Bristol Grammar School is a co-educational
independent schoolAn independent school in the United Kingdom is a school that is not financed by taxpayers or through the taxation system by local or national government, and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so not...
in
CliftonRedland is an affluent suburb and parish in Bristol, England. The suburb is situated between Clifton, Cotham, Bishopston and Westbury Park. The boundaries of the district are not precisely defined, but are generally taken to be Whiteladies Road in the west, the Severn Beach railway line in the...
,
BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.With an estimated population of 416,400 for the unitary authority in mid-2007, and a surrounding urban area with an estimated 561,500 residents, it is England's sixth, and...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It was founded in 1532 by two brothers, Robert and Nicholas Thorne, when it was housed in the
St Bartholomew's HospitalThe St Bartholomew's Hospital is at the bottom of Christmas Steps, Bristol, England.This 12th century town house was incorporated into a monastery hospital founded in 1240 by Sir John la Warr, 2nd Baron De La Warr , and became Bristol Grammar School from 1532 to 1767, and then Queen Elizabeth's...
, as part of the new founding of schools after
Henry VIIIHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
's closure of the monasteries, where previously a large proportion of
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's education had occurred. The school motto
Ex Spinis Uvas, which translates as "From Thorns Grapes", is a play upon the names of the school founders Robert and Nicholas Thorne.
The school is in three separate sections: the Lower School takes children from the ages of 7-11, and the Upper School is for students aged between 11-16 studying for GCSEs. The Sixth Form is for students from 16-18 studying for their A-levels. There are around 1050 children in the Upper School and Sixth Form, of which around a third are girls, since its switch from boys-only to coeducational in 1980. BGS recently celebrated 25 years of girls at the school. The Lower School has over 200 children with a similar ratio of boys to girls.
The ratio of boys to girls remains steady at a third girls to two thirds boys. Fees in 2009/10 are £2,173 per term in the lower school, and £3,433 per term in the upper school and sixth-form. Students from families with low incomes can be provided with completely free places.
History
The ‘Gramer Scole’ over the Frome Gate was in the care of its first schoolmaster, Thomas Moffat, when good fortune stepped in to secure its future. The Thorne family were wealthy Bristol merchants, friends of men like
John CabotGiovanni Caboto known in English as John Cabot, was a Venetian navigator and explorer whose 1497 'discovery' of North America is commonly held to be the first European voyage to the continent since Norseman Leif Ericson's landing in c.1003. The Canadian and United Kingdom government's official...
and known to royalty. They wished to endow a school where the sons of Bristol merchants and tradesmen could receive a good education before settling down to the important business of making money. On 17 March 1532, Henry VIII issued a
CharterA charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
under which the Thornes could endow the Grammar School and establish it in larger premises at
St Bartholomew's HospitalThe St Bartholomew's Hospital is at the bottom of Christmas Steps, Bristol, England.This 12th century town house was incorporated into a monastery hospital founded in 1240 by Sir John la Warr, 2nd Baron De La Warr , and became Bristol Grammar School from 1532 to 1767, and then Queen Elizabeth's...
near the bottom of
Christmas StepsChristmas Steps is a road in the city centre of Bristol, England.The steps were constructed, at a steep slant, in September 1669 and were paid for by a wealthy wine merchant, Jonathan Blackwell...
. There the boys learnt
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
and
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
,
DivinityDivinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power, or its attributes or manifestations in the world...
and some Hebrew.
By 1767, the buildings were too cramped. Charles Lee, the Master, persuaded the Corporation that the Grammar School should be allowed to exchange premises with the other City School,
Queen Elizabeth's HospitalQueen Elizabeth's Hospital is an independent school for boys in Clifton, Bristol, England. Stephen Holliday has served as Headmaster since 2000, having succeeded Dr Richard Gliddon...
, which had a pleasant, new site on Unity Street, further up the hill. This exchange was carried out, and Charles Lee proceeded to enjoy his new School by greatly reducing the numbers of boys. The School was set to rights in 1812, but education was moving away from the classics and this caused further problems. However, the Grammar School received a new Scheme in 1848 and prospered.
In 1877, the decision was taken under the Rev John William Caldicott to move again, further up the hill to the pleasant rural site of
Tyndalls ParkTyndalls Park is an area of central Bristol, England. It lies north of Park Row and Queen's Road, east of Whiteladies Road and west of St Michael's Hill, between the districts of Clifton, Cotham and Kingsdown...
. The first buildings were occupied in 1879: the Big School, with its remarkable Great Hall, and the Headmaster’s House, a modest dwelling which is now the Lower School. Further classrooms were added, a
GymThe word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium and a Fives Court and a Rifle Range. These have been rebuilt as art rooms and rehearsal rooms, but the Winterstoke wing still houses the Laboratories which were added in 1914. The Preparatory School began in 1900, and in 1928 moved into its own building on Elton Road, but this was destroyed on the night of 24 November 1940 by incendiary bombs.
The Prep Hall, which survived, is now the Mackay Theatre. The Elton Road ruin was rebuilt as classrooms under John Garrett, who added the University Road block and began to colonise the other side of Elton Road. Since then, the School has built yet more classroom accommodation and a new Sports Hall; Modern Languages, Classics/Geography, Art and Music have their own Elton Road Houses, and the former playing field is now the Technology Centre.
The Great Hall
This Big School was designed in the late Perpendicular Gothic style, by the Bristol firm of Foster and Wood. Sometimes known as the Long Room, but now usually as the Great Hall, it was designed as a teaching room, and the Masters’ stalls are still in place.
The room is long, wide and high. Downstairs there are now, as in 1879, the Headmaster’s Study, the Senior Common Room, offices and classrooms. Originally these would have accommodated the Sixth Form, while the rest of the School had lessons together in the Hall.
The organ, which was built by Vowles & Son of St James’ Square, was presented by Mr W H Wills, later Lord Winterstoke, in January 1880. It cost over £1000 and it is still played for assemblies and concerts.
The main stairs leading out of the Great Hall have been recently modified to fulfil fire and safety regulations and in preparation for the new library and 6th building known as The Hub. When the whole school assembled in the Great Hall for the official opening of the new staircase, the invited guests included people who donated large sums of money to help get the project on its way and some of the OBs, including John Pople, who have supported the school over the years. The work was allowed to be completed because of work done by the schools archivist who demonstrated that this was the way that the original staircase was likely to have been. This satisfied authorities to grant permission to make structural alterations to the Grade II listed building.
The staircase was originally one big staircase that started at ground level, led up and split into two smaller ones which doubled back to reach the Great Hall. This has changed to the opposite; two smaller ones lead up and merge into a larger one which doubles back to reach the Great Hall. This meant that the wall between the two smaller staircases could be knocked through to insert a modern automated double glass door allowing pupils to reach the Great Hall easier from within the campus. The old entrance with the great wooden doors at the front still remains but is for visitors, teachers and prefects only. Previously a small door to the campus side of the building was for visitors, teachers and prefects only.
Entrance into the school
Primarily the school accepts pupils at the age of 7 years to the Lower School and 11 for the Upper School. The school also accepts pupils at 14. The Sixth Form also accepts pupils from surrounding schools at 16. Progression through the school is more or less automatic without additional examination. Though transition between Lower and Upper School requires the same entrance examination as other candidates, Lower School entrants rarely fail. Assuming a pupil passes sufficient GCSEs, progression from the Upper School to the Sixth Form is also automatic, though some do choose to leave at this point and fewer still do not achieve the grades required to progress to A-Levels. Entrance at this level to the school is by interview and offers based upon GCSE grades.
Houses
There are six houses in the Upper School, each named after its Head of House. Each student is placed in one of the six different house groups at the beginning of their time in the Upper School and remains in the house until they leave the school. House activities include house plays, music competitions and inter-house sporting tournaments. The school will always place students in the same houses as any previous family members who have come to the school.
The house names and colours are:
- Scott's (black)
- Keen's (yellow)
- Edwards's (blue)
- Catchpole's (red)
- Gunawardana's (brown)
- Jakobek's (green)
House Colours
House colours are also awarded, given at then end of the particular term should that person take part and perform particularly well in a given activity or sporting event.
School Colours
School colours are awarded to pupils typically in their final year, who perform exceptionally well in sport or any other school activity. They would be expected to compete in a school team (such as cricket, rugby, hockey or football) and show continued commitment. This was extended to include performing arts, awarding several students colours for their contribution to
concertA concert is a live performance, usually of music, before an audience. The music may be performed by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band. Informal names for a concert include "show" and "gig"...
s, plays and taking house assemblies.
Boys
The school uniform is a navy blue blazer with the school
crestA crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
embroidered on the top pocket. A plain white, long or short sleeved shirt is worn. This must be tucked inside the trouser waistband and be designed to be worn with a tie. The tie is maroon coloured with stripes being of house colour of blue, black, brown, green, red or yellow. A plain white undergarment may be worn. The opional pullover is plain navy, v-necked and with the school crest embroidered on the upper left side. Socks are either plain grey, navy-blue or black. Shoes are black.
Girls
The school uniform consists of a navy blue blazer with the school crest embroidered on the top pocket. The skirt is of
Bristol Check design, worn at an appropriate length below the knee. For years 7-9, the skirt is of kilt style and wrapped over. For years 10-11, it is an optional straight style with back pleat. Alternatively, the girls may wear plain mid-grey, classic pleated front, tailored trousers (however those supplied by the official school supplier, Ikon, are permitted). A pullover is optional, and is plain navy, v-necked with school crest embroidered on the upper left side. A plain white, long or short blouse sleeved with reveres can be worn, though no undergarment must show above the
rever"Rêver" is a 1995 song recorded by the French artist Mylène Farmer. Fifth single from her fourth album Anamorphosée, it was released on November 16, 1996...
s. The blouse, like the shirt for the boys, must be worn tucked inside the skirt or trouser waistband. Tights must be navy blue and black. Alternatively, socks can be worn, of the same colours. Shoes are black, sensible and low-heeled - the heel should be no more than 3 cm measured from the inside, and the combined platform and heel should be no more than 5 cm measured from the outside. Trainers and boots are not permitted.
All pupils
The BGS
fleeceFleece is a general term for a soft fabric , and may refer to:* A fleece, the woollen coat of a domestic sheep or long-haired goat, especially after having been sheared...
/
tracksuitA tracksuit is an article of clothing consisting of two parts: trousers and a jacket. It was originally intended for use in sports, mainly as what athletes wore over competition clothing and would take off before competition. In modern times, it has become commonly worn in other contexts...
may be worn, which is plain navy with the school crest embroidered in navy blue on the upper left side. It can be worn as part of the games kit. The BGS scarf, which embroids the school colours, can also be worn when it is cold. Other scarves are not allowed.
Boys
The sixth form uniform for the boys is a suit or non-matching jacket and trousers that give a reasonable appearance. A school tie must be worn - maroon or navy blue with a single school crest in the centre. Shirts should be tucked in.
Girls
Similarly, a set of clothes that give a reasonable impression can be worn. However, short skirts are inappropriate and high heels are not allowed.
School prefects
Each year, around 50 prefects are chosen by selection by the headmaster, from applications by the Lower Sixth Form. From those 50, a further ten are selected to be senior prefects and, in addition, a Head of School (Head Boy/Girl) and deputies are chosen.
Tutors and teaching
The size of teaching groups ranges from 25 students per teacher in lower years to three per teacher (for less popular subjects in the 6th form). Optional subjects include
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n and
EconomicsEconomics is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. Today, all students have
computerA computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions.Although mechanical examples of computers have existed through much of recorded human history, the first electronic computers were developed in the mid-20th century . These were the size of a large room, consuming as...
s with
internet access-History and types of connections:Common methods of Internet access include dial-up, landline , T- lines, Wi-Fi, satellite and cell phones....
.
Teachers and Masters of Bristol Grammar School
Teachers and Masters of Bristol Grammar SchoolThe following is a list of Masters and teachers at Bristol Grammar School from when the school began in 1532.The following is a list of Masters and teachers at Bristol Grammar School from when the school began in 1532....
Campus
Bristol Grammar School occupies a
triangleA triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
of land between the
University of BristolThe University of Bristol is a university in Bristol, England. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876...
on the University Road side, what used to be Dingle's
department storeA department store is a retail establishment which specializes in satisfying a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
on the lower side and a series of houses on the Elton Road side known as Tyndalls Park. The school has been expanding of late, and while it has always owned all the houses to one side of the main campus until recently only four (Barton's, Norwood's, Martin's and Garrett's) were occupied. Lately, two or more have been converted into specialist subject areas. The School is waiting for the leases (which date from before the current Rent Act) to be relinquished by the tenants before they can use other buildings.
The school has a theatre and extensive IT facilities, as well as large playing fields outside Bristol in
FailandFailand is a village in the English county of Somerset. It falls within the civil parish of Wraxall and Failand and the Unitary Authority of North Somerset....
. New school buildings have been erected in recent times, but despite the introduction of modern technology, the external appearance and locations of many of the classrooms has remained unchanged for a long time.
Great Hall
The foundation stone was laid on 10 June 1877. The school moved here during 1879 and it is the largest first floor hall in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. In 1996, the old servery was removed and the hall was restored to its old layout; the roof was also renewed during this time. There is a full kitchen between the Great Hall and the Science Wing, as well as two classrooms and an office belonging to the history department. Underneath the Great Hall is the staff room, the Pople room, and the school offices. It has been designated by
English HeritageEnglish Heritage . is a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government with a broad remit of managing the historic built environment of England. It is currently sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a grade II
listed building.
To one side of the Great Hall, sitting separate from the Hall itself and the Lower School, is another building designed to blend in. During the 1940s/1950s, this was the woodworking department, and later a staff work room. It is now a music room which is also used for house assemblies.
The Great Hall foundation stone has never been found. Inside the foundation stone there is a time capsule, reported to contain "Copies of The Times and of the Bristol newspapers and a parchment document containing an account of the ceremony". However, despite extensive searches of the outer walls, it has not been found to date. One of two possibilities exist: 1) That the foundation stone was placed at the far end of the building where the science wing now is, and was destroyed or covered up when that building was erected; or 2) that the stone is buried under tarmac towards the front of the building. The foundation stone was laid on the 10th of June 1877.
Lower School Hall and Rehearsal Room
This building was rebuilt in 1999. The old sports areas, in which two bicycle houses and three fives courts had once stood, was cleared to make way for the school's rehearsal room. The offices used by the House Masters were refurbished. The result was a re-landscaped playground in the top corner of the site for the lower school, the old gymnasium was converted into the new Lower School Hall and two art rooms. A new rehearsal room was added for the school orchestra and the Drama Department. What was once the school's rifle range is now an adjoining corridor, linking the new art rooms to the rehearsal room.
Science (Fenwick Richards / Lord Winterbourne) Wing
Opened in 1909, the Fenwick Richards wing houses Year 11. The Fenwick Richards wing also houses the History Department. The Lord Winterbourne wing lies to the north, and was a later pre-war addition to the school. It still houses the Physics, Chemistry and Biology departments for which it was originally intended, with much of the equipment (including the wooden chemistry desks) dating back to Edwardian period.
University Road Building
This building was designed to house the science departments. At the moment it houses the Year 10s. It also houses the school's English Department.
Sports Hall
The sports hall contains a full sized hall, four glass fronted squash courts, galleries for viewing games and activities, a fencing area, a climbing wall, a gym, sports teaching room and the Graveney room (for aerobics and dance). There was intended to be a swimming pool underneath the main hall. However, it was not possible to place such a large body of water next to the edge of the site due to the height differential, which would have resulted in the bank giving way.
Princess Anne Block
The "PA Block" houses the form rooms of Years 7 and 8 and the Mathematics Department. It also houses the office of the head of Years 7 and 8 and the school nurse
Elton Road Building
This building was destroyed during the
BlitzThe Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, in World War II. While the Blitz hit many towns and cities across the country, it began with the bombing of London for 57 consecutive nights...
and was rebuilt after the Second World War. It houses Year 9 form rooms, the
religious studiesReligious studies, or Religious education, is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions...
and
philosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing these questions by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on reasoned...
department, the
mathematicsMathematics is the science and study of quantity, structure, space, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns, formulate new conjectures, and establish truth by rigorous deduction from appropriately chosen axioms and definitions....
Department, and an
ITInformation technology , as defined by the Information Technology Association of America , is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware." IT deals with the use of electronic...
room.
Mackay Theatre
The theatre adjoins the Elton Road Building and is used for school plays and musicals, year assemblies, SPD lectures, house concerts and plays and Sixth Form lectures. Named after John Mackay, a former headmaster.
Lower School
Previously the Headmaster's House until the Lower School was evacuated to it in 1940; it has been located there ever since.
Technology Centre
This building houses the four design and technology Department workshops and is currently underground, which were in portable buildings prior to 1994. There is also a CAD room, a workshop for the stores department, a car maintenance bay and a metal work room.
The curved wall at the end of the DT Block between one entrance and the steps facing towards the Princess Anne Block is the foundations for an intended leture hall. However, it is unlikely that this will be ever built due to the new lecture theatre within The Hub.
Sixth Form Block
This houses facilities for the entire sixth form, although their forms are much smaller than those lower down the school and are split up all over the campus, using spare rooms as form rooms. Downstairs, much of the block is dedicated to the Junior Common Room (known as the "JCR") with its own servery hatch. There are also offices and two computing labs. Upstairs there are teaching rooms, a prefects' room, a careers room and careers computing lab. It was originally designed as a three story building (hence the flat roof) but due to budget constraints during building it was decided to be left as two storeys. In summer 2009 the entire block was renovated after plans for a replacement building, "The Hub", were put on hold.
Library
One of the biggest school libraries in the country, the BGS Library also houses the school archives.
The Hub
Planned for construction during 2009 but unfortunately, due to the
credit crunchA credit crunch is a reduction in the general availability of loans or a sudden tightening of the conditions required to obtain a loan from the banks. A credit crunch generally involves a reduction in the availability of credit independent of a rise in official interest rates...
, the construction date has been moved to 2010. It is part of the 475th Anniversary Campaign and will replace the existing Sixth Form and Library with a new three-storey building.
On the ground floor: a new library, a lecture theatre and ‘street’ linking the campus along its north-south and east-west routes.
First floor: home for the Sixth Form
Second floor: relocation for Art Department and new space for IT.
It will also create new spaces on the site for recreation, change how pupils move around the site and between the Hub and the Great Hall and give a much needed rear entrance to the Great Hall.
Barton's (Geography Department)
Once only housed the
ClassicsClassics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean World; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity...
Department, but now houses the
geographyGeography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
Department and the School Uniform Shop underneath. To the rear is a portable building where the Maintenance Department has its workshop. Named after Joseph Edwin Barton, a former headmaster from 1917-38.
Martin's (Music School)
The building contains sound-proofed rooms and a full studio at the top of the building. Underneath the building is the Cookery area, where there are two full teaching kitchens. Named after Charles Martin, a former headmaster from 1988-99.
Garrett's (Art School)
The old Headmaster's House is now home to the Art Department, including three large studios and many more smaller areas for the sixth formers. To the rear of this building and the Music School is a landscaped garden spanning both properties. Named after John Garrett, a former headmaster of the school from 1943-60.
Norwood's
Houses the Modern Languages Department. Named after
Sir Cyril NorwoodSir Cyril Norwood served as Headmaster of Bristol Grammar School and Harrow School as well as President of St. John's College, Oxford....
, a former headmaster of the school from 1906-16.
Caldicott's
The Classics and Economics Departments' building. Houses a computer suite. Named after John William Caldicott, a former headmaster of the school from 1860-83.
Leighton's
Another Modern Languages Department building, also the Psychology Department. Also houses a computer suite. Named after Robert Leighton Leighton, a former headmaster of the school from 1883-1906.
Sport
- During the autumn term, the sport curriculum is dominated by rugby football
Rugby football may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of football developed in different areas of the United Kingdom. Today it refers to either rugby league or rugby union.- History :...
for the boys and hockeyHockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard, round, rubber or heavy plastic disc called a puck, into the opponent's net or goal, using a hockey stick.-Field hockey:...
for the girls
- During the spring term, it is dominated by hockey, football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
and rugby for the boys and netballNetball is a sport in which two teams of seven players try to score points against each other by placing a ball through a raised goal. The sport is popular in Commonwealth countries and is predominantly played by women. Netball shares many similarities with basketball, having been derived from...
for the girls
- During the summer term, there is a division between cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
for the boys and roundersRounders is a game played between two teams each alternating between batting and fielding. The game originates in England and has been played there since Tudor times, with the earliest reference being in 1745 in A Little Pretty Pocket-Book where it is called "baseball"...
for the girls. Both sexes may participate in sports such as tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
and athleticsTrack and field athletics is a collection of sports events that involve running, throwing, jumping and walking. Organised athletics are traced back to the Ancient Olympic Games from 776 BC, and most modern events are conducted by the member clubs of the International Association of Athletics...
The school owns land in Failand which features an astroturf hockey/netball pitch, tarmaced tennis courts and multiple cricket pitches which are swapped around season to season to Rugby pitches. There is also an athletics track as well as shot and javelin areas marked out. Full time grounds staff are employed to keep the area at its best and sport is compulsory one afternoon a week for every year group up to, and including, year 11. There is a new pavilion being built as part of the 475th Anniversary expansion of the school, replacing the old Pavilion. Construction is up to the first floor level. The old pavilion is still in place but further back towards the road and will allow for a larger car park and better coach access when it is demolished. The new pavilion will provide facilities for up to 350 pupils and staff at a time with improved showering and changing facilities as well as an attractive hospitality area for spectators. The total cost of the project will be £2.4 million.
This is in addition to the sports hall on the Tyndall's Park campus, which supplements the one afternoon a week pupils spend doing sport with around another hour or so a week of PE within the school day.
School song
The school song is mainly sung at the end of term assembly or on special occasions.
Headmasters
Until the 19th century, the Headmaster was known simply as the "Master" and his assistants as "Ushers". Little is known of those of the 16th century and nothing of any before Thomas Moffat, the "scolemaster" of the City Audit Book of 1532 who took the School to the Bartholomews. The first few dates are conjectural.
Fees and charitable status
Since the withdrawal of assisted places, BGS has become a fully independent school, privately run by the Headmaster and the Senior Management Team under the guidance of the School Governors. Many Old Bristolians become benefactors and contribute to the Booker fund to the school, to support students who are academically able, but financially unable, to otherwise attend the school. The School is a registered Charity.
BGS Enterprises
BGS Enterprises runs the Sports Centre out of hours as a gym/health centre utilising the school's facilities out of hours.
Trivia
- The Rev. John Joseph Goodenough was appointed Master of Bristol Grammar School during March 1812. Goodenough practised Pluralism and during the time he was Master of the school the population of the school fell. He considered himself bound only to teach the learned languages and by 1829 the school was empty and remained so for 16 years. It took the Trustees of the School until 1845 and over £3000 in litigation to remove him as Master.
Old Bristolians
The alumnae and ex-members of staff of Bristol Grammar School are known as 'Old Bristolians'. The following are more complete lists of well-known Old Bristolians:
See also :Category:Old Bristolians
Old Bristolians Society
The Society has existed for over 100 years. Its objectives are:
- To allow former pupils and staff to maintain contact and keep in touch with the school
- To support the School, both financially and non-financially
There are around 1700 members, both staff and pupils, and there are events such as dinners and reunions as well as sporting occasions and a newsletter. The Society also supports the Michael Booker Bursary Scheme and awards, prizes and scholarships. There is also a fund to help provide OBs in further education with assistance to undertake a community project.
The Society owns and runs a sports club adjacent to the School's playing fields in Failand with a pavilion and bar and enough space for a cricket or rugby pitch depending on the season.
External links