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Sutton Grammar School for Boys
File:Sgscrest.jpg
Address
Map
Manor Lane

Sutton
,
Surrey SM1 4AS

England England
United Kingdom
Information
TypeSelective Grammar School
MottoKeep Faith / Floreat Suttona
Religious affiliation(s)Non-Denominational Christian
Established1899
Local authoritySutton
SpecialistScience (Operational)
OfstedReports
HeadmasterMr G D Ironside
GenderBoys
Age11 to 18
Enrollmentc. 820
Colour(s)Maroon and Black    
PublicationThe Suttonian
Websitehttp://www.suttongrammar.sutton.sch.uk

Sutton Grammar School for Boys is a selective boys' British Grammar School in Surrey, south-east England.

History

The school opened in 1899 with an intake of only 19 boys. It has always been an all boys school, selective in nature, and began life charging fees of £2 10s per term. The school has undergone several name changes; it used to be known as Sutton County Grammar School, and later Sutton Manor School (owing to its proximity with the old Sutton Manor).[1]

The first Headmaster of the school was Mr E H Hensley, who studied at Cambridge University, where he became a Wrangler, i.e. took a first class degree in Mathematics.[2]

The first Deputy Head (or Second Master) was Mr J W Horn, who read Classics at Cambridge University. Mr Horn's love of the Classics is to this day reflected in the school badge: the owl, emblematic of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Athena is also referred to in the School Song.[3]

The current Headmaster is Mr G D Ironside, who studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University. Gordon Ironside took over in 1990 from Nigel Green, who had a short-lived career at the school after taking over from Peter Collins. The current Deputy Headmaster is Guy Gibson, who is retiring at the end of the summer 2007 term.

The School

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Article published in the Sutton Comet (2003)

Sutton Grammar School was recently ranked as the best school in the country for physics in the Good Schools Guide 2005.[4] The school operates a prefect system with a Head Boy, Deputy Head Boys, Senior Prefects and prefects chosen yearly. Oxbridge regularly admits 10 or more students from the school and a further 5 or more students are admitted to study medicine, dentistry and veterinary sciences per year.[5]

The school admits students from the ages of 11 to 18, or Years 7 through 13 (Upper Sixth) in the English Academic system. There are 120 pupils in each year for the main school (Years 7-11) and slightly less for the Sixth Form, varying year on year depending on how many pupils leave.

Entry requirements for the Sixth Form are a minimum of 4 'A' grades and 2 'B' grades at GCSE. Some subjects have specialist requirements in addition to this. Pupils who wish to join the Sixth Form from other schools are required to achieve higher grades and to pass an admissions interview.

Headmasters and Second Masters

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Current Headmaster, Gordon Ironside
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Headmasters

  • 1899-1925 E H Hensley
  • 1925-56 J A Cockshutt
  • 1956-76 F A Walch
  • 1976-84 A P W Collins
  • 1985-90 N P O Green
  • 1990-present G D Ironside

Deputies

  • 1899-1934 J W Horn
  • 1934-50 H Morris
  • 1950-66 A M Lorimer
  • 1966-77 G Scott
  • 1977-89 R G Disley

(2 Deputies, 1987-90)

  • 1987-89 G D Ironside (2nd)
  • 1989-90 G D Ironside (1st)
  • 1990 G Gibson (2nd)
  • 1990-2007 G Gibson

Sport

File:Suttonspartans.jpg
Sutton Spartans U18s at the Surrey Cup Final 2007

Sutton Grammar School currently has a wide variety of sports teams, but places a strong emphasis on cricket, soccer and basketball. The school fields two teams in each year group from Years 7 to 10, and from Year 11 to Sixth Form, 3 teams of combined ages play weekly.

The current school basketball team, the self-titled 'Sutton Spartans', is coached by Colin Leonard and is vying for the National Schools Title as well as competing in the Surrey Men's League.

Sports such as cross country, football and rugby take place at the extensive grounds at Northey Avenue (reached by the school coach). The school has recently re-introduced a rugby team with a new strip, who play regular matches throughout the year.

Houses

Sutton Grammar School operates a competitive house system. There are four houses: Blue, Brown, Green and Red. When they first join the school in Year 7, students are split into the four houses, which become their classes for their time at school (up until sixth form). Each house has a form tutor. The houses are highly competitive, and a number of events and competitions take place whereby they compete against one another. These competitions include:

  • House Art
  • House Athletics (better known as Sports Day)
  • House Badminton
  • House Basketball
  • House Cricket
  • House Cross Country
  • House Drama
  • House Football
  • House Gymnastics
  • House Music
  • House Swimming

In addition to these house events, House Points are individually awarded to pupils for their academic achievements. These points and the contributions to house competitions collectively provide points towards the House Shield. The most recent house to win the House Shield was Brown, at the end of the 2006/07 academic year.

The Buildings

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View of the main school building and yard
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The school was founded in 1899 on a different site (between Throwley Way and the High Street - the area now occupied by a tower block behind the Wilkinson store).

The school is now located in central Sutton, just off the main High Street. It has large sports grounds in Northey Avenue, Cheam, and acquired a new sports hall in 2005. The present site was opened in 1928. There has been extensive recent building work, with the Humanities Block, Library, Design Technology Workshop, Music Room (with soundproofed practice facilities) and Sports Hall (opened in July 2005 by Sir Bobby Robson) being some of the more notable projects.

There are five buildings that make up the teaching part of the school:

  • The main school: the original building that includes the hall and the recently reconstructed drama studio (which used to be the gymnasium), as well as the multiple science laboratories, English and maths rooms. This is the oldest building, which has Victorian paneled windows and swing-back doors.
  • The Humanities block: built in 1997 and containing a large IT classroom and is where History, Geography, Religious Education as well as some Art is taught.
  • The Sports Hall: recently constructed, with Modern Foreign Language classrooms occupying its 1st floor. Opened at a special party day in 2006 by Sir Bobby Robson, who had helped fund part of the hall.
  • The Music and Design Technology block: contains the music classroom, music practice rooms, two DT rooms (one which serves Electronics lessons and contains an IT suite, the other which is for Graphics lessons, and contains a practical workshop with heavy machinery, as well as a design suite).
  • The canteen: recently completed in 2006.

In addition, Sutton Grammar School has a large library building, containing fiction, non-fiction and reference books. The library has a full time adult librarian on duty. There are several computers in the library on which students may complete homework and coursework.

The school also features a heated outdoor swimming pool, which is accessible via the main building.

There have been many recent developments in terms of the buildings at the school. The Music/DT block, and the Humanities block were both constructed on or around the year 2000. The library also dates from a similar time. The old canteen was demolished to make way for the new Sports Hall and language classrooms, with the new canteen being built on the opposite side of the yard in 2005/6.

Combined Cadet Force

Sutton Grammar School boasts one of the most highly respected training programmes of all cadet forces in the country.[6] It was raised in early 1915 and officially recognised by the War Office in June 1915.[7] Over the years boys from the school’s CCF have both served and fought for their country in successive campaigns and wars.[8]

In recent years, the Cadet Force has established itself as a worthwhile and modern after-school activity for Sutton Grammar School pupils with the introduction of more external activities, as well as the traditional military programmes. However, the tradition of a number cadets joining up for regular service continues. The expansion of the CCF continues, with both new members and the recent involvement of Nonsuch High School for Girls in the Army section (sponsored by the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry) - but not yet in the RAF section which maintains all male membership.

The Officer Team of the CCF is headed by Squadron Leader Hobbs, an ex-Head Cadet and ex-Head Boy. The CCF continues under the leadership of this Officer Team and an annually appointed Cadet Corporal Major (Army Section) and Cadet Warrant Officer (RAF Section) from the ranks of the Sixth form cadets. Ex-cadets are able to stay in contact with each other via the Old Suttonians Cadet Association (OSCA), which is affiliated to the Old Suttonians Association (OSA).

Cadet camps are considered the highlight of the Cadet year, with the practical application of the skills acquired from parade evenings.

The Old Suttonians Association

The Old Suttonians Association (OSA) is the membership group for Old Boys of the school, and it regularly fields sports teams and holds reunion events. 2006 saw the one-hundredth anniversary of the Old Suttonians Football Club, which was formed three years before the OSA. The OSA itself is set to celebrate its centenary in 2009.

Notable Alumni

Further Reading

  • Heater, Derek. Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School. Ian Allan Printing Ltd.
  • Jones, Arthur Edward (1975). A Small School in the Great War: The Story of Sutton County School and Its Old Boys in World War I. ISBN 0950293318.

References

  1. ^ Heater, D: "Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School", p12
  2. ^ Heater, D: "Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School", p13
  3. ^ Heater, D: "Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School", p12
  4. ^ The London Borough of Sutton: Press release, 30th June 2005
  5. ^ Sutton Grammar School: Vacancies information pack
  6. ^ Heater, D: "Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School", p178
  7. ^ Heater, D: "Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School", p30-31
  8. ^ Heater, D: "Keeping Faith: A History of Sutton Grammar School", p29 & p70
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