King Edward VI Grammar School (Louth)

King Edward VI Grammar School (often shortened to "KEVIGS" or "KEVIS") is one of many Grammar schools in the United Kingdom. Students who wish to attend the school must take and pass a test called the "Eleven Plus". It is situated in Louth, which is a small market town in Lincolnshire. Many of its students come from Satellite Villages surrounding it.

History

King Edward VI Grammar School is one of the oldest schools in the country. Fact|date=February 2007 As early as the eighth century schooling was available, but the oldest reference to a school comes from a passage by "Simon De Luda", the town's schoolmaster, in 1276. According to records, the school was funded by the town's religious and merchant guilds, as well as a Chantry established by "Thomas of Louth" in 1317.The dissolution of the monasteries in 1548 placed the future of education in Louth at risk. Leading figures in the local community petitioned the King, Edward VI, to secure the school's future and on the 21st of September 1551 the school was given a large amount of money and a Foundation was set up to administer it. The foundation continues to this day.

Extra Curricular

Unusually for a state school, the school has an attached Combined Cadet Force, comprising of an army section & a Royal Air Force section. The CCF is open to students aged 14+ and cadets take part in many engaging activities. The Army section focuses primarily on basic infantry training, such as fieldwork and skill at arms (using both the L98A1 Cadet GP Rifle and the No.8 rifle). The RAF section can also take part in flying. The cadets fly, with an instructor, the Grob Tutor, one of the many planes used by the RAF to train pilots. Cadets may also fly the Grob Viking glider at the gliding college at RAF Syerston. Both Gliding and Flying scholarships are also available to cadets who show promising ability. Both Sections are considered unique in having a Cadet Adjutant, nominally of the Rank of Sergeant and above. The CCF is linked to the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, 'The Poachers'. The school has also recently successfully set up a Royal Army Medical Corps section. The School also has an extremely active Theatre Company, Called 'Edwards Theatre Company' which annually goes to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Edward's Theatre Company is open to students aged 15+. The school also offers a variety of school trips and outings, including an annual ski trip, annual music tours to many European countries, and trips to the USA, as well as day outings to various areas around the UK.

Former Manifestations

King Edward VI Grammar School has had many changes of character throughout its life, and has included the following:

* Until 1964 the school was a boys-only school.
* In 1903 a girls only school was set up nearby, and the two schools amalgamated in 1965. At this time it also became a 14-18 school within the "Louth Plan", which basically stated that one selective 14-18 school should exist alongside three 11-16 high schools.
* In 1997 the Louth Plan fell apart and the school went back to taking 11-13 year olds, as well as continuing to educate the 14 to 18 year olds.
* The school adopted Foundation status in 1998
* KEVIS recently became a Specialist Science College, given the title in 2003.
* Male boarders at the school were living in The Lodge on Edward Street then after 1971, The Sycamores on Westgate (with a back gate on Crowtree Lane), then later moved into the old maternity hospital on Crowtree Lane next to the main school.
* Girls boarded at The Limes, a house on Westgate.

Famous Pupils

* Captain John Smith, a mercenary and the first elected president of Virginia, famous for his relations with Pocahontas attended from 1592 to 1595.
* Sir John Franklin, author and explorer, attended from 1797 to 1800.
* Alfred Lord Tennyson, poet, attended from 1816 to 1820.
* Chris Wright, founder and chairman of the Chrysalis Group.
* Professor Philip, the Lord Norton of Louth.
* Edward John Eyre (5 August 1815 - 30 November 1901), explorer of the Australian continent and a controversial Governor of Jamaica. Fact|date=February 2007
* Augustus Charles Hobart-Hampden (April 1, 1822 - June 19, 1886), English naval captain and Turkish admiral. Fact|date=February 2007
* Team Doyobi
* David Dring (Boarder) who was captured in the first Gulf War and used as a human shield by Saddam Hussien.
*Nathan Boon, an english electronic musician

External links

* [http://www.kevigs.lincs.sch.uk/ Official School Website]