Torquay Boys' Grammar School is an 11–18 selective boys grammar school in Torquay, Devon, England. As of May 2023[update], it had 1,087 students.[2] The school was founded in 1904. It is situated in Shiphay, south of Torbay Hospital, not far from the A3022 and Torre railway station as well as being directly next to Torquay Girls Grammar School.
| Torquay Boys' Grammar School | |
|---|---|
 School badge  Torquay Boys' Grammar School | |
| Address | |
 | |
Shiphay Manor Drive , , TQ2 7EL England | |
| Coordinates | 50°28′34″N 3°33′25″W / 50.476°N 3.557°W |
| Information | |
| Type | 11–18 boys Grammar school; academy |
| Motto | Latin: Aude Sapere Dare to be Wise |
| Established | 1904 |
| Specialists | Languages, Business and Enterprise |
| Department for Education URN | 136321 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Chairman of Governors | Brian Wills Pope |
| Head teacher | Doctor J Hunt |
| Gender | Boys |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1,093 (2021)[1] |
| Houses | Burgh, Dart, Fox Tor, Goodrington, Haldon, Rougemont |
| Colour(s) | |
| Publication | Torquin |
| Website | Torquay Boys' Grammar School |
Torquay Boys' Grammar School is currently ranked within the top 20 boys schools in England, and the best in Southwest England.[3]
History
editThe school was founded in 1904 and moved to its present location in 1983. As part of its centenary in 2004 the school opened a new hall known as the Cavanna Centenary Hall, which was officially opened in March 2008 by The Earl of Wessex.[4] In September 2010, it gained Academy status.[5]
A long-standing headteacher, Roy Pike, worked for 43 years at the school, 27 years as head.[6] He retired in 2013, and was succeeded by Peter Lawrence.[7]
Academic attainment
editIn 2022, GCSE examination pass rate between 9-4 stood at 97.6%, with the proportion of top grades 9-7 was 58.6%. The proportion of boys at the school achieving a strong pass in GCSE Level 9-5 in English and Maths stood at 93%. Torquay Boys' Grammar School boasts a 99% rate of boys staying in education after leaving the school, or entering employment after Year 11.[8][non-primary source needed]
House system
editUpon joining the school, every student is assigned to one of the school's six houses. The six houses were previously named after Elizabethan sailors, which had seen criticism in 2020 over their links to the slave trade,[9] were renamed after locations in Devon in 2021.[10]
| House Name | Former Name | Colour | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgh | Blake | Blue | [11] |
| Dart | Davys | White | [12] |
| Fox Tor | Frobisher | Yellow | [13] |
| Goodrington | Gilbert | Green | [14] |
| Haldon | Hawkins | Purple | [15] |
| Rougemont | Ralegh | Red | [16] |
Overview
editGrammar School
editThe Head Teacher and Governors of Torquay Boys' Grammar School are committed to ensuring the school retains its grammar school status, advocating that pupils who learn in a selective environment excel in their learning and development. The school argues that pupils in selective grammar schools make more progress than those in non–selective schools. [17]
The proportion of students attending Torquay Boys' Grammar School who are entitled to free school meals was well below average the national average in 2007, despite the school's catchment area not being a prosperous area. In 2007, very few boys from minority ethnic groups or with a first language other than English attended the school. The school has held specialist languages status for a number of years and has recently been awarded a second specialism in business and enterprise education.[18]
Headteachers
edit- William Jackson 1904-1936
- John W. Harmer 1936 -1966
- Gerald Smith 1966-1981
- Barry K. Hobbs 1981-1986
- Roy E Pike 1987-2013
- Peter Lawrence 2014-2024
- Dr Hunt 2024-present
Observatory
editThe school has its own astronomical observatory. Opened in 1989, it houses 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.[21]
The astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore was a patron of the school and maintained close ties – Ralegh House even performed the premiere of his operetta "Galileo" in the late 1990s. Current presenter of the BBC television programme "The Sky at Night" Chris Lintott, who lectures at Oxford University, was also a student of the school.[citation needed]
Notable members of staff
editNotable former pupils
edit- Will Jenkins Davies, Professional Footballer for Torquay United
- Martin Turner, rock musician, Wishbone Ash
- Raymond Cattell, psychologist[23] Pioneer of psychometric testing
- Neil Collings[24]
- Ben Howard, Musician[25]
- Chris Read, cricketer who played as wicket-keeper for the England cricket team
- Hiley Edwards (1951–2009), cricketer who played for and captained Devon County Cricket Club
- Richard Leaman CB OBE, CEO of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and former senior Royal Navy officer
- Ted Luscombe, Bishop of Brechin 1975–90, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church 1985-1990
- Terence Frederick Mitchell (1919-2007), Professor of Linguistics and Phonetics, University of Leeds.
- Harry Robinson, World War II veteran and Distinguished Service Order (DSO) recipient[26]
- Adrian Sanders, Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, between 1997 and 2015.[27]
- Professor David Southwood, Science Director of the European Space Agency, President of the Royal Astronomical Society, Head of Physics Department Imperial College.
- Bill Strang CBE, Chief Engineer from 1960 to 1967, and Technical Director from 1967 to 1971 at the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), and hence headed the design team of Concorde (with Lucien Servanty) as its UK Technical Director from 1966 to 1977[28]
- Roger Deakins, Academy Award-winning Cinematographer.
- Doc Rowe, folklorist, author and film-maker, prominent lecturer on and advocate for folk traditions and folk music.
- Yorick Wilks Pioneer Professor of Artificial Intelligence applied to language processing on a computer.
- Chris Lintott Professor of Astrophysics in the Department of Physics at Oxford University and The Sky at Night presenter.[29][circular reference]
- Alex Fletcher, professional footballer for Bath City.
- Sam Skinner (rugby union), professional rugby union player for Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland national rugby union team.
- Matt Hickey, first-class cricketer
External links
editReferences
edit- ^ "Inspection report: Torquay Boys' Grammar School". OFSTED. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Establishment: Torquay Boys' Grammar School". Schools Service. Department for Education. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- ^ "Prospectus" (PDF). Torquay Boys' Grammar School. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Prince Tells Students to Take Up Challenge", Herald Express, 4 March 2008, retrieved 14 May 2008[permanent dead link].
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20240105234130/https://www.tbgs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/TBGS-prospectus.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Robinson, Debbie. "University of Exeter". www.exeter.ac.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ Council, Torbay. "Torquay Boys' Grammar School". www.torbay.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ "Examination Results". Torquay Boys' Grammar School. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ Smith, Colleen (10 June 2020). "Outcry over school Houses in slave trader Hawkins' name". DevonLive. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "House Names Announcement". Torquay Boys Grammar School. 6 October 2023.
- ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School – Blake House Archived 1 November 2007 at archive.today
- ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School – Davys House
- ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School – Frobisher House Archived 1 November 2007 at archive.today
- ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School – Gilbert House Archived 9 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Torquay Boys' Grammar School – Hawkins House Archived 1 November 2007 at archive.today
- ^ "Ralegh". tbgs.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ "Prospectus" (PDF). Torquay Boys' Grammar School. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Torquay Boys' Grammar School". OFSTED. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ [1] – accessed 9 December 2012
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/feb/22/headteachers-legends-schools-staying-put – accessed 9 December 2012
- ^ The Torquay Boys' Grammar School Observatory
- ^ Hindmarch, Sonali (7 July 2006), "Inspirational tales as teachers of the year are announced", SecEd, archived from the original on 21 October 2007, retrieved 14 May 2008.
- ^ Sheehy, Noel (2003), Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology, London: Routledge, p. 61.
- ^ Western Morning News
- ^ "Torquay Herald Express". Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ^ "Obituaries – Major Harry Robinson". The Daily Telegraph. London. 3 July 2011.
- ^ Waller, Robert; Criddle, Byron (1999), The Almanac of British Politics, London: Routledge, p. 692.
- ^ William Strang
- ^ Chris Lintott