Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College

Infobox UK school
name = Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College
latitude = 52.61883
longitude = -1.12405
dms = yes
established = 1976
type = Sixth Form College
head_label = Principal
head = Ian Wilson
street = University Road
city = Leicester
country = England
postcode = LE1 7RJ
phone = 0116 223 1900
fax = 0116 223 1999
LEA = Leicester City Council
enrollment = c.1900 students
gender = Coeducational
lower_age = 16
upper_age = 19
website = http://www.wqeic.ac.uk/

Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College, or "Q.E" is a sixth form college in Leicester, England.

The college, which has about 1900 students, was founded in 1976 following a reorganisation of secondary education in the city. It occupies a site adjoining Victoria Park and the University of Leicester that was previously occupied by Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys (also known as Wyggeston Boys' School). Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College (WQEIC) is a sixth form college located in the city of Leicester in the East Midlands. It was awarded Learning and Skills Beacon Status in April 2003.

It was named after William Wyggeston.

Courses including AS, A2, IB and GCSEs are all provided at the college

WQEIC is adjacent to the University of Leicester. Formerly a boys' grammar school, it received sixth form college status in 1974. The student population reflects the ethnic diversity of Leicester, with 70 per cent being from ethnic minorities, primarily of Asian background.

There are 1,865 full-time 16-18 year-old students and 140 teaching staff. More than 40 subjects are offered at A Level. Somewhat against the national trend Mathematics and Sciences account for more than a third of enrolments. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma was introduced in September 2006 with 33 students opting for this alternative.

In addition to its sixth form work the college delivers a one-year Foundation Programme in partnership with the University of Leicester, leading directly to university entry. In September 2006 WQEIC launched a new Foundation Degree for Science Technicians.

The college works increasingly closely with local schools and colleges and this partnership working will develop further in pursuit of the curriculum agenda for the 14 to 19 age group.

Strengths

An enrichment programme offers more than 70 courses and activities including many Science-based options such as Medical Laboratory Science and Space Physics, reflecting the college's strengths in Science. The inclusion of languages in the enrichment programme has also improved the overall take-up of languages. The college has a long-established tradition of sporting prowess and two thirds of students participate in sport.

In 2006 the A Level pass rate was 98 per cent with 45 per cent at grades A and B. About 90 per cent of students progress to higher education, most in the Midlands region.

Beacon activity:

WQEIC has worked with other providers on the development of effective quality assurance systems and self-assessment processes with a particular focus on the use of value-added measures. A significant amount of work was also done in the field of Student Support and Guidance and Student Services.

As an innovation project the college has led the development of a common Virtual Learning Environment across post-16 providers in the Leicester area.

The college has also forged links at departmental level with counterparts in local schools and colleges. The focus was on sharing good practice, progression issues and collaborative working in the interests of improving quality.

The IB

The college started offering the IB Diploma Programme in 2006

Notable former students...

...of the Grammar School:

*E. Phillips Oppenheim
*Richard Armstrong
*Henry Atkins
*David Attenborough
*Richard Attenborough
*Neil Fletcher
*Simon Hoggart
*A E Knight
*Tim Pigott-Smith
*Quentin Wilson
*Jon Lord

Two former masters at the Boys' School went on to eminence:

*Colin Dexter
*Ted Wragg

Brief History

After William Wyggeston's death, his brother Thomas Wyggeston, as a trustee, used part of the money to establish a grammar school in Leicester. Whilst this eventually became defunct, it gave its name to the later Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys, now known as Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College. Wyggeston Grammar School for Girls, also known as Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School, was founded not long after the boys' school. In 1981 it merged with another girls' grammar school in Leicester, Collegiate Girls' School, and stopped taking in girls at eleven. It instead became a Sixth Form college known as Wyggeston Collegiate Sixth Form College. Later still it became known as Regent College.

External links

* [http://www.wqeic.ac.uk/ College web site]