The Portsmouth Grammar School
Encyclopedia
The Portsmouth Grammar School was founded in 1732, and is located in the historic part of the city. It is one of the top Public schools in the UK consistently ranking highly in national reviews of teaching quality and examination results.
and previously the garrison physician, died and left his estate to Christ Church, Oxford
. His will contained instructions to build a new school in Portsmouth - The Portsmouth Grammar School (PGS) was founded. The will of the founder is reflected to this day in that two Governors continue to be nominated by Christ Church, Oxford. The school also retains its naval links, with The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command nominating one further Governor.
Since then it has undergone a series of changes - including slight alterations to its location, some of which were due to bombing in World War II, its conversion to co-education, and the abolition of boarding.
As of 2010 the Upper Junior School (Years 5-6) is situated in a Victorian building (which once contained the whole Grammar School) close to part of the University of Portsmouth
. The Nursery, Lower Junior School (Reception to Year 4), Middle School and Upper School are located across the road on the High Street. The majority of that area used to be the Cambridge Barracks: a building used by the army which was ravaged by fire after bombing by the Luftwaffe
.
The school colours are red, black and gold, and the school motto is Praemia Virtutis Honores (English: Honours are the rewards of virtue). The current Headmaster is Mr J Priory. The school recently spent £6 million on a new Science building.
Over 90% of pupils achieve a place at their first choice university and most go on to study at Russell Group universities; up to 20% go on to Oxbridge.
Houses form the basis of the school pastoral system and provide a continued 'home' throughout a pupil's time at the school. In the Upper School, each house has its own common room. Sixth Formers have their own common area and cafe, known as the Sixth Form Centre. Sixth Formers also have their own library.
It is PGS's policy to deal with serious breaches of its code of conduct and school rules severely:
Aside from trips abroad, extracurricular activities include the CCF
(see below), a Debating Club, Wildlife Club, "Miniatures and Modelling Club", "Astronomy society", and "Middle School Textiles Club".
The school also has extensive sports grounds at Hilsea
, which include tennis courts, cricket and rugby pitches, as well as a pavilion. The school sometimes uses the HMS Temeraire
grounds, and Governors Green in Portsmouth.
Sports offered include rugby, cricket, hockey, tennis, netball, squash, shooting, fencing, rowing and croquet.
, the following was written about the music at PGS:
There are several ensembles that perform regularly, many conducted by the school's associate conductor, Nicolae Moldoveanu. The PGS Chamber Choir sang at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall
in 2005 and went on tour to Salzburg
at Christmas 2006. The Choir also sings regularly with the London Mozart Players
and upholds an annual tradition of singing Evensong at Christ Church, Oxford
.
Weekly lunchtime recitals are held in the Music Department for soloists.
which meets weekly. The school also hosts an MUN Conference annually and are joined by local school delegation teams. The school has run mock elections for notable elections that have occurred at the time. In recent years, the History & Politics Department have organised school elections for the 2008 US election
in which the school voted in favour of Barack Obama
; and the 2010 UK election, where the school elected the Conservatives
.
, founded in 1885. Notable OPs include
History
In 1732, William Smith, a former Mayor of PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and previously the garrison physician, died and left his estate to Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. His will contained instructions to build a new school in Portsmouth - The Portsmouth Grammar School (PGS) was founded. The will of the founder is reflected to this day in that two Governors continue to be nominated by Christ Church, Oxford. The school also retains its naval links, with The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command nominating one further Governor.
Since then it has undergone a series of changes - including slight alterations to its location, some of which were due to bombing in World War II, its conversion to co-education, and the abolition of boarding.
As of 2010 the Upper Junior School (Years 5-6) is situated in a Victorian building (which once contained the whole Grammar School) close to part of the University of Portsmouth
University of Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University was ranked 60th out of 122 in The Sunday Times University Guide...
. The Nursery, Lower Junior School (Reception to Year 4), Middle School and Upper School are located across the road on the High Street. The majority of that area used to be the Cambridge Barracks: a building used by the army which was ravaged by fire after bombing by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
.
The school colours are red, black and gold, and the school motto is Praemia Virtutis Honores (English: Honours are the rewards of virtue). The current Headmaster is Mr J Priory. The school recently spent £6 million on a new Science building.
Academic performance
The school is academically strong, with an average AS/A level point score of 939.1 in 2009, which is almost 50% over the national average.Over 90% of pupils achieve a place at their first choice university and most go on to study at Russell Group universities; up to 20% go on to Oxbridge.
Houses
In each section of PGS there are four houses, each represented by a colour and named after a former schoolmaster. Although these colours remain the same, the names change in each section of the School:| Junior School | Middle School | Upper School |
|---|---|---|
| Hudson | Barton | Grant |
| Jerrard | Eastwood | Latter |
| Nicol | Hawkey | Smith |
| Privett | Summers | Whitcombe |
Houses form the basis of the school pastoral system and provide a continued 'home' throughout a pupil's time at the school. In the Upper School, each house has its own common room. Sixth Formers have their own common area and cafe, known as the Sixth Form Centre. Sixth Formers also have their own library.
Discipline
The ISI inspection report of 2004 commented that "discipline is maintained with a soft touch due to the good relations between pupils and teachers."It is PGS's policy to deal with serious breaches of its code of conduct and school rules severely:
- On the lowest end of the scale, lunchtime and breaktime detentions can be administered,
- For more serious breaches, after school detentions on Thursdays can be administered,
- Above that Headmaster's detentions are carried out on Saturday mornings.
- For the most serious of breaches of conduct (for example theft) the Headmaster has the power to suspend and expel students. Traditionally, however, pupils are not 'expelled', but in a meeting convened between the Headmaster and the pupil's parents, it is made clear to the parents that it would be for the best if they were to withdraw their child from the school. Expulsion is thus known at PGS as 'being asked to leave'.
Prefects
Prefects also perform a minor role in school discipline, performing duties such as monitoring classroom and the tuck shop during breaks and ushering pupils at large school events. They are expected to set an example to younger pupils and are given the authority to issue lunchtime detentions. Chosen in Year 12 by a combination of discussions between teachers and the Headmaster and a student vote, around forty-five pupils are awarded with diagonally-striped red and gold ties. A few pupils have golden buttons; these are the Deputy Senior Prefects. One select Senior Prefect is also chosen to preside over shared responsibilities.Co-Curricular activities
Pupils take part in trips each term to visit various countries. Pupils have visited France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, The United States, Russia, Norway and a number of other countries. Exchanges take place as a part of the Modern Languages programme each year, with pupils spending time in France, Germany and Spain and receiving a visit from their counterpart. Additionally, sports teams travel each year to various locations, which have included South Africa and Australia.Aside from trips abroad, extracurricular activities include the CCF
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
(see below), a Debating Club, Wildlife Club, "Miniatures and Modelling Club", "Astronomy society", and "Middle School Textiles Club".
Drama
GCSE and AS/A-level assessment performances take place on weekday evenings to an audience of parents and friends of the pupils involved. In terms of extracurricular drama, the scene is varied; a great deal of change has occurred within the Drama Department recently, with the building of a new theatre and several new ventures being undertaken. A selection of regular drama activities is listed below.- Sixth Form Shakespeare - pupil-organised production of one of the bard's comedies, performed outdoors at the school's playing fields at Hilsea during the Summer Term.
- Musical - a classic west end musical, organised with the help of a director-in-residence, performed at the King's Theatre, Southsea, in early December. The 2011 performance was the wizard of ozThe Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz may refer to:*The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a 1900 book by L. Frank Baum and W.W. Denslow*The Wizard of Oz , a musical by L...
- House Drama Competition - an inter-house contest in which small groups perform an extract from a play or musical for judgement and ranking.
- The Middle School Play - with younger members of the upper school (years 7 and 8); plays have varied from Shakespeare to Kes, Performed in the Summer Term. Recent plays include The Government Inspector, GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
& Bugsy MaloneBugsy MaloneBugsy Malone is a 1976 musical film, very loosely based on events in New York City in the Prohibition era, specifically the exploits of gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran, as dramatized in cinema...
- The Year Six Play - undertaken by Junior School members in year six. In 2010 the play was treasure island performed at The New Theatre Royal, and in 2011 was a musical version of Shakespeare's The Tempest.
Sport
Within the school grounds are a sports centre containing a multi-purpose hall, gymnasium, squash courts, weight lifting room and dance rooms.The school also has extensive sports grounds at Hilsea
Hilsea
Hilsea is a district of the city of Portsmouth in the English county of Hampshire. Hilsea is home to one of Portsmouth's main sports and leisure facilities - the Mountbatten centre. The City of Portsmouth Boys' School is also in Hilsea...
, which include tennis courts, cricket and rugby pitches, as well as a pavilion. The school sometimes uses the HMS Temeraire
HMS Temeraire
Five ships and two shore establishments of the Royal Navy have been called HMS Temeraire. The name entered the navy with the capture of the first Temeraire from the French in 1759:...
grounds, and Governors Green in Portsmouth.
Sports offered include rugby, cricket, hockey, tennis, netball, squash, shooting, fencing, rowing and croquet.
CCF
The School has a Combined Cadet Force open to pupils in Year 9 and above. This comprises the Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy sections. Cadets learn skills of navigation, leadership, drill, outdoor survival, adventure training, flying, sailing and shooting as part of the CCF. Each section has its own residential camps based around the country throughout the year, with opportunities to shoot on ranges, sail, fly in planes and adventure training.Music
In an article in the September 2006 BBC Music MagazineBBC music magazine
BBC Music Magazine is a magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom by BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC. Reflecting the broadcast output of BBC Radio 3, the magazine is devoted primarily to classical music, though with sections on jazz and world music. Each edition comes...
, the following was written about the music at PGS:
There are several ensembles that perform regularly, many conducted by the school's associate conductor, Nicolae Moldoveanu. The PGS Chamber Choir sang at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in 2005 and went on tour to Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
at Christmas 2006. The Choir also sings regularly with the London Mozart Players
London Mozart Players
The London Mozart Players is a British chamber orchestra founded in 1949. The LMP is the longest-established chamber orchestra in the United Kingdom whose performances and recordings focus largely on the core repertoire from the Classical era...
and upholds an annual tradition of singing Evensong at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
Weekly lunchtime recitals are held in the Music Department for soloists.
Politics
PGS runs its own Model United NationsModel United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
which meets weekly. The school also hosts an MUN Conference annually and are joined by local school delegation teams. The school has run mock elections for notable elections that have occurred at the time. In recent years, the History & Politics Department have organised school elections for the 2008 US election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
in which the school voted in favour of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
; and the 2010 UK election, where the school elected the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Old Portmuthians
Alumni are known as Old Portmuthians and may join The Old Portmuthian ClubOld Portmuthian Club
The Old Portmuthian Club was founded by in 1885.Old Portmuthians are alumni of The Portsmouth Grammar School.The Club's principal activity is facilitating contacts between former pupils of The Portsmouth Grammar School...
, founded in 1885. Notable OPs include
- Cyril GarbettCyril GarbettCyril Forster Garbett GCVO PC was an Anglican clergyman, and Archbishop of York from 1942 until 1955.-Early life:...
(1875–1955), Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
(1942–1955), - James ClavellJames ClavellJames Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...
(1924–1994), novelist, screenwriter and director, - Sir Peter ViggersPeter ViggersSir Peter John Viggers is a lawyer and former Conservative Party member of parliament for the seat of Gosport in the United Kingdom. He stepped down in 2010 as a result of the investigation of MPs' expenses.-Early life:...
(1938-), ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP for Gosport (1974–2010) who was made famous for his expenses claimUnited Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandalThe United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years...
for a duck house, - Fred DinenageFred DinenageFrederick Edgar Dinenage, MBE is an English television host and newsreader, based in the south of England.Dinenage has appeared as presenter of many British television programmes , such as Gambit , Tell The Truth, How and its successor How...
(1942-), presenter of ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's local news programme, Meridian TonightMeridian TonightMeridian Tonight is a regional television news and current affairs programme, produced by ITV Meridian , serving the South and South East of England , and usually broadcast at 6pm and 10.30pm every weeknight. Other bulletins are branded as Meridian News... - Ian OsterlohIan OsterlohIan Osterloh is a clinical researcher for Pfizer, Inc. who led the development of sildenafil citrate , as well as a number of Pfizer medications for cardiovascular disease.-References:...
(1960-), Clinical researcher attributed with the creation of 'Viagra' as well as numerous cardiovascular drugs, - Mel StrideMel StrideMelvyn John 'Mel' Stride is a British Conservative Party politician. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Central Devon at the 2010 general election...
(1961-), Conservative MP for Central Devon (2010–present), - Mike WedderburnMike WedderburnMike Wedderburn is a former British sportsman and current presenter on Sky Sports News and Sky Sports' cricket coverage.-Sports career:...
(1964-), TV sports presenter for SkySky NewsSky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
and Sky SportsSky Sports NewsSky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
, - Roger BlackRoger BlackRoger Anthony Black MBE is a retired British athlete. During his athletics career, he won individual silver medals in the 400 metres sprint at both the Olympic Games and World Championships, two individual gold medals at the European Championships, and 4x400 metres relay gold medals at both the...
(1966-), Olympic athlete (silver medalist).