Beverley Grammar School

School site

The expressive arts block was completed in October 1999 and includes four classrooms, music practice rooms, music teaching rooms and a drama studio. This was named after the former head of the school and the Chairman of Governors - Richard Michael Scrowston.

The sixth form block incorporating a sixth form common room, teaching rooms, an ICT room, a private study room and offices for staff was opened in 2004. However, since this time, this block has been turned into a Maths block, with the old Maths rooms being used for a larger office space, Psychology and History teaching and a careers library.

The school is based in Beverley, England and the Beverley Westwood can be seen from its rear classrooms and Science Department. The school's main building and reception are situated at the top of its drive with two main entrances at the front of the school site through its main gate and far path.

The building consists of two main structures and a cluster of subject specific buildings surrounding it. The staff room, the main hall, Business Studies, the psychology classrooms and the Careers Room are situated in the main building. The Geography Department, Languages Section and Exam Room are in the smaller section of the main building. The Science Department are situated in both sections. Surrounding subjects are the Technology Department, the Maths' Block, Sports Hall, Expressive Arts Department and the 6th form block.

The school premises are located between Queensgate and Sloe Lane in Beverley.

Curriculum

In the school's Joint Sixth form 98% achieved a pass with 52% achieving A*/A/B grades in A levels in 2013.

A quarter of all results being A or A*. The average point score per pupil is 812 points in 2013.

On 21 August 2014 the school announced on their website that 74% of their pupils had achieved an A* to C grade, additionally 1 in 4 of the pupils achieved 5A to A*.

Motto

The school motto, Adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant, is taken from the Roman Statesman and writer Cicero's Pro Archia Poeta, a defence of the poet Aulus Licinius Archias against a charge of not being a Roman citizen. The full quote is Haec studia adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solacium praebent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur ("These studies sustain youth and entertain old age, they enhance prosperity, and offer a refuge and solace in adversity, they delight us when we are at home without hindering us in the wider world, and are with us at night, when we travel and when we visit the countryside.")

Houses

The school traditionally had a 4 house system (Conington, Minster, School and Fisher). In the 1980s the form groups were named after the four houses. In the 1990s the governors decided to increase the numbers in the school and move from a 4 Form system to a 5 form system. Burden House was then formed to fill the fifth house. The houses can be associated by their colours listed below.

Burden - Yellow

Burden House was named after Henry Burden who was the Headmaster of the school between 1912 and 1935. He was largely seen as creating the modern school.

Connington - Light Blue

John Conington (10 August 1825 – 23 October 1869) who was an English classical Scholar. He was born in Boston, Lincolnshire and was reputed to have been extremely clever learning the alphabet by fourteen months and being able to read at three and a half.

Fisher - Dark Blue

Fisher House was named after the martyr John Fisher who was born in Beverley in 1469. He became a Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University.

Minster - Red

Minster House was named after Beverley Minster and commemorates the founding of the school in 700 AD by St John of Beverley in Beverley Minster.

School - Green

This was named after the original school which started inside the Minster and then was moved to a building in the Minster grounds. It later moved to a site in a larger building down Keldgate. In the 1890s it moved to this present site and was in the building that is now the Art Block. The Main school building was erected in the 1930s and has been considerably modernised and added to over the years.

Notable former pupils

John Alcock (1430–1500), Lord Chancellor of England

John Andrew (1931-2014), Anglican clergyman in New York City

Ken Annakin (1914-2009), film director

Sir Hugh Cholmeley, 1st Baronet (1600–1657), soldier in the English Civil War

John Conington (1825–1869), English classical scholar

William Howe De Lancey (1778–1815), the Duke of Wellington's Chief of Staff at the Battle of Waterloo

Saint John Fisher (c. 1469-1535), Catholic bishop

Neil Mallender (b. 1961), England cricketer and international umpire

Thomas Percy (1560–1605), alleged Gunpowder plotter

Jim Ratcliffe (b. 1952), Chairman and CEO, Ineos

Paul Robinson (b. 1979), football goalkeeper

Smithson Tennant (1761–1815), chemist