- Maidstone Grammar School
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Maidstone Grammar School 
Motto Olim Meminisse Juvabit Established 1549 Type Foundation school Headteacher Dr Nick Argent, BA PhD Specialism Languages Location Barton Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 7BT
EnglandLocal authority Kent DfE number ???/4522 DfE URN 118835 Ofsted Reports Staff 120 Students 1280 Gender Boys Ages 11–18 Publication The Maidstonian Website mgs.kent.sch.uk Coordinates: 51°15′55″N 0°31′52″E / 51.26538°N 0.53108°E
Maidstone Grammar School (MGS) is a grammar school located in Maidstone, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1549.
Contents
Admissions
The school takes boys at the age of 11 and over by examination and boys and girls at 16+ on their GCSE results. The school currently has almost 1200 students and approximately 120 members of staff. The school holds both a Language College award and a Healthy School award. It is situated just off Loose Road (A229), west of Mote Park and the Mote Park Leisure Centre.
Buildings
The main school building is around a Tudor-style quadrangle with a cloister on one side. A new block was added in the 1960s. A sixth form and arts and crafts block was added in 1981. This newer building completes a second quadrangle. In 2005, a new refectory and teaching block of 15 classrooms was built. As well as over 100 classrooms, there are twelve science laboratories, a language laboratory, seven computer centres, a set of music rooms, lecture theatre, gym and sports hall as well as a canteen. A new 'Applied Learning Centre' is also in use and houses several new editing suites, this was finished in the 2010/2011 school year, with a similarly styled 'Food Technology' and Sixth Form block having recently been opened (September 16th 2011).
The Quadrangle at Maidstone Grammar School
Houses
A house system was first inaugurated in 1899, with three houses, School, East Borough and West Borough.[1] By circa 1900 these house were again revised this time based on geography with East House being for those boys east of the river, West House for those boys on the western riverside and School house for the townspeople and boarders.[2] In September 2007, the school saw the continuation of this tradition with the introduction of six School Houses. The six houses are named Challenger (purple), Churchill (yellow), Endeavour (red), Hurricane (green), Invincible, (blue), and Spitfire (white). The winners of both the inaugural house and charities cup in 2007/2008 year were Churchill, and for the first time in the 2008/2009 year the winners of the house cup were Challenger.
Sixth form
The sixth form is one of the largest in the South-East. Each year the school takes up to 200 students into Year 12, including around thirty external students (mixed gender), accepting students from any school according to their GCSE results. The sixth form offers AS and A2 courses in a wide variety of combinations.
Sport
The school participates in multiple sports including rugby, football, field hockey, cricket, athletics and basketball.
Combined Cadet Force
The school has a Combined Cadet Force. It has an Navy, Army and RAF section and accepts students on a voluntary basis when they reach year nine.
School Song
The school song, Gaudeamus, was written in 1908 by music-master Dr HF Henniker, ARAM to Latin words by the Headmaster at the time, Rev F Mercury, MA.[3] It continues to be sung today, at Speech Day and other occasions, and is well remembered by those who attended the school.
The Maidstonian
The Maidstonian is the school's annual publication of reports, articles, news and original contributions. Originally simply a record of every member of staff, as well as each pupil and his form, The Maidstonian has evolved into a publication that is written by pupils, for pupils. Editions include information about any staff that left or joined the school that academic year, reports from the CCF, Music Department, sports teams as well as diaries from foreign trips. Original contributions, mainly poetry, prose and artwork, feature heavily. The "Quote-Unquote" section remains a firm favourite with students and staff alike, however, as of the 2010/2011 issue, this section has been discontinued.
Notable Maidstonians
Former pupils of the school are called Old Maidstonians and include:
Politics & Government
- Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges, MP from 1812-8 for Maidstone
- Nick Gibb (briefly), Conservative Schools Minister 2010-current, and MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton since 1997
- John Pugh, Liberal Democrat MP since 2001 for Southport
- Dr Roderick Pullen, Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2004-6, and High Commissioner to Ghana from 2000-4
- Adam Sampson, Legal Services Ombudsman since 2009, and Chief Executive from 2003-89 of Shelter
- Mark F. Watts, Labour MEP from 1994-9 for Kent East, then South East England from 1999–2004
- Philip Wynn Owen CB, Director General of National Climate Change since 2009 at the Department of Energy and Climate Change
Media, Television & Film
- James Burke, the popular science TV presenter
- Andrew Dilnot CBE (briefly), Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford since 2002, and former presenter of BBC Radio 4's More or Less
- Tony Hart, artist, children's TV presenter (Vision On/Smart)
- James Hillier (actor)
- Shaun McKenna, screenwriter
- Stuart Miles, Blue Peter presenter from 1994-9[4]
- Tom Mullarkey, Chief Executive since 2006 of RoSPA
- Tom Riley, film and television actor
- Gavin Rowe, twice BAFTA nominated Director, BPG, MMA
Religion
- Rt Rev David John Atkinson, Bishop of Thetford from 2001-9
- Leo Avery
- Rt Rev Bob Evens, Bishop of Crediton since 2004
- George Harris (Unitarian)
- Very Rev Robert William Pope OBE
- Martin Warner (bishop), Bishop of Whitby since 2010
Sport
- David Flatman, Bath Rugby Union player
- Tom Parsons, Kent and Hampshire county Cricketer
- Frank Sando, Olympic athlete
- Steven Haworth, professional wrestler also known as Nigel McGuinness and Desmond Wolfe
Science & Academia
- Prof Peter Day, Fullerian Professor of Chemistry from 1994–2008, and Director of the Royal Institution from 1991-8
- Frank Finn, ornithologist
- Peter Heather, historian
- Prof Geoffrey Hosking, Professor of Russian History from 1984-2007 at University College London
- Prof William Morfill, Professor of Russian from 1900-9 at the University of Oxford
- John Orrell, theatre historian
- Leslie Parris, art historian
- Prof Bill Saunders, Professor of Endodontology, and Dean of Dentistry since 2000 at the University of Dundee, and President from 1997-8 of the British Endodontic Society
Military
- Captain Ben Babington-Browne, of 22 Engineer Regiment of the Royal Engineers, killed on 6 July 2009 after a Canadian Bell CH-146 Griffon crashed in Zabul Province, Afghanistan[5]
- Lt-Gen Sir Frederick Dobson Middleton CB, Commandant from 1874-84 of RMC Sandhurst
- Air Vice-Marshal Philip Hedgeland CB OBE, expert in airborne radar, Station Commander from 1966-7 of RAF Stanbridge, and helped develop the H2S radar in the war at the Telecommunications Research Establishment in Malvern
- Air Marshal Sir Timothy Jenner CB, Station Commander of RAF Shawbury from 1987-8
- Rear-Adm Ronald Paffard CB CBE
- Charles de Salis, wartime intelligence officer
Art, Music & Literature
- William Alexander (painter)
- Daniel Blythe, the writer
- James Butler (artist) MBE, sculptor
- Philip Langridge CBE, world-famous tenor
- Matthew William Cooper, Broadway Actor, attended the school between 2002 and 2009.
- Philip Moore, Organist of York Minster from 1983–2008, Organist of Guildford Cathedral from 1974–83
- Christopher Smart, poet
- Yeborobo, musical group (members thereof)
Other
- Richard (Dick) Beeching, Baron Beeching, who oversaw the closure of many railways in the 1960s
- Julius Brenchley, explorer
- Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland
- Sir Thomas Fane,
- Sir Jack Hughes, Chairman from 1971-82 of the Bracknell Development Corporation
Notable people
- William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies, taught English and Music at the school between 1938 and 1940, when he met his wife Ann Brookfield.
See also
References
- ^ Brownfield G.The Maidstone Grammar School a record 1579-1965,Phillips
- ^ Streatfield F, an account of the Grammar School in the Kings town and parish of Maidstone in Kent, Rogus and B,1915
- ^ Maidstone Grammar School Website, School Song, accessed 27 May 2006
- ^ Heart Radio
- ^ Ben Babington-Browne
External links
News items
Categories:- 1549 establishments in England
- Educational institutions established in the 1540s
- Grammar schools in Kent
- Maidstone (borough)
- Boys' schools in Kent
- Schools with Combined Cadet Forces
- Language Colleges in England
- International Baccalaureate schools in the United Kingdom
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