History

Newpark is a state school established in 1972 under the patronage of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. The school traces its origins to the Avoca and Kingstown School which formed in 1968 after an amalgamation of two long established schools: Avoca School founded in 1891 in Blackrock and Kingstown Grammar School founded in 1894 in Dun Laoghaire.

Under the headship of Cyril and Cerise Parker, between 1935 and 1962, Avoca became a centre of educational innovation. The Parent Teacher Association, founded in 1940, was probably the first organisation of its kind in Ireland. The Parkers pioneered the use of assessment test for pupils. They developed programmes for sex education and nature study. Musical appreciation and art were permanent fixtures in the curriculum.

After the death of Cyril Parker in 1962, Michael Classon took over the ownership of the school. He embarked on an ambitious programme of expansion which led to an increase in pupil numbers, a merger with Kingstown and four years later, the foundation of Newpark.

The ‘red brick building’ was the original school building of Avoca School founded in 1891