Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
| Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School | |
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| Motto | Libreæ Scholæ De Comvne Sigilvm (Translation) "Free School with a Public Seal" |
| Established | 1327 Chartered 1571 |
| Type | Selective Foundation Status Grammar School and Sixth Form College |
| Religious affiliation | Secular and non denominational |
| Headteacher | Mr Timothy J Peacock |
| Chair of Governors | Mrs Margaret Sergeant |
| Founder | Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln |
| Specialism | Science College Mathematics and Computing College |
| Location | West Street Horncastle Lincolnshire LN9 5AD  England |
| LEA | Lincolnshire Education Authority |
| Ofsted number | 120707 |
| Students | 882 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 11 to 18 |
| School colours | Navy and Burgundy |
| Website | www.qegs.lincs.sch.uk Queen Elizabeth’s School Website |
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, England. The school has attained a dual specialist status as both a Science College and as a Mathematics and Computing College on a joint basis with Banovallum School, also in Horncastle. At the start of the 2008 / 2009 academic year there were 882 pupils on roll, of which around 260 were studying in the Sixth Form.
Royally chartered by Queen Elizabeth I in 1571 there had been a formal school in Horncastle already for 250 years. The original Charter document, with its Royal Seal, remains in the safe 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.
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School 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 [1]. The School received its seal on 25th June 1571 and the Charter document remains a proud possession carefully kept by 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 school's preferred route 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.
School Today
OFSTED Report
The most recent OFSTED inspection took place in March 2006. [2] The inspector described the school as follows:
- The school is a mixed selective school of just under average size that serves a wide rural catchment area. It has joint specialist college status in science and mathematics with the 11 to 16 school in the town. This has enabled a wide range of partnerships with other schools, including feeder schools, and the business and wider communities. The number of students with learning difficulties or disabilities is very low, as is the proportion eligible for free school meals. Most students are from White British backgrounds, and a small proportion have other ethnic heritage.
The report also singled out the headmaster, Mr Peacock, for specific praise, noting that "it would not be an exaggeration to say that he stands head and shoulders above most of his counterparts in the Lincolnshire area".
Selection
Entry at age eleven is determined by the school's own selection procedures, which remain in line with those 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.
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 areas to the north of Boston, as well as Lincoln, Lincolnshire and its surrounding area.
School Uniform
School uniform is mandatory for all students. Details of the uniforms for different age groups is detailed on the school's website.
Curriculum
The subjects taught at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle are:
- English
- Maths
- Statistics (GCSE only)
- Science (Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
- Geography
- History
- Technology ( Food Technology, Textiles, Graphic Design, Electronics and Wood/Metal work)
- Music
- Art
- Drama
- Media Studies
- ICT
- French
- German
- Spanish
- Business Studies
School estate
The school consists of the main school building and several ranges of 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 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.
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).
The separate 'schools' use the same buildings but have separate assemblies, except on Mondays which are whole school assemblies. The sixth form also have their own dedicated common room facility.
Facilities
The facilities at the school are:
- Three football pitches
- Five netball courts
- Nine tennis courts
- Two grass hockey pitches
- One cricket square and three outdoor nets
- Athletics track
- Trim track
- Gymnasium – gymnastics, table tennis
- Sports Hall
- Four rounders' pitches
- One Astroturfed area
- Two squash courts
- Fitness gym
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 alumni
- Robert Webb - Famous actor/comedian who has appeared in shows such as Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb Sound
- Boothby Graffoe - another Radio 4 comedian
- The Reverend Jonnie Parkin - Current Chaplain of Leicester Cathedral.
- Ben Pridmore (World Memory Champion 2004)
- Amy Ward - (Stage name Amy Alexandra) Glamour model and Big Brother 8 contestant. Now the 'face' of Television X.
- Kitty Lea - Glamour model.
See also
External links
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