Dartford Grammar School Explained

Dartford Grammar School
Coordinates:51.4452°N 0.2055°W
Pushpin Map:United_Kingdom Kent#United_Kingdom England#United_Kingdom
Motto:Latin: Ora et Labora
Motto Translation:Pray and Work
Type:Grammar school
Head Label:Headteacher
Head:Julian Metcalf[1]
Founders:Edward Gwyn, William Vaughan, William Death
Specialist:Language
Science
Address:Shepherds Lane
West Hill
City:Dartford
County:Kent
Country:England
Postcode:DA1 2HW
Ofsted:yes
Urn:136359
Staff:>100
Enrolment:1,203
Gender:Boys from year 7–11, Co-ed in Sixth Form
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:18
Houses:Gwyn, D'Aeth, Havelock, Vaughan, Wilson
Colours:Gold and Maroon
Publication:DGSChapter
Song:Floreat Dartfordia[2]
Alumni:Old Dartfordians

Dartford Grammar School is a secondary foundation school for boys (ages 11–19)[3] in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). All of the students joining the school are considered to be from the top 25% of the ability range, as determined by the 11-Plus examinations. 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 1,203, including 461 in the sixth form. It is the brother school of Dartford Grammar School for Girls.

History

The school was founded in 1576 by Edward Gwyn, a merchant; William Vaughan, a philanthropist and landowner; and William Death.[4] A 1660 document outlined the original terms for the founding of the school:

"William Vaughan, Edward Gwyn and William Death donated land and property near the Market House in Dartford High Street, the profits from which were to be used for maintaining a school and for and towards the supporting of one honest sufficient and learned man in grammar, as to them should seem fit and convenient, to be elected, chosen, and approved of, for the teaching, instructing and eruditing of children in the town of Dartford, in the knowledge of grammar, as heretofore has been used according to the charitable and pious interests and meaning of the said William Vaughan, Edward Gwyn and William Death re: 24th March 18 Elizabeth I."[5]

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.

Following the school's 'Outstanding' Ofsted inspection in 2008, the school was able to choose a third specialism, following Language College Status and the IB Programme; the school chose Science, resulting in an increased budget available next financial year. In 2011, the school chose to adopt the status of an academy, which would provide extra funding to the school, although no name change was required.

Academic performance

In 2014, 64% of Year 11 students gained 7 or more grades A/A* in GCSE exams.[6] The school came second in the School Rankings for the new English Bacc in 2010. Most of Year 13 students proceed to university, with a majority gaining their first or second choice of university.

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.

In 2019, The school achieved the top IB results in the country for the second time.[7]

The school was rated "Outstanding" in its last Ofsted inspection in 2022 and will not be inspected again unless concerns are raised about its performance in an interim assessment.[8]

Locations and buildings

The school currently is located on Shepherds Lane, Dartford at the top of West Hill. The original 1864 school house (facing Dartford Road) is now known as the Hardy Building, named after the novelist Thomas Hardy who was an assistant architect to Arthur Blomfield,[9] the architect who designed the building.[10] The original field has since been built on with additional blocks, starting with the science block in 1928, since renamed the Stephenson building after the former head of Science, Brian Stephenson, followed by most of the remaining buildings in 1940. A 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 Kaika (Sixth Form) centre, where five new teaching rooms were opened in 2008, mainly for sixth form use, named the John Field Suite after the late chair of the governors. The Beckets Sports Centre is shared with the public in agreement with the school, in the same way as The Mick Jagger Centre, a £2.2 million 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, and hosts a number of performing arts events. From Summer 2009 to Spring 2010, the Mick Jagger Centre and part of the Pochin and Stephenson blocks underwent a major redevelopment, which provided a new drama studio, new science laboratories, a food technology lab, a new staff room, new art rooms and classrooms. In 2014 to 2015, the Mick Jagger Centre was redeveloped to include several new classrooms and new music practice rooms. From 2017 to 2018, the school expanded their sixth-form centre with two new computer rooms and a quiet study area.[11]

Notable former pupils

Former pupils of the school are known as Old Dartfordians

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Head of Dartford Grammar School announced . RS Academics . 13 September 2021.
  2. Web site: School Song – Floriat Dartfordia . Dartford Grammar School . 20 March 2020.
  3. Web site: Find and compare schools in England. GOV.UK. 22 October 2017.
  4. Web site: Early Modern: Education – Grammar Schools . Dartford Town Archive . 8 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20220702115420/https://www.dartfordarchive.org.uk/early_modern/education.shtml. 2 July 2022.
  5. "Indenture of 1660 outlining the original terms for the founding of Dartford Grammar School", Dartford Archive. Retrieved: 24 September 2015.
  6. Web site: GCSE success at Dartford Grammar School. Dartford Grammar School. 21 August 2014. 30 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141205060059/http://www.dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk/GCSE-success-at-Dartford-Grammar-School. 5 December 2014. dead.
  7. News: Murphy . Chris . Dartford Grammar is UK's top International Baccalaureate school for second time . 26 November 2019 . Gravesend Reporter . en.
  8. Web site: Dartford Grammar School: Ofsted's interim assessment. Ofsted. 30 November 2014. 26 April 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20121024082451/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/1569655/urn/136359.pdf. 24 October 2012. dead.
  9. History of Dartford Grammar School R.L.Hudson p. 23
  10. History of Dartford Grammar School R.L.Hudson p. 21
  11. Web site: Dartford Grammar School – Galleries. dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk. 2018-12-19.
  12. Book: Brock, William . 1858 . A biographical sketch of sir Henry Havelock. Copyright ed.
  13. Web site: Erasmus Wilson statue. Dartford Grammar School. 4 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161105033423/http://www.dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk/Erasmus-Wilson-statue. 5 November 2016. dead.
  14. Web site: Walsh. G.P.. Henry Ambrose Hunt. Australian Dictionary of Biography. 4 November 2016.
  15. Ian Nickols and Kent Karslake (1956), Motoring Entente, Cassell, London.
  16. Book: Tongue. Steve. Turf Wars: A History of London Football. 19 August 2016. 9781785312489. 4 November 2016.
  17. Web site: Sidney Keyes (1922–1943). The War Poet Association. 4 November 2016.
  18. Web site: A Remarkable Sporting Life – Derek Ufton. Kent Cricket. 4 November 2016.
  19. 'HAYDON, Prof. Denis Arthur', Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016
  20. Web site: Jon Savage: interview with Dave Godin, February 1995 . 2013-09-26 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110613015803/http://www.jonsavage.com/compilations/godin-1/ . 13 June 2011 .
  21. News: Jagger's family affair at school . BBC News . 2000-03-30 . 2016-11-04.
  22. News: Clayson. Alan. Obituary – Brian Pendleton. 17 November 2016. The Guardian. 27 June 2001.
  23. Web site: John Rushby. SRI International Computer Science Laboratory. 4 November 2016.
  24. Web site: Bill Mitchell, Wildwork's critically-acclaimed artistic director, dies aged 65 . CDM . Dave . 15 April 2017 . Cornwall Live . 18 April 2017 .
  25. Web site: CHARLIE WHITING (OD 63-68), FORMULA 1 DIRECTOR, HAS DIED AGED 66.. 14 March 2019.
  26. Web site: CHARLIE WHITING (OD 63-68), FORMULA 1 DIRECTOR, HAS DIED AGED 66. . DGS . 14 March 2019.
  27. Web site: BAKER, Francis Raymond. Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. 27 January 2016. November 2015.
  28. News: Lillitos. Nick. Dartford Grammar School outperforms exclusive private schools. 4 November 2016. Kent Online. 2 February 2016.
  29. News: O'Hagan. Simon. Cricket: Pride that transcends division. 4 November 2016. The Independent. 8 June 1996.
  30. News: Zorab. Jack. Topsy Ojo chases England dream after putting new star on track to the top. 4 November 2016. Evening Standard. London. 12 July 2012.
  31. Web site: MasterChef: BBC One cookery show chooses 2020 champion, 17 April 2020. BBC.
  32. Web site: MasterChef crown their 2020 winner after nail-biting finale, 17 April 2020. Radio Times.
  33. News: Hoad. Alex. Kent athletes get selected for Aviva 2012 Trials ahead of Olympic Games. 4 November 2016. Kent Online. 9 May 2012.
  34. News: Madeley . Steve . Semi Ajayi's full speed was a match even for GB sprinter Adam Gemili growing up: 'We had many battles on sports days' . 15 February 2021 . theathletic.co.uk . 16 January 2020.
  35. News: Kanu. Daniel. "KENT COUNTY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION Under 13s CHAMPIONSHIPS". 23 September 2018.

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