Kirkham Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Kirkham Grammar School is a co-educational independent school
in Kirkham
, Lancashire
, England
. It was founded in 1549. Its roots can be traced back to the chantry school attached to St Michael's Church
in the 13th century. The school remained in the church grounds until it moved to occupy its present site on Ribby Road in 1911. The front range of the school and the headmaster's house constitute a Grade II listed building.
In 1655 Henry Colburn, an old boy
of the school, left money and land to the school in his will, putting it in the trust of the Worshipful Company of Drapers
in London. Then began a long partnership between the Company and the School, which has continued to the present day, though the Drapers surrendered control of the school in 1944, having endowed it with large and impressive extensions in 1938.
The present school building was built between 1909 and 1911 when the front range and the headmaster's house were constructed to a design by the architect F. H. Greenaway of London. Independent status ceased temporarily in 1944 when the school became a voluntary-aided
boys’ grammar school
. A further major extension, the Norwood Science Building was opened in 1965 and subsequently extended. In 1979 the Board of Governors took the decision to revert to independent status and Kirkham Grammar School became a co-educational school for the first time.
The last decade of the twentieth century witnessed a remarkable growth in the school’s popularity and standing, exhibited by a rise in pupil numbers from 500 to 900 and a programme of continuous development. The school’s controversial partnership with BAE Systems
, first established in 1994, became a major driving force behind its success.
The school has applied to host a Pre-Games Olympic Training Camp before the 2012 Summer Olympics
, which are to be held in London. Andrew Flintoff
runs a cricket academy at the school.
On the shield are the doves of Kirkham township, together with the triple coronets of the Worshipful Company of Drapers
, symbolic in turn of the ties which bind the school and town together and of the benefactors who, from its early days, have watched over the interests of the school. The crest also contains a windmill resting on a book, an emblem of scholarship deriving its inspiration from the old industrious spirit of the Fylde. The School’s old motto, "Ingredere Ut Proficias", literally translated means "Enter in order to profit".
(IT) multimedia
teaching aids and access to laptop
s with wireless
Internet
facilities, opened in December. A time capsule
was buried in the foundations.
In January 2007, the new Lawrence House Pavilion was officially opened with a performance of William Shakespeare
's Much Ado About Nothing
. The pavilion houses a drama studio, changing rooms, kitchen and a lounge area Funded by the Lawrence House Trust, together with the Katie Caine Trust, after which the studio was named and also The Friends of Kirkham Grammar, the pavilion cost £220,000.
In October 2007 the school's sports pitch was relaid with all weather AstroTurf
, and with floodlights it is also used by local community partners for sports such as hockey
and football. The old pitch was recycled with part of it being used to make new pathways for North Shore Golf Club in Blackpool
.
, "pre-school" which adjoins the Junior School. It was opened in September 2003 at a cost of £250,000.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Kirkham
Kirkham, Lancashire
Kirkham, or as it once was known, Kirkam-in-Amounderness is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston and adjacent to the smaller town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was founded in 1549. Its roots can be traced back to the chantry school attached to St Michael's Church
St Michael's Church, Kirkham
St Michael's Church, Kirkham is in the town of Kirkham in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Blackburn, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the...
in the 13th century. The school remained in the church grounds until it moved to occupy its present site on Ribby Road in 1911. The front range of the school and the headmaster's house constitute a Grade II listed building.
School history
In 1585 the Thirty Men of Kirkham, a group which administered parish business, took control of the school. It appears that they did not always perform their duties particularly well, for, by the early part of the seventeenth century, the school had fallen into disrepair and had been without a master for seven years. Isabell Birley, a humble alehouse keeper, came to the rescue in 1621, presenting the Thirty Men of Kirkham with £30 in her apron for the restoration of the school.In 1655 Henry Colburn, an old boy
Old boy network
An old boy network, or society, can refer to social and business connections among former pupils of male-only private schools. British public school students were traditionally called "boys", thus graduated students are "old boys"....
of the school, left money and land to the school in his will, putting it in the trust of the Worshipful Company of Drapers
Worshipful Company of Drapers
The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London; it has the formal name of The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London but is more usually known...
in London. Then began a long partnership between the Company and the School, which has continued to the present day, though the Drapers surrendered control of the school in 1944, having endowed it with large and impressive extensions in 1938.
The present school building was built between 1909 and 1911 when the front range and the headmaster's house were constructed to a design by the architect F. H. Greenaway of London. Independent status ceased temporarily in 1944 when the school became a voluntary-aided
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
boys’ grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
. A further major extension, the Norwood Science Building was opened in 1965 and subsequently extended. In 1979 the Board of Governors took the decision to revert to independent status and Kirkham Grammar School became a co-educational school for the first time.
The last decade of the twentieth century witnessed a remarkable growth in the school’s popularity and standing, exhibited by a rise in pupil numbers from 500 to 900 and a programme of continuous development. The school’s controversial partnership with BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
, first established in 1994, became a major driving force behind its success.
The school has applied to host a Pre-Games Olympic Training Camp before the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
, which are to be held in London. Andrew Flintoff
Andrew Flintoff
Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff MBE is a former English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club, England and the Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings. A tall fast bowler, batsman and slip fielder, Flintoff according to the ICC rankings was consistently rated amongst the top...
runs a cricket academy at the school.
School Crest
The grant of armorial bearings was bestowed on Kirkham Grammar School in the late 1920s in recognition of the honour due to one of Lancashire’s most historic foundations. The design of its coat of arms expresses the true meaning and purpose of the school.On the shield are the doves of Kirkham township, together with the triple coronets of the Worshipful Company of Drapers
Worshipful Company of Drapers
The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London; it has the formal name of The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London but is more usually known...
, symbolic in turn of the ties which bind the school and town together and of the benefactors who, from its early days, have watched over the interests of the school. The crest also contains a windmill resting on a book, an emblem of scholarship deriving its inspiration from the old industrious spirit of the Fylde. The School’s old motto, "Ingredere Ut Proficias", literally translated means "Enter in order to profit".
Development
The school is with the full support of its Governing Body continuing its intensive development programme. The school celebrated its 450th anniversary in 1999 and has undertaken a major development programme with phase one, a science laboratories and classroom project, being completed in November 2005. The second phase, a new £1.5M extension project, was launched in May 2007 to give the school extra facilities with twelve new classrooms. The classrooms, with full Information technologyInformation technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
(IT) multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
teaching aids and access to laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
s with wireless
Wireless sensor network
A wireless sensor network consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions, such as temperature, sound, vibration, pressure, motion or pollutants and to cooperatively pass their data through the network to a main location. The more modern...
Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
facilities, opened in December. A time capsule
Time capsule
A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians...
was buried in the foundations.
In January 2007, the new Lawrence House Pavilion was officially opened with a performance of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
. The pavilion houses a drama studio, changing rooms, kitchen and a lounge area Funded by the Lawrence House Trust, together with the Katie Caine Trust, after which the studio was named and also The Friends of Kirkham Grammar, the pavilion cost £220,000.
In October 2007 the school's sports pitch was relaid with all weather AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, and with floodlights it is also used by local community partners for sports such as hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
and football. The old pitch was recycled with part of it being used to make new pathways for North Shore Golf Club in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
.
Boarding House
The Boarding House accommodates 75 boarders, all between the ages of 11 and 18, including both full boarders and weekly boarders. The House is also extensively used by day pupils for casual or short stay boarding. Resident staff include the Boarding House Master, the Matron and Assistant Matron and two other members of the academic staff who live in. In order to maintain the highest standards, the Boarding House is inspected annually by external agencies.Junior School
Kirkham Grammar Junior School, founded in 1991, is situated opposite the senior school on Ribby Road. As well as enjoying its own state of the art facilities within the junior school site, the Junior School also has access to senior school facilities and, due to its location, has access to the Senior School facilities too. There are nearly 280 school children in the junior school aged between four to eleven.Nursery School
The Nursery School is a purpose built, state of the artState of the art
The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. It also refers to the level of development reached at any particular time as a result of the latest methodologies employed.- Origin :The earliest use of the term...
, "pre-school" which adjoins the Junior School. It was opened in September 2003 at a cost of £250,000.
School Societies
There are a number of clubs and societies active within the school.Notable Old Kirkhamians
- See also Category:Old Kirkhamians
- Zachary LangtonZachary LangtonZachary Langton , was an English divine.Langton was the third son of Cornelius Langton of Kirkham, Lancashire, and Elizabeth his wife, daughter of the Rev. Zachary Taylor, headmaster of the grammar school there. He was baptised at Kirkham on 24 September 1698...
(1698–1788), clergyman - Ralph CopelandRalph CopelandRalph Copeland was an English astronomer and the third Astronomer Royal for Scotland.Copeland was born at Moorside Farm, near Woodplumpton in Lancashire, England and attended Kirkham Grammar School. He spent five years in Australia where he discovered his interest in astronomy...
(1837–1905), astronomer - Eric LaithwaiteEric LaithwaiteEric Roberts Laithwaite was a British electrical engineer, known as the "Father of Maglev" for his development of the linear induction motor and maglev rail system.- Biography :...
(1921–1997), engineer - Graham Clark (1941-) - Opera Singer
- Clive TyldesleyClive TyldesleyClive Tyldesley is an English sports commentator, who since 1998 has been the main football commentator for ITV. He has commentated on eleven Champions League finals, five FA Cup Finals and numerous World Cup and European Championship matches.-Career:Tyldesley was born in Radcliffe, Bury,...
(1954-), football commentator - Pat SandersonPat SandersonPatrick Harold Sanderson is a former England international rugby union player and flanker for Worcester, the team he currently captains...
(1977-) - rugby player - Alex SandersonAlex SandersonAlexander Sanderson is a former English rugby union footballer who played in the back row for Saracens and Sale Sharks. He is the brother of Pat Sanderson who also played rugby for Littleborough RUFC....
(1979-) - rugby player - Ranvir SinghRanvir SinghRanvir Singh is an English news presenter and reporter for the regional BBC news programme, BBC North West Tonight.-Background:...
- Television presenter - Richard WigglesworthRichard Wigglesworth (rugby player)Richard Eric Peter Wigglesworth is an English rugby union player for Saracens in the Aviva Premiership.Born in Blackpool, England, Wigglesworth's position of choice is as a scrum-half and can also operate as a fly-half or as a winger....
- rugby player - Tupele DorguTupele DorguTupele Dorgu is a British actress, best known for playing the role of Kelly Crabtree on the soap opera Coronation Street from 2004 to 2010....
(1977-) - Actress - Daniel Tatarsky (1964-) - Actor, Writer
- Zachary Langton