Rockport School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls from 2.5 years to 18 years in the British Public School tradition. It is situated in 25 acres (10 ha) of woodland on the shore of Belfast Lough in Craigavad, near Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland, between Belfast and Bangor.
Contents
History
The school was founded in 1906 by Geoffrey Bing of Rossall School and Keble College, Oxford, with the original aim to "prepare boys for the Public Schools and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth". Bing was 29 and had taught previously in St George's, Broadstairs and at St Andrew's School, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells. Rockport began with only four boys, an assistant master and a matron but quickly grew in size. The school now has around 300 pupils and accepts both boys and girls from the age of 3 until 18 (A Level) as day or boarding pupils.
Notable alumni
Arts and media
Dudi Appleton, journalist and film director
Lady Caroline Blackwood, journalist and novelist
Turlough Convery, actor
Shaun Davey, composer
Daniel Edelstyn, filmmaker, screenwriter and actor
Howard Ferguson (composer)
Gary Lightbody, musician Snow Patrol
William MacQuitty, film producer
Flora Montgomery, actress
Jonny Quinn, musician (Snow Patrol)
James Quinn (film administrator), one of the longest-serving Directors of the British Film Institute
Jessica Reynolds, actress
Willoughby Weaving, poet of the Great War
Politics
Geoffrey Bing, Labour MP for Hornchurch and first Attorney General of Ghana
Gordon Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy, Conservative politician and Secretary of State for Scotland from 1970 to 1974
Nigel Casey, Diplomat, former British High Commissioner to South Africa
Natalie Evans, Baroness Evans of Bowes Park, former Leader of the House of Lords
Robin Glendinning, playwright and former politician instrumental in founding the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Will Glendinning, Alliance politician
Sir John Gorman, soldier, Unionist politician
Charles Johnston, Baron Johnston of Rockport, Conservative politician, businessman
Michael Lynas, former Adviser at No 10 Policy unit and Chief Executive of the National Citizen Service (NCS)
Alan McFarland, Unionist politician
Rafton Pounder, Unionist politician
John Robb, surgeon; Irish Senator and founder of the New Ireland Group
John Turnley, Irish nationalist activist
Business
John Crosslé, founder of the Crosslé Car Company
Sir Peter Gadsden, 652nd Lord Mayor of London
Military
Sir Michael McCorkell, soldier, public servant and Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry for 25 years
Sir John Morrison Forbes, Vice-Admiral. Royal Navy officer who became Naval Secretary.
Sports
Ronnie Adams, car racer
Fred Covington, cricketer
Karabo Meso, cricketer
Stuart Pollock, cricketer
Ben Reynolds, athlete
Paddy Wallace, Irish international rugby player
John Watson, Formula 1 racing driver and commentator