Talk:Aylesbury Grammar School

Latest comment: 1 year ago by Tacyarg in topic Section on blacking up controversy

Notable alumni

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For four hundred years of history the notable alumni section is a bit of a poor show: surely there must have been other notable people at this school in the past? -- Francs2000 23:16, 5 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

You're the one who added it. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 88.105.47.17 (talkcontribs) 20:28, July 6, 2006.
Yes I'm well aware of that, and what I'm doing is appealing to others to populate it. -- Francs2000 23:04, 6 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

Major edit by User:mboverload

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User:mboverload made [[1]] major edit to the article on 23 July. The reasons for removing information on the annual inter-house events, and the timetable of the day, are that it is "information that belongs on the school website as it can easily change". However, I am none too convinced about the legitimacy of his actions, as I pointed out to him on his talk page:

Mboverload,
You have removed a fair amount of information from this article as you say it "belongs on the school website and can easily change". You removed information about the inter-house competitions and the school timetable.
Can you elaborate on this please, as I don't see where you're coming from. The house competitions are a fundamental element of the school's life which have been taking place for over 300 years. It is an interesting and relevant piece of the article. Indeed, it would seem strange to keep the information about the houses but not the two events which they, to be honest, exsist for. Do you agree? The events run each year, and so the holder of each trophy is unlikely to "easily change".
The school timetable, whilst perhaps slightly less noteworthy of inclusion I admit, is nonetheless a piece of information relevant to the school, and again, can you explain why it is "easily changeable and therefore belongs on the school's website"?
I would appreciate it if you would make your intentions and wishes clear on the article's talk page in future so that some consensus may be achieved before such a major edit is done.
Regards, Victor Greenstreet 09:54, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Can I have any other opinions on this? Does anyone else think the information is relevant? Victor Greenstreet 10:16, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

Actually, I'd be personally agreeing with mboverload in this situation. At the end of the day, Wikipedia is an encyclopaedia. While it is a very detailed encyclopaedia, achieving what written encyclopaedias cannot, content such as a school timetable is not (in my opinion) appropriate. Details of school athletic events as well are not as important, although I suppose are more justified. What would be appropriate content for an article on a school might be history, significant staff, major events etc. Ongoing initiatives such as athletics carnivals do not in my mind rate a mention. --Draicone (talk) 10:23, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply
Whilst the school timetable might not be that important, the annual house trophy competitions, each of which take in over 15 sports, is a large part of the school life. As I have already pointed out, if we're going to include info about Houses, wouldn't it be strange not to put in the two major, and to be honest, the only two things, they exsist for? Cheers for your opinion though! Victor Greenstreet 10:28, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply
As the person who first added the timetable and trophies sections I agree that the timetable bit could go - I doubt it serves any real purpose in an encyclopedia. However I strongly believe that the trophies section should stay. As any present or former pupil of AGS will know, the Watson and Brodie trophies are an integral part of the culture and history of the school. Clearly the holder of these trophies are subject to annual change and I'm not arguing that the article should say 'Currently held by Denson' or what-have-you, but I do believe they have a place in this article.
If there is an argument about information in the article that should be on the school's webpage then this should also apply to the current heads of houses, pupil numbers... --Jmptdc 10:36, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply
If it has truly been going on for 300 years...that should have been said and I wouldn't have removed it. You can add it back in, but I still think it has dubious value. =D --mboverload@ 10:57, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply
Yep - I've put it back, with the extra comment you suggested. Thanks for your time, look forward to working together again in future. Victor Greenstreet 11:07, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply
=D. If you want to assert the importance or notability of something else you can add it back in. I like that you calmly contacted me and wrote a well thought-out post. I respect that a lot. --mboverload@ 11:14, 24 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

Brody cup/trophy

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According to the school's website it is the Brodie cup not trophy, but the Watson trophy [2] --144.32.177.123 09:01, 26 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

  Yeah, the school website is wrong most of the time - It's Trohpy not cup! 89.240.48.77 16:56, 7 April 2007 (UTC)Reply

Specialist School Status

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The DfES Specialist Schools Home website shows that the AGS doesn't have a second specialist status in Languages. Language is, however, listed as a High Performing Leading Option (whatever that means). --Scribble Monkey 12:05, 28 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

When was the site last updated? It was sent out in a school newsletter stating that the school had been granted specialist status in Languages in April 2006. --172.188.207.54 22:19, 28 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

The Excel spreadsheet on the DfES site is dated July 2006. It lists specialist statuses valid from as late as September 2006. It does look like AGS has been awarded something subtly different. --Scribble Monkey 08:31, 31 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

Yes - it does have Language college status, as a pupil of the school I can confirm. 88.105.35.203 22:31, 28 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

Strange it's not listed on the DfES site! --Scribble Monkey 08:31, 31 July 2006 (UTC)Reply

The spreasheet properties now say created "Friday, February 03, 2006 7:05:06 AM"
URN - DfES No - School Name - Specialism - High Performing Leading Option
110511 - 825/4500 - Aylesbury Grammar School - Technology - Language
110494 - 825/4058 - Aylesbury High School - Language - Training School --Hjal 02:59, 16 January 2007 (UTC)Reply

Rewrite suggestion

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Suggested re-write of final para, introduction.

'Several decades ago, the sixth form at the time were given the option of whether they wanted there to be a school uniform. Their decision was that it was best to have school uniform, and so to this day school uniform remains mandatory. Although if there are pupils whose families have financial difficulties, there is a thrift shop from which they can purchase second hand uniform.'

perhaps;

'The sixth form were polled about retaining the school uniform some years ago [date, anyone?] and decided that it should remain mandatory. However for families in financial difficulties, there remains the option of purchasing second hand uniform from a thrift shop [is this in the school?]'

Just a little bit neater... Ndaisley 13:12, 23 August 2006 (UTC)Reply

The Thrift Shop is a school-run thing, yes.

The Photos

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Can we have better photos of the buildings? These ones are horrible and dingy.

It probably is, mate. silv 71.235.66.254 04:04, 10 September 2006 (UTC)Reply
They're very poorly lit, I assure you it doesn't look _that_ bad in real life. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 195.137.67.222 (talk) 01:18, 23 January 2008 (UTC)Reply

Major edit - I have greatly changed the structure of this article

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I have greatly changed the structure of this article. I think it is easier to read now and more organised. Miltonkeynes 00:45, 20 November 2006 (UTC)Reply

Removed Section of talk page

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I do have a reason for doing this, it was my own comment, if you want to know why ask me on my own talk page, thanks. User:Tom walker 23:40 GMT 25 December 2006

Not a news site

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Wikipedia isn't a blog or a news site so posting school closings due to weather does not go here. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by OverlordQ (talkcontribs) 07:42, 8 February 2007 (UTC).Reply

William Henry Ridley

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It is possible that Ridley House was named after the author and priest William Henry Ridley, or one of his relations. However, I have no idea who my old Denson house is named after. —Preceding unsigned comment added by AbrahamCat (talkcontribs) 23:09, 9 March 2010 (UTC)Reply
I think it is more likely to be Nicholas_Ridley_(martyr), who was burned in nearby Oxford. Like you, I am puzzled by Denson. Who he? Old Aylesburian (talk) 09:13, 23 August 2011 (UTC) (Hampden)Reply

Denson's named after a former head of the Old Boy's Association but I don't have a source for that! Tom walker (talk) 17:26, 23 August 2011 (UTC)Reply

Section on blacking up controversy

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On May 16th 2014 I added this 'controversy' section as version https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aylesbury_Grammar_School&direction=prev&oldid=627992367:

On May 9, 2014, boys at the school dressed up as the Jamaican bobsleigh team for their school-leaving celebrations and 'blacked up' as part of their costume. This came to public attention when an image of the schoolboys was tweeted by the then headmaster Stephen Lehec, and was criticised for being racist. Lehec issued a formal apology, though in his analysis 'at no time was there an undertone of any act being of a derogatory or racist nature'. The matter was widely reported in local and national media.[1]

This was removed on 22nd October 2014 by an anonymous user with the comment 'Not relevant to school information'. I think this material is relevant, however. It is still a recent event; it was reported in local and national news; and if, for example, I was a black/ethnic minority parent considering sending my son to the school I would consider it noteworthy. What views do other people have? Alarichall (talk) 13:37, 15 November 2014 (UTC)Reply

References

  1. ^ Claire Carter, 'Grammar school headteacher apologises for 'blacked up' picture of pupils', The Telegraph, 15 May 2014, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10833705/Grammar-school-headteacher-apologises-for-blacked-up-picture-of-pupils.html; Lizzie Edmonds, 'Top grammar school forced to apologise after headteacher posts Twitter picture of his pupils "blacked up" as Jamaican bobsleigh team at fancy dress party', Mail Online, 15 May 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2629504/Grammar-school-headmaster-apologises-tweeting-picture-pupils-blackface-dressed-Jamaican-bobsleigh-team-fancy-dress-party.html; 'Headteacher apologises for ‘blacked up’ pupils, The Bucks Herald', 15th May 2014, http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/headteacher-apologises-for-blacked-up-pupils-1-6060046.
That looks to me as if it should go back in - decently-sourced. I'll give it some thought. Tacyarg (talk) 08:18, 16 July 2023 (UTC)Reply
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