Derby Grammar School

Derby Grammar School
Motto Vita sine litteris mors
Latin Life without learning is death
Established 1160 (reformed 1995)
Type Independent
Religion Church of England
Headmaster Mr Richard Paine
Location Littleover, Derby
Derbyshire
DE23 4BX
England
Staff 45 (approx.)
Students 300 (approx.)
Gender Boys; Coeducational Sixth Form
Ages 7–18
Houses Atkinson, Bemrose, Blackton, Derby
Colours Green & navy blue
Chairman of Governors Sir Nigel Rudd FCA DL[1]
Visitors The Bishop of Derby, The Duke of Devonshire
Former pupils Old Derbeians
Website derbygrammar.co.uk

Derby Grammar School is a selective independent school in Littleover near the city of Derby, England. Refounded as a reincarnation of Derby School in 1995, it takes boys aged 7–18 and girls aged 16–18; it currently has around three hundred pupils. The Sixth Form has been co-educational since September 2007. Although only recently formed, Derby Grammar School aims to continue the ethos, tradition and spirit of Derby School.

The school is an affiliate member of the Woodard Corporation and is academically selective, admitting those within the top twenty-five percent of the ability range.

Premises

The school occupies Rykneld Hall, a Grade II listed 18th century country house at Littleover, built as a private residence in 1780 and used as a hospital through the later 20th Century. After conversion, the school was opened by Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in 1995.

Teaching buildings for Humanities, Sciences, Design and Technology, and Arts have been added to the site, along with the main school hall, which is linked with the old quadrangle and contains a stage and an organ, with an attached kitchen. The new block, called the Bagshaw Building, was opened by the Duke of Devonshire in the year 2000. A new cricket pavilion has also recently been built.

The woodland, mature trees, grassland, and water areas in the school's grounds are designated as Wildlife Site 38 and safeguarded in the City of Derby's Local Plan, Policy E4 (Nature Conservation). Such sites are "considered irreplaceable".[2]

New school playing fields, located a short distance away from the main site, were officially opened in September 2006 by the England and British and Irish Lions rugby player Sir Clive Woodward.[1]

Curriculum

The curriculum is built around teaching for GCSE, IGCSE and A-level with some subjects being studied through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Subjects taught include English, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Classics, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, History, Ancient History, English Literature, Geography, Religious Studies, Art, Music, Design Technology and Economics.

Sport

The main sports offered at the school are cricket, hockey, and rugby union, plus Athletics, rowing, cross-country, swimming, squash and badminton.

The 2007 Under-15 rugby team were county champions, and have won the county cup twice, as have the under 16s once. The 2007 under-16s were the first DGS team to win all their games, although the under-15s later did the same. In 2007, the under-16s reached the fourth round of the Daily Mail Cup, and over half of the team members also played for the First XV. The school's First XV [season '10/'11] were the school's first undefeated first team, with eight recorded victories throughout the season.

The school's rowing team also participates in the ball cup and the 2008 team ( D. Grant, O. Foulds, A. Hughes, R. Newbould and R. Proctor) came first in the men's coxed four.[3]

Extra-curricular

Activities include school dramatic productions, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, public speaking, World Challenge, debating, a School choir and orchestra, adventure training and the Arts Award examined by LAMDA. There are music and drama workshops, some being joint events with Derby High School for girls and the Hot House Music Schools youth music group.

The School supports various charities, including the Children in Need Appeal, and in 2012 raised £8,000.

The school has links with the Gedeli School in the Mwanza Region of Tanzania and sends Sixth Form students out every year to assist with teaching, maintenance of classrooms and other tasks.

School motto, arms and badge

The school's coat of arms, badge, and motto, are all based on those of the former Derby School. The motto, Vita Sine Litteris Mors (Life without learning is death), is that of the former school and is a quotation from Seneca's Epistulae morales ad Lucilium.

Old Derbeians

The term "Old Derbeians" originally meant only former pupils of Derby School, but the Old Derbeians Society is now open also to ex-pupils of the new school, who are called both New and Old Derbeians.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Old Derbeians Newsletter for September 2007 online at oldderbeians.org (accessed 28 February 2008)
  2. ↑ "City of Derby Local Plan Review – Adopted Plan. Ch 9 Environment". City of Derby Local Plan Review. Derby City Council. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  3. ↑ Rowing reward for Foulds' five – Sport – Burton Mail
  4. ↑ Main page of the Old Derbeian Society web site, accessed 27 February 2008

External links

Coordinates: 52°53′42″N 1°31′39″W / 52.89500°N 1.52750°W / 52.89500; -1.52750

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