Education minister
Down High School is a controlled co-educational Grammar School located in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. The school encompasses students from the ages of eleven to eighteen in the senior school—of which there are approximately 970 pupils. On 21 July 2014, Education Minister John O'Dowd approved a development proposal to close the Preparatory Department of Down High School. On 30 June 2014 the Preparatory Department closed. There are roughly 250 pupils engaged in A-level study in the Sixth Form. In July 2015 some £20 million was granted by the Education minister to begin the new build project in 2017.