Beverley Grammar School

Infobox UK school
name = Beverley Grammar School


motto = Adolescentiam alunt senectutem oblectant
phone = [phone]
fax = [phone]
established = 700 AD
type = Secondary school
head = Mr. C. Goodwin
street = Queensgate
city = Beverley
county = East Riding of Yorkshire
country = England
ofsted = 118116
enrollment = 804
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
publication =
website = http://www.bgs.eriding.net/

Beverley Grammar School is a boys' secondary school in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. It was founded in about 700 AD/CE and is the oldest state school in England and the third oldest school overall in England. The school is a specialist Engineering College.

The current headmaster is Chris Goodwin. Portraits of all the past headmasters since 1890 can be seen in the school's library.

History

Beverley Grammar School was founded with the Collegiate Church in Beverley by St John of Beverley c. 700 AD. Early records suggest that the mediaeval building, which existed in the southwest corner of the Minster grounds, was demolished in 1602 and replaced on the same site by a stone building in 1609.

This building fell into disrepair and the school moved to a site adjacent to the headmaster’s house on Keldgate in 1816. Changes in local government caused the temporary closure of the school in 1886, but makeshift accommodation was found in Grayburn Lane and the school re-opened in 1889.

A new site was purchased in Queensgate in 1902 and the school moved yet again to a purpose-built building accommodating some 70 boys. The school grew in popularity and by 1917, in spite of the War, the number of students reached 100. Temporary huts were erected to include a wooden physics laboratory together with shower, baths and changing rooms.

In 1918, an Old Boys Memorial Fund was initiated to commemorate those who had died during the war. In all, nearly £1,200 was raised, and in 1928 a sports pavilion was built as a memorial on the school field. Every known name of an old boy who died during the first and second world wars is recorded on its walls.

In 1936 a new brick building was erected on an adjacent site in Queensgate and the original building used for 'manual' lessons such as woodwork and for first-form classrooms. By 1965 the first extension, a two-storey science and sixth-form block, was erected, followed in 1976 by a further two-storey extension including another laboratory and teaching rooms.

A separate technology block was built in 1978, further extended in 1990 to include an I.T. suite, lecture theatre and home economics room. 1980 saw a block of eight classrooms built parallel to the west wing and in 1985 a sports hall with common room facilities for the sixth form students was erected. The classrooms at the north of the school were redeveloped in 1981 to include an extra science laboratory on the first floor.

A new expressive arts block was completed in October 1999 and includes four classrooms, music practice rooms, music teaching rooms and a drama studio.

An OFSTED inspection was carried out in 2006 and the school was deemed "outstanding".

A new sixth form block incorporating a new sixth-form common room, five new teaching rooms, one I.T. room, a private study room and offices for staff was opened in 2004. However since this time, this block has been turned into a Maths block, (with the sixth form facilities remaining but accessible only by members of the sixth form and staff) with the old Maths rooms being used for a larger office space, Psychology and History teaching, and a careers library.

As a result of the school's gaining specialist status in Engineering at the start of the school year in 2004, the Technology block was renovated by rearranging the internal space and adding an entrance room and hallway. The I.T. facilities were also greatly improved and many classrooms now have interactive whiteboards.

Currently the school has around 800 pupils and operates a joint sixth form of approximately 150 students with the nearby girls' Beverley High School.

Motto

The school motto, "Adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant", is taken from the Roman statesman and writer Cicero's "Pro Archia Poeta", a defence of the poet Aulus Licinas Archias against a charge of not being a Roman citizen. The full quote is "Haec studia adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solacium praebent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur" ("These studies sustain youth and entertain old age, they enhance prosperity, and offer a refuge and solace in adversity, they delight us when we are at home without hindering us in the wider world, and are with us at night, when we travel and when we visit the countryside.") [ [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1695391 "Pro Archia", para 16] ] .

Notable alumni

*John Alcock (1430-1500), Lord Chancellor of England
*John Andrew (b. 1931), Anglican clergyman in New York City
*Ken Annakin (b. 1914), film director
*John Conington (1825-1869), English classical scholar
*Colonel Sir William Howe DeLancey (1778-1815), the Duke of Wellington's Chief of Staff at the Battle of Waterloo
*Saint John Fisher (c 1469-1535), Catholic bishop
*Thomas Percy (1560-1605)
*Paul Robinson (b. 1979), goalkeeper
*Smithson Tennant (1761-1815), chemist

References

ee also

*List of the oldest schools in the world

External links

* [http://www.bgs.eriding.net Beverley Grammar School website]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/04/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/811_4625.stm 2004 League table data]