Grammar School at Leeds

Grammar School at Leeds is a grammar school in Leeds, United Kingdom, created in August 2005 from the merger of Leeds Grammar School and Leeds Girls' High School. Physical merger is due to take place in september 2007 with a vast extension of the current buildings (should planning permission be allowed) The Headmaster of this new school will be Dr Mark Bailey.

There has been significant controversy over the suitability of this merger action - including in concerns to the ill-welcomed 'SHINE' logo published intended as part of the new GSAL scheme. The school has currently scheduled the physical merger for 2007, however, whether or not this will go ahead as planned is dubious. As of yet, no planning permission has been acquired for the desired alterations and additions to the Leeds Grammar School site in order to accomodate the forthcoming influx of staff and female pupils, a significant proportion of the teaching staff in LGS speculate that if such planning permission is denied or altered then we can expect a further delay in concerns to the date of the physical merger. Another problem will be the detrimental effects on the LGS sixth form during the year leading up to the merger - according to plans, the existing 6th form centre is to be demolished and replaced in time for 2007. Unfortunately this means the school year starting September 2006 will have no existing sixth form centre (as building work takes place). This is a severe blow to a sixth form who will be forced to do their AS and A-levels amist the chaos of construction work and without proper accomodation - which has benifited 6th forms in LGS for many years up till now.

In order to tackle these problems, particularly in preperation for a change in 'social life' within the school, both LGS and LGHS have hosted various 'harmonising' events in order to encourage children of both sexes to intermingle. As a remedy to the temporary loss of the sixth form centre, a temporary 'building' will also be set up. Although this will not include some of the vital assets of the official building, it will help keep things as 'normal' as possible for AS/A level students.

It is widely accepted that the two schools (LGS and LGHS) have both moved to tackle a drop in pupil numbers in order to keep profitable. Over the past few years both schools have seen a drastic fall in teaching standards and pupil abilities as they have been forced to branch out to more and more potential pupils who would previously have been refused entry to the school on accounts of their entrance examination marks. That is not to say that such leneancy is not beneficial for the general populace, but some believe it as has degraded the social aura of the school as well as the school's productivity as a foundation of high education standards. Latest inspection reports, however, tell a different story, and have congratulated both schools on their conduct.

Public statement

Richard.W.M.Jones made this public statement to wikipedia in regards to the school and its planned education model:

We will adopt what has come to be known as the “diamond” model, with fully co-educational classes from ages 3 to 10 (Year 6), predominantly single-sex teaching between the ages of 11 and 16 (Years 7 to 11), and a return to mixed-sex teaching in the sixth form. All pastoral groups and other non-classroom activities will be co-educational between Years 7 to 11. In this way we aim to combine the benefits of single-sex academic study in the adolescent years with the social and personal development nurtured by co-education. An innovative and dedicated unit of specialised support staff will also strengthen the pastoral provision of the school.

At present social, artistic and sporting activities are abundant in both schools, and boys and girls are given ample opportunity to excel in and enjoy the activities of their choice. The choices available to pupils will be even wider in The Grammar School at Leeds, because we want academic pupils to be rounded in other ways. We understand the need to obtain a balance between home and school, work and play, adventure and support, potential and success, the safety of the old and the excitement of the new. We want to encourage a sense of adventure in our pupils so they surprise themselves with what they can do.

The Grammar School at Leeds will be large enough to offer the world, but small enough to care for the individual. It will preserve the educational integrity and academic excellence of the original schools, combining their best traditions with innovative teaching, in order to create what we hope will become one of the most outstanding schools of its type in the country.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar_School_at_Leeds"

External links

• School website