Dartford Grammar School

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For the girls' grammar school, see Dartford Grammar School for Girls.
Dartford Grammar School
Motto "Ora et Labora" (Pray and work)
Established 1576
Type Selective Secondary Foundation School
Executive Hedteacher Mr Anthony Smith
Head of School Mr W. J. Oakes
Specialism Language College
Location West Hill
Dartford
Kent
DA1 2HW
England
LEA Kent
Ofsted number 118878
Students 1193
Gender Boys - Mixed in Sixth Form
Ages 11 to 18
Houses D'aeth, Gwyn, Havelock, Keyes, Vaughan, Wilson
Website Dartford Grammar School
Coordinates: 51°26′43″N 0°12′20″E / 51.44515, 0.20547

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 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 W.J. Oakes. The main school colours are gold and maroon.

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[edit] Academic performance

In 2004, 99% of Year 11 gained 7+ grades A*-C in GCSE exams. 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[citation needed], 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. 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[citation needed].

[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'aeth (Yellow)
  • 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: lawyer William D'Aeth, merchant Edward Gwyn and William Vaughan, a landowner and 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, Sir Erasmus Wilson. (Despite what is written in the stats box above, Keyes is not a house)

[edit] 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:

  • A badge with the school crest depicted on it for representing school in rugby.
  • A purple tie for success in performing arts.
  • A green tie for swimming or other sports.
  • A maroon tie for cricket.

[edit] Notable alumni

Former pupils of the school are known as Old Dartfordians[citation needed].

[edit] References

  • History of Dartford Grammar School by Ronald Hudson, 1966

[edit] External links