Ark Alexandra Academy
The William Parker School, formerly known as Hastings Grammar School is a Secondary school in Hastings, East Sussex in the United Kingdom. It is now the only boys secondary school in East Sussex, and has achieved specialist Sports College status.
It takes boys from age 11 to age 16, and there is a separate Sixth form which is shared with Helenswood School, a local girls school.
| Image (school seal or photo) | |
| Headmaster | D Greenup |
| School type | Maintained |
| Religious affiliation | None |
| Founded | 1619 |
| Location | Hastings, East Sussex |
| Enrollment | Years 7 - 11 plus 6th Form |
| Faculty | - |
| Campus surroundings | Suburban |
| Sports teams | First XI in football and cricket |
| School colour(s) | - |
Campus
There are separate facilities in Parkstone Road (formerly Hastings Grammar School) and Park Avenue (formerly Hastings Secondary School).
Students
There are about 1000 boys aged 11 to 16, plus about 300 of both sexes in the shared sixth form.
Staff
Sports, Clubs, and Traditions
Apart from Football and Cricket, many other sports are played.
History
The Reverend Wiliam Parker left money in his will for a "religous and godly schoolmaster" to teach the boys of Hastings, and the foundation of the school is taken as 1619 from this event. The school was later merged with another school founded by James Saunders and had a varied history until it was reorganised under the 1870 Education Act as a grammar school with the title of Hastings Grammar School with Voluntary Aided status. It was housed in an imposing Victorian building in a prominent position overlooking Hastings.
In 1964 the school, having converted from Voluntary Aided to Voluntary Controlled moved to a new modern building further from the town centre. Later it was reorganised as a comprehensive school under the name of the William Parker School, and subsequently merged with Hastings Secondary School.
Noted Hastings Grammar School alumni
- Archibald Belaney (1888-1938), who emigrated to Canada, claimed to be half-Apache, and wrote a number of books under the name of Grey Owl.
Noted former teachers
- Tom Cookson (died 1993) husband of Catherine Cookson, popular novelist.
- Sion Jenkins, former deputy head. In 2004 he won an appeal against his conviction for murdering his foster-daughter in 1997 but may face a re-trial.
External links