Dartford Grammar School

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Dartford Grammar School
Image:Dartford Grammar School Logo.jpg
Established 1576
School type Selective Secondary Foundation School
Headteacher Anthony Smith
Students 1242
Location Dartford, Kent
Country United Kingdom
LEA Kent
Website www.dartfordgrammar.kent.sch.uk

Dartford Grammar School is a selective secondary (ages 11–18) foundation school in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). All of the students joining the school are from the top 25% of the ability range. 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 1242, including 461 in the sixth form. The school was founded in 1576 and has seen several different locations since this date. The headmaster is Anthony Smith. The main school colours are gold and maroon.

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[edit] Academic performance

Students at Dartford Grammar School enjoy exceptional academic success. In 2004, 99% of Year 11 gained 7+ grades A*-C in GCSE examinations. A very high proportion of Year 13 students proceed to university.

The school has been included in Ofsted's website as one of England's most successful schools and colleges, having been judged to be outstandingly successful in each of the two Chief Inspector's reports. Only 123 secondary schools in England have achieved this, and only three in Kent.

[edit] Locations and buildings

The school currently is located on Shepherds Lane, Dartford at the top of West Hill, having moved since 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. The original 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 main 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 majority of the new sixth form centre. The Beckets Sports centre is shared with the public in agreement with the school, in the same way as The Mick Jagger Centre, a £2.2m 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. The Keyes Building, named after the aforementioned Sidney Keyes contains many classrooms and also the large learning resources centre. The current school field is located next to Dartford Technology College, where the pavilion has recently been replaced.

[edit] House system

The students are divided into five Houses:

  • d’Æth (gold)
  • Gwyn (purple)
  • Havelock (red)
  • Vaughan (green)
  • Wilson (blue)

The House system was introduced in 1916 with four Houses (Gwyn House being added in the 1990s). D’Aeth, Gwyn and Vaughan are named after the three founders of the School: William D'Aeth, Edward Gwyn and William Vaughan, a philanthropist. Havelock is named after the British General Henry Havelock, a former student at the school, and Wilson is named after another distinguished former pupil.

[edit] Notable former students

[edit] References

  • History of Dartford Grammar School by Ronald Hudson, 1966

[edit] External links

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