Ilkeston Grammar School

Last updated

Ilkeston Grammar School
Ilkeston Grammar School - Panorama 01.jpg
Address
Ilkeston Grammar School
King George Avenue

, ,
DE7

England
Coordinates 52°58′18″N1°18′59″W / 52.971558°N 1.316294°W / 52.971558; -1.316294
Information
Type grammar school
Motto Labor omnia vincit "Labour conquers all things". [1]
Established1914 (county secondary)
Closed1977 (comprehensive)
Local authorityDerbyshire County Council
Gendermixed
Age11 (at end)to 16 (at end)
Enrolment1500
HousesNewdigate, Manners, Mundy, Cantelupe
Colour(s)Red and blue

Ilkeston Grammar School was a selective co-educational secondary school, admission being dependent on passing the 11-plus examination. It stood on King George Avenue, Ilkeston, in the south east of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England.

Contents

The photograph in the infobox shows the original school, now known as the 'King George Building' of Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy, seen from the junction of King George Avenue and Scarborough Avenue, c.2002.

History

Origins

What became Ilkeston Grammar School was established as a pupil teacher centre whose main claim to fame was that author D. H. Lawrence studied there. This centre became inadequate for Ilkeston's needs, and eventually a site for its replacement was purchased from the Duke of Rutland in December 1913. [2]

The new Ilkeston County Secondary School (capacity – 250 pupils) was opened on 25 June 1914 by King George V when he visited the town accompanied by Queen Mary. The King pressed a button whilst standing in the market place which opened the school gates (a good half-mile away and well out of sight), an explosive charge relaying the success of the operation back to the assembled crowds in the town centre. [3] The King did, though, pass by in his car on his way out of the town and had a few words with the headmaster.

County secondary school

The outbreak of the First World War just two months later meant the loss of several male staff, so that by 1918 there was only one other male teacher apart from the headmaster. A change of head in 1919 brought a change in discipline; before this, corporal punishment had not been used but the new headmaster, Samuel R. Wood, introduced caning with vigour. He is remembered as 'a stern headmaster of little humour' [4] but the school's record of academic achievement greatly improved.

The grammar school years

After the 1944 Education Act the county secondary became Ilkeston Grammar School in that year and Mr Wood retired in 1946. By 1947 there were 422 pupils, still strictly segregated with their separate playgrounds and separate boys' and girls' school entrances on Scarborough Avenue. Trespassing into the 'other' playground was usually punished with a caning.

In 1955, the school bought 'West Knoll', a builder's house adjoining the school at the end of Scarborough Avenue, which provided office and teaching space along with some useful grounds.

D. R. J. Cox

In November 1961, Mr David R. J. Cox became headmaster – known to generations of former pupils as 'Doc Cox'. Mr Cox had been involved in education in Egypt and the Sudan, and his gentlemanly but authoritative air and good manners earned him much respect. Very much in the 'old school' mould, he once said

'We hear about sex ad nauseam. Anyone would think it was only discovered last year ... so far as I know, early man evolved without the benefit of constant sex education, films about growing up ... and the dubious luxury of pornography, and what is more, I am sure they were not under the impression that they owed their existence to the services of a kindly stork' [5]

Mr Cox stayed as headmaster until 1978.

In the early 1970s, talk of the school turning comprehensive grew stronger, against the wishes of some of the teaching establishment. Headmaster Mr Cox's last famous speech was headlined "comprehensive is the con-trick of the century".

The end for the grammar school

Ilkeston Grammar School was renamed Ilkeston School in 1977 when it became a comprehensive, the last intake from the 11-plus examination being admitted in September 1976.

Ilkeston's other secondary schools, Hallcroft Girls' School and Hallcroft Boys' School, had already merged in 1960 to form Hallcroft School. Hallcroft, Gladstone and Cavendish merged in 1976 to form the comprehensive Cantelupe School. Cantelupe closed in 1997, its pupils moving to the newly re-organised Ilkeston School]. [3]

The school converted to academy status in 2011, and is now known as Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy.

Architecture

Gate post detail c. 2001. Ilkeston Grammar School - Gate Post Detail.jpg
Gate post detail c. 2001.

The original, core buildings have an unusual layout that consist of

"classrooms round an open quadrangle with a central domed hall"

according to Pevsner. [6] This oldest part of the school was designed by County Architect Mr Widdows, who saw it as resembling 'an eastern fortress'. This design was echoed by the tops of the main entrance gateposts.

The original design is also reminiscent of Moorish architecture in that it is based around a quadrangle with a central domed hall. The buildings are decorated with simple geometric patterns on the external walls, also in the Moorish style. Exciting much comment at the time, the design was only a qualified success. There was no gymnasium or canteen, the cloakroom facilities were poor, and there were no showers.

This design also closely resembles that of the "Main Block" at New Mills School Business & Enterprise College in New Mills, High Peak, also designed by Widdows. Aerial views (see Google Earth) show a virtually identical ground plan, though New Mills has pitched roofs with dormer windows. Further examples of the work of Widdows can be found across Derbyshire, including the former Heanor Grammar School.

Mr Ripley, a former deputy headmaster commented

"To work in this school, one finds it is sunny, airy and pleasant in summer and fine weather but most uncomfortable in winter when driving rain and sleet can chill everyone who has to change from one room to another throughout the school day". [7]

Since 1986, it has been a Grade II* Listed Building. [8]

Although many temporary classrooms (some of which lasted for over fifty years) were erected, the first new permanent classrooms were added in 1956 for geography and history, extended in 1959 with an impressive new two-storey 'science block' with a full length glazed staircase. More 'temporary' terrapin prefabricated classrooms were added in the late 1960s and 1970s.

The much criticised 'Pyramid Building' Pyramid Ilkeston School.jpg
The much criticised 'Pyramid Building'

The steel-framed 'pyramids' building (erected in two stages between 1977 and 1979). with its unplastered internal block walls and outside plastic cladding, though controversial, at least provided the school with its first purpose-built gymnasium and changing rooms. The second stage had much improved facilities for art, metalwork and woodwork. The art rooms occasionally flooded as some windows had been installed the wrong way up. A later county architect, put to work on attempting an extension, said it was

'the wrong shape, the wrong size, built of the wrong materials and placed on the wrong site' [9]

The pyramid building was demolished in February 2014 to make way for a new building which will be finished at the start of 2015.[ citation needed ]

Exchange programmes

In the 1960s and 1970s there was a pupil exchange programme with the Lycée de Montgeron (near Paris). [10] There is currently an exchange programme with schools in Toyota, Japan.

Headmasters

Headmasters and headmistresses of Ilkeston County Secondary School and Ilkeston Grammar School

1913–1919Mr F. P. C. Walker, MA
1919–1946Mr S. R. Wood
1946–1950Mr P. M. Jackson
1951–1954Mr S. F. Marshall
1954–1961Mr J. N. Hewitson
1961–1978Mr D. R. J. Cox, MA
1979– 1986Mr L. J. Elwell
1987–2002Mr M. Burdon
2003–2011Mr S. Daniels
2011–2012Mrs T. Dundas
2012–2016Mr D Smith
2016-2022Miss N Salt
2022-2023Mr S Glover
2023-presentMr S Leach

Notable former pupils

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheldon School</span> Academy in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England

Sheldon School is a large mixed secondary school and sixth form in Chippenham, Wiltshire for students aged 11 to 18 and is the largest school in Wiltshire. Since April 2011, it has been an Academy. It is one of three in Chippenham, the others being Abbeyfield and Hardenhuish. Since 1 September 2012, the school has been headed by Neil Spurdell who had previously been headteacher at John O'Gaunt School in Hungerford, West Berkshire. The school is off the Hardenhuish Lane in the southern region of Hardenhuish Park, which is all that separates it from Hardenhuish School to the north.

Sandhurst School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England. The headteacher is Debbie Smith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingsbury High School</span> Academy in Kingsbury, London, England

Kingsbury High School is a large two-site high school with academy status in Kingsbury, London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Itchen College</span> Sixth form college in Southampton, Hampshire, England

Itchen Sixth Form College is a mixed sixth form college in Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1906 and was originally a mixed secondary school, it later became Itchen Grammar School under the reforms of the Butler Education Act. It became its present state following further reform in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Manners School</span> Comprehensive foundation school in Bakewell, Derbyshire, England

Lady Manners School is an English secondary school located in Bakewell, a market town in the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire. It was founded on 20 May 1636 by Grace, Lady Manners, who lived at Haddon Hall, the current home of Lord and Lady Edward Manners, and has also in the past been known as the Bakewell Grammar School. It is now a member of the Peak 11 group of secondary schools in the Peak District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby School</span> Former school in Derby, England

Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational and comprehensive in 1972 and was closed/renamed in 1989. In 1994 a new independent school called Derby Grammar School for boys was founded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupton Hall School</span> Academy in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England

Tupton Hall School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Chesterfield in the English county of Derbyshire. It is one of the largest secondary schools in the North East Derbyshire district, with a large body of students and one of the largest sixth forms in the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buxton College</span>

Founded in 1675, Buxton College was a boys' Public School and, from 1923, a grammar school in Buxton, Derbyshire whose site has been expanded since 1990 to be used as the fully co-educational comprehensive Buxton Community School. Dorothy Dewis, born in 1898, was the first Headmistress of Silverlands Girls Secondary School which was purpose built and was opened by the Duke of Devonshire who remained a supporter of the School for many years. Miss Dewis had previously been Head of Barrs Hill School. Miss Dewis was passionate about girls education and ensured all girls received a high standard of education. She also ran a very successful Folk and Country Dancing club which performed widely and won many prizes. She retired after 20 years service in 1960. She never married and was totally dedicated to her, proving to be very popular with both girls and teachers. Silverlands school building was demolished to make way for a housing estate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malet Lambert School</span> Academy in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England

Malet Lambert is a secondary school for 11- to 16-year-old pupils in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The school is situated on James Reckitt Avenue in the east of the city, its front facade overlooks East Park. Malet Lambert opened in 1932 and became a grammar school in 1944 before becoming a community comprehensive in 1969. The school converted to academy status in September 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond Park Academy</span>

Richmond Park Academy is a secondary school with an academy status in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The school is part of the Academies Enterprise Trust academy chain.

Retford Oaks Academy is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in the market town of Retford, Nottinghamshire, England, situated in the district of Bassetlaw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newquay Tretherras</span> School in Newquay, Cornwall, England

Newquay Tretherras School is a secondary school with academy status in Newquay, Cornwall, England. The current headteacher is Samantha Fairbairn. The school first opened on 7 January 1954 and first secondary modern school to be built in Newquay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardenhuish School</span> Academy in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England

Hardenhuish School is a large mixed secondary school and sixth form in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England, for students aged 11 to 18. Together with Abbeyfield School and Sheldon School, it is one of three secondary schools in the town with academy status. The school's headteacher is Lisa Percy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mills School</span> Community school in High Peak, Derbyshire, England

New Mills School & Sixth Form is a comprehensive school, situated in the town of New Mills, in the north west of Derbyshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St George's Academy</span> School in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England

St George's Academy is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school based in the English market town of Sleaford in Lincolnshire, with a satellite school at nearby Ruskington.

Graham School is a coeducational secondary school in the west of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England. It is situated to the west of the town within 22 acres (8.9 ha) of grounds. The school is on Woodlands Drive. The lower site on Lady Edith's Drive closed on 23rd June 2017.

Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy (OIEA) is a coeducational secondary school with academy status, located on two sites in Ilkeston in the English county of Derbyshire.

Ellesmere Park High School is a coeducational secondary school located in the Ellesmere Park area of Eccles, Greater Manchester, England. The school has gone through several renovations throughout the years.

George H. Widdows was an English architect who pioneered changes to school building design to enhance the health of school children. He was also responsible for the design of about 80 schools in Derbyshire, where he became Chief Architect.

References

  1. In the school song: "Work conquers all".
  2. See "The Story of Ilkeston School", by former teacher Dorothy Phillips, Pub. Moorley's 1988.
  3. 1 2 Ilkeston – Education, Education, Education Archived 17 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine , Ilkeston Cam, 2 March 2003.
  4. The story of Ilkeston School, p.15.
  5. The story of Ilkeston School, p35
  6. Derbyshire (2nd revised edition), Sir Nikolaus Pevsner and Elizabeth Williamson, Churnet Valley Books, 1978-12-01, ISBN   978-0-14-071008-3, page 287.
  7. The story of Ilkeston School, p5
  8. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1329206)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  9. The story of Ilkeston School, p37
  10. Ilkeston Grammar School Reunions, Item by Martine Boué-Mathou in Guest Book, 22 March 2006.
  11. Continents in Collision p196 (George Philip)