Torquay Grammar School for Girls
Encyclopedia
Torquay Girls' Grammar School is a selective
grammar school
for girls aged 11–18, in Torquay
, Devon
, England
. It became one of the first schools to achieve Humanities Specialist School
status in September 2004, and is one of the first to offer the AQA Baccalaureate
.
The school purchased its own residential study centre in Tregourez, Brittany
, in 1990. Pupils in years 7 and 9 stay there during May/June as a form to encourage social interaction and improve their french. By the end of year 13 roughly 85% of all pupils have conversational levels of french or higher. The school is currently exploring the purcashing of further residential study centres in Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal.
The most recent Ofsted
inspection was in 2008, with the result being it was 'an exceptional school with many outstanding characteristics'
The school motto is 'Aude Sapere', meaning 'dare to be wise'.
The ICT rooms (including the library) were recently updated. There are 4 ICT rooms (of which one is used almost exclusively by technology students) and laptops in the Geography rooms and the Library.
Dr Smith (current headteacher) has said that because of the new buildings (Music block etc) there was a shortage of green space in the school. Thus, after much debate, each year from year 8 upwards has a specified day for which they are allowed to access the paddock at a lunchtime.
There are plans to construct or update more buildings, including eventually rebuilding the main building.
The girls stay in these houses, with the same form tutor, throughout the years 7-13. They are taught in these form groups for most subjects in years 7-9, but some other subjects are taught in ability groups (e.g. maths) or in the case of technology, alphabetically, as there is not enough room in the tech rooms for all the form to be taught at the same time.
Each house is named after an old headteacher.
in Shiphay Manor
, owned by the Boys' Grammar, while the two Upper Sixths share the Upper Sixth common room in the Sixth Form (formerly 'E') Block of the Boys' Grammar.
Now two new buildings, a new Sixth Form block, and a new music and drama suite, have been finished and the sixth form have lessons in their new block. There are still 2 common rooms, one in the Girls' school and one in the neighbouring Boys' school.
The Sixth Form have lessons in the purpose-built Sixth-Form block, in the main school (e.g. Chemistry in the science labs) and many lessons are shared with the neighbouring Torquay Boys' Grammar School
allowing students to benefit from each school's specialities, when they have facilities that are not offered in the Girls' school (e.g. A-level music).
Selective school
A selective school is a school that admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria, usually academic. The term may have different connotations in different systems....
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...
for girls aged 11–18, in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, 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...
. It became one of the first schools to achieve Humanities Specialist School
Humanities College
Humanities Colleges were introduced in 2004 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, humanities. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Humanities...
status in September 2004, and is one of the first to offer the AQA Baccalaureate
AQA Baccalaureate
The AQA Baccalaureate is a British educational qualification launched in April 2009 by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, or AQA, to be studied in Years 12 and 13. The innovative qualification includes the existing A and AS Levels as part of the assessment, as well as mandatory enrichment...
.
History
The school, which was founded in 1915, settled at its current location in 1939. While the school continues to use its original building, the interiors have been updated and additional buildings have been added, including the Haystacks building (Art, English and Geography) in 1995 and the Roberts building (languages, history, new library/learning resource centre) in 2007. In July 2008, the Cross building was officially opened - the new music and drama block. The school also fully integrates the sixth form with the other forms of the school, and maintains the uniform for all pupils including in the sixth form.The school purchased its own residential study centre in Tregourez, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, in 1990. Pupils in years 7 and 9 stay there during May/June as a form to encourage social interaction and improve their french. By the end of year 13 roughly 85% of all pupils have conversational levels of french or higher. The school is currently exploring the purcashing of further residential study centres in Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal.
The most recent 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 ....
inspection was in 2008, with the result being it was 'an exceptional school with many outstanding characteristics'
The school motto is 'Aude Sapere', meaning 'dare to be wise'.
Buildings
The grounds of the school include:- The Main building (Maths, RE, Business studies, Technology, Science, ICT)
- The Haystacks building (English, Geography, Art)
- The Roberts building (Languages, specifically French and German, History and a Library/'Learning Resource Centre')
- The Cross building (Music and Drama)
- The Dining Hall (also used for assemblies, performances, meetings etc)
- The Sixth form block (Psychology, Media studies, Careers, 6th form common room)
- Burton Hall (a hall used for Dance and hired out to the community)
- A Gym building, consisting of a hall used for various purposes.
- An Astroturf (sand based) used for sport. Can be hired out to the community
- The Pavilions (changing rooms next to Astroturf, can be hired out to the community)
- Some Netball/Tennis courts
- Fields, including a large shared green area between the Girls' school and Boys' school, referred to as 'The Paddock'.
The ICT rooms (including the library) were recently updated. There are 4 ICT rooms (of which one is used almost exclusively by technology students) and laptops in the Geography rooms and the Library.
Dr Smith (current headteacher) has said that because of the new buildings (Music block etc) there was a shortage of green space in the school. Thus, after much debate, each year from year 8 upwards has a specified day for which they are allowed to access the paddock at a lunchtime.
There are plans to construct or update more buildings, including eventually rebuilding the main building.
Forms and Houses
Upon entering the school in year 7, each girl is put into one of 4 forms and in one of 4 houses. These forms contain all the girls of that house in that year. This means all girls in e.g. 7W are of Wilkinson house, and in year 7. There are 4 such houses and therefore 4 forms in a year group. Younger sisters are usually put in the same house as older sisters.The girls stay in these houses, with the same form tutor, throughout the years 7-13. They are taught in these form groups for most subjects in years 7-9, but some other subjects are taught in ability groups (e.g. maths) or in the case of technology, alphabetically, as there is not enough room in the tech rooms for all the form to be taught at the same time.
Each house is named after an old headteacher.
- Beal (blue)
- Jackson (green)
- Robertson (red)
- Wilkinson (yellow)
Sixth form
The two Lower Sixth forms used to share the Lower Sixth common roomCommon room
The phrase common room is used especially in British and Canadian English to describe a type of shared lounge, most often found in dormitories, at universities, colleges, military bases, hospitals, rest homes, hostels, and even minimum-security prisons. It is generally connected to several...
in Shiphay Manor
Shiphay Manor
Shiphay Manor is a Manor house in Torquay, Devon, England.-History:Originally erected in around 1665, the manor was sold to William Kitson of Painsford in 1740, and then torn down and rebuilt in 1884....
, owned by the Boys' Grammar, while the two Upper Sixths share the Upper Sixth common room in the Sixth Form (formerly 'E') Block of the Boys' Grammar.
Now two new buildings, a new Sixth Form block, and a new music and drama suite, have been finished and the sixth form have lessons in their new block. There are still 2 common rooms, one in the Girls' school and one in the neighbouring Boys' school.
The Sixth Form have lessons in the purpose-built Sixth-Form block, in the main school (e.g. Chemistry in the science labs) and many lessons are shared with the neighbouring Torquay Boys' Grammar School
Torquay Boys' Grammar School
Torquay Boys' Grammar School is a selective boys grammar school in Torquay, Devon, England.-Admissions:, it has approximately 1,058 students. The school was founded in 1904 and celebrated its centenary in 2004...
allowing students to benefit from each school's specialities, when they have facilities that are not offered in the Girls' school (e.g. A-level music).
Notable former pupils
- Rachel Innes-Lumsden, BAFTA award winner in the factual series department for her work on the documentary 'The Tower: a tale of two cities'.
- Katherine RobertsKatherine RobertsKatherine Roberts is an English author, best known for her fantasy trilogy The Echorium Sequence. She was born in Torquay, England and spent most of her childhood in Devon and Cornwall, England...
, author best known for her 'Echorium' sequence, though she has also written other books, including the 'Seven Wonders' series.