Stockport Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Stockport Grammar School is a co-educational independent school
in Stockport
, England
, founded in 1487 by the 1482 Lord Mayor of London
Sir Edmund Shaa
.
The school motto is "Vincit qui patitur" – He who endures, conquers.
The current Headmaster of the Senior School is Mr Andrew H Chicken, B.A., M.Ed. The current Headmaster of the Junior School is Mr L Fairclough, and the Head of Sixth Form is Mrs J White.
, next to the site of the now demolished Davenport Theatre, a famous venue for many of the North West's top variety stars. The school has occupied this site since 1916. The school is the oldest in the north of England.
Since becoming co-educational in 1980 the school has developed and grown rapidly. Acquisition of the adjacent convent school site, that is now the English and Music block, allowed the enclosure of the playing fields and the creation of several football and rugby pitches.
In 1997 land was bought to extend the Junior School, and in 2001 a new sports and technology centre was built featuring a gymnasium and sports hall. Food Technology and Textiles Technology classrooms were also erected. The building further includes a Design Technology workshop featuring state-of-the-art equipment able to perform Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture.
In September 2005 a new library and learning centre was opened with more than 14,000 books, and also new physics labs and an information technology suite. A nursery was opened the following year.
(MUN) conference since March 2006. The conference, which has been known as MUNRB after its founder Rishi Banerjee, is now regarded as one of the top conferences in the Stockport area. Pupils have also attended MUN conferences in many locations, including Yale, Belfast, Paris, Genoa, Bath and Cambridge. The school has an active debating society. Many other activities take place, including Millennium Volunteers, Young Enterprise and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Scheme.
The school has also run a series of Expeditions to places such as Venezuela, Vietnam and Uganda. A month-long expedition to Namibia is taking place over the 2011 summer holiday.
Each year all four house compete for both the Fallow Shield (sporting success) and the Brown Cup (academic success).
Each of the houses often hold a number of charitable events such as the 'Vernon Show' and the 'Gig for Genesis'.
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 Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, 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...
, founded in 1487 by the 1482 Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
Sir Edmund Shaa
Edmund Shaa
Sir Edmund Shaa was a goldsmith, Sheriff of London in 1475 and Lord Mayor of London in 1482. Shaa lent money to Edward IV and, as mayor , was extensively involved in the coronation of Edward IV’s brother Richard III...
.
The school motto is "Vincit qui patitur" – He who endures, conquers.
The current Headmaster of the Senior School is Mr Andrew H Chicken, B.A., M.Ed. The current Headmaster of the Junior School is Mr L Fairclough, and the Head of Sixth Form is Mrs J White.
History
The initial site for the school was St Mary's Church in the town, where a select number of wealthy boys were taught to read and speak Latin. Since then the school has occupied various sites, its current site being a mile from the town centre on the A6 (Buxton Road) on the edge of DavenportDavenport, Greater Manchester
Davenport is a district of Stockport, Greater Manchester in the North West region of England.- History :Davenport's name arose from the building of Davenport railway station at the behest of the Davenport family who since the later 14th century had owned nearby Bramall Hall in the neighbouring...
, next to the site of the now demolished Davenport Theatre, a famous venue for many of the North West's top variety stars. The school has occupied this site since 1916. The school is the oldest in the north of England.
Since becoming co-educational in 1980 the school has developed and grown rapidly. Acquisition of the adjacent convent school site, that is now the English and Music block, allowed the enclosure of the playing fields and the creation of several football and rugby pitches.
In 1997 land was bought to extend the Junior School, and in 2001 a new sports and technology centre was built featuring a gymnasium and sports hall. Food Technology and Textiles Technology classrooms were also erected. The building further includes a Design Technology workshop featuring state-of-the-art equipment able to perform Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture.
In September 2005 a new library and learning centre was opened with more than 14,000 books, and also new physics labs and an information technology suite. A nursery was opened the following year.
Model United Nations
The school has hosted a biennial Model United NationsModel United Nations
Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
(MUN) conference since March 2006. The conference, which has been known as MUNRB after its founder Rishi Banerjee, is now regarded as one of the top conferences in the Stockport area. Pupils have also attended MUN conferences in many locations, including Yale, Belfast, Paris, Genoa, Bath and Cambridge. The school has an active debating society. Many other activities take place, including Millennium Volunteers, Young Enterprise and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged 14 to 24, regardless of personal ability....
Scheme.
The school has also run a series of Expeditions to places such as Venezuela, Vietnam and Uganda. A month-long expedition to Namibia is taking place over the 2011 summer holiday.
Houses
The School has four 'houses' – Arden, Nicholson, Vernon, and Warren – into which all pupils are divided for the purposes of competitive sport and quizzes.Each year all four house compete for both the Fallow Shield (sporting success) and the Brown Cup (academic success).
Each of the houses often hold a number of charitable events such as the 'Vernon Show' and the 'Gig for Genesis'.
Notable pupils
Former pupils of the school are known as Old Stopfordians.- John AmaechiJohn AmaechiJohn Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi OBE is a retired American-born British basketball player who currently works as a psychologist, educator and political activist in Europe and the United States....
, former NBA basketball star - Thomas AsheThomas Ashe (poet)Thomas Ashe was an English poet.He was born in Stockport, Cheshire in 1836. His father, John Ashe , originally a Manchester manufacturer and an amateur artist, resolved late in life to take holy orders, was prepared for ordination by his own son, and became vicar of St. Paul's at Crewe in 1869....
, 1836–1889, poet and poetry editor - Admiral George BackGeorge BackAdmiral Sir George Back FRS was a British naval officer, explorer of the Canadian Arctic , naturalist and artist.-Career:...
, Arctic explorer - Sir Victor BlankVictor BlankSir Maurice Victor Blank, FRCOG is a prominent British businessman.-Background:Born in 1942, he was educated at Stockport Grammar School and then studied Modern History at St. Catherine's College, Oxford....
, businessman - Peter BoardmanPeter BoardmanPeter Boardman was a British climber, Everest summiteer, and author of several mountaineering books.-Early life:...
mountaineer - Geoff DownesGeoff DownesGeoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
, rock musician - Marianne ElliottMarianne Elliott (director)Marianne Elliott is a British theatre director.-Early life:Marianne Elliott was born in 1966 in London, the daughter of Michael Elliott, the theatre director and co-founder of the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester and the actress Rosalind Knight. The family moved to Manchester when she was 8...
, theatre director - Gareth EvansGareth Evans (footballer born 1988)Gareth Evans is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for League Two side Rotherham United. He previously played in the Football League for Macclesfield Town.-Crewe Alexandra:...
, footballer - Rt Rev Peter James FirthPeter Firth (bishop)The Rt Rev Peter James Firth was the Suffragan Bishop of Malmesbury from 1983 until 1994. He was born on 12 July 1929 and educated at Stockport Grammar School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was ordained in 1955 and began his ecclesiastical career with a curacy at St Stephen's, Barbourne...
, the Suffragan Bishop of Malmesbury - Chris JonesChris Jones (rugby player)Christopher Michael Jones is an English rugby union footballer. He plays as a lock or flanker for The Worcester Warriors in the Aviva Premiership....
, rugby union player - Cecil KimberCecil KimberCecil Kimber was an automobile engineer, most famous for his role in being the driving force behind the MG car company.-Biography:He was born in London on 12 April 1888 to Henry Kimber, a printing engineer and his wife Fanny...
, Founder of MG Cars - Horace LambHorace LambSir Horace Lamb FRS was a British applied mathematician and author of several influential texts on classical physics, among them Hydrodynamics and Dynamical Theory of Sound...
, 1849–1934, Applied mathematician and technical author - Gordon MarsdenGordon MarsdenGordon Marsden is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Blackpool South since 1997.-Early life:...
, Labour MP - Paul MorleyPaul MorleyPaul Morley is an English journalist, who wrote for the New Musical Express from 1977 to 1983, during one of its most successful periods, and has since written for a wide range of publications...
, music journalist - Andy Stanford-ClarkAndy Stanford-ClarkDr. Andrew James Stanford-Clark FBCS, CITP is a British information technology research engineer, specialising in telemetry and publish/subscribe messaging. He leads a research team at IBM, and is an IBM Distinguished Engineer, Member of the IBM Academy of Technology, and IBM Master Inventor...
, Distinguished Engineer at IBM - Di StewartDi StewartDiana Dougherty is an English television presenter, best known as the presenter of Golf Night on Sky Sports....
, Sky Sports News presenter - Sir Frederic Calland WilliamsFrederic Calland WilliamsSir Frederic Calland Williams CBE, FRS , known as 'Freddie Williams', was an English engineer....
, computer pioneer
Notable heads
- 1979–1985 Hugh WrightHugh WrightHugh Raymond Wright is an English schoolmaster and educationalist who was chairman of the Headmasters' Conference for 1995–1996.-Early life:The son of the Rev...
, later head of Gresham'sGresham's SchoolGresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
and Chairman of the HMCHeadmasters' and Headmistresses' ConferenceThe Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland... - 1962–1979 Francis Willoughby Scott
- 1929–1941 Christopher Herman Gilkes Gained membership of HMC. Later head of Dulwich CollegeDulwich CollegeDulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
1941–1953 - –1928 A.E.Daniels
- c.1860 Rev. Charles Hamilton
- c.1790 Rev. Elkanah Hoyle First head to admit girl students (temporarily)