King Edward VI Humanities College
Encyclopedia
King Edward VI Humanities College, is a coeducational bi-lateral secondary school
, sixth form college
and specialist Humanities College
located in Spilsby
, Lincolnshire
for children between the ages of eleven and eighteen.
The bi-lateral status is not common, with less than five such schools remaining in England and Wales, but effectively means that any local children who pass the Lincolnshire Eleven plus examination and select King Edward VI Humanities College will receive a grammar school
education, but the school also accepts children who have not passed the 11+ and they will instead receive a separate comprehensive
education but under the same roof and from the same teaching staffs and management team. Subject to a child's individual performance, during their time at the school, re-streaming between the bi-lateral poles is possible although rare and offers a borderline or later developing child a chance of achieving a grammar school education.
The school is an amalagamation of two separate institutions, the King Edward VI Grammar School opened in 1550 and the Sir John Franklin Secondary Modern School, which opened in 1954. These schools were combined in 1991 as Spilsby High School, initially retaining both sites. The school has provided sixth form education for the over 16s since September 2008, with provision of study for a BTec National Diploma Studies in Business Studies.
and their heirs were to have the right to nominate and appoint the schoolmaster.
Initially the school had no school building and lessons took place in the chapel at Willoughby's Eresby Manor estate. In 1611 the family gifted a plot of land and the agricultural buildings were converted into a small school. In 1839 a new school was built on its current site, again with funds provided by the Lord of the Manor. Between 1741 and 1842 the school population consisted of around forty two children, 30 boys and 12 girls. In 1839 the number of girls on the roll increased to 15 although the girls were only taught to read and write in addition to needlework classes, while the boys also studied mathematics, the sciences, Greek and Latin.
In 1894 Lord Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster
and 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby established a charitable trust to continue annual funding of the grammar school into the future.
the local education authority built a second secondary school in the town called Sir John Franklin Secondary Modern School at a greenfield site near the A16 main road. Under the banner of "education for all" the secondary modern
was to provide a rich but more practical and vocational education for those children who did not pass the 11+ examination and attend grammar school.
In 1997 Spilsby High School renamed and rebranded as King Edward VI School and the current school badge was adopted.
in 1990 and assets including several valuable parcels of local land were realised to bolster the foundation's cash assets. Specific interests of the trust are:
and renamed yet again, this time to its current King Edward VI Humanities College. The additional funding provided an audio and visual recording studio, enhanced ICT facilities and an archive area in a recently refurbished Humanities Block with interactive whiteboards and well resourced departments. The school has provided sixth form education for the over 16s since September 2008, with provision of study for a BTec National Diploma Studies in Business Studies.
Partially selective school (England)
In England, a partially selective school is one of a few dozen state-funded secondary schools that select a proportion of their intake by ability or aptitude, permitted as a continuation of arrangements that existed prior to 1997....
, sixth form college
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
and specialist Humanities College
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
located in Spilsby
Spilsby
Spilsby is a market town and civil parish in Lincolnshire. England. The town is situated adjacent to the main A16 Trunk Road at the southern edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds north of the Fenlands, east of the county town of Lincoln, north east of Boston and north west from Skegness.The town has...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
for children between the ages of eleven and eighteen.
The bi-lateral status is not common, with less than five such schools remaining in England and Wales, but effectively means that any local children who pass the Lincolnshire Eleven plus examination and select King Edward VI Humanities College will receive a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
education, but the school also accepts children who have not passed the 11+ and they will instead receive a separate comprehensive
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
education but under the same roof and from the same teaching staffs and management team. Subject to a child's individual performance, during their time at the school, re-streaming between the bi-lateral poles is possible although rare and offers a borderline or later developing child a chance of achieving a grammar school education.
The school is an amalagamation of two separate institutions, the King Edward VI Grammar School opened in 1550 and the Sir John Franklin Secondary Modern School, which opened in 1954. These schools were combined in 1991 as Spilsby High School, initially retaining both sites. The school has provided sixth form education for the over 16s since September 2008, with provision of study for a BTec National Diploma Studies in Business Studies.
Founding of the grammar school
In common with many grammar schools in Britain, Spilsby's was founded in 1550 under Royal Charter of King Edward VI and bore his name. The building of the new school was funded by the local Lords of the Manor of Eresby, the Willoughby family, who also endowed the school with a fund that continues to the present day. In the terms of the original grant of November 1550, Katherine, Duchess of Suffolk and Charles BrandonCharles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk , known as Lord Charles Brandon until shortly before his death, was the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk and the suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
and their heirs were to have the right to nominate and appoint the schoolmaster.
Initially the school had no school building and lessons took place in the chapel at Willoughby's Eresby Manor estate. In 1611 the family gifted a plot of land and the agricultural buildings were converted into a small school. In 1839 a new school was built on its current site, again with funds provided by the Lord of the Manor. Between 1741 and 1842 the school population consisted of around forty two children, 30 boys and 12 girls. In 1839 the number of girls on the roll increased to 15 although the girls were only taught to read and write in addition to needlework classes, while the boys also studied mathematics, the sciences, Greek and Latin.
In 1894 Lord Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster
Gilbert Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1st Earl of Ancaster
Sir Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 6th Baronet, 1st Earl of Ancaster PC , known as 2nd Baron Aveland from 1867 to 1888 and as 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby from 1888 to 1892, was a British Liberal politician and court official.Born Gilbert Henry Heathcote, he was the son of Gilbert...
and 25th Baron Willoughby de Eresby established a charitable trust to continue annual funding of the grammar school into the future.
Spilsby's second school
In 1954 in response to the government's new Tripartite Educational SystemTripartite System
The Tripartite System was the arrangement of state funded secondary education between 1944 and the 1970s in England and Wales, and from 1947 to 2009 in Northern Ireland....
the local education authority built a second secondary school in the town called Sir John Franklin Secondary Modern School at a greenfield site near the A16 main road. Under the banner of "education for all" the secondary modern
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
was to provide a rich but more practical and vocational education for those children who did not pass the 11+ examination and attend grammar school.
The schools join
Due to falling roll numbers and in an attempt to reduce running costs, in 1991 Lincolnshire's education authority announced that it was to amalgamate the two Spilsby schools under a single management and teaching structure while retaining both school sites. The new combined school was renamed Spilsby High School. As the number of pupils continued to fall the original grammar school site was eventually abandoned. The building stood empty and unused for several years, although it could not be demolished due to its Grade 2 Listed Building status. In 2007 the grammar school building was reoccupied and now serves as the "Spilsby Centre of Excellence and Multi Use", providing conference facilities and access to IT for the general community. The rear portion of the building has been demolished and will soon be developed for residential housing.In 1997 Spilsby High School renamed and rebranded as King Edward VI School and the current school badge was adopted.
Foundation Trust
The long standing Spilsby Grammar School Foundation charitable trust continues to fund elements of the school's annual costs including certain capital costs. A new foundation charter had been agreed with the Charity CommissionCharity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
in 1990 and assets including several valuable parcels of local land were realised to bolster the foundation's cash assets. Specific interests of the trust are:
- Special grants to King Edward VI Humanities College
- Special grants to the feeder primary schools at Great Steeping, Halton Holegate, Partney, Spilsby and Toynton All Saints
- Provision of grants to former pupils under the age of 25, to assist with the costs of further education.
- Costs related to the Humanities College's annual prize day.
Specialist status
In September 2005 the school achieved specialist school statusSpecialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
and renamed yet again, this time to its current King Edward VI Humanities College. The additional funding provided an audio and visual recording studio, enhanced ICT facilities and an archive area in a recently refurbished Humanities Block with interactive whiteboards and well resourced departments. The school has provided sixth form education for the over 16s since September 2008, with provision of study for a BTec National Diploma Studies in Business Studies.
Results
The school ranked 57th out of 65 in the published results table for Lincolnshire schools during 2007. Only 22% of pupils achieved the equivalent of five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, however King Edward VI Humanities College was the only bi-lateral educational facility in the published results table.Ofsted report
In the most recent Ofsted report dated 30 November 2006 the inspector commented:- " This is a small bilateral college which serves Spilsby and the surrounding area, drawing pupils from as far as Skegness. However, most pupils who achieve the required standard in selection tests at eleven attend local grammar schools. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. There are very few pupils from minority ethnic groups or with English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and SEN statements are above average. The college has had specialist status in the humanities since September 2005.
- Overall Grade: 3 (Satisfactory)
- The college provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. Inspectors' judgements closely match the college's own evaluation. Senior staff identify the college's strengths and weaknesses accurately and take relevant action to address the key issues. The college has made significant improvements in the last year but many strategies are yet to have full impact on pupils' achievement and personal development, which are satisfactory overall. "
Awards
In September 2008 the school was presented with a Healthy School award by Lincolnshire Education Authority. The certificate and plaque were received by the Head Boy, Head Girl and their deputies on behalf of the staff and pupils of the school.Houses
Pupils are allocated to four school houses during their time at the college. They are:- Frankin House - named after arctic explorer, Sir John Franklin, who was born in Spilsby
- Newton House - named after famous Lincolnshire scientist, Sir Isaac Newton
- Tennyson House - named after locally born Poet Laureate, Alfred Lord Tennyson
- Willoughby House - named after the school's founder, Lord Willoughby of Eresby