Stafford Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Stafford Grammar School is a mixed, independent day school located on the outskirts of Stafford
, the county town of Staffordshire
. Founded in 1982, the school inhabits a building built by the famous Victorian architect Augustus Pugin
.
Chosen to house the school was a Victorian manor house, originally designed and built for the Whitgreave family by Augustus Pugin
. Pugin was and remains famous for his pivotal role in the Gothic Revival, his work on churches, and the British Houses of Parliament. Initially this property was leased but the school now has full ownership of the house and attendant 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) of grounds. Still intact are many of the original design features such as the integrated chapel and the folly, neither of which are currently in use.
Upon the demise of grammar schools following the reorganisation of state secondary education in the Stafford area in the mid 1970's, a group of parents met in 1981 to discuss the possibility of starting a new independent day school.
In September 1982, in a leased building, the School was officially opened by its first patron the Right Honourable, the Earl of Shrewsbury. Dr J R Garrood, the founder Headmaster began his first day with 17 pupils and 3 part-time teachers. Since then, the School has grown to its present size of 416 pupils and 45 teachers and obtained ownership of its buildings and grounds.
The main school building is a fine Victorian manor house designed by Augustus Pugin and originally owned by the Whitgreave family. Set in 38 acres of grounds there are facilities for all major team sports as well as floodlit tennis courts. Recent building additions include the Sports and Music Centre extension (2004), Sixth Form Centre, Science and Stafford Preparatory School (2007), 16 acres of additional sports fields (2008) and a new School Shop (2008).
In the short period of its existence the School has developed a formidable academic reputation and government school performance indicators clearly demonstrate that it is now an established centre of excellence.
The School was inspected by the I.S.I. in 2009 and received an outstanding report.
The Independent Schools Joint Council accredited the School in 1985 and the Headmaster was elected to the Society of Headmasters and Headmistresses of Independent Schools (SHIMS) in 1991.
In 2009, 95% of pupils at the school gained five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, placing it second in the county's ranking of secondary schools. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/09/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/860_gcse_lea.stm
Sport at the school has gradually improved and many pupils represent the district or county, while a distinguished few compete for national teams, in a range of sports. Recently, the under 16 men's football team was crowned district champions for the third year in a row and successfully defended their unbeaten record which now extends 5 years.
According to government school performance indicators, Stafford Grammar School is one of the top schools in Staffordshire. In 2010, 100% of A-level results were at grades A*-E with 68% being at grades A*-B, at AS level 98% of results were at grades A-E with 64% being at grades A-B and 97% of GCSE results were at grades A*-C with 53% being at grades A/A*. 100% of students achieved the benchmark of 5 or more GCSE passes at grades A*-C including English and Mathematics. Not surprisingly the demand for places has intensified and the school roll has risen to the current 416. The secret of our success is not rigorous selection, it is small class sizes: an average of 17 in Years 7-9, 16 at GCSE and 7 at A-level. New facilities since 2004 include a major extension to the Sports and Music Centre, the exciting development of Stafford Preparatory School which is housed in the same building as the new suite of purpose-built Science laboratories and the Sixth Form Centre all of which were completed in 2007. In 2008, 16 acres of new sports land has been developed providing several pitches enabling the school to host a number of opposing teams at one time.
First class facilities and an enthusiastic teaching staff enable each individual to achieve their full potential. Extra-curricular activities are flourishing, music and drama thrive alongside competitive sport and the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.
We strive for excellence in everything and expect high standards of discipline, dress and manners. There is a genuine family atmosphere and personal success is publicly recognised. Specialist Dyslexia teaching and Kumon Mathematics support academic achievement. There is regular Oxbridge entrance success.
Pupils come from a 20 mile radius, with buses from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stone, Eccleshall, Market Drayton, Newport, Gnosall, Haughton, Lichfield, Rugeley, the Haywoods, Weston, Wolverhampton, Brewood, Penkridge, Abbots Bromley/Uttoxeter and Cannock.
Stafford Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
, the county town of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. Founded in 1982, the school inhabits a building built by the famous Victorian architect Augustus Pugin
Augustus Pugin
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was an English architect, designer, and theorist of design, now best remembered for his work in the Gothic Revival style, particularly churches and the Palace of Westminster. Pugin was the father of E. W...
.
History
The school was founded in 1982 after a group of local parents, lamenting the closure of King Edward VI Grammar School in Stafford, decided to establish a selective, independent school to provide a liberal education with the ethos and quality of a grammar school.Chosen to house the school was a Victorian manor house, originally designed and built for the Whitgreave family by Augustus Pugin
Augustus Pugin
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was an English architect, designer, and theorist of design, now best remembered for his work in the Gothic Revival style, particularly churches and the Palace of Westminster. Pugin was the father of E. W...
. Pugin was and remains famous for his pivotal role in the Gothic Revival, his work on churches, and the British Houses of Parliament. Initially this property was leased but the school now has full ownership of the house and attendant 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) of grounds. Still intact are many of the original design features such as the integrated chapel and the folly, neither of which are currently in use.
Upon the demise of grammar schools following the reorganisation of state secondary education in the Stafford area in the mid 1970's, a group of parents met in 1981 to discuss the possibility of starting a new independent day school.
In September 1982, in a leased building, the School was officially opened by its first patron the Right Honourable, the Earl of Shrewsbury. Dr J R Garrood, the founder Headmaster began his first day with 17 pupils and 3 part-time teachers. Since then, the School has grown to its present size of 416 pupils and 45 teachers and obtained ownership of its buildings and grounds.
The main school building is a fine Victorian manor house designed by Augustus Pugin and originally owned by the Whitgreave family. Set in 38 acres of grounds there are facilities for all major team sports as well as floodlit tennis courts. Recent building additions include the Sports and Music Centre extension (2004), Sixth Form Centre, Science and Stafford Preparatory School (2007), 16 acres of additional sports fields (2008) and a new School Shop (2008).
In the short period of its existence the School has developed a formidable academic reputation and government school performance indicators clearly demonstrate that it is now an established centre of excellence.
The School was inspected by the I.S.I. in 2009 and received an outstanding report.
The Independent Schools Joint Council accredited the School in 1985 and the Headmaster was elected to the Society of Headmasters and Headmistresses of Independent Schools (SHIMS) in 1991.
Expansion
The school is currently being enlarged and now has 5 buildings in total and includes tennis courts and a number of playing fields. The school is constantly enrolling more students and recently became a prep school as well.Modern day
Stafford Grammar School consistently finishes in the top schools in Staffordshire based on A level and GCSE results. In the academic year that finished in June 2006 the school was ranked top in Staffordshire based on league table results. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/06/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/860_gcse_lea.stmIn 2009, 95% of pupils at the school gained five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, placing it second in the county's ranking of secondary schools. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/09/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/860_gcse_lea.stm
Sport at the school has gradually improved and many pupils represent the district or county, while a distinguished few compete for national teams, in a range of sports. Recently, the under 16 men's football team was crowned district champions for the third year in a row and successfully defended their unbeaten record which now extends 5 years.
According to government school performance indicators, Stafford Grammar School is one of the top schools in Staffordshire. In 2010, 100% of A-level results were at grades A*-E with 68% being at grades A*-B, at AS level 98% of results were at grades A-E with 64% being at grades A-B and 97% of GCSE results were at grades A*-C with 53% being at grades A/A*. 100% of students achieved the benchmark of 5 or more GCSE passes at grades A*-C including English and Mathematics. Not surprisingly the demand for places has intensified and the school roll has risen to the current 416. The secret of our success is not rigorous selection, it is small class sizes: an average of 17 in Years 7-9, 16 at GCSE and 7 at A-level. New facilities since 2004 include a major extension to the Sports and Music Centre, the exciting development of Stafford Preparatory School which is housed in the same building as the new suite of purpose-built Science laboratories and the Sixth Form Centre all of which were completed in 2007. In 2008, 16 acres of new sports land has been developed providing several pitches enabling the school to host a number of opposing teams at one time.
First class facilities and an enthusiastic teaching staff enable each individual to achieve their full potential. Extra-curricular activities are flourishing, music and drama thrive alongside competitive sport and the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.
We strive for excellence in everything and expect high standards of discipline, dress and manners. There is a genuine family atmosphere and personal success is publicly recognised. Specialist Dyslexia teaching and Kumon Mathematics support academic achievement. There is regular Oxbridge entrance success.
Pupils come from a 20 mile radius, with buses from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stone, Eccleshall, Market Drayton, Newport, Gnosall, Haughton, Lichfield, Rugeley, the Haywoods, Weston, Wolverhampton, Brewood, Penkridge, Abbots Bromley/Uttoxeter and Cannock.
Stafford Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.