Jump to content

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Kramster (talk | contribs)
Kramster (talk | contribs)
Line 165: Line 165:
* Maddy and Victoria Wilding, two thirds of girl band Brit Chix who reached the semi-finals of the 2009 reality TV show [[Britain's Got Talent (series 3)]].
* Maddy and Victoria Wilding, two thirds of girl band Brit Chix who reached the semi-finals of the 2009 reality TV show [[Britain's Got Talent (series 3)]].
* Darren Neave, one of the Little Artists
* Darren Neave, one of the Little Artists
* Ben Leyland, World Class Olympic Sword thrower
* Ben Leyland, World Class Sword thrower


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 14:17, 5 July 2013

Template:Other uses2

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Address
Map
West Street

, ,
LN9 5AD

Information
TypeSelective grammar school
Foundation school Academy
MottoLiberae Scholae De Comune Sigilum
("Free School with a Public Seal"
Established1327
1571 (Received Royal Charter)
FounderEdward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln
Local authorityLincolnshire
SpecialistScience
Languages
Department for Education URN120707 Tables
OfstedReports
Chair of GovernorsMrs Margaret Sergeant
Head teacherMrs Heather Payne
GenderCo-educational
Age11 to 18
Enrollment877
Colour(s)Maroon and navy
Websitehttp://www.qegs.lincs.sch.uk/

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle, is a selective, co-educational, foundation status Grammar School and Sixth Form College in the market town of Horncastle, Lincolnshire. In 2003, Queen Elizabeth's gained joint specialist status for science and mathematics in partnership with Banovallum School, Horncastle's secondary modern school. A second specialism for modern languages was added in 2008. As of January 2009, there were 877 pupils on roll, of whom 271 were studying in the Sixth Form.[1]

Although royally chartered by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571, there had at this time already been a formal school in Horncastle for 250 years. The original charter document, with its royal seal, remains in the custody of the school's governors.

The school's catchment area includes the town of Horncastle and the surrounding area up to and beyond Wragby, Bardney and Woodhall Spa to the west, the Lincolnshire Wolds to the north and east, and almost to Boston in the south. It also includes the children from RAF Coningsby.

History

Foundation

A school is known to have existed in Horncastle as far back as 1327 but records of the present school effectively begin when Queen Elizabeth I granted the charter to establish a grammar school in Horncastle, on the petition of Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln.[2] The School received its seal on 25 June 1571 and the charter document remains in the possession of the present school governors.

Originally, the school was built on a site adjoining the River Bain close to St Mary's Parish Church. It was demolished and rebuilt after the Civil War on the same site, remaining there until the first decade of the 20th century when in 1908 the present dining hall was the first building to be established on the current school site. The summer of 2008 was the school's 100th year on the present site and was duly marked by several centenary celebrations.

Coeducation and expansion

For much of its existence, Queen Elizabeth's was a boys' only day and boarding school. Girls were only admitted for the first time around the late 1900s. Since then the school has continued to expand, with further buildings added as the number on roll has increased. Up to the Education Act of 1944, Queen Elizabeth's had been an independent school. Following the Act the school voluntarily handed over control and finance responsibility to the Local Authority.

Change of status

In the Autumn of 1991, the parents voted overwhelmingly for the school to become a self governing grant maintained school. When grant maintained status was abolished by the new Labour government under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, schools were offered a choice of returning to local authority control or opting for foundation status. Foundation status offered an environment within the education authority but with autonomous school governors controlling admissions criteria and standards for the school, directly hiring and employing the school's staff and holding ownership of the school's estate. This was the route the school selected and Queen Elizabeth's now enjoys foundation status which allows a degree of independence from the Local Authority.

The Latin wording around the school badge includes the word 'liberae' meaning free. Even while the school was a fully independent fee paying school, Queen Elizabeth's has always prided itself on providing talented and gifted girls or boys with a free education. Previously the endowment of land by generous benefactors made this possible throughout most of the school's history. Today, as a foundation school, the same principle still holds true.

Present day

Ofsted report

The most recent Ofsted inspection took place in January 2009.[1] The inspector described the school as follows:

Queen Elizabeth's is a good and improving school, highly regarded by the local community. Its capacity to sustain improvement in the future is also good. The school's specialism in science and mathematics is strongly felt, not only in the enhanced resources and rising levels of attainment in these subjects, but also in excellent collaborative work with other secondary and primary schools. A carefully constructed induction programme involving visits and high quality 'workshop' activities ensure that Year 7 students are fully prepared for the challenges of their new school.

Selection

Entry at age eleven is determined by the school's own selection procedures, which remain in line with those[which?] operating in other parts of the county. Normally the school commences four forms of students annually, representing the top 25% of the catchment area ability range. Continuation to the school's Sixth Form is open to all students for whom the school can provide a suitable course of study.

Academic life

The school is made up of three parts:

  • Lower School (Years 7, 8 and 9)
  • Middle School (Years 10 and 11 - GCSE Years)
  • Upper School (the Sixth Form - A Level Years)

Curriculum

The subjects taught at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle are:

School uniform

School uniform is mandatory for all pupils. For years 7 to 11, this consists of a maroon blazer and maroon/blue/white tie. In the sixth form, boys wear a black blazer and black and gold tie, while girls wear a blue blazer with a blue and silver tie.

School estate

The school consists of the main school building and several outer buildings.

The main building contains 30 classrooms, 4 IT rooms, school offices, a main hall, a sports centre, a sixth form block and a library.

There are several outer buildings including the science, English and music blocks. This contains two music classrooms along with practice rooms, a large drama studio and lighting balcony, and 2 art classrooms and a gallery. The new English block contains 4 classrooms and an Office

Sports facilities

The facilities at the school are:

  • Three football pitches
  • Five netball courts
  • Nine tennis courts
  • Two grass hockey pitches
  • One cricket pitch with three outdoor nets
  • Athletics track
  • Trim track
  • Gymnasium including table tennis
  • Sports hall
  • Four rounders pitches
  • Four outdoor table tennis tables

Transport arrangements

A fleet of contract and services buses, organised by the education authority, provides free transport for pupils in the school's catchment area, who live more than three miles from the school. The school is also served by a privately organised service for out of catchment area pupils from the Sibsey and Stickney, Lincolnshire areas to the north of Boston, as well as Lincoln, Lincolnshire and its surrounding area.

Sporting achievement

  • Pupils represented county and higher level in sports such as cricket, hockey, tennis, football and squash.
  • Many of the schools sports team won county competitions and went on to national level.
  • Several teams played sports in other countries.

Notable former pupils

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Ofsted report" (PDF). Ofsted. 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ GENUKI page for Horncastle
  3. ^ "Prof. Alfred Lodge". Nature. Nature Publishing Group. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  4. ^ Memory Champion's secrets, BBC News, 7 April 2009. Retrieved 9 December 2011
  5. ^ "Comedy Star Goes Back to School". Horncastle News. 14 April 2006. Retrieved 9 December 2011.