Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School

Infobox UK school
name = Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School (TWGGS)


size = c. 950
latitude = 51.1448
longitude = 0.2583
dms = dms
motto = Give Your Best
motto_pl =
established = 1905
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Grammar
religion =
president =
head_label = Headmistress
head = Linda Wybar
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label =
chair =
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist =
street = Southfield Road
city = Tunbridge Wells
county = Kent
country = ENGLAND
postcode = TN4 9UJ
LEA = Kent
ofsted = 118789
staff =
enrollment = c. 950
gender = Female
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses =
colours = Navy color box|navy and Gold color box|gold
publication =
free_label_1 =
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = http://www.twggs.kent.sch.uk
website_name =

Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School (TWGGS) is a grammar school in Royal Tunbridge Wells, a town in Kent, England. The school was founded in 1905 Fact|date=October 2007.

The Form System

Until 2001 (when the school took more pupils), upon arrival at TWGGS girls were sorted into one of four forms: 7T, 7W, 7G or 7S, each with about 32 girls. They were registered in these forms in the morning and after lunch, had their own form room (usually a mobile, or 'hut' for the lower years) and attended most classes together. This created a strong bond between the students, which was enforced by events such as Sports Day (with the inter-form tug-of-war) and various drama festivals.

Maths was streamed from Year 8 but all other classes were held within forms. It was preferable practice for the students to have the same form teacher for both the first two years. At the end of Year 8, the girls were rearranged into five smaller forms in preparation for external exams: 9T, 9W, 9I, 9G, 9S ('TWIGS') - this time with about 28 girls in each. Extra intakes from private schools (such as Holmewood House and Kent College, Pembury) via the '13+' examination were not uncommon, and new form teachers were assigned for the next three years. Again, most Year 9 classes were held in form groups.

Years 10 and 11 saw the girls split into their 'options' classes for their GCSEs, and only the core subjects were held within the form. These subjects were English, Science, Religious Studies and Physical Education.

The forms barely changed structure for the Sixth Form, except for a new form tutor and classroom, but the Common Rooms for both Year 12 and Year 13 encouraged inter-form bonding and a broadening of friendship circles.

This system changed in 2001, when the number of new entrants meant an extra class had to be added to Year 7 and the forms never got rearranged at Year 9. In more recent years, the system has reintroduced the Year 9 split. And in some cases there can be more form changes again at the beginning of year 10

Uniform

The uniform consists of a pleated short tartan skirt, white blouse, matching tartan tie and navy jumper with a gold TWGGS logo (the same as the school's emblem). Photos are available on the stockists (Simmonds) website [ [http://www.simmonds-ltd.com/Schools/TWGGS/Uniform/tabid/2649/List/0/CategoryID/9195/Level/a/Default.aspx?SortField=ISBN,ProductName Simmonds] ] . This uniform was brought in during 1997, with the Year 7 level being the first class to wear it. A summer uniform was added in the form of a thin, cotton, tartan dress, which improved in fabric quality in later years (they were prone to rip in impractical areas). Tartan trousers were also available for winter in early runs of the uniform, but these have been a largely unpopular idea and discontinued past 2000.

Assembly

Whole school assembly is held every Monday and Thursday. The whole school can fit into the school hall, the younger students on the balcony and the older on the stage. The Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher usually leads the assembly, beginning with a hymn (despite there being no Christian affiliation to the school) from the golden school hymnbook. This book is presented to new students and, if lost, can be bought at reception for a small fee.

Each Key Stage has assemblies on the other days: KS4 on Tuesday, the Sixth Form on Wednesday and KS3 on Friday.

Headmistresses

:Miss MacCuish:Mrs Angela Daly ( - 1999):Mrs Linda Wybar (1999 - )

Notable Alumnae

*Jo Brand, stand-up comedian
*Virginia Wade, tennis player
*Ellie Beaven, ActressThe Duke Of Kent, to open brand new drama block

See also

*Tunbridge Wells Boys' Grammar School
*The Skinners' School
*Tonbridge Grammar School
*Weald of Kent Grammar School

References

External links

* [http://www.twggs.kent.sch.uk Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School's Website]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?urn=118789&providerCategoryID=8192 Ofsted Site]
* [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.7c7b38b14d870c7bb1890a01637046a0/?event=getReport&urn=118789&inspectionNumber=291257&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=\\school\\118\\s5_118789_20070319.xml Results of Latest Ofsted Inspection]
* [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_06.pl?No=8864043&Mode=Z&Type=SC&Phase=k&Year=06&Base=a&Num=886 Key Stage 3 Achievement and Attainment Tables 2006]
* [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/school_06.pl?No=8864043&Mode=Z&Type=SC&Phase=1&Year=06&Base=b&Num=886 GCSE Achievement and Attainment Tables 2006]