Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn

Coordinates: 53°45′11″N 2°29′46″W / 53.753°N 2.496°W / 53.753; -2.496

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn
Motto Disce Prodesse
(Loosely translated as "Learn to be of service")
Established 1509
Type Free school
Religion Church of England
Headmaster Simon Corns
Founder Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby
Location West Park Road
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB2 6DF
England
Local authority Blackburn with Darwen
DfE number 889/6001
DfE URN 141165 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Students 533
Gender Coeducational
Ages 4–18
Houses 6
Colours          
Publication Q-news, Q-review
Former Pupils Old Blackburnians
Website www.qegsblackburn.com

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (QEGS) is a co-educational free school in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. Founded in 1509 as a boys' school, it is now a coeducational independent Free School with over 600 students from ages 4 to 18. Pupils come from a very wide geographical area, from Bolton to the south and to Colne in the east. It consists of an Infant School (Reception to Year 2), Junior School (Years 3-6), Senior School (Years 7-11) and Sixth Form.

The QEGS school logo.

History

The school was founded in 1509, the first year of the reign of King Henry VIII, by Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby, as a chantry school. It was situated adjacent to Blackburn Parish Church. The school survived the Reformation and in 1567 was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth I. It thus became the “Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Blackburn in the County of Lancashire”.

In August 1819, the decision was taken to demolish the old parish church and rebuild it (the new church of St Mary the Virgin is now Blackburn Cathedral) and the school moved to a temporary home in nearby Market Street Lane until 1825. Its new site from 1825 was in the Bull Meadow area (“in the fresh air of the country”) but, as Blackburn itself expanded during the Industrial Revolution, the school there became too cramped. In 1884 the Blackburn Grammar School, as it was still then known, made one final move. The new site was on the west side of the town’s Corporation Park, close to Alexandra Meadows, the home of the East Lancashire Cricket Club and also the venue for a number of the early fixtures of the local football club Blackburn Rovers.

By the 20th century, the school was increasingly known as "Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School", its current name. It also began to outgrow its premises and began expanding. The Harrison Playing Fields at Lammack were opened in 1920. The junior department moved to its new premises known as "Horncliffe", which the junior school was known as for over half a century, and renovations on the "Big School" were completed in 1930.[1]

The school adopted independent status under the provisions of the Education Act of 1944 and later became a direct grant grammar school until the system was abolished in 1976. QEGS chose to revert to its independent status rather than join the state sector. In conjunction with the change of status, girls were accepted into the Sixth Form for the first time. During the 1990s, QEGS was a participating school in the Assisted Places Scheme, which saw its pupil numbers grow dramatically. When the scheme was scrapped, the school administration was forced to limit its intake. In 2001, coeducation was extended to all years.[2]

The Good Schools Guide described the students as "bright, industrious and confident without appearing complacent or alarmingly sophisticated."[3]

In 2012 the school announced its intention to apply to become a free school by 2014.[4]

Pastoral care

In February 2005, the School was commended (amongst other things) for the high standard of pastoral care offered to its pupils by the ISI inspection.[5]

Q-Plus (Extended Hours Service) offers busy parents of Infant and Junior School pupils at QEGS a safe and secure environment for their children before and after the school day. The Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am each school day and children meet at the Q-Plus Club Room in Ormerod House on the Dukes Brow side of the site. From here they are escorted to Big School's the main dining hall to enjoy a range of breakfast options. After school, Q-Plus offers flexible collection arrangements, with children collected from the Infant School or Junior School and escorted back to the Q-Plus After-School Club.

House system

The system of houses was introduced at QEGS nearly 100 years ago by then headmaster, Arthur Holden, and today there are six houses, each named after an Elizabethan sea captain.

The Arthur Holden Trophy is awarded each year to the House that has amassed the greatest number of points in various sporting events held throughout the year. Points towards the Marsden Merit Trophy are earned by way of credits for good, positive and helpful behaviour, as well as in teams in a range of “academic” activities, such as the keenly-contested House Quiz, debating competitions and Maths Challenges.

Curriculum

The school has a strong track record of academic success, with nearly all pupils achieving the nationally recognised benchmark of at least 5 passes at GCSE grades A*-C, including English and mathematics. Over 70% of A level candidates typically obtain a place on their first-choice course at their first-choice university. In 2011 it achieved a 100% passing rate in the A Levels.[6] It is one of the few schools which offers both GCSE and A Level Classics.

Sport

QEGS has also received a Sportsmark Gold award with Distinction for the school's outstanding commitment to sport and its links with local sports clubs. The QEGS 1st XI football team has won the Independent Schools Football Association Cup three times, more than any other team, the most recent victory coming in 2004.

Notable Old Blackburnians

References

  1. ↑ About QEGS - History Archived September 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ "All change and here's to the girls!". Lancashire Telegraph. 6 July 2001.
  3. ↑ Good Schools Guide
  4. ↑ "QEGS announces plans to become a free school". November 2012.
  5. ↑ 2011 ISI Inspection Report
  6. ↑ "A-Levels: Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School". Lancashire Telegraph. 19 August 2011.
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