Queen Mary's Grammar School

Infobox UK school
name = Queen Mary's Grammar School


size =
latitude = 52.5775
longitude = -1.9665
dms =
motto = "Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes"
(You get out what you put in)
motto_pl =
established = 1554
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = voluntary aided grammar
religion =
president =
head_label = Headmaster
head = Mr. Tim Swain
r_head_label = Deputy Headmasters
r_head = Mr Lawrence, Mr Donnan, Mr Walton, Mrs Wood
chair_label =
chair =
founder = Queen Mary
founder_pl =
specialist = Languages and Business and Enterprise
specialist_pl= yes
street = Sutton Road
city = Walsall
county = West Midlands
country = England flagicon|England
postcode = WS1 2PG
LEA = Walsall Borough Council
ofsted = 104262
staff =
enrollment = 674
gender = Boys (mixed sixth form)
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses =
colours =
publication =
free_label_1 =
free_1 =
free_label_2 =
free_2 =
free_label_3 =
free_3 =
website = https://extranet.qmgs.walsall.sch.uk/
website_name = extranet.qmgs.walsall.sch.uk

Queen Mary's Grammar School is a selective grammar school located on the Sutton Road in Walsall, England, just outside the town centre.

It was founded in 1554 by Queen Mary I, at which time it had about seventy pupils, all boys, and taught Classics almost exclusively. Today, it is still mainly single-sex, though with a few girls in the sixth form. Female pupils attend its twin school, Queen Mary's High School. It has grown since its foundation, and moved twice, first from its original town centre building to the building now used by the High School, and secondly to a purpose-built school on the Mayfield site. Despite expansion, it is still small by modern standards, with 650 pupils. The school's badge is that of Queen Mary and reflects her parentage, being formed from half a Tudor rose (a symbol of Henry VIII) and a bundle of arrows (a symbol of Catherine of Aragon). [http://www.queenmarys.inter-base.net/?_id=1] In 2004, the school celebrated its 450th anniversary.

Queen Mary's consistently performs well in exams across the board. In recent years, the school has become a specialist Language College. The extra funds from this have, amongst other things, facilitated the building of a new wing of the school buildings. Language college status came at a price however; Latin was, after 450 years, removed from the school's curriculum and replaced by Spanish. Queen Mary's recently completed work on a new sports hall to support the current gym and swimming facilities. The Science Block was also updated, with new Biology labs being built.

The school badge was modified slightly during the 2006/2007 school year, the red Tudor rose being changed into the more historically accurate white. The change was implemented as significant embarrassment was felt by the school when a foreign student visiting the school was able to notice the mistake.

A host of extra-curricular activities are available for pupils, including plays and drama, sports teams, subject-related societies, and a Combined Cadet Force (Army and RAF sections) contingent.

The school's motto is "Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes" which (loosely) translates as "one will get out what one puts in", although "Floreat Regina Schola Mariae" is also used (literally, "May the school of Queen Mary Flourish,").

The school has a close relationship with its sister school, Queen Mary's High School, and pupils from Year 11 and Sixth Form at QMGS will take part next year in a play at the High School, based on The Crucible by Arthur Miller. QMGS also hosted the national finals of Junior Schools' Challenge quiz on 24th June, with a team from the school winning the Plate Final. The two schools participate in a German exchange every year with a school in the town of Biedenkopf.

The school's current head teacher is Mr Tim Swain, the previous headmaster Mr Stuart Holtam retired at the end of the 2007 school year. [http://www.qmgs.walsall.sch.uk]

Alumni

Former history teacher and former Labour councillor for Pelsall - Steven Pettitt - was awarded the MBE in January 2007. John Anderson, former second master, received the MBE for services to the CCF. Dave Pomeroy, a former Maths teacher, also received an honour from the Queen, receiving an OBE. He is currently Wing Commander of the CCF.

Famous former pupils of the school include:
*David Brown, former England cricketer
*Colin Charvis, Rugby Union Player - British and Irish Lions and former Captain of Wales
*Vernon Coleman, author, writer, medical doctor, and activist
*Neil Denison, judge and Queen's Counsel; former Common Serjeant of London
*Martin Fowler, author and international speaker on software architecture
*Harry Hinsley, historian and World War II codebreaker
*Jeffrey Holland, (Jeffrey Parkes) actor - Hi-de-Hi! et al
*David Howarth Member of Parliament, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge
*Rupert Moon, rugby union international for Wales
*Sir Henry Newbolt, poet
*Andrew Peach, BBC Radio 2 Presenter
*Andrew Parrott, musician founder of the "Taverner Choir, Consort and Players"
*Anthony Wilkins, colleague of Peter Tatchell, Gay Rights Activist
*Frank Windsor, (Frank W Higgins) actor - Z-Cars, Softly Softly, et al

References

External links

* [http://www.qmgs.walsall.sch.uk Queen Mary's Grammar School Official Site]
* [https://extranet.qmgs.walsall.sch.uk QMGS Extranet (New Official Site)]