Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
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| Sir William Borlase's Grammar School | |
| Te Digna Sequere (follow things worthy of thyself) | |
| Established | 1624 |
|---|---|
| School type | Co-Educational Grammar School |
| Headteacher | Dr Peter Holding |
| Location | Marlow, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
| enquiries@swbgs.com | |
| Website | www.SWBGS.com |
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England.[1] It is situated on West Street,[2] near the town centre.
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[edit] History
The School was founded on its present site in 1624 by Sir William Borlase[2] in memory of his son Henry, MP for Marlow, who died in that year. [citation needed]
The school has served the town of Marlow and its surrounding district, including High Wycombe and Maidenhead, for over three centuries. In 1988 the school became the first co-educational school in the Division. It currently has around 1000 pupils, including a large sixth form.[citation needed]
In September 2005 the school was awarded specialist school status as a Performing Arts College, by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES)[6]
[edit] Layout
The school is built around a cloister incorporating the original 17c building to which a large number of new, specialist facilities have been added. The school has its own chapel, which is built in brick and flint, as are the oldest buildings. Recent major building programmes have added facilities to this already listed building. Recent additions have included specialist accommodation for Modern Foreign Languages and English, Science laboratories, a drama studio, a new canteen and sixth form accommodation and specialist IT rooms.[3]
A new multi-million pound building has now been completed, incorporating a new theatre, several music rooms, disabled toilets and lift, technology rooms and graphics centers.
[edit] The School Coat of Arms
The motto Te Digna Sequere means 'follow things worthy of thyself'. The history of the coat of arms can be traced back to the days of Sir William's ancestors in France, the Taillefers of Angouleme. The Taillefers had a crest of a hand coming out of a cloud holding a badelaire (a kind of cutlass). These they had placed over a field (background) of mullets (eight pointed stars).
The Borlase arms in the early part of the reign of Henry VIII were: 'ermine on a bend (diagonal stripe), two arms clothed issuing from the clouds rending assunder a horse shoe, broken in the middle'. The sword disappeared to be replaced by a horse shoe, now unbroken, and the mullets replaced by ermine which remain to this day.
The helm is that of a knight. Unknighted members of the family would have used the helm of an esquire which faces to the heraldic dexter, the left as you look at it, and has a closed visor.
[edit] The Pink Clock Tower
The Pink Clock Tower at Borlase was a remnant of a Leavers' Day prank in 2004. Despite popular approval from students, parents and most of the teaching staff it was re-painted white, at an undisclosed cost reportedly in the thousands of pounds.
The Leavers of 2006 formulated a plan to return the clock to its pink state, however this was decided against due to the threat of police action coupled with the use of security guards and dogs the night prior to Leavers' Day, preventing any access to the site. It was pretty immense to be honest. Even funnier was painting Dr Isles is a .... outside the school. In a recent school survey it was found that 99% of students agreed with the statement.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Keith Bosley – prizewinning poet and translator
- Paul Daneman – actor
- Lieutenant B. A. Horsfall – recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Ken Snakehips Johnson – bandleader,[4] jazz artist[5]
- Danny Quah – famous economist
[edit] References
- About the School. Sir William Borlase's Grammar School. Retrieved on 2006-04-19.
- a b Marlow Town Highlights. Marlow Society. Retrieved on 2006-04-19.
- School Information. Sir William Borlase's Grammar School. Retrieved on 2006-04-19.
- Ken Snakehips Johnson Story. Ken Snakehips Johnson. Retrieved on 2006-04-19.
- Marlow's History. Marlow. Retrieved on 2006-04-19.
- Specialist Schools Home. DfES. Retrieved on 2006-04-20.
