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Model School Primary School, Northland Rd, County Londonderry

History

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Saint Helen's Senior National School.

St. Helen’s School opened its doors for the first time on Friday, 1st July, 1977. Fifty Junior Infants and two teachers, Mr. Bill Lowe and Mr. Pádraig Griffin, set St. Helen’s School on the road, in two prefabs, in the grounds of St. Marnock’s School. St. Helen’s moved to its present location in Martello in 1978 and in 1980 a permanent building was established.

In 1981 St. Helen’s was divided into a junior school with Mr. Pat Healy as principal and a senior school under the principalship of Mr. Lowe. On Tuesday 1st September St. Helen’s S.N.S. opened with 130 pupils, 64 boys and 66 girls, and four teachers – Mr. Lowe, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Fitzgibbon and Ms. Murray. Our permanent building was completed in 1985 and the school was officially opened on 23rd October, 1986. Since then the school has gone from strength to strength, reaching a peak in the 1980 with more than 600 pupils.

In 2005 Mr. Lowe retired and Ms. O’ Leary was appointed. Today we have 357 pupils in 13 mainstream classes from 3rd to 6th. Ms Bhreathnach, the current principal was appointed in 2018. Our pupils are supported by 4 special education teachers and two special needs assistants.