| Regent House Grammar School | |
| Type: | Controlled grammar school Preparatory School |
| Religious Affiliation: | Non-denominational [1] |
| Principal: | Mr Michael Carville |
| Address: | Circular Road |
| City: | Newtownards |
| County: | Down |
| Country: | Northern Ireland |
| Postal Code: | BT22 4QA |
| Local Authority: | Education Authority |
| Enrolment: | Grammar School 1486 (2024/25) Prep Department 95 (2024/25) |
| Capacity: | Grammar School 1450 |
| Gender: | Co-educational |
| Lower Age: | 4 |
| Upper Age: | 18 |
| Houses: | Castlereagh Clandeboye Scrabo Strangford |
| Colours: | (Boys) (Girls) |
| Fees: | Free |
Regent House School is a co-educational, controlled grammar school in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. The school comprises two parts: the grammar school and the preparatory department. Its current enrollment is 1486 (2024/25) students within the grammar school and 95 (2024/25) within the prep department.
Regent House considers itself to be non-denominational, however, its current statistics show students at the school to be 57% Protestant, 7% Roman Catholic and 36% other.
The school is divided into four houses: Castlereagh, Clandeboye, Scrabo and Strangford.
The school was inspected by the Controlled Schools' Support Council in 2015 and judged Satisfactory.[2] In 2019 another inspection was carried out, but could not reach a judgement because of industrial action being taken by staff.[3]
In 2017 the school's choir won BBC Radio Ulster School Choir of the Year.[4] In 2024 the chamber choir placed third in the UK in the Barnardos National Choral Competition.
| Name | Notability | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Allister | MP, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), former MLA | ||
| Nigel Carr | Former British Lions rugby player | [5] | |
| David Coulter | Minister in the Church of Scotland, Chaplain General in the British Army | [6] | |
| Holly Hamilton | BBC journalist and presenter | [7] | |
| Simon Hamilton | Politician (Democratic Unionist Party), former MLA | [8] | |
| Eddie Irvine | Formula One driver | [9] | |
| Phillip Matthews | Former Ireland rugby union international | [10] | |
| Maxine Mawhinney | BBC newsreader | [11] | |
| Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne DSO & 3 Bars | Founding member of the SAS, former British Lions rugby player | ||
| Rhys McClenaghan | Olympic gymnast, gold medalist for Ireland at the 2024 Summer Olympics | ||
| Michael McGimpsey | Former Ulster Unionist Party politician, former MLA | [12] | |
| Catherine Jean Milligan | Former Miss Northern Ireland | [13] | |
| Colin Murray | Broadcaster | [14] | |
| Ottilie Patterson | Blues singer with the Chris Barber jazz band | [15] |
