Townley Grammar School for Girls
Encyclopedia
Townley Grammar School, normally referred to locally as Townley is a secondary grammar school for girls. It was previously known as Bexley Technical High School for Girls. And after that was known as Townley Grammar School For Girls, until 2010. It is located on Townley Road, Bexleyheath
, in the London Borough of Bexley
in England. The school consists of Years 7-11, single sex, and a female and male sixth form. It is of a good standard and is considered one of the best.
In 2008, the school had 4 students going onto courses of study (including Medicine) at Oxbridge
, the highest number for a state school in Bexley.
At GCSE, students perform well, consistently achieving a 100% pass rate.
In order to be admitted to the school, students must pass the Eleven-plus test in order to gain entry to year 7. It admits roughly 210 new students a year. Townley Grammar School for Girls, in partnership with the all-boys Beths Grammar School
allows for the attendance of different subjects by sixth form students at either institution.
In Years 8, 9, 10 and 11, pupils are grouped into streams according to their learning rate in certain subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Modern Language.
In Year 7, girls now do two languages, French and Italian or German and Spanish in their tutor groups.
In Year 7, two languages are offered from French/Italian or German/Spanish. All four subjects are offered in the Sixth Form as well as Russian.
The school was awarded Specialist Status for the performing and visual arts in September 2004. This specialist status enriched the arts education offered by the school whilst attempting to maintain the academic rigour of a grammar school.
All girls take ten GCSEs, providing a balanced programme of study and a firm foundation for Advanced Level courses. However, certain exceptional students are can be entered early for subjects such as Art, Mathematics or Modern Foreign Languages if they have a special aptitude for the subject.
Mandarin
is also part of the extracurricular programme.
Townley has a large mixed sixth form and students choose from some thirty five Advanced Level
(AS and A2) courses. The opportunity exists both to deepen the study of subjects taken at GCSE and to select new courses such as Government and Politics, Fine Art
, Economics
and Classical Civilisation. Joint courses with Beths enable pupils in both schools to have a wide range of subjects to choose from in the sixth form.
Homework is set every evening during term time and is considered an integral part of the learning process, encouraging independent study.
observed that the School's extra curricular activities covered “an impressively wide range” and demonstrated "high standards of achievement". The huge variety of clubs and societies include a Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme group, DT Clubs, Drama Clubs, Dance Clubs, Environment group, Christian Union, Science Societies, a Computer Club, a Young Enterprise Group, a Debating Society, a Food Club, a Textiles Club, a Homework Club, and many more. Award winning success is achieved in a wide variety of activities within the Physical Education Department and there are school teams for netball, hockey, swimming, athletics, tennis, rounders, volleyball and football. The UK's under 17 weightlifting champion and the possible Olympic diver both attend Townley, although their success cannot be owed to the school as there is neither a weightlifting or diving club.
The School has a long tradition for excellence in the Arts and was recently awarded the Gold Arts Mark. Outstanding performances are achieved by the school's three choirs, two orchestras, concert band, string and woodwind ensembles. Termly concerts, musical productions and formal school assemblies are only some of the many performance opportunities which exist throughout the year.
Full scale music, drama and dance productions have included Scarlatti
's Stabat Mater
, Benjamin Britten
's Missa Brevis
, Holst's Ave Maria
, Dido and Aeneas
, Vivaldi's Gloria, Oklahoma!
, Sweet Charity
, The Visit, Cabaret
, 42nd Street
,Rainbows Ending, The Boyfriend, Cats
The Sound of Music, Bugsy Malone, Tales Untold, Jesus Christ Superstar Variations, A Midsummer Night's Dream and most recently Oliver!
as well as more informal performance evenings.
The annual Art Exhibitions gives the community an ideal opportunity to see the impressive word done by examination candidates in Years 11, 12 and 13.
The excellent work done in the classroom is enhanced by field trips, visits to industrial organisations, to the theatre, to conferences, museums, art galleries and universities. Townley's work with Rose Bruford College
, Trinity College of Music
, Laban, The Royal Ballet and Tate Modern
have strengthened the provision of the Arts for students.
Holidays organised by the school have recently included visits to Normandy
, Paris
, Florence
, Venice
, Verona
, Germany
, Spain
and India
. Regular exchanges take place with The Shri Ram School
in Delhi
, India and the Franz Stock Gymnasium in Arnsberg
, Germany. A new exchange is planned for 2008 with a school in Shandong Province, China. Adventure holidays for the lower school take place in the UK.
Bexleyheath
Bexleyheath is a main suburban district of Southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley with a small percentage of the district itself being in the London Borough of Greenwich. Bexleyheath is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is east south-east of Charing Cross...
, in the London Borough of Bexley
London Borough of Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley lies in south east Greater London, and is a borough referred to as part of Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west, across the River Thames to the north it borders the London...
in England. The school consists of Years 7-11, single sex, and a female and male sixth form. It is of a good standard and is considered one of the best.
Academics
It is well-known in the area for its consistent academic performance in the London Borough of Bexley. The Sixth Form performs well with a tradition of excellent exam results; in excess of 98% of students enter higher education at 18, and the school regularly appears in the Sunday Times Good Schools Guide.In 2008, the school had 4 students going onto courses of study (including Medicine) at Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
, the highest number for a state school in Bexley.
At GCSE, students perform well, consistently achieving a 100% pass rate.
In order to be admitted to the school, students must pass the Eleven-plus test in order to gain entry to year 7. It admits roughly 210 new students a year. Townley Grammar School for Girls, in partnership with the all-boys Beths Grammar School
Beths Grammar School
Beths Grammar School, commonly known as Beths, is an all-boys foundation grammar school in Bexley, south east London. Students are admitted from the age of 11, with girls joining the sixth form in Year 12...
allows for the attendance of different subjects by sixth form students at either institution.
Organisation
Girls are mainly taught in their tutor groups for the first two years (Years 7 and 8). These form groups are further divided for practical subjects, such as Music, Design Technology, I.C.T and Art.In Years 8, 9, 10 and 11, pupils are grouped into streams according to their learning rate in certain subjects such as Mathematics, Science and Modern Language.
In Year 7, girls now do two languages, French and Italian or German and Spanish in their tutor groups.
Curriculum
The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum, which is designed to match the educational needs of the girls with the requirements of the National Curriculum.In Year 7, two languages are offered from French/Italian or German/Spanish. All four subjects are offered in the Sixth Form as well as Russian.
The school was awarded Specialist Status for the performing and visual arts in September 2004. This specialist status enriched the arts education offered by the school whilst attempting to maintain the academic rigour of a grammar school.
All girls take ten GCSEs, providing a balanced programme of study and a firm foundation for Advanced Level courses. However, certain exceptional students are can be entered early for subjects such as Art, Mathematics or Modern Foreign Languages if they have a special aptitude for the subject.
Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
is also part of the extracurricular programme.
Townley has a large mixed sixth form and students choose from some thirty five Advanced Level
Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
(AS and A2) courses. The opportunity exists both to deepen the study of subjects taken at GCSE and to select new courses such as Government and Politics, Fine Art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
, Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and Classical Civilisation. Joint courses with Beths enable pupils in both schools to have a wide range of subjects to choose from in the sixth form.
Homework is set every evening during term time and is considered an integral part of the learning process, encouraging independent study.
Accommodation
Constructed on a 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) site, the School's extensive grounds provide a pleasant environment as well as excellent sporting facilities. A new building was completed in 2006 which provides a theatre, recording studio, a large Sports Hall as well as five additional science laboratories, and a further ICT suite.Extra-curricular activities
OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
observed that the School's extra curricular activities covered “an impressively wide range” and demonstrated "high standards of achievement". The huge variety of clubs and societies include a Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme group, DT Clubs, Drama Clubs, Dance Clubs, Environment group, Christian Union, Science Societies, a Computer Club, a Young Enterprise Group, a Debating Society, a Food Club, a Textiles Club, a Homework Club, and many more. Award winning success is achieved in a wide variety of activities within the Physical Education Department and there are school teams for netball, hockey, swimming, athletics, tennis, rounders, volleyball and football. The UK's under 17 weightlifting champion and the possible Olympic diver both attend Townley, although their success cannot be owed to the school as there is neither a weightlifting or diving club.
The School has a long tradition for excellence in the Arts and was recently awarded the Gold Arts Mark. Outstanding performances are achieved by the school's three choirs, two orchestras, concert band, string and woodwind ensembles. Termly concerts, musical productions and formal school assemblies are only some of the many performance opportunities which exist throughout the year.
Full scale music, drama and dance productions have included Scarlatti
Scarlatti
Scarlatti was the name of several Italian composers:*Alessandro Scarlatti , Baroque composer known for operas and chamber cantatas*Francesco Scarlatti , Baroque composer and musician, brother of Alessandro Scarlatti...
's Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater
Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Roman Catholic hymn to Mary. It has been variously attributed to the Franciscan Jacopone da Todi and to Innocent III...
, Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Missa Brevis
Missa Brevis
Missa brevis literally means "short mass" and can refer to different types of musical setting of the Mass. Modernly, Missa brevis is generally understood as a setting of parts of the ordinary mass...
, Holst's Ave Maria
Hail Mary
The Angelic Salutation, Hail Mary, or Ave Maria is a traditional biblical Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary...
, Dido and Aeneas
Dido and Aeneas
Dido and Aeneas is an opera in a prologue and three acts by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell to a libretto by Nahum Tate. The first known performance was at Josias Priest's girls' school in London no later than the summer of 1688. The story is based on Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid...
, Vivaldi's Gloria, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
, Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria...
, The Visit, Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
, 42nd Street
42nd Street (musical)
42nd Street is a musical with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin, and music by Harry Warren. The 1980 Broadway production, directed by an ailing Gower Champion and orchestrated by Philip J. Lang, won the Tony Award for Best Musical and became a long-running hit...
,Rainbows Ending, The Boyfriend, Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
The Sound of Music, Bugsy Malone, Tales Untold, Jesus Christ Superstar Variations, A Midsummer Night's Dream and most recently Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
as well as more informal performance evenings.
The annual Art Exhibitions gives the community an ideal opportunity to see the impressive word done by examination candidates in Years 11, 12 and 13.
The excellent work done in the classroom is enhanced by field trips, visits to industrial organisations, to the theatre, to conferences, museums, art galleries and universities. Townley's work with Rose Bruford College
Rose Bruford College
Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance is a British drama school, offering university-level and professional vocational training for theatre and performance and the BA and MA degrees, based in Sidcup, Southeast London.-History:Founded in 1950, Rose Bruford "pioneered the first acting degree...
, Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
, Laban, The Royal Ballet and Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
have strengthened the provision of the Arts for students.
Holidays organised by the school have recently included visits to Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Regular exchanges take place with The Shri Ram School
The Shri Ram School
The Shri Ram School is a co-educational private school in India.Founded in July 1988, the Shri Ram School has three campuses spread across the National Capital Region of India...
in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, India and the Franz Stock Gymnasium in Arnsberg
Arnsberg
Arnsberg is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the location of the Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg's administration and one of the three local administration offices of the Hochsauerlandkreis.-Geography:...
, Germany. A new exchange is planned for 2008 with a school in Shandong Province, China. Adventure holidays for the lower school take place in the UK.