfast from 2022{{cite news | url=https://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/2017/09/23/news/belfast-mayor-nuala-mcallister-people-would-have-underestimated-me-in-the-past--1140295/ | title=Belfast mayor Nuala McAllister: 'People would have underestimated me in the past' | date=23 September 2017 |newspaper=The Irish News |location=Belfast}}

References

External links

{{cite web |url=http://www.dominicancollege.org.uk/portal.aspx |title=Dominican College Fortwilliam – Home |publisher=www.dominicancollege.org.uk |accessdate=2010-01-29 |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814194731/http://www.dominicancollege.org.uk/portal.aspx |archivedate=2006-08-14 }}

Category:Grammar schools in Belfast

Category:Catholic secondary schools in Northern Ireland

Category:Grammar schools in County Antrim

Category:Educational institutions established in 1930

Category:Private schools in Northern Ireland

Category:Dominican schools in the United Kingdom

Category:1930 establishments in Northern Ireland