List of direct grant grammar schools explained

This article lists the 179 direct grant grammar schools that existed in England and Wales between 1945 and 1976.^[1]

Early departures from the scheme

A total of 164 schools were accepted onto the scheme when it opened in 1945.^[2] Of these, three schools were no longer on the list in 1965:^[3]

• Kensington High School closed its senior school in 1948, becoming Kensington Preparatory School.^[4]
• King Edward VI School, Southampton remained an LEA-maintained grammar school until it became independent in 1979.^[5]
• Magdalen College School, Brackley remained an LEA-maintained grammar school until it merged with Brackley High School and Brackley Secondary Modern School to form a comprehensive in 1973.^[6]

Five schools left the scheme between 1968 and 1974:

• Trinity School of John Whitgift (Church of England, Boys), Croydon became independent in 1968, but continued to take LEA-funded pupils.^{[7] [8] [9]}
• Oakham School (CE, Boys), Rutland became independent in 1970 and co-educational in the following year.^[10]
• Queen Victoria High School (Girls), Stockton-on-Tees merged with The Cleveland School in 1970, forming Teesside High School.^[11]
• St Joseph's Convent School (Roman Catholic, Girls), West Hartlepool merged into the new English Martyrs' Comprehensive School in 1973.^[12]
• Convent of Notre Dame High School for Girls (RC), Standishgate, Wigan closed in 1974.

Schools remaining at the time of abolition

When the scheme was abolished in 1976, the remaining 174 schools either opted for independence or applied to join the state system, though some applications were refused.The following table gives the outcome for these schools since 1976.^{[13] [14]} Starred names indicate the 18 schools that were added when the list was re-opened between 1958 and 1961.^{[2] [3]}

Prior to abolition in 1976				Abolition	Current
LEA	School name	Faith	Gender	Outcome	Gender	Status
Avon	Bath High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	merged, GDST
	Bristol Cathedral School	CE	boys	ind.	mixed	academy
	Bristol Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	King Edward's School, Bath	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	La Retraite High School, Bristol	RC	girls	refused	–	closed 1982^[15]
	Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School, Bristol	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Red Maids' School, Bristol	–	girls	ind.	girls	merged, ind.
	Redland High School for Girls, Bristol*	–	girls	ind.
	St Brendan's College, Bristol	RC	boys	state	mixed	6th form
Bedfordshire	Bedford Modern School for Boys	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford	–	girls	ind.	girls	merged, ind.
Berkshire	The Abbey School, Reading	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Bexley	St Joseph's Convent Grammar School	RC	girls	refused	–	closed 1979^[16]
Birmingham	King Edward VI High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	King Edward's School	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
Bolton	Bolton School Boys Division	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Bolton School Girls Division	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	The Canon Slade Grammar School	CE	mixed	state	mixed	comp.
	Mount St Joseph School	RC	girls	state	mixed	comp.^[17]
	Thornleigh Salesian College	RC	boys	state	mixed	comp.
Bradford	Bradford Girls' Grammar School	–	girls	ind.	girls	academy
	Bradford Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	St Joseph's College	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
Bromley	Bromley High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Eltham College	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
Bury	Bury Convent Grammar School	RC	girls	state	mixed	6th form
	Bury Grammar School for Boys	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Bury Grammar School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Cambridgeshire	Kimbolton School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Perse School for Boys, Cambridge	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Perse School for Girls, Cambridge	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Cheshire	King's School, Chester	CE	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Queen's School, Chester	CE	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Ursuline Convent School, Chester	RC	girls	closed	–	–
Cornwall	Truro High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Truro School	Meth	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Coventry	Bablake School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	King Henry VIII School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Croydon	Croydon High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Old Palace Girls' School, Croydon	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	St Anne's College, Sanderstead	RC	girls	refused	–	closed 1979^[18]
Devon	Edgehill Girls' College, Bideford	Meth	girls	ind.	mixed	merged, ind.
	Exeter School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Maynard's Girls' School, Exeter	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Notre Dame High School, Plymouth	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
	Plymouth College	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	St Boniface's College, Plymouth	RC	boys	state	boys	comp.
	Shebbear College, Bearworthy	Meth	boys	ind.	mixed	ind.
	West Buckland School, Barnstaple	CE	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Dorset	Talbot Heath School, Bournemouth	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Durham	Barnard Castle School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Ealing	Notting Hill and Ealing High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
East Sussex	Brighton and Hove High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Essex	Brentwood School	CE	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Ursuline Convent High School, Brentwood	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
Gwent	Monmouth School for Boys	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Monmouth School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Gwynedd	Dr Williams School, Dolgellau	–	girls	closed	–	–
Hampshire	Portsmouth Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Portsmouth High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	St Anne's Convent School, Southampton	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
	St John's College, Southsea*	RC	boys	refused	mixed	ind.
Harrow	North London Collegiate School	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Hereford and Worcester	Hereford Cathedral Grammar School	CE	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	King's School, Worcester	CE	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Hertfordshire	Haberdashers' Aske's Girls' School, Elstree	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Haberdashers' Aske's School, Elstree	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	St Albans School	CE	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
Humberside	Hymers College, Kingston-upon-Hull	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Pocklington School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Inner London	Alleyn's School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Blackheath High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Latymer Upper School, Hammersmith	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Putney High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	South Hampstead High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Streatham Hill and Clapham High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Sydenham High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Kent	Kent College, Canterbury	Meth	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Walthamstow Hall School, Sevenoaks	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Kingston upon Thames	Kingston Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Lancashire	Arnold School, Blackpool	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	King Edward VII School, Lytham St Annes	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Queen Mary School, Lytham St Annes	–	girls	ind.
	Lark Hill House School	RC	girls	state	mixed	6th form
	Preston Catholic College	RC	boys	state
	Winckley Square Convent School, Preston*	RC	girls	state
	Layton Hill Convent Grammar School, Blackpool	RC	girls	state	mixed	comp.
	St Joseph's College, Blackpool	RC	boys	state
	Notre Dame High School, Blackburn	RC	girls	state	mixed	merged
	Paddock House Convent Grammar School, Accrington	RC	girls	state	mixed	merged^[19]
	Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn	–	boys	ind.	mixed	free school
	St Mary's College, Blackburn	RC	boys	state	mixed	6th form
Leeds	Leeds Girls High School	–	girls	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Leeds Grammar School	–	boys	ind.
	Notre Dame Grammar School	RC	girls	state	mixed	6th form
	St Mary's College	RC	girls	state	mixed	comp.^[20]
	St Michael's College	RC	boys	state
	Woodhouse Grove School, Aireborough	Meth	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Leicestershire	Loughborough Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Loughborough High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Lincolnshire	Stamford High School	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Stamford School	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
Liverpool	Bellerive Convent Grammar School	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
	Belvedere School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	academy, GDST
	Notre Dame Collegiate School	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
	St Edmund's College	CE	girls	state	girls	merged^[21]
	St Edward's College	RC	boys	state	mixed	comp.
	St Francis Xavier College	RC	boys	state	boys	comp.
Manchester	The Hollies Grammar School	RC	girls	state	–	closed 1985^[22]
	Loreto College	RC	girls	state	girls	grammar
	Manchester Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Manchester High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Notre Dame High School, Cheetham	RC	girls	state	–	closed 1997^[23]
	St Bede's College	RC	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	William Hulme Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	academy
	Withington Girls' School	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Xaverian College	RC	boys	state	mixed	6th form
Merton	Wimbledon High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Newcastle upon Tyne	Central High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Convent of the Sacred Heart Grammar School	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
	Dame Allan's Boys School	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Dame Allan's Girls School	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	Royal Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	St Cuthbert's Grammar School	RC	boys	state	boys	comp.
Norfolk	King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Norwich High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	mixed	ind., GDST
	Notre Dame High School, Norwich	RC	girls	state	mixed	comp.
Northamptonshire	Northampton High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Notre Dame High School, Northampton	RC	girls	closed	–	–
North Yorkshire	Ashville College, Harrogate	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	The Bar Convent Grammar School, York	RC	girls	state	mixed	merged^[24]
	Ladies of Mary, Scarborough	RC	girls	closed^[25]	–	–
Nottinghamshire	Nottingham High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Oldham	Hulme Grammar School for Boys	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Hulme Grammar School for Girls	–	girls	ind.
Oxfordshire	Abingdon School	CE	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Magdalen College School, Oxford	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Oxford High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	School of St Helen and St Katharine, Abingdon*	CE	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Redbridge	Bancroft's School, Woodford	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Ursuline High School, Ilford	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.^[26]
Salford	Adelphi House Grammar School	RC	girls	state	–	closed 1977^[27]
	De La Salle College	RC	boys	state	mixed	merged^[28]
Sefton	The Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	The Merchant Taylors' School for Girls, Crosby	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
	St Mary's College, Crosby	RC	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Seafield Convent Grammar School, Sefton	RC	girls	state	mixed	merged
Sheffield	De La Salle College	RC	boys	state	mixed	merged
	Notre Dame High School	RC	girls	state	mixed	comp.
	Sheffield High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Shropshire	Shrewsbury High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Somerset	Wellington School	–	boys	refused	mixed	ind., HMC
South Glamorgan	Howell's School, Cardiff	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Staffordshire	St Dominic's High School, Stoke-on-Trent	RC	girls	state	–	closed^[29]
	St Joseph's College, Stoke-on-Trent	RC	boys	ind.^[30]	mixed	grammar
St Helens	Notre Dame High School	RC	girls	state	mixed	comp.^[31]
	West Park Grammar School	RC	boys	state
Stockport	Cheadle Hulme School	–	mixed	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Stockport Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Suffolk	Culford School, Bury St Edmunds	Meth	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Framlingham College	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Ipswich High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
	Woodbridge School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Sunderland	St Anthony's School	RC	girls	state	girls	comp.
Surrey	Caterham School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Sutton	Sutton High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind., GDST
Wakefield	Queen Elizabeth Grammar School	–	boys	ind.	boys	ind., HMC
	Wakefield Girls' High School	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Warwickshire	The King's High School for Girls, Warwick*	–	girls	ind.	girls	ind.
Wiltshire	Dauntsey's School, West Lavington	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
Wirral	Birkenhead High School for Girls	–	girls	ind.	girls	academy, GDST
	Birkenhead School	–	boys	ind.	mixed	ind., HMC
	Holt Hill Convent School, Birkenhead	RC	girls	state	–	closed^[32]
	St Anselm's College, Birkenhead	RC	boys	ind.	boys	grammar

Key:

GSDT=Girls' Day School Trust

HMC=Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference

Notes and References

1. Direct Grant Schools . House of Commons . 14 December 1966 . 110W . 115W.
2. Grammar Schools (Direct Grant Status) . House of Commons . 31 May 1946 . 233W . 236W.
3. Direct Grant Schools (List) . House of Commons . 22 July 1965 . 256W.
4. Web site: Kensington Prep School – Our History . Kensington Prep School . 24 April 2014 . 19 April 2022.
5. Schools (Reorganisation) . House of Commons . 2 July 1979 . 483W.
6. Web site: History . Magdalen College School, Brackley . 19 April 2022.
7. Web site: History of School . Trinity School of John Whitgift . 8 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110622002357/http://www.trinity-school.org/page/?title=History+of+School&pid=44 . 22 June 2011 . dead .
8. Web site: Outline History Of The Whitgift Foundation . The Friends Of The Old Palace . 13 May 2009.
9. Book: Report on independent day schools and direct grant grammar schools . Public Schools Commission, Second Report . 1 . David . Donnison . Her Majesty's Stationery Office . London . 1970 . 0-11-270170-1 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120505085044/http://educationengland.org.uk/documents/psc2/index.html . dead . 5 May 2012 . 49.
10. News: John Buchanan . The Telegraph . 14 October 2005 . 8 June 2010.
11. Web site: School History . Teesside High School . 8 Mar 2020 .
12. Web site: Hartlepool, Northeast England, 1885–1985 . Sr Bernadette . Cassidy . . 27 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110716170603/http://www.fcjsisters.org/golive/golive_network/site_britain/heritage-hartlepool.html . 16 July 2011 .
13. Direct Grant Schools . House of Commons . 26 January 1976 . 52W . 55W.
14. Direct Grant Schools . House of Commons . 22 March 1978 . 582W . 586W.
15. Web site: History . Emmaus House . 5 July 2017.
16. News: Pupils at former Abbey Wood school sought . News Shopper . 17 September 2008 . 22 August 2009.
17. Web site: History and Ethos . Mount St Joseph Business and Enterprise College . 18 January 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050830201113/http://www.msj.bolton.sch.uk/ethos.htm . 30 August 2005 .
18. Web site: St Anne's Old Girls Association . Coloma Convent Girls' School . 30 March 2015.
19. News: Our school ... Mount Carmel RC High School . Lancashire Evening Telegraph . 21 October 2002 .
20. Web site: The History of MSM 1853-2005 . Mount St Mary's Catholic High School . 2 August 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111008153531/http://www.mount-st-maryshigh.leeds.sch.uk/about-us/ . 8 October 2011 . dead .
21. Web site: St Edmund's . 12 May 2009.
22. Web site: Girls' Grammar Schools . . . 11 April 2002 . 12 May 2009.
23. Web site: Schools and Associations . British Federation of Notre Dame de Namur . 5 July 2017.
24. Web site: About the Bar Convent . The Bar Convent, York . 12 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080614042416/http://www.bar-convent.org.uk/about.htm . 14 June 2008.
25. The school applied to become maintained, but is recorded in 1978 as closed.
26. Web site: Ilford Ursuline High School . 22 August 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090624235206/http://www.ilfordursuline-high.org.uk/ . 24 June 2009 . dead .
27. Web site: Adelphi Bexley Square, Appendix B – Unlisted Buildings of Local Significance . Salford City Council . 5 July 2017.
28. Web site: Message from the Principal . Martin . Sim . Pendleton Sixth Form College . 31 May 2009.
29. Web site: No 17 - St. Dominic's High School, Hartshill . Malkin . Neville . thepotteries.org . 14 December 2020.
30. Web site: History of St. Joseph's College . St. Joseph's College . 11 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080521224130/http://www.sjc.staffs.sch.uk/ethos/history.htm . 21 May 2008.
31. Web site: Annual Prospectus & Governors' Report to Parents . De La Salle School . 8 June 2010.
32. Web site: Comprehensive . Holt Hill Convent . 5 July 2017.