Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys
Encyclopedia
Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, also known as Tunbridge Wells Boys' Grammar School, TWGSB or "Tech", is a grammar school
in Royal Tunbridge Wells
, Kent, England.
Originally founded as a technical school in 1956, TWGSB became a grammar school in 1982. It is a state school, and one of the largest of the remaining grammar schools in the United Kingdom.
The school has over 1,200 pupils ranging from 11 to 18 years of age, and more than 100 staff members. Entrance is selective, with pupils falling within the top thirty per cent band of ability upon entrance. Prospective students are required to take the "eleven plus
" examination in order to gain a place.
The current headmaster, John Harrison, started in September 2006. Derek Barnard, who was the head between 1987 and August 2006, had been "a traditional sort of head", firm on discipline and standards of behaviour.
s.
In recent years, the school has begun to form links with the neighbouring grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells. In the Sixth Form
, students from The Skinners' School
and Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School
are able to attend lessons in a subject at the school should timetable clashes occur at their own school. The same happens in reverse with respect of TWGSB's students.
TWGSB became a Humanities College
in September 2007. This meant that the school received additional funding from central government for three different areas:
Following their inspection on 30 April – 1 May 2008, Ofsted rated the school's overall effectiveness as Good, Grade 2 on a four-point scale. The effectiveness of the sixth form was also rated as Good. In their report Ofsted said "This is a good and improving school; it is well led and provides students with good standards of education, guidance and care. ... Students make good progress from their starting points to achieve high standards. ... Teaching is good overall and sometimes outstanding. ... but there is more work to do in developing a common approach so that best practice is shared in a systematic way. ... an effective and hard-working senior leadership team ... There is variation in the quality of leadership at some levels; this is evident in the unevenness of students' performance across subjects, particularly at Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form."
school in Kerala
, and offers three week student exchanges between the schools.
A house system
was established from September 2007:
These houses compete throughout the year in sport and academic competitions, especially on Sports Day. The current 100m Sprint record is held by a Falcon, Charlie Taylor, year 10 (2010) at 11.57 seconds. The record for the slowest 100m belongs to an Osprey, Chris Culpin, also in year 10 (2010).
The school makes use of a prefect system, whereby responsibilities are given to the upper school to keep the school's rules of conduct in effect.
The school also has cricket, rugby, football and softball pitches, and use of the adjacent Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, as well as their own "3G" pitch.
The school also has three student councils: The School Council, The Eco Council and The Sixth Form Council. The School council consists mainly of lower school students who meet once a term to organise trips and discuss their views on the school. The Sixth Form Council consists of Year 12 and 13 students. The main aims of the Sixth Form Council are organising social events for the Sixth Form and for the school as a whole. The Eco Council considers environmental issues relevant to the 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...
in Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
, Kent, England.
Originally founded as a technical school in 1956, TWGSB became a grammar school in 1982. It is a state school, and one of the largest of the remaining grammar schools in the United Kingdom.
The school has over 1,200 pupils ranging from 11 to 18 years of age, and more than 100 staff members. Entrance is selective, with pupils falling within the top thirty per cent band of ability upon entrance. Prospective students are required to take the "eleven plus
Eleven plus
In the United Kingdom, the 11-plus or Eleven plus is an examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education, governing admission to various types of secondary school. The name derives from the age group for secondary entry: 11–12 years...
" examination in order to gain a place.
The current headmaster, John Harrison, started in September 2006. Derek Barnard, who was the head between 1987 and August 2006, had been "a traditional sort of head", firm on discipline and standards of behaviour.
Academic standards
The school offers a broad range of subjects right through to A2-level. Seventy five to eighty five per cent of pupils remain at the school and study A-levels after taking GCSEGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
s.
In recent years, the school has begun to form links with the neighbouring grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells. In the Sixth Form
Sixth 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,...
, students from The Skinners' School
The Skinners' School
The Skinners' School , is a British grammar school for boys located in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent...
and Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School
Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School , established in 1905, is an all female selective state school in Royal Tunbridge Wells, a town in Kent, England...
are able to attend lessons in a subject at the school should timetable clashes occur at their own school. The same happens in reverse with respect of TWGSB's students.
TWGSB became a Humanities College
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...
in September 2007. This meant that the school received additional funding from central government for three different areas:
- A one-off amount to support a Capital Project.
- Additional recurring funding based on the number of pupils to support in school developments.
- Additional recurring funding based on the number of pupils to support community developments.
Following their inspection on 30 April – 1 May 2008, Ofsted rated the school's overall effectiveness as Good, Grade 2 on a four-point scale. The effectiveness of the sixth form was also rated as Good. In their report Ofsted said "This is a good and improving school; it is well led and provides students with good standards of education, guidance and care. ... Students make good progress from their starting points to achieve high standards. ... Teaching is good overall and sometimes outstanding. ... but there is more work to do in developing a common approach so that best practice is shared in a systematic way. ... an effective and hard-working senior leadership team ... There is variation in the quality of leadership at some levels; this is evident in the unevenness of students' performance across subjects, particularly at Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form."
PEACE Programme
PEACE stands for Programme for Educational and Cultural Exchange. TWGSB has thus built links with a school in India, Bhavan’s Vidya MandirBhavan's Vidya Mandir (Girinagar)
Bhavan's Vidya Mandir, Girinagar [B.V.M] is a Senior Secondary School affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education , New Delhi...
school in Kerala
Kerala
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....
, and offers three week student exchanges between the schools.
School identity
The school's Latin motto, "Faber est quisque suæ fortunæ", means "Every man is the maker of his own fortune". The school has a strict uniform policy, which involves the use of a "uniform and conduct card" Students are required to have this card with them at all times. Every time the student violates the code of conduct, the card is signed by a member of staff (or sixth form). Failure to produce the card results in an immediate after-school detention. The official school hymn, Jerusalem, is traditionally sung on the afternoons of the individual year group award ceremonies.A house system
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
was established from September 2007:
- Red: Kestrels
- Orange: Ospreys
- Yellow: Hawks
- Green: Merlins
- Blue: Eagles
- Purple: Falcons
These houses compete throughout the year in sport and academic competitions, especially on Sports Day. The current 100m Sprint record is held by a Falcon, Charlie Taylor, year 10 (2010) at 11.57 seconds. The record for the slowest 100m belongs to an Osprey, Chris Culpin, also in year 10 (2010).
The school makes use of a prefect system, whereby responsibilities are given to the upper school to keep the school's rules of conduct in effect.
Facilities
The school has the following main buildings:- The Main Building
- The "Barnard" Centre (or Music & Drama Block)
- The "Bates" Complex (or Mathematics & English Block)
- The Art & Design Building
- The Sixth-Form Block
- The "New Block", or "Blue Block" (Business Studies, Economics, Psychology & Physical Education)
- The "New" Hall
- The "Temporary Block" (used as extra cross-curricular teaching rooms)
The school also has cricket, rugby, football and softball pitches, and use of the adjacent Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, as well as their own "3G" pitch.
Extracurricular activities
The school has a wide range of clubs and societies (including sporting, acting and music related activities). In addition there is a school orchestra (and Jazz Band). They publish the Eclectics Magazine annually. The school runs teams in several sports.The school also has three student councils: The School Council, The Eco Council and The Sixth Form Council. The School council consists mainly of lower school students who meet once a term to organise trips and discuss their views on the school. The Sixth Form Council consists of Year 12 and 13 students. The main aims of the Sixth Form Council are organising social events for the Sixth Form and for the school as a whole. The Eco Council considers environmental issues relevant to the school.
Notable former pupils
- Oliver ChrisOliver ChrisOliver Chris is an English actor from Tunbridge Wells.-Early life:He passed his Eleven plus exam and attended Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys before moving to the Michael Hall Steiner School in his fourth year. He later attended the Central School of Speech and Drama...
, actor, The OfficeThe Office (UK TV series)The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious... - Luke HowellLuke HowellLuke Howell is an English professional footballer who plays for Lincoln City. He is a right sided full back or central midfielder who signed scholarship forms with Gillingham in 2003 and his first professional contract in May 2006.-Gillingham:Educated at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys he...
, professional footballer with Lincoln City F.C.Lincoln City F.C.Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League.... - Martin Corry, England rugby captain and Leicester Tiger