Torquay Boys' Grammar School

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Torquay Boys' Grammar School
Motto Aude Sapere
Dare to be wise
Established 1904
Type Trust, selective
Headteacher Mr. R. E. Pike, B.A., B.Ed., F.R.S.A.
Chairman of Governors Brian Wills Pope
Specialism Languages and Business and Enterprise
Location Shiphay Manor Drive
Torquay
Devon
EX24 6HN
England Flag of England
LEA Devon
Ofsted number 113555
Students 1016
Gender Boys
Ages 11 to 18
School colours Blue     /Red    
Website www.tbgs.co.uk

Torquay Boys' Grammar School is a selective grammar school, for boys aged 11 to 18, in Torquay, Devon, England. It currently has around 1040 students. It is one of the relatively few remaining state-funded grammar schools in Great Britain.

The school was founded in 1904, and so celebrated its centenary in 2004. It operates a system of "houses" named after famous British mariners.

Notable alumni include local Members of Parliament and a recent player for the England cricket team.

Contents

[edit] History

The school was founded in 1904 as "The Torquay Pupil Teachers Centre", with premises in Abbey Hall, Rock Road. It opened its doors on 4th September 1904. The school, now called "Torquay Secondary School", moved in 1984 to its new location in Barton Road. The new School was later built on land purchased from Torquay Grammar School for Girls in 1982.

[edit] Observatory

Unusually, the school has its own astronomical observatory. Opened in 1989, it boasts a 19.2" (0.5m) Newtonian Reflector, and is used by the school itself, by the Torbay Astronomical Society, and is also regularly open to the public.[1]

[edit] House system

Upon joining the school, a boy is assigned to one of the school's six houses.[2] The houses, consisting of around 25 pupils from a year group making a form group, compete in both academic and sporting disciplines to gain points in that year's House Championship. The Houses, of which six are currently in existence, are named after British seafarers.

In the sixth form, many lessons are shared with the neighbouring Torquay Grammar School for Girls, allowing students to benefit from each school's specialities. The Lower Sixth share the common room in Shiphay Manor, owned by the girls' Grammar, while the two Upper Sixths share the Upper Sixth common room in the E Block of the boys' Grammar.

[edit] Blake house

Admiral Robert Blake
Admiral Robert Blake

Blake house is named after Admiral Robert Blake (1599-1657); its house colour is blue.[3] The Head of House is Mr. B. Prince, who teaches Physical Education and was formerly deputy-head of Frobisher House. The Deputy Head of House is technology teacher Mrs. H. Jones. As with all of the school's houses, Blake has as strong tradition of charity work. Blake pupils annually write, produce, and perform a comedic "Variety Show" in aid of local charity "The Gateway Club" for adults with special needs.

[edit] Davys house

Davys House is named after John Davis (1543—1605); its colour is white.[4] The Head of House is old grammarian Steve Margetts, who also heads the Department of Economics and Business Studies. The Deputy Head of House is Chris Price, a maths teacher.

[edit] Frobisher house

Frobisher House is named after Sir Martin Frobisher (c. 1535 or 1539–1594).[5] It is the second-youngest of the current houses (splitting from the Ralegh House in 1994) and its house colour is gold. The current head of house is Mr J.G.A. Palmer, who also teaches German and Spanish. Frobisher has narrowly missed out on winning the House Championship during the previous 5 years, the closest was in the 2004-2005 academic year when Ralegh pipped Frobisher to the post by just 1/4pt.

The intake for the academic year 1993-1994 was increased to allow for the creation of an extra form group called 7 Frobisher-Ralegh. For the purposes of the House Championship, the form group was considered part of Ralegh, but otherwise it was a separate House under Mr J G A Palmer.

In the academic year 1994-1995, Frobisher became a truly separate house. Adjustments made because of the House's small size included Frobisher assembles taking place in the school library rather than school hall (until the academic year 1995-1996).

[edit] Gilbert house

Gilbert house is named after Sir Sir Humphrey Gilbert. (c. 1537 - 1583)[6] The Head of House is Mrs Veale. England cricketer Chris Read was a pupil in Gilbert House, and was guest of honour at the opening of the school's new changing rooms. Gilbert is also known for its charity work, raising large sums for Macmillan Cancer Support.

[edit] Hawkins house

Sir John Hawkins
Sir John Hawkins

Hawkins house is named after Sir John Hawkins (1532-1595).[7] Hawkins house is the newest house, established in the academic year 2006-2007. Its creation was mainly due to headmaster Roy Pike's wishes for class sizes to be reduced across the school with the aim of improving standards. The head of house for Hawkins is Mrs Morath, formerly the deputy head of Ralegh House. Its house colour is purple.

[edit] Ralegh house

Ralegh house is named after Sir Walter Ralegh (1552-1618).[8] Ralegh is one of the original four houses and its house colour is red. The Head of House is the art teacher David Reshad. The Deputy head is Adam Last. Ralegh House has won the House Championship for the last five years in a row.

[edit] Centenary

To celebrate the school's centenary in 2004, the school decided to create a new theatre and hall, which was completed in 2007 and staged its first production, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, in early May of that year. The hall was officially opened in March 2008 by HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex,[9] and named the 'Cavanna Centenary Hall' in recognition of donations from local business the Cavanna Group.

[edit] Notable members of staff

  • Retired teacher Dave Berry was awarded the Ted Wragg Teaching Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2006.[10]

[edit] Famous alumni

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The Torquay Boys' Grammar School Observatory
  2. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Pastoral System
  3. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Blake House
  4. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Davys House
  5. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Frobisher House
  6. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Gilbert House
  7. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Hawkins House
  8. ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School - Ralegh House
  9. ^ “Prince Tells Students to Take Up Challenge”, Herald Express, March 04, 2008, <http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=134844&command=displayContent&sourceNode=134828&contentPK=20049898>. Retrieved on 14 May 2008 .
  10. ^ Hindmarch, Sonali (July 07, 2006), “Inspirational tales as teachers of the year are announced”, SecEd, <http://www.sec-ed.co.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/news/article.html?uid=1728>. Retrieved on 14 May 2008 .
  11. ^ Sheehy, Noel (2003), Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology, London: Routledge, p. 61, ISBN 0415167744 .
  12. ^ Waller, Robert & Criddle, Byron (1999), The Almanac of British Politics, London: Routledge, p. 692 .

[edit] External links

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