Malbank School and Sixth Form College

Malbank School and Sixth Form College

Motto	Gaudeamus
Established	1560
Type	Foundation school
Headteacher	Mr Jeanette Walker
Specialism	Arts
Location	Welsh Row Nantwich Cheshire CW5 5HD England
Local authority	Cheshire East
DfE URN	111419
Ofsted	Reports
Students	1324[1]
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	11–18
Former name	Nantwich and Acton Grammar School
Website	Malbank School

Coordinates: 53°04′10″N 2°32′03″W / 53.06934°N 2.53403°W / 53.06934; -2.53403

Malbank School is a comprehensive secondary school and sixth form in Nantwich, Cheshire with pupils of both sexes aged from 11 to 18.

Admissions

It is situated in the west of Nantwich, close to the boundary with Henhull, on the A534 and the Shropshire Union Canal.

Sixth form

The Sixth Form, which has its own building within the school, attracts applicants mainly from Crewe and Nantwich but also has students from the surrounding Cheshire area. Students will normally take three to four A-levels, occasionally two, and receive the opportunity to undertake an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), but there are also limited BTEC courses which are intended be taken with certain A-level choices. Further information can be found in the college prospectus.

History

Grammar school

Malbank School originates in three schools. The oldest is the original Nantwich Grammar School, first recorded in 1572, but believed to have been founded in around 1560.^[2][3] The original schoolhouse was in the churchyard of St Mary's Church. In 1860 the school amalgamated with the Blue Cap Charity School, which was founded in around 1700, to form the new Nantwich Grammar School, and moved to 108 Welsh Row, where the former schoolhouse and headmaster's house still stands.^[2] In 1885, it combined with Acton Grammar School, becoming Nantwich and Acton Grammar School or NAGS. It moved to its present site in 1921.^[4] The horses on the school coat of arms were added purely because of the NAGS acronym.^{[citation needed]}

In 1960, the school celebrated its 400th anniversary, with the Duchess of Gloucester attending the school prize-giving on 18 November 1960. On the occasion, the Nantwich Guardian reported that the "school of ancient history had turned into one of the most up-to-date in the County, catering for all the widely varying needs of individual children."^[5]

Comprehensive

Nantwich and Acton Grammar School became a comprehensive school in 1977. The name later changed to Malbank School and Sixth Form College. The Nantwich and Acton symbol still remains in the logo of the two horses' heads, an emblem found on many important school objects.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010, the school celebrated its 450th anniversary with a full school ceremony and visit from the Duke of Gloucester on 26 April 2010.^[6]

Alumni

• Ben Miller, comedian
• Robert Nelson, Curator of Rob Nelson's Wheelbarrow Emporium
• Sophie Reade, winner of Big Brother 2009
• Ashley Westwood (footballer born 1990), Crewe Alexandra footballer

Nantwich and Acton Grammar School

• Prof Alan Astbury, R. M. Pearce Professor of Physics at the University of Victoria from 1983–2000, Rutherford Medal and Prize 1986, President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) from 2005-8
• Prof Harry Berry, Professor of Pharmaceutics at the School of Pharmacy, University of London from 1944–56
• John Boyer OBE, Chief Executive of the Zoological Society of London from 1984-8
• Roger Flemington, NatWest executive and President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIB) from 1991-2
• Dame Maeve Fort, High Commissioner to South Africa from 1996–2000, Ambassador to Mozambique from 1989–92 and to the Lebanese Republic from 1992-6
• Sir Kenneth Mather CBE, geneticist, Professor of Genetics at the University of Birmingham from 1971–84 and 1948–65, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton from 1965–71
• Air Vice-Marshal Leslie Moulton CB DFC, Station Commander of RAF Cosford from 1961-3
• Dr Ronald Newport, Head of the Daresbury Laboratory (in Cheshire) from 1995-6
• Anthony Trickett MBE, Lord Lieutenant of Orkney since 2007
• Andrew Witty, Chief Executive of GlaxoSmithKline (world's 4th largest pharmaceutical company) since 2008 (school was comprehensive for his last five years)
• Mike Wood, Labour MP for Batley and Spen since 1997

References

1. ^ "Establishment: Malbank". EduBase. http://www.edubase.gov.uk/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=111419. Retrieved 5 November 2008. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Hall J. A History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich, or Wich Malbank, in the County Palatine of Chester, pp. 373–82 (2nd edn) (E. J. Morten; 1972) (ISBN 0-901598-24-0)
3. ^ Lamberton A, Gray R. Lost Houses in Nantwich, p. 54 (Landmark Publishing; 2005) (ISBN 1 84306 202 X)
4. ^ Take a Closer Look at Nantwich (booklet), Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council 
5. ^ "Malbank School and Sixth Form College 450th Anniversary (1560–2010)", Website (Malbank School and Sixth Form College), http://www.malbank.cheshire.sch.uk/450th-anniversary.html, retrieved 25 June 2010 
6. ^ Oliver J. (26 April 2010), "Duke of Gloucester visits Malbank School in Nantwich", Crewe Chronicle, http://www.crewechronicle.co.uk/crewe-news/featured-stories/2010/04/26/duke-of-gloucester-visits-malbank-school-in-nantwich-96135-26319848/, retrieved 25 June 2010 

External links

• EduBase
• School and College website