Established 1576 Phone +44 1322 223039 Number of students 1,203 | Headteacher John Oakes Founded 1576 | |
Deputy Head Michaela Kingham, Guy Hewett, Stuart Harrington Location Shepherds LaneWest HillDartfordKentDA1 2HWEngland Motto "Ora Et Labora"; (Pray and Work) Similar Wilmington Grammar School fo, Dartford Grammar School fo, Beths Grammar School, St Olave's Grammar School, Bexley Grammar School Profiles | ||
Dartford Grammar School is a selective secondary (ages 11–18) foundation school for boys in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). All of the students joining the school are considered to be from the top 25% of the ability range, as determined by the 11-Plus examinations. The students come from Dartford, neighbouring towns and villages, and nearby London boroughs, as well as an increasing number of students from Essex. The current roll is 1,203, including 461 in the sixth form.
Contents
History
The school was founded (by lawyer William D'Aeth [sometimes spelled "Death"], merchant Edward Gwyn and landowner and philanthropist William Vaughan) in 1576. A 1660 document outlined the original terms for the founding of Dartford Grammar School
"William Vaughan, Edward Gwyn and William Death donated land and property near the Market House in Dartford High Street, the profits from which were to be used for maintaining a school and for and towards the supporting of one honest sufficient and learned man in grammar, as to them should seem fit and convenient, to be elected, chosen, and approved of, for the teaching, instructing and eruditing of children in the town of Dartford, in the knowledge of grammar, as heretofore has been used according to the charitable and pious interests and meaning of the said William Vaughan, Edward Gwyn and William Death re: 24th March 18 Elizabeth I."Lessons were initially given in the High Street above the Corn Market house, which was demolished in 1769. The school moved to its present location in 1864.
Following the school's 'Outstanding' Ofsted inspection in 2008, the school was able to choose a third specialism, following Language College Status and the IB Programme; the school chose Science, resulting in an increased budget available next financial year. In 2011, the school chose to adopt the status of an Academy, which would provide extra funding to the school, although no name change was required.
Senior staff
The current headteacher is John Oakes, who succeeded Tony Smith, who retired on 2 April 2009 after 23 years at the school. The school had two deputy headteachers: Robert Tibbott and Michaela Kingham (succeeding Oakes). In September 2013, Guy Hewett was appointed as a third deputy headteacher, responsible for Key Stage 4, meaning there are currently three deputy headteachers at the school. Following Tibbott's retirement at the end of the 2015/16 academic year, Stuart Harrington became a deputy headteacher in September 2016 taking over responsibility for Key Stage 4 from Hewett, with Hewett replacing Tibbott as the Head of Sixth Form (Key Stage 5).
Academic performance
In 2014, 64% of Year 11 students gained 7 or more grades A/A* in GCSE exams. The school came second in the School Rankings for the new English Bacc in 2010. Most of Year 13 students proceed to university, with a majority gaining their first or second choice of university.
As of 2007, the school has been awarded the right to teach the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, becoming the first school in Britain and the first state school in the world to teach the course.
The school was rated "Outstanding" in its last Ofsted inspection (2008) and will not be inspected again unless concerns are raised about its performance in an interim assessment.
Locations and buildings
The school currently is located on Shepherds Lane, Dartford at the top of West Hill. The original 1864 school house (facing Dartford Road) is now referred to as the Hardy Building, named after the novelist Thomas Hardy who was an assistant architect to Arthur Blomfield, the architect who designed the building. The original field is now used to house the building additions, which started with the Science block in 1928 (now named the Stephenson building after the late head of Science Dr Brian Stephenson), followed by most of the remaining buildings in 1940. The three-floored classroom building is named after Major Harold Pochin, Headmaster from 1920 to 1946.
Other buildings include the Gwyn building, named after Edward Gwyn, one of the school founders, containing technology and business teaching rooms, as well as the Kaika (Sixth Form) centre, where in 2008, 5 new teaching rooms were opened, mainly for sixth form use, named the 'John Field Suite' after the late chair of the governors, John Field. The Beckets Sports centre is shared with the public in agreement with the school, in the same way as The Mick Jagger Centre, a £2.2 million development financed with National Lottery funding by the Arts Council of England. The Mick Jagger Centre was opened in March 2000 by The Duke of Kent, hosts a number of performing arts events. From Summer 09 to Spring 10, the Mick Jagger Centre and part of the Pochin and Stephenson blocks went under a major redevelopment, which provided a brand new drama studio, a new science lab, a food technology lab, a new staff room, new art rooms and classrooms.
The Keyes Building, named after poet Sidney Keyes, contains classrooms and, until 2014, the Learning Resources Centre (School Library). This is now located in a newly refurbished Stevenson Block. The current school field is located next to Dartford Technology College, where the pavilion was extended and refurbished in 2008, and dedicated to Arthur Jones, a previous student of the school.
House system
The students are divided into five Houses:
The House system was introduced in 1916 with four Houses (Gwyn House being added in 1997). D’Aeth, Gwyn and Vaughan are named after the three founders of the School; Havelock is named after the British General Henry Havelock, a former student at the school, and Wilson is named after another distinguished former pupil, Sir Erasmus Wilson.
Colours system
Colours can be awarded for a number of different achievements. These can range from being an honourable ambassador to the school, to achieving outstanding results in performing arts. Here is a list of colours which can be awarded:
Notable former pupils
Former pupils of the school are known as Old Dartfordians