Queen Elizabeth's High School Explained

Queen Elizabeth's High School
Coordinates:53.4107°N -0.7775°W
Motto: Tradition, Achievement, Opportunity
Established:
1983 (merger)
Type:Community grammar school
Head Label:Headmaster
Head:Richard Eastham[1]
Chair Label:Chairman of the Governors
Chair:D. S. Holmes
Founder:Sir Robert Somerscale
Address:Morton Terrace
City:Gainsborough
County:Lincolnshire
Country:England
Postcode:DN21 2ST
Local Authority:Lincolnshire
Dfeno:925/4065
Urn:120655
Ofsted:yes
Staff:c. 100 teaching, 28 support
Enrolment:c. 1200
Gender:Co-educational[2]
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:18
Houses:Austen, Brunel, Churchill, Darwin, Elgar and Scott
Colours: Austen (Gold), Brunel (Purple), Blue (Churchill), Darwin (Green), Elgar (Red), Scott (Silver)
Publication:The Q.E. News
Free Label 1:Former Pupils
Free 1:Old Gainians
Website:http://qehs.lincs.sch.uk

Queen Elizabeth's High School is a co-educational grammar school in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England. The school, established in 1983, but with a timeline to 1589, is an amalgamation of the previous Gainsborough High School and Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School.

History

Although the details are unclear, Gainsborough appears to have had a small grammar school from the 15th century provided by the local clergy, where possibly several of the Pilgrim Fathers received their early education; among its alumni was John Robinson. Lessons were first held in a room above the porch of the original All Saints church.

In 1589 Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to Sir Robert Somerscale to establish Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for boys, with the express purpose of providing an education in the classics and divinity for the sons of the emerging middle class in the town. In 1828, the Chartist poet Thomas Cooper sought to set up a rival grammar school, but failed, and saw his school absorbed by Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School.

From 1795 until 1940 Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School was located on Cox's Hill, at what is now the Hickman Hill Hotel. An equivalent grammar school for girls, Gainsborough High School, was founded in 1920. In 1940 both schools moved to the present Morton Terrace site, on which the local technical college was also based. Under the Tripartite System they became fully state grammar schools, having been fee-paying before then. The schools merged to form Queen Elizabeth's High School in 1982.[3] Before amalgamation Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School had 4 houses: Cox (red), Elliott (white), Hickman (Blue) and Marshall (green).

On 7 December 2012, the school was host to the BBC Radio 4 show 'Any Questions?', which was held in the Upper School Hall.[4]

In 2013, following a lack of funding which affected most Grammar Schools, a £2 million grant from the Local Authority and a £500,000 grant from central government was given in order to expand and renovate the school. This enabled the construction of a new sports hall, a two-storey teaching block and the refurbishment of College House.[5] [6]

On 7 March 2014 the Sixth Form Centre was relocated to the 1872-built College House building, as the previous centre had become crowded[7] College House has currently fallen into disrepair following the amalgamation with Gainsborough High School of which it had been part, and is yet to be fully restored to a state in which it is adequate for the functions of which the school would like to use it for.[8] [9]

Admissions

The school annually admits 180 students into Year 7 and 125 into Year 12; around 1000 students make up the lower school (of those aged 11–16) and another 250 make up the sixth-form (16–18). Approximately 700 of those attending are girls and 500 are boys. A number of external pupils are also admitted to the sixth-form each year.

Curriculum

Pupils at Queen Elizabeth's High School usually take ten or eleven GCSE examinations in Year Eleven, and dependent on satisfactory grades can enter the sixth-form to take four A-Level qualifications. Music is historically important to QEHS, with the Anglican choral composer W. Stanley Vann being head of Music during the 1930s. Recent drama productions have included Return to the Forbidden Planet, Godspell and Disco Inferno.

Extracurricular activities

Cricket, rugby, football, and athletics are the main boys' sports, and hockey, netball, tennis and athletics the main girls' sports.

Inter-school matches are played against other grammar schools in Lincolnshire, and a few public schools and secondary modern schools.

Debating teams have won local competitions, including the Youth Speaks Competition, and have competed in a national competition.[10]

Ofsted inspections and school performance

An Ofsted inspection in 2006 described the school as "outstanding".[11] The 2021 inspection however described the school as "requires improvement".

League tables for Lincolnshire released by the BBC rate Queen Elizabeth's High School overall 10th: ratings based on English Baccalaureate results place the school joint ninth, for A/AS-level points per pupil third, and adjusted for Value Added nineteenth.[12] The BBC A-Level league tables rank the school second best in Lincolnshire.

Old Gainians

Former pupils are known as Old Gainians (O.G.s).

Academia and science

FRS- 19th century solicitor, geologist and palaeontologist.

Arts

Public Service

Religion

DD- 17th century Anglican bishop of Carlisle, Puritan writer, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University

Sport

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough . Get Information about Schools . Gov.UK . 30 March 2024.
  2. Web site: The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough . Get information about schools . Gov.UK . 31 March 2021.
  3. Web site: GAINSBOROUGH QUEEN ELIZABETH'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL . Lincs to the Past . 18 June 2020.
  4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01p457r/Any_Questions_Queen_Elizabeth_High_School_Gainsborough/ BBC iPlayer – Any Questions?: Queen Elizabeth High School, Gainsborough
  5. Web site: House of Commons Hansard Debates for 13 Jan 2015 (pt 0001). publications.parliament.uk. 19 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20180311202120/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm150113/halltext/150113h0001.htm. 11 March 2018. live.
  6. Web site: Gainsborough: New building opens at QEHS. gainsboroughstandard.co.uk. 19 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160822101452/http://www.gainsboroughstandard.co.uk/news/local/gainsborough-new-building-opens-at-qehs-1-6193955. 22 August 2016. live.
  7. Web site: VIDEO: Ex-pupil of Queen Elizabeth's High School officially opens newly renovated College House. gainsboroughstandard.co.uk. 19 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160822141508/http://www.gainsboroughstandard.co.uk/news/local/video-ex-pupil-of-queen-elizabeth-s-high-school-officially-opens-newly-renovated-college-house-1-6499965. 22 August 2016. live.
  8. Web site: 'Unfit' school has £2.5m makeover. Lincolnshire Echo. 19 April 2016.
  9. Web site: North Sandsfield House, now College House at Queen Elizabeth's High School, GainsboroughLincs to the Past. Council. Lincolnshire County. lincstothepast.com. 19 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160427200316/http://www.lincstothepast.com/North-Sandsfield-House--now-College-House-at-Queen-Elizabeth-s-High-School--Gainsborough/246134.record?pt=S. 27 April 2016. live.
  10. Web site: This is Lincolnshire – Students speaking up on issues that matter . 2 July 2010 . This is Lincolnshire . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120612032618/http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Students-speaking-issues-matter/story-11210918-detail/story.html . 12 June 2012.
  11. Web site: The Queen Elizabeth's High School, Gainsborough . Ofsted . 25 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111108213438/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/120655 . 8 November 2011 . live .
  12. Web site: Secondary school league tables in Lincolnshire . BBC . 25 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120223130352/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/secondary/11/html/bacc_925.stm . 23 February 2012 . live .
  13. http://www.utdallas.edu/~bjb012800/vita.html "Brian J. L. Berry, Dean"
  14. Web site: Marina Lewycka biography page . 20 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180914013432/http://marinalewycka.com/bio.html . 14 September 2018 . live .
  15. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/religion-obituaries/7545853/Stanley-Vann.html "Stanley Vann"
  16. Web site: Former Members Bio – Queensland Parliament . 20 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180623005212/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=232608270 . 23 June 2018 . live .
  17. Gordon, Alexander; "Knollys, Hanserd"; Dictionary of National Biography, 1885–1900, Volume 31