The King's School, Pontefract
Encyclopedia
The King's School Specialising in Mathematics and Computing in Pontefract
, West Yorkshire
, England
is one of the four oldest schools in Yorkshire
. It dates from 1139 and was refounded by King Edward VI in 1548.
since 1588 when it was given an endowment
to allow it to continue functioning. In 1792 it was refounded yet again by George III who is the eponymous king. Annual payments of £50 were made by the Duchy of Lancaster
until 1869. It closed in the 1880s
but reopened on 4 May 1890 since when it has enjoyed a continuous existence up to the present day, although it was relocated in 1932.
. It was a boys' grammar school with around 650 boys, operated by the West Riding County Council.
John D Lean was Headmaster before Mr. Aldous, and died 1958
(the year 11 team reached the final of the Yorkshire Cup in 2006) and athletics, with a lot of athletes going on to achieve many local and national honours.
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, 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...
is one of the four oldest schools in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. It dates from 1139 and was refounded by King Edward VI in 1548.
History
It was founded in 1139. Little documentation survives from its early years, and it was refounded in the reign of King Edward VI. It has been associated with the Duchy of LancasterDuchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
since 1588 when it was given an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
to allow it to continue functioning. In 1792 it was refounded yet again by George III who is the eponymous king. Annual payments of £50 were made by the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
until 1869. It closed in the 1880s
1880s
The 1880s was the decade that spanned from January 1, 1880 to December 31, 1889. They occurred at the core period of the Second Industrial Revolution. Most Western countries experienced a large economic boom, due to the mass production of railroads and other more convenient methods of travel...
but reopened on 4 May 1890 since when it has enjoyed a continuous existence up to the present day, although it was relocated in 1932.
Grammar school
The present buildings were opened on 14 July 1932 by Sir F. Stanley JacksonStanley Jackson
Sir Francis Stanley Jackson, GCSI, GCIE, PC, KStJ , known as the Honourable Stanley Jackson during his playing career, was an English cricketer, soldier and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:...
. It was a boys' grammar school with around 650 boys, operated by the West Riding County Council.
Comprehensive
It became a comprehensive with a sixth form in 1978. Pontefract Girls' High School, the girls' grammar school became New College, Pontefract, and 11-18 school. In 1987, Pontefract schools lost their sixth form, with a sixth form college being established at NEW College, Pontefract.Headmasters
- Alan AldousAlan AldousAlan Aldous was a teacher who was headmaster of two schools.He was educated at Ilford County High School and Jesus College, Oxford.- Career :...
1959-70
John D Lean was Headmaster before Mr. Aldous, and died 1958
- Edward Forrest 1939-59
Admissions
It is currently situated on a raised area near the Ackworth Road in Pontefract, along Mill Hill Lane, south-west of the town centre and the A645/A639 crossroads. The school today has over 1,000 pupils, 55 full-time and 8 part-time teaching staff as well as similar number of additional staff. Its current headteacher is Julie Craig. The King's School, Carleton Community High School and many of the Primary Schools in the two pyramids are now members of The Pontefract Education Trust whose main purpose, along with providing the best education possible for all Pontefract children, is to co-operate with each other for the benefit of all.Activities
The school is heaped in tradition, especially when it comes to sporting traditions, with its major sporting events being rugby unionRugby 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...
(the year 11 team reached the final of the Yorkshire Cup in 2006) and athletics, with a lot of athletes going on to achieve many local and national honours.
Alumni
- Derek BirdsallDerek Birdsall-Early life:Birdsall was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1934 and attended The King's School, Pontefract, Wakefield College of Art and Central School of Arts and Crafts in London...
, graphic designer, who redesigned the Book of Common PrayerBook of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
in 2000 - Prof Ken Booth, E. H. Carr Professor of International Politics from 1999-2008 at Aberystwyth University
- David Cockburn, the Certification Officer for Trade Unions and Employers’ AssociationsTrades Union Certification OfficerThe Trades Union Certification Officer was established in the United Kingdom by Act of Parliament in 1975.-Responsibilities:The Certification Officer is responsible for:* maintaining a list of trade unions and employers' associations...
since 2001, and Chairman from 1983-6 of the Industrial Law Society - Michael Eaton, former chief spokesman of the National Coal BoardNational Coal BoardThe National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
during the miners' strikeUK miners' strike (1984–1985)The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement... - Lieutenant-General Sir Scott GrantScott GrantLieutenant General Sir Scott Carnegie Grant KCB is a former Quartermaster-General to the Forces.-Military career:Educated at The King's School, Pontefract, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Clare College, Cambridge, Scott Grant was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1965.He...
KCB, Chief Royal EngineerChief Royal EngineerThe Chief Royal Engineer is the official head of the Corps of Royal Engineers. He was also the professional head of the Corps until 1941, when that role was moved to that of the Engineer-in-Chief.-Origin and development:...
from 1999-2004, Quartermaster-General to the ForcesQuartermaster-General to the ForcesIn the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is a senior general in the British Army.From 1904 the Quartermaster-General to the Forces was the Third Military Member of the Army Board.-Responsibilities:...
from 1998-2000, and Colonel CommandantColonel CommandantColonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
from 1997-2004 of the Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army.... - Prof Peter Howdle, Professor of Clinical Medicine from 2006-9 at the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, and Professor of Clinical Education from 1996-2006 - Dr Henry John PoskittHenry John PoskittHenry John Poskitt was an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fourth Bishop of Leeds.-Life and ministry:...
, RC Bishop of LeedsBishop of LeedsThe Bishop of Leeds is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds in the Province of Liverpool, England.The Vicariate Apostolic of the Yorkshire District was elevated to diocese status as the Diocese of Beverley on 29 September 1850, which was suppressed on 20 December 1878 and its area...
from 1936-50 - Rich JohnstonRich JohnstonRich Johnston is a writer who writes about the comic book industry.-Early life:Johnston grew up in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, studied politics at University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and was an advertising copywriter until 2009; he currently lives in Kingston Vale, London, with his wife, Janice...
cartoonist, writer and journalist. - Simon Thorp Viz cartoonist.
- Peter Townend, former social editor of TatlerTatlerTatler has been the name of several British journals and magazines, each of which has viewed itself as the successor of the original literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709. The current incarnation, founded in 1901, is a glossy magazine published by Condé Nast Publications...