Downpatrick PS marks 50 years of education on current site

Downpatrick PS marks 50 years of education on current site

15 October 2025

DOWNPATRICK Primary School is celebrating a significant milestone this month.

It was 50 ago that the school moved to its current site at Mount Crescent.

The school, which has long been a cornerstone of education in the town, continues to thrive as a vibrant and inclusive learning community.

An open afternoon takes place later today and an invitation has been extended all former pupils, staff or anyone connected to the school to come along and reminisce, as well as look at the school today with its recent extensions and refurbishments.

The school was originally known as Downpatrick County Primary School, which opened its doors in 1959 just across the road from the present location.

It was formed through the amalgamation of several national and public elementary schools in the area, including the historic Southwell School.

Founded in 1733 by Edward Southwell, the Southwell School began as a charity initiative to educate “10 poor boys and 10 poor girls” from the parish of Down, offering basic education and vocational training to local children.

Another contributor to the formation of Downpatrick County Primary School was Fountain Street School, also known as the ‘Back Lane school’, whose pupils transferred to the new facility in 1959.

The move marked a new chapter in the town’s educational history, bringing together children from various backgrounds under one roof.

The relocation to its present site in 1975 signalled a new era for the school, which has since grown in both size and reputation.

The closure of several controlled schools in surrounding areas – including Inch, Ardglass, Ballyculter, Killough and Annadorn – during the 1970s and 1980s led to a steady increase in pupil numbers.

Today, Downpatrick Primary School welcomes children from both urban and rural communities, reflecting the rich diversity of the area.

Currently, the school caters to over 210 pupils aged 4-11 and is proud of its inclusive ethos.

Its thriving Learning Support Centre includes two newly established SPEYF classes, designed to support children with a Severe Learning Difficulty (SLD) profile. This provision highlights the school’s commitment to ensuring that every child receives the support they need to reach their full potential.

The school’s motto, INSPIRE – Improvement, Nurture, Success, Potential, Innovation, Responsibility, Endeavour – encapsulates its educational philosophy and dedication to fostering a positive and ambitious learning environment for all its pupils..

As Downpatrick Primary School celebrates 50 years at Mount Crescent, staff, pupils, and the wider community reflect on a proud legacy of learning and look forward to a future filled with opportunity and growth.

The school has had just three principals throughout its history – Mr Bill Nesbitt, from 1959 to 1985, Mr Arthur Greenwood, from 1985 to 2006, and  Mr Niall Stevenson, from 2006 to the present day.

Mr Stevenson said: “This is a very exciting milestone for our school.

“We still have former staff and former pupils who are now parents and who remember the day when they ‘walked across the road and down the hill’ from their old building to the brand new school. 

“Mr Nesbitt was the school principal who oversaw the move and he kept in touch with us and would come to our annual carol service well into his 90s.”

“Mr Greenwood led the school from the 1980s to 2006 and he still keeps in touch with us and visits the school a couple of times a year.”

As well as today’s open afternoon, celebrations to mark the half century include a ‘Decades Day’ where pupils can dress up and experience life from the past 50 years.

The school’s PTA has funded a very special memento for all 

the pupils and staff in the 

form of a commemorative water bottle with a logo created by a pupil in a whole school competition. 

Another prize-winning design was made by a pupil using his computer skills and was used for anniversary posters and advertising.

Downpatrick Primary School is proud of its past and looks to the future with confidence. 

Mr Stevenson remarked: “We are ready for the next 50 years.”