The Gryphon School

History

The Gryphon School was created from an amalgamation of three schools: Lord Digby's Girls School, Foster's Grammar School for Boys and St Aldhelm's Secondary Modern School. This merger is not forgotten and many students understand how their school was formed through a miniature history lesson provided in physical education lessons. This miniature history lesson ties in with the school's sporting competitiveness and the names of the three merged schools and the new school name "The Gryphon School" still exist as sporting houses. students are assigned a house as to which they are a part of during inter-house events such as rugby, football and hockey in addition to the more known "sports day".

The only remaining aspect of St Aldham's School which stood on the school's site prior to 1992 is the now out of use swimming pool which remained open until the end of the 2005-06 educational year where students participated in an inter-house swimming gala as part of sports day. The rumour for closure of the pool created by students is of a rat infestation however this bears no resemblance to the true reason which is that of any outside swimming pool, very expensive to maintain. The Gryphon School now have used the Oxley Sports Centre swimming pool in the past, as a substitute for its closure.

The school converted to academy status in August 2012.

Year 7

Year 7 students go on a variety of trips including a residential to Carey Camp. In previous years students have gone to Chichester during Year Seven and Carey Camp in year 8 but as of 2008-09 Year Sevens go to Carey Camp.

Year 8

In Year Eight students take the same subjects as in the previous year but at the end of year seven are given the choice of two additional modern foreign languages: Spanish or German. Students choose whether in year 9 they would like to do Design and Technology with a language or two languages, which may be French, Spanish or German.

Year 9

During the Spring Term Year Nine students have a series of information assemblies and tasters for GCSE subjects that they have not already studied in Key Stage 3 (KS3), they then choose what courses they would like to sit for GCSE and can choose the extended or reduced core routes. The school suggests routes based on results of previous tests and exams.

Extended core subjects include English Language, English Literature, Science, Additional Science, Maths, Full Course RE, Citizenship (1/2 a GCSE, if students are on site on a Monday), and five additional options choices.

Reduced Core subjects included English Language, Science, Mathematics, Short Course RE (1/2 a GCSE), ICT (OCR) Nationals, And 2 In school additional options choices, a vocational choice on a Monday and a separate one on a Tuesday or a vocational activity on both Monday and Tuesday.

Year 10

Year 10 is the start of GCSE where students begin to study the content they will be examined on during year 11. During year 10 students who took additional and core-science take they GCSE core science exams in Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

For some subjects, coursework is completed in year 10 that contributes towards the end GCSE. However from 2017, much of this coursework will no longer exist due to the new '100% exam' system brought in by the Government.

Year 11

Year 11 is the year where the full exams for the chosen GCSE subjects take place between May and June. Before then year 11 students spend the first part of the year learning content for exams and revising for exams.

After May half-term year 11 students go on study leave. This means that they no longer attend normal school lessons, but can return for revision and return for the remaining exams. At the end of June, once all the exams are completed, year 11 officially don't attend the school. Many students go to the Gryphon Sixth Form, but many go to college or take on apprenticeships in the following September.

Exam results

1-A table showing the percentage of Gryphon School students who got 5 A*-C grades including English and Maths at GCSE level.
2-A table showing A* A and B grade results as a percentage of entries for Sixth Formers.

Sixth form college

The Gryphon School has a sixth form college which consists of years 12 and 13. The sixth form students have the opportunity to take AS and A2 level courses in a wide variety of subjects. As not being part of the "compulsory" education students make use of many perks such as a dedicated common room in the centre of the school, adjacent to the Gryphon Café and close to the Learning Resource Centre with its own Sixth Form only provision, notably an alternative mezzanine for Sixth Formers. Other perks include access to the school canteen over students enrolled on a compulsory basis.

Sixth form students can also gain "Student Transport Cards" from Somerset County Council to reduce the cost of the "Yeovil Bus".

iGryphon (BYOD)

In 2015, the school started to implement the iGryphon strategy. This was aimed to integrate students and teachers personal devices into the classroom. The first idea was to suggest that students buy their own iPads and MacBooks; however they subsequently chose to change it to a 'Bring your own device' system; where students bring their already purchased devices in.

When first announced the iGryphon strategy kick-started a lot of criticism, with parents claiming that it was unfair on students who's families couldn't afford the 'expensive devices'. This is one of the reasons that the school changed the original plan.

Since then, the school has bought 100 iPads for students to use. Also they have implemented 'super fast' WiFi for the whole school to use. Plus the use of VLE systems and online homework.

The school is still trying to improve the iGryphon plan, but it has been so far a success; although it took much longer to fully implement than originally intended.

Site Development and Expansion

Over recent years the school has been investing in the facilities in the school to make them better and more suited to the current student base of almost 1,700.

Here is a list of the main projects the school has completed and what projects are planned for the near future on school facilities.

The future plans for the school are to allow for the rapidly growing number of students in the school. They are also planned to replace the separate building that make up the Geography and History department; which were only originally meant to be temporary buildings to house the growing number of students. As of 2016, the school is still trying to have the plans passed by local councils for the new building. The Astroturf is due for replacement and is planned to have a new surface layer in the near future.

Transport

Many students travel from far villages and towns or out of catchment; The Gryphon School caters private AM and PM bus services provided by local tour and coach hire operators (South West Tours, Bakers, Vale Coaches etc.). If a service is destined within Dorset students are eligible for free transport as provided by Dorset County Council "School Transport" scheme. By school invitation in 2002, First Group, the local bus service operator were allocated a bay in the bus park and allowed access twice a day to offer students in both Sherborne and Yeovil a service into the school.

Amongst the council funded services is the school operated and privately hired Damory Coaches "857 Stoford/Yeovil - Sherborne" service. This service makes use of Damory Coaches Double Decker buses which are commissioned for educational use by the school during morning and after school periods. Unlike other buses, which are subsidised by Dorset County Council tax payers; the 857 service, known amongst school students as the "Yeovil Bus" is heavily subsidised in excess of over £20,000 per school per year by the School Bursary. The amount subsidised is still not enough to cover the large bill to provide such a service and consequently students' parents or guardians end up paying over £500 a year, per student to cover the cost of their individual placement. With the bus (a Scania ELC Olympus) seating 100 people this brings the total bill per year to roughly £70,000. Following the end of 2008-09 school calendar the demand for school bus allocations for Yeovil has increased and consequently the school has made use of both of their new 17-seater mini-buses covering the demand.

The 857 Damory Coaches service took over from the previous First Group double decker 657 service which ran the same route and again was provided by the school. The reason for the change in provider occurred following the First's lack of respect for timeliness and safety.

Another double decker the "668 King Stag/Hazelbury Bryan/Sturminster Newton/Stalbridge" is run by Damory Coaches again this route is heavily subsided by the school and still costs £65 a month, per person.

From September 2011, all school bus services with the exception of the invited First 57 service, on which students must pay, are to be operated by Damory Coaches.

Leisure centre

The Gryphon Leisure Centre has shared the same site as the school since 1994 and is run by West Dorset District Council. The PE facilities are used by the leisure centre in the evening and at weekends, an AstroTurf was added to the outdoor facilities.

It is a busy facility and the largest in of its kind in the area, the centre has a main sports hall, an aerobics/dance studio and a recently built fully air conditioned fitness suite. Outdoor facilities include six tennis courts or five netball courts plus a floodlit astroturf pitch.

In recent years the leisure centre has had some major work done to it to update and renew it.