Kingston Grammar School | |
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Address | |
London Rd , KT2 6PY England | |
Coordinates | 51°24′37″N0°17′47″W / 51.4103°N 0.2965°W |
Information | |
Type | Private day school Grammar school |
Motto | Bene Agere ac Lætari ("Work well and be happy") [1] |
Established | c. 12th century 1561 (royal charter granted) |
Local authority | Kingston upon Thames |
Head Master | Stephen Lehec |
Gender | Coeducational |
Age | 11to 18 |
Enrolment | 837 (2018/19) |
Houses | Lovekyn Queen's Stanley Taverner Walworth Hosking |
Colour(s) | Red and Grey |
Publication | The Kingstonian |
Former pupils | Old Kingstonians |
Website | www |
Kingston Grammar School is a private co-educational day school in Kingston upon Thames, England. The school was founded by royal charter in 1561 but can trace its roots back to at least the 13th century. [2] It is a registered charity under English law. [3] It was a boys' school from its foundation until 1978, when the first girls were admitted.
In 2018, the GCSE results recorded 85% of grades were A*/A or 9–7, and at A-level 62.7% of all grades were A or A*. [4] In 2008, the Good Schools Guide described the school as "An academic school with a modern edge". [5]
The school's history is traceable into the Middle Ages, where there are references to schoolmasters like Gilbert de Southwell in 1272, described as "Rector of the Schools in Kingston", and to Hugh de Kyngeston in 1364 "who presides over the Public School there". Notable in the school's history are the founding and endowing of the Lovekyn Chapel by John and then Edward Lovekyn in 1309–1352 and later by William Walworth in 1371. The chapel is still used by the school. [6]
After the dissolution of the chantries in 1547, the chapel fell to the Crown and was deconsecrated. It, and by now its substantial related endowments, fell to a court favourite, Richard Taverner. He preserved the chapel so when in 1561 the bailiffs of Kingston petitioned Queen Elizabeth I for a royal grammar school, the building was still usable. The Queen granted the school a royal charter in 1561. [2]
The school became a direct grant grammar school in 1946 [7] as a result of the Education Act 1944 and became independent in 1978 after the scheme was abolished by the 1974–79 Labour Government. [8] In the same year, the first girls were admitted.
KGS celebrated the four hundredth anniversary of its founding charter in 1961 with a visit from Queen Elizabeth II. In 2005, she opened the new Queen Elizabeth II Building, where she unveiled a plaque, met with students of Music and Geography and watched an excerpt of the play "Smike" after which the new Recording Studio was named.
On 1 May 1965, the school opened its new playing fields at Thames Ditton, alongside which was built its boathouse, donated by R.C Sherriff. Prior to this it had shared Kingston Rowing Club's boathouse, and had owned much smaller playing fields at Ditton Road, Kingston. [9]
There are six houses, mostly named after Medieval and Elizabethan figures connected with the school and the city of London, with the exception of Stanley Shoveller, an Old Kingstonian who played international hockey in the early 20th century, and Sophie Hosking, an Old Kingstonian who rowed for Great Britain in the 2000s and early 2010s.
House | Named after | Symbol | Colour(s) | Founded |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lovekyn | John and Edward Lovekyn, benefactors | Eagle | 1914 | |
Queen's | Queen Elizabeth I | Crown | 1914 | |
Walworth | William Walworth, former Lord Mayor of London | Tiger | 1914 | |
Taverner | Richard Taverner, Bible translator | Bear | 1921 | |
Stanley | Stanley Shoveller, Old Kingstonian and Olympic hockey gold medalist | Stag | 2016 | |
Hosking | Sophie Hosking, Old Kingstonian and Olympic rowing gold medalist | Laurel Wreath | 2024 |
The school has a sporting programme, with the main sports being football, netball, tennis, hockey, rowing and cricket.
Hockey, rowing and cricket are the school's performance sports with hockey and rowing having achieved successes at national level, including three national hockey titles in 2019.[ citation needed ]
The 'R.C. Sherriff' rowing boathouse is on the Thames at Thames Ditton, Surrey. [11] Students may take up rowing beginning in Third Form (Year 9) and participate in local and national regattas, including The National Schools Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. [12]
The school has produced professional and international athletes, most commonly in hockey and rowing but also more recently in football and cricket.
Kingston upon Thames, colloquially known as Kingston, is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, England. It is situated on the River Thames, 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Charing Cross. It is an ancient market town, notable as the place where some Saxon kings were crowned.
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames, in the South Oxfordshire district, in Oxfordshire, England, 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Reading, 7 miles (11 km) west of Maidenhead, 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Oxford and 37 miles (60 km) west of London, near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. The population at the 2021 Census was 12,186.
Thames Ditton is a suburban village on the River Thames, in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England. Apart from a large inhabited island in the river, it lies on the southern bank, centred 12.2 miles (19.6 km) southwest of Charing Cross in central London. Thames Ditton is just outside Greater London but within the Greater London Urban Area as defined by the Office for National Statistics. Its clustered village centre and shopping area on a winding High Street is surrounded by housing, schools and sports areas. Its riverside faces the Thames Path and Hampton Court Palace Gardens and golf course in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its most commercial area is spread throughout its conservation area and contains restaurants, cafés, shops and businesses.
Robert Cedric Sherriff, FSA, FRSL was an English writer best known for his play Journey's End, which was based on his experiences as an army officer in the First World War. He wrote several plays, many novels, and multiple screenplays, and was nominated for an Academy Award and two BAFTA awards.
Imperial College Boat Club is the rowing club for Imperial College and has its boat house on the River Thames on the Putney embankment, London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1919. The alumni also run a boat club which is known as the Queen's Tower Boat Club and both crews occasionally row together as a composite in competition.
London Rowing Club is the second-oldest of the non-academic active rowing clubs on the Thames in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1856 by members of the long-disbanded Argonauts Club wishing to compete at Henley Royal Regatta.
Hampton School Boat Club (HSBC) is the rowing club of Hampton School. Each year the club produces 1st VIIIs that compete at Championship level in the United Kingdom. The club hosts two Head race events each year.
Kingston Rowing Club (KRC) is a rowing club in England founded in 1858 and a member club of British Rowing.
National Schools' Regatta is the largest rowing regatta for junior rowers in Great Britain. Held annually in May, the three day regatta offers events for junior rowers between the categories J14 and J18.
The Thames is one of the main rowing rivers in Europe. Several annual competitions are held along its course, including the Henley Royal Regatta, The Boat Race and other long-distance events, called Head of the River races (Heads).
The Skiff Club is the oldest skiff and punting club in existence, having been founded in 1895. It is based on the River Thames in London, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock and Kingston upon Thames.
Kingston Regatta is a rowing regatta, on the River Thames in England which takes place at Kingston upon Thames, Surrey on the reach above Teddington Lock.
Walbrook Rowing Club, colloquially sometimes named Teddington Rowing Club, is a rowing club, on the River Thames in England on the Middlesex bank 800 metres above Teddington Lock next to Trowlock Island, Teddington. It is the lowest club on the weir-controlled Thames and is the organising club for Teddington Head of the River Race held in November for all classes of racing shells.
Putney Town Rowing Club (PTRC) is a rowing club on the Tideway, the tidal reach of the River Thames in England. Its official British Rowing registered colours are navy and white.
Cygnet Rowing Club is a rowing club founded in 1890 on the River Thames in England.
The Tiffin School Boat Club is an amateur rowing club, based in London, run by Tiffin School. It is based on the River Thames at Kingston upon Thames on the outskirts of Greater London in south-east England between Kingston Bridge and Teddington Lock.
Richard Frederick Offer was an English rower who won Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta and a silver medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.
St Edward's School Boat Club is a rowing club on the River Thames based at St Edwards School Boathouse on Godstow Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire. It is the rowing club belonging to St Edward's School, Oxford.
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School Boat Club is a rowing club on the River Thames based at Longridge, Quarry Wood Road, Marlow. The club belongs to the Sir William Borlase's Grammar School. The club shares the boathouse facility with Great Marlow School Boat Club.
St Paul's School Boat Club is a rowing club based on the River Thames at St Paul's School Boathouse, Barnes, London.