Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys
Encyclopedia
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet (known as QE Boys) is a boys' grammar school
in Barnet
, North London
, which was founded in 1573 by Edward Underne, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
and others, in the name of Queen Elizabeth I.
.
and also from April 2009 as a Training School It is one of the most academically successful secondary school
s in England
and was chosen as The Sunday Times
State School of the Year 2007. The school was the subject of some controversy in the 1990s, but an Ofsted
report published in January 2008 stated: "It is held in very high regard by the vast majority of students and their parents, and rightly so."
, petitioned by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and assisted by local alderman Edward Underne. Elizabeth I
's charter
of 1573 describes the school's purpose thus:
building, known as Tudor Hall, was erected in 1577 opposite the Church of St John The Baptist on Wood Street, with money raised by the first governors of the school and by collections in London churches. It was repaired in 1597 and again in 1637. During the 17th century, further extensive repairs were carried out, in spite of a poor financial situation following the Civil War
. Financial conditions became progressively more comfortable during the 18th century.
The trustees of Elizabeth Allen’s Charity, which had been established by her will dated 10 February 1725, gave financial assistance to save it from a state "very ruinous and unfit for habitation". It then became a private boarding school. It was closed in 1872 and restored in 1874 with many additions. In 1885 a governor, H E Chetwynd Stapleton, bought a plot of land behind the Jesus Hospital, a building in Wood Street dating back to 1679; today the Stapylton field stands in front of the main School building and is used for rugby and cricket. As the number of pupils outgrew the capacity of Tudor Hall, so the school was transferred in 1932 to a new site in Queen’s Road, which backed on to the Stapylton field. It was administered by the South Herts Division of Hertfordshire County Council
, until 1965 when it became part of the borough of Barnet. In the 1960s, there were around 550 boys with 150 in the sixth form. Tudor Hall was completely restored in 1968 by the London Borough of Barnet
, and is now part of Barnet College
.
in 1989. Other schools in London (outer London) did this, and many became partially-selective
(up to 50%) at this time. In the 1990s it went on to become England's top state school for A-Levels. The girls' school
remained a comprehensive. The nearby Henrietta Barnett School
is selective.
Since 1999, the Headmaster has been Dr John Marincowitz, who commissioned the new Martin swimming pool
, opened in 2006, Shearly Hall, opened in 2009, and a digital library which is currently in construction. In 2011, Neil Enright became Headmaster.
(who himself attended Adams' Grammar School
in Shropshire
). She wanted their son to go to the school and not a comprehensive, the Holloway School. This led to the left-wing MP and his wife separating. They had been married for 12 years. She said I could not compromise my son's future for my husband's career.
Rugby union
, played during the Winter and Spring terms, is compulsory for boys in their first four years at the school, as are cross-country running and most other school sports, which include orienteering
, swimming
, basketball
, tennis
, cricket
, Eton Fives
and athletics
. QE is well known for not practising football in lessons or playing football competetively against other schools. A particularly boggy part of the cross-country route, suitably nicknamed the 'Elephant Dip', due to its depth, links Barnet Rugby Club and the north-west gate of the bottom fields. The best action to do at this length of mud is to run straight through the middle, splashing all those who try to skit round the dry sides.
There is much competition in the Summer term when frequent competitions between houses are held before the summer examinations begin in June, including the QE Sevens Tournament which takes place in the school for the U14's and U16's it is normally held at the end of the Spring Term.
is dependent on gaining enough such recommendations. All boys in the Sixth Form are made to wear a suit.
One of the main focuses of sixth form is preparation for entry into higher education. As a result the school focuses on career advice, the UCAS application process, personal statements, finance and other things related to university entry. The school also encourages that students partake in a wide range of extra curricular actives both outside of and during school time, and students who do not take part in sport on Wednesday afternoons take up voluntary service in the community.
, and the preceding service of celebration at St John the Baptist's Church, Barnet, is the largest cultural event in the school calendar. Steeped in tradition, it is held every year, regardless of weather, on the third Saturday in June, and celebrates the founding of the school in 1573.
All Year 7 boys must attend the church service. The governors also attend, as do most teachers, in academic dress. The head boys, past and present, are readers at the service, and the school choir sings. The boys then walk back to the school along Wood Street and prepare for the roll call on Staplyton Field. This is again compulsory for all of Year 7, with five boys from each house attending from all other senior years. In the past, this was compulsory for the whole school. The boys troop in from the two wings of the main building and form three lines stretching across the School Field. The boys of each house sit together, although traditionally they had to stand.
The Fête itself is attended by some three thousand people every year, and is a source of funds for the school.
called the Shri Sathya Sai School, funded by the 'Sathya Sai Appeal'. In addition, the school has strong links with charities through the house system, and each house holds at least one event a year to generate funds for its associated charity.
. In 2009 QE topped the league table in A-level results for the third consecutive year.
During the Second World War the famous athletics coach Franz Stampfl
taught physical education at the school until his internment in 1940 as an enemy alien. The future headmaster of Eton
John Lewis
briefly taught Latin in the early 1970s.
in favour of selection by distance to school or lottery. The school was also on a list of schools breaching admissions laws in England.
admissions by many parents and commentators. Students are only allowed to progress to the Sixth Form if subject teachers feel they will be capable of obtaining the highest grades, regardless of performance in other subjects or participation extracurricular life of the school. This has led to the accusation that the school has been putting their position in league tables above the interests of pupils.
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...
in Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, which was founded in 1573 by Edward Underne, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
and others, in the name of Queen Elizabeth I.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
Admissions
It has a specialist status in MusicMusic
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and also from April 2009 as a Training School It is one of the most academically successful secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s in England
England
England 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, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was chosen as The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
State School of the Year 2007. The school was the subject of some controversy in the 1990s, but an Ofsted
Ofsted
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 ....
report published in January 2008 stated: "It is held in very high regard by the vast majority of students and their parents, and rightly so."
Foundation and location
The school was founded in 1573 by Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, petitioned by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and assisted by local alderman Edward Underne. Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
's charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
of 1573 describes the school's purpose thus:
"a grammar school which shall be called The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth for the education, bringing up and instruction of boys and youth, to be brought up in grammar and other learning, and the same to continue for ever, and the said School for one Master and one Usher for ever to continue and remain and that there shall be for ever four-and-twenty discreet, honest governors of the said Free Grammar School."The original Tudor
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
building, known as Tudor Hall, was erected in 1577 opposite the Church of St John The Baptist on Wood Street, with money raised by the first governors of the school and by collections in London churches. It was repaired in 1597 and again in 1637. During the 17th century, further extensive repairs were carried out, in spite of a poor financial situation following the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Financial conditions became progressively more comfortable during the 18th century.
The trustees of Elizabeth Allen’s Charity, which had been established by her will dated 10 February 1725, gave financial assistance to save it from a state "very ruinous and unfit for habitation". It then became a private boarding school. It was closed in 1872 and restored in 1874 with many additions. In 1885 a governor, H E Chetwynd Stapleton, bought a plot of land behind the Jesus Hospital, a building in Wood Street dating back to 1679; today the Stapylton field stands in front of the main School building and is used for rugby and cricket. As the number of pupils outgrew the capacity of Tudor Hall, so the school was transferred in 1932 to a new site in Queen’s Road, which backed on to the Stapylton field. It was administered by the South Herts Division of Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom. It currently consists of 77 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, which has 55 councillors, 17 Liberal Democrats, versus 3 Labour...
, until 1965 when it became part of the borough of Barnet. In the 1960s, there were around 550 boys with 150 in the sixth form. Tudor Hall was completely restored in 1968 by the London Borough of Barnet
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
, and is now part of Barnet College
Barnet College
Barnet College is a Further education college in North London, England in the United Kingdom. It has two main sites and two other learning centres in the London Borough of Barnet, and is a member of the 157 Group of schools....
.
Grammar school reinstatement
It returned to its previous selective grammar school status in August 1994, due to opting out of the London borough and becoming a grant-maintained schoolGrant-maintained school
Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...
in 1989. Other schools in London (outer London) did this, and many became partially-selective
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....
(up to 50%) at this time. In the 1990s it went on to become England's top state school for A-Levels. The girls' school
Queen Elizabeth's School for Girls
Queen Elizabeth's School for Girls, or Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School is a state comprehensive girls' school for ages 11 through 18, in Barnet, London, England.-Admissions:...
remained a comprehensive. The nearby Henrietta Barnett School
Henrietta Barnett School
The Henrietta Barnett School is a voluntary-aided grammar school for girls in Hampstead Garden Suburb in London The Good Schools Guide called the school "One of the best academic state schools in the country, providing a gentle, inspiring education in a wonderful setting for very clever...
is selective.
Since 1999, the Headmaster has been Dr John Marincowitz, who commissioned the new Martin swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, opened in 2006, Shearly Hall, opened in 2009, and a digital library which is currently in construction. In 2011, Neil Enright became Headmaster.
Jeremy Corbyn
After the school became selective again, many parents flocked to the school, and not just from the borough of Barnet. It was offering what many schools in London could not. One parent was Claudia Bracchitta, the wife of staunchly left-wing Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Islington North since 1983.-Early and personal life:...
(who himself attended Adams' Grammar School
Adams' Grammar School
Adams' Grammar School is a selective state grammar school in Newport, Shropshire, rated by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills as a Grade 1 outstanding school , the latest OFSTED report concludes "this is a truly impressive school"...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
). She wanted their son to go to the school and not a comprehensive, the Holloway School. This led to the left-wing MP and his wife separating. They had been married for 12 years. She said I could not compromise my son's future for my husband's career.
Culture and sports
Queen Elizabeth's School is divided into six houses, named after famous old boys, patrons and former teachers. They are Broughton, Harrisons', Leicester, Pearce, Stapylton and Underne. There are many inter-house competitions, from rugby to creative writing. The inter-house debating tournaments, for all years, take place at the end of the year and are probably the most fiercely contested non-physical inter-house competition.Rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, played during the Winter and Spring terms, is compulsory for boys in their first four years at the school, as are cross-country running and most other school sports, which include orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Eton Fives
Eton Fives
Eton Fives, one derivative of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game, similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court. The object is to force the other team to fail to hit the ball 'up' off the front wall, using any variety of wall or ledge combinations as long as the ball...
and athletics
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
. QE is well known for not practising football in lessons or playing football competetively against other schools. A particularly boggy part of the cross-country route, suitably nicknamed the 'Elephant Dip', due to its depth, links Barnet Rugby Club and the north-west gate of the bottom fields. The best action to do at this length of mud is to run straight through the middle, splashing all those who try to skit round the dry sides.
There is much competition in the Summer term when frequent competitions between houses are held before the summer examinations begin in June, including the QE Sevens Tournament which takes place in the school for the U14's and U16's it is normally held at the end of the Spring Term.
Sixth form
Boys usually choose four subjects which will be studied for both AS and A-level, although provision can be made for five to be taken. These subjects can only be chosen after receiving recommendations from that subject teacher. Entry to the Sixth FormSixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
is dependent on gaining enough such recommendations. All boys in the Sixth Form are made to wear a suit.
One of the main focuses of sixth form is preparation for entry into higher education. As a result the school focuses on career advice, the UCAS application process, personal statements, finance and other things related to university entry. The school also encourages that students partake in a wide range of extra curricular actives both outside of and during school time, and students who do not take part in sport on Wednesday afternoons take up voluntary service in the community.
Founder's Day Fête
The Founder's Day FêteFête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
, and the preceding service of celebration at St John the Baptist's Church, Barnet, is the largest cultural event in the school calendar. Steeped in tradition, it is held every year, regardless of weather, on the third Saturday in June, and celebrates the founding of the school in 1573.
All Year 7 boys must attend the church service. The governors also attend, as do most teachers, in academic dress. The head boys, past and present, are readers at the service, and the school choir sings. The boys then walk back to the school along Wood Street and prepare for the roll call on Staplyton Field. This is again compulsory for all of Year 7, with five boys from each house attending from all other senior years. In the past, this was compulsory for the whole school. The boys troop in from the two wings of the main building and form three lines stretching across the School Field. The boys of each house sit together, although traditionally they had to stand.
The Fête itself is attended by some three thousand people every year, and is a source of funds for the school.
Senior staff list
- Headmaster: Mr N Enright
- Second Masters: Mr C Price
- Assistant Heads: Mr T Bennett, Mr D Ryan, Mrs A Macdonald
Kerala partnership
QE Boys has formed a long-term successful partnership with a school in KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
called the Shri Sathya Sai School, funded by the 'Sathya Sai Appeal'. In addition, the school has strong links with charities through the house system, and each house holds at least one event a year to generate funds for its associated charity.
Traditions
- The name of every head boyHead boyHead Boy and Head Girl are terms commonly used in the British education system, and in private schools throughout the Commonwealth.-United Kingdom:...
of the school is written on two boards in the school's main hall.
- Each house has its own colour, shown on the school uniform ties. The colours used to be on the boys' caps, but these are no longer worn. Red denotes Broughton, Brown for Harrisons', Yellow for Leicester, Purple for Pearce, Blue for Stapylton and Green for Underne.
- Different ties are used denote achievement or position, e.g. school prefects can be identified with their ties which are patterned with thick light-blue stripes.
Academic performance
In 2007, QE came first in the A-Level league table for state schools, and twelfth in the GCSE league table for state schools. In 2008 QE again topped the league table in A-level results and a record number of 37 pupils gained a place in Oxbridge UniversitiesOxbridge
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...
. In 2009 QE topped the league table in A-level results for the third consecutive year.
Notable former pupils
- Tom Aggar, Paralympic gold medallist for rowing
- Richard "Dick" AylardRichard AylardCommander Richard Aylard, CVO Royal Navy is a Director and Special Advisor to the Chief Executive of Thames Water. From 1991-1996 he was Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales.-Education:...
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, better known as Beardyman, UK beatboxing champion - Tim Bell, advisor to Margaret ThatcherMargaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
- Bryan Biggs M.B.E., artist and Director of the Bluecoat Art Centre, Liverpool
- John Biggs, Labour AM for the City and EastCity and East (London Assembly constituency)City and East is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. Since its creation in 2000 it has been represented by Labour's John Biggs.-Boundaries:...
since 2000 - Edward BlishenEdward BlishenEdward Blishen was an English author. He is perhaps best known for three books: A Cack-Handed War , a story set in the backdrop of the Second World War, The God Beneath the Sea , a collaboration with Leon Garfield that won the Carnegie Medal and "Roaring Boys",an honest account of teaching in a...
, writer - Richard A. BrealeyRichard A. BrealeyRichard A. Brealey is a British economist and author. He was formerly a special adviser to the Governor of the Bank of England and Visiting Professor of Finance and the Tokai Bank Professor of Finance at the London Business School.-Biography:...
, Professor of Finance from 1974-98 at the London Business SchoolLondon Business SchoolLondon Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park... - Stanley Broadbridge, General Secretary from 1977-8 of the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher EducationNational Association of Teachers in Further and Higher EducationThe National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education was the British trade union and professional association for people working with those above statutory school age, and primarily concerned with providing education, training or research...
(NATFHE) - Benjamin Cohen, journalist and presenter of Channel 4 News
- Brian ColemanBrian ColemanBrian Coleman FRSA is a Conservative Party politician and member of the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden, England. He is a Councillor in the London Borough of Barnet, and was Mayor for 2009-2010....
, Conservative local AM for Barnet and CamdenBarnet and Camden (London Assembly constituency)Barnet and Camden is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. It has been represented since its creation in 2000 by Brian Coleman, a Conservative from Barnet....
since 2000, and Mayor of Barnet from 2009–2010 - Sir Kenneth Cooper CB, Chief Executive from 1984-91 of the British LibraryBritish LibraryThe British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
- Wilfred De'Ath, writer and broadcaster
- Harry CreswickHarry CreswickHarry Richard Creswick was a British librarian who was head of the university libraries at both Oxford and Cambridge.-Life:Creswick was born in 1902 and educated at Barnet Grammar School before studying at Trinity College, Cambridge...
, university librarian - Prof Roland DobbsRoland DobbsRoland Dobbs is a British physicist, best known for his work in physical acoustics.- Education :Professor Dobbs was educated at Ilford County High School, Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet and University College London....
, Professor of Physics from 1973-90 at the University of LondonUniversity of London-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, and President from 1976-78 of the Institute of AcousticsInstitute of AcousticsThe Institute of Acoustics is a British professional engineering institution founded in 1974. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers. The Institute's address is 77A St Peters Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3BN,... - Henry William EngleheartHenry William EngleheartHenry William Engleheart VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.- Details :...
, V.C.Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories.... - Sir Leslie Fielding, Vice-Chancellor from 1987-92 of the University of SussexUniversity of SussexThe University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
- Lucian GraingeLucian GraingeLucian Grainge, CBE is a British music industry executive who is the current Chairman and CEO of the Universal Music Group.-Career:Lucian Grainge grew up in northern London. In 1982 he became the director of RCA Music Publishing. Two years later he became an A&R director for MCA Records...
, Chairman and Chief Executive since 2005 of Universal Music Group International, and of Universal Music UK from 2001-5 - Prof Nick Hewitt, Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry since 1993 at Lancaster UniversityLancaster UniversityLancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
- Prof Bryan Hibbard, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology from 1973-91 at the University of Wales College of MedicineUniversity of Wales College of MedicineThe University of Wales College of Medicine was a medical school based in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, that formed a part of the University of Wales...
- Kelvin HopkinsKelvin HopkinsKelvin Peter Hopkins is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Luton North since 1997.-Background:...
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for Luton NorthLuton North (UK Parliament constituency)Luton North is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
since 1997 - Aaron LiffchakAaron LiffchakAaron Liffchak , London is a rugby union footballer who plays at prop for London Welsh. He has also represented England Students and played for England at Under 18 and Under 16 levels.-Early life:...
, rugby union player - Allastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-DiarmidAllastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-DiarmidAllastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-Diarmid VC was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, recipient of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(in 1917) - Cameron McVeyCameron McVeyCameron Andrew McVey is a British music producer, best known for his work with Neneh Cherry, Massive Attack, Portishead, All Saints, and Sugababes.-Family:...
, record producer, married to Neneh CherryNeneh CherryNeneh Mariann Cherry is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster... - Sir Michael NeubertMichael NeubertSir Michael Jon Neubert was Conservative MP for Romford from 1974 until 1997. His loss in the election that year was considered something of surprise....
(briefly), Conservative MP from 1974-97 for RomfordRomford (UK Parliament constituency)Romford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :... - Vice-AdmVice AdmiralVice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Sir Roy NewmanRoy NewmanVice Admiral Sir Roy Thomas Newman KCB DL is a former Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer, Plymouth.-Naval career:...
KCB, President from 1996-2001 of the Royal Naval Association - Sir Alec Randall CMG OBE, Ambassador to Denmark from 1947–52
- John RhodesJohn RhodesJohn Rhodes may refer to:* John Rhodes , theatrical figure in London* John Rhodes , British Formula One driver* John Rhodes , British Olympic gold medalist in 1908...
, Director-General from 1988-92 of West Yorkshire Passenger Transport ExecutiveWest Yorkshire Passenger Transport ExecutiveThe West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority and was originally formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport... - Prof Peter RhodesPeter RhodesPeter Christopher Rhodes was an American journalist born in Manila. FBI files note a discrepancy between his date of birth and that given to the Selective Service Commission. Rhodes early background information is among extensive redactions in his FBI file....
, Professor of Ancient History from 1983-2005 at Durham UniversityDurham UniversityThe University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837... - Peter Sanders CBE, Chief Executive from 1988-93 of the Commission for Racial EqualityCommission for Racial EqualityThe Commission for Racial Equality was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom which aimed to tackle racial discrimination and promote racial equality. Its work has been merged into the new Equality and Human Rights Commission.-History:...
(became the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2007) - James Lyall SharpJames Lyall SharpJames Lyall Sharp is a British diplomat.Sharp served as Ambassasdor to Kazakhstan, and served concurrently as non-resident Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, from 2002 until 2005...
, Ambassador to Kazakhstan from 2002-5 - Robert Smith CBE, Vice-Chancellor from 1982-97 of Kingston UniversityKingston UniversityKingston University is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992....
- Richard TurnerRichard TurnerRichard Turner may refer to:* Richard Turner , English Protestant reformer and Marian exile* Richard Turner * Richard Turner , card technician and poker player...
OBE, Chief Executive from 2001-7 of the Freight Transport AssociationFreight Transport AssociationThe Freight Transport Association traces its roots back to 1889: its mission is to represent the views and interests of over 13,000 companies: from large multinationals and household names to small and medium businesses... - Jonathan WattsJonathan WattsJonathan Watts is an award-winning journalist and the author of . He served as president of the from 2008-2009 and as vice president of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan from 2001-2003...
, GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
journalist
During the Second World War the famous athletics coach Franz Stampfl
Franz Stampfl
Franz F. L. Stampfl MBE was one of the world's leading athletics coaches in the twentieth century. He pioneered a scientific system of Interval Training which became very popular with sprint and middle distance athletes.-Early life:Stampfl was born in the capital of then Austro-Hungarian Empire...
taught physical education at the school until his internment in 1940 as an enemy alien. The future headmaster of Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
John Lewis
John Lewis (headmaster)
John Elliot Lewis was the head master of Eton College from 1994 to 2002.Born in New Zealand in 1942, Lewis attended King's College, Auckland. He gained a double first in Classics from Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and taught at Eton between 1971 and 1980. He was a distinguished rugby player...
briefly taught Latin in the early 1970s.
Admissions procedure
Parents of boys not admitted to the school have protested and appealed against the school's selective admissions policy. Some have come about because the prospective boy's parents have moved to the area assuming a place will be guaranteed, when this is not the case. In addition there have been calls throughout the United Kingdom for the end of selective grammar schoolsGrammar 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...
in favour of selection by distance to school or lottery. The school was also on a list of schools breaching admissions laws in England.
Academic league tables
Students and parents have been concerned by the school's other actions to keep up its position in academic league tables. Controversially, in the 1990s the school frequently gave leave-or-be-expelled ultimatums to boys in trouble, which were allegedly aimed at passing lower-performing students on to other schools without blemishing the school's own expulsion record. The school has been criticized for its attitude to Sixth FormSixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
admissions by many parents and commentators. Students are only allowed to progress to the Sixth Form if subject teachers feel they will be capable of obtaining the highest grades, regardless of performance in other subjects or participation extracurricular life of the school. This has led to the accusation that the school has been putting their position in league tables above the interests of pupils.
External links
- Queen Elizabeth's School website
- Old Elizabethans
- Old Elizabethans Business Club
- Stapylton Field
- EduBase