Penistone Grammar School

Penistone Grammar School (PGS[1]) is a co-educational secondary school, and former grammar school in Penistone, South Yorkshire, England.

Penistone Grammar School
North side view with the main entrance
Address
Huddersfield Road

Penistone
,
South Yorkshire
,
S36 7BX

England
Coordinates53.5327°N 1.6361°W / 53.5327; -1.6361
Information
TypeCommunity school
Motto"Never Stop Flying"
Established1392 (1392)
FounderJohn Clarel
Local authorityBarnsley
Department for Education URN106653 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherPaul Crook
GenderCo-educational
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1,785
Capacity1,826
Sixth form students113
Colour(s)Green, Light Blue, Cyan, Orange, Purple
Websitewww.penistone-gs.uk

Founded in 1392, it is the 45th oldest extant school in England with its most notable alumnus being Nicholas Saunderson, the probable inventor of Bayes theorem, in the 18th century.[2] The school has undergone many expansions, requiring the erection of several buildings, and now houses over 1,600 pupils from age 11 to 18.[3] Its current Ofsted overall rating is grade 2 ('good') following an inspection in November 2017.[4]

History

The school was founded as the Free Grammar School of Penistone in 1392, when it is recorded that a gift of land was made by John Clarel, Lord of the Manor at Penistone, for the purpose of a school. Later, the school was situated in the town centre on a site opposite St. John the Baptist Church and across the road from the old Cloth Hall. In 1443 the Free Grammar School of Penistone received further bequests and in 1547, after the dissolution of the chantries, the school continued as the free school for the children of Penistone. Following further endowments, the school was rebuilt in 1702 and enjoyed a considerable period of academic renown under a series of very able Masters. In 1892 the school withdrew from its town centre site to a position about half a mile north-west of the town centre. Around this time the school took fee-paying boarders, had a strong reputation for mathematics and science, and a tradition of sending students to the University of Cambridge. The school remains on this site.

The school was originally an all-boys grammar school, with girls being admitted for the first time in 1907. In the late 20th century the school ceased to be a grammar school, becoming one of the first neighbourhood comprehensive schools in the country. It became fully comprehensive in 1969, with partial selection (for more distant pupils) for a few years prior to that. The comprehensive school initially retained its Grammar school name and traditions such as the house system and speech night. These traditions were gradually scaled back, with uniform downgraded from blazers to sweaters during the 1990s. In 2011, the school restored its traditional house system and uniform, and entirely demolished and rebuilt its buildings in a modern style.

The school motto was traditionally "Disce Aut Discede" ("Learn or leave"), with the school colours being traditionally red and black. It used the coat of arms of the founder, John Clarel, which showed six martlets, as its logo. In 2003 the school changed its historic motto to "Learning and Achieving Together". It rebranded again in 2010 with the motto "Never Stop Flying", a reference to martlets having no legs so always being in flight, changing the logo and school ties to show a single stylised martlet in flight.

The school's history is described in a walkway to the building, with each road named after points in the school's history.

After the re-brand of 2010, the school began calling itself as Penistone Grammar School Advanced Learning Centre (PGS ALC); this was in-line with other schools in Barnsley at the time, though all dropped the suffix after becoming academies. Due to the school's Board of Governors not unanimously approving Barnsley Council's proposal to rename the school to 'Penistone Grammar Advanced Learning Centre', the school's legal name did not change.[5] Starting in September 2018, the school returned to referring to itself as Penistone Grammar School.

Present day

In September 2003 the school obtained specialist status to become a Business and Enterprise College. The school has also received an Artsmark Silver award[6] and was certified as an investor in people.

The £35 million 'state-of-the-art' school building opened on 2 May 2011, with a complete demolition of the old ones except for Fulford and Weirfield blocks. Fulford, erected in 1909, was ultimately demolished in early 2014 after much protest from past students and locals.

After taking over from headteacher of 5 years Glynis Gower in 2007, Joanne Higgins stood down in November 2017 with Paul Crook taking her place as principal. He was formerly a teacher of PE and a Vice-Principal.

The sixth form at Penistone currently has 224 students in attendance.[3] Penistone Grammar School is the only school in the Local Education Authority of Barnsley to have a sixth form alongside its secondary provision.

In 2017, Penistone Grammar School's then headteacher, Jo Higgins, came under fire for introducing a new 'Values Driven Expectations' behaviour management scheme, under which a student could be reprimanded for forgetting a pen or leaving their shirt untucked.[7]

After internal remodeling in 2018, work started on a £4.3 million two-storey extension in 2019, providing an additional 250 places at the school. The building was opened to students in September 2020, and is linked to the main school by a walkway through the science department.[8] The block is home to the Modern Foreign Languages department and several science classrooms.

As of 2022, Penistone Grammar School is the only secondary school in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley to not have academy status, remaining under the control of the Local Authority.

Academic Results

Secondary

PGS' secondary results are the best of any school in Barnsley, in terms of GCSE results. In 2018, 82% of students achieved a grade 4 (pass) or higher in both English and Mathematics, with 66% achieving a grade 5 (strong pass), or higher.[9] The 2018 Progress 8 score was 0.39 – above average, compared to the local authority's −0.15 average score.[10]

Post-16

PGS' results are among the best in Yorkshire at A-Levels. It is ranked in the top-50 state Sixth-Forms by the Department for Education, higher than several grammar schools.[11] The majority of grades secured are A*-B.[12]

The average result in 2019 was a B-, compared to a C in the LEA, and C+ across all state-funded schools in England.[13]

The school runs awards at their Post-16 centre at the end of Year 13.[14]

Penistone Grammar School Foundation

The Penistone Grammar School Foundation is a charity (number 529458) with the sole trustee of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (as PGS is a community school).[15] It was established in January 1957 (when PGS ceased being a grammar school), but registered in 1965,[16] and owns a row of terrace houses, land, and several buildings on the Penistone high street. It generates income for the school, through holding shares and renting out houses, and owns the school's building and current site. Its total assets, excluding the school and its land, are valued at £768,000 from houses and land, £177,591 in savings, and £213,077 in shares.[17]

Estates Owned (excl. school)
Estates, excluding main site, owned by PGS Foundation (2021).[17]
Property Valuation £ (by BMBC, 2018)
1A Church Street 90,000
3 Church Street 91,000
3A Church Street 105,000
5/7 Church Street 89,000
Outbuildings rear of 5/7 Church Street 2,250
6–10 St Mary's Street 215,000
12 St Mary's Street 118,500
Land at Fall Edge Lane, Ingbirchworth 31,250
Land at Old Anna's Lane, Penistone 26,000
768,000

List of headmasters
List of headmasters at Penistone Grammar School since 1392[18][19]
Years Name Education Notes
c.1392–1433 Rev. John Del Rodes Custos of Saint John's Chapel
c.1433–1450 Rev. John Smyth Chaplain
1450–1472 Rev. William Wordsworth Chantry Priest at St Mary's
1472–1477 Rev. William Walker Chantry Priest at St Mary's
1477–1534 Rev. William Addy Snr Chantry Priest at St Mary's
1534–1556 Rev. William Addy Jnr Chantry Priest at St Mary's
1556–1613 Mr John Hyde, MA (Cantab) St John's College, Cambridge
1613–1630 Mr Richard Hey Died 28 May 1630
1630–1632 Rev. Roger Audesley
1632–1644 Mr John Coatehill Died 8 May 1644
1644–1666 Rev. George Didsbury, BA Clare College, Cambridge Died 24 April 1666
1666–1668 Rev. John Revel, BA Christ's College, Cambridge Resigned
1668–1702 Mr Nathan Staniforth, MA (Cantab) Christ's College, Cambridge Died 24 November 1702
1702–1726 Mr John Ramsden Died 12 March 1726
1726–1751 Rev. Jonathan Perkin Christ's College, Cambridge Died 3 May 1751
1751–1776 Rev. Francis Haigh, BA Christ's College, Cambridge Died 15 November 1776
1776–1786 Rev. Joseph Horsfall Resigned
1786–1836 Mr Jonathan Wood Died 22 April 1836
1836–1855 Rev. Samuel Sunderland, BA Vicar of Penistone. Died 18 July 1855
1855–1867 Rev. John Wesley Aldom, MA Trinity College, Dublin Resigned
1867 Rev. Alfred Steane Appointed but never acted
1867 Mr George Curtis Price, BA Appointed but declined
1867–1868 Mr Walter Mooney Hatch, BA New College, Oxford Resigned after a few months
1868–1884 Mr Theophilus Jackson Resigned
1884–1885 Mr Othman Blakey Resigned
1885–1888 Mr Harry Hardy Resigned and became assistant 1888
1888–1892 Mr Lionel Ernest Adams, BA Resigned
1893–1921 Mr Joseph Woodward Fulford, MA
1921–1928 Mr Guy Wilfred Morris, MA Resigned
1928–1958 Mr Eric Fisher Bowman, CBE, MA
1958–1976 Mr Wilfrid Burgess Simms, MA
1976–1997 Mr Martin Antony (Tony) Bould, BA Credited with keeping the Sixth Form open.
1997–1999 Mr Andrew White
1999–2002 Mrs Pamela Caunt
2002–2007 Mrs Glynis Gower Retired
2007–2017 Ms Joanne Higgins, BA Resigned
2017– Mr Paul Crook, BEd

Notable Old Penistonians

References
  1. "Penistone Grammar School – PGS History". Penistone Pictorial. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  2. Stephen M. Stigler (1983), "Who Discovered Bayes' Theorem?" The American Statistician 37(4):290–296.
  3. Penistone Grammar School "Current Staff and Student Numbers FOI Request 2019", 14 October 2019
  4. enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk, Ofsted Communications Team (21 February 2022). "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  5. "PGS". www.penpictorial.co.uk. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  6. Archived 14 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Pupils 'terrified' of new Penistone school behaviour rules". BBC News. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  8. "School extension underway". Barnsley Chronicle. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  9. "Penistone Grammar School – GOV.UK". Find and compare schools in England. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  10. "Penistone Grammar School – GOV.UK". Find and compare schools in England. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  11. "All schools and colleges in England – GOV.UK". Find and compare schools in England. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  12. "Post-16 | Penistone Grammar School". Penistone Grammar. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  13. "Penistone Grammar School – GOV.UK". Find and compare schools in England. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  14. "Celebration event". Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  15. "PENISTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOUNDATION – Charity 529458". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  16. "PENISTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOUNDATION – Charity 529458". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  17. "ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. Dransfield, John N (1906). A History of the Parish of Penistone. James H. Wood (The Don Press).
  19. Bould, Martin Antony, ed. (1992). Six hundred glorious years 1392–1992.
  20. David Hey (2002). A History of Penistone and District. Wharncliffe books. p. 50. ISBN 1-903425-21-2.
  21. J J O'Connor and E F Robertson, Stefan Banach, MacTutor History of Mathematics (University of St Andrews, Scotland, April 2015)
  22. "Heather Armitage – Penistone Grammar School's Olympic Medallist". www.pgs-archive.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  23. Dyer, Christopher (25 February 2016). "David Hey obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  24. Jean Bacon, an oral history conducted in 2001 by Janet Abbate, IEEE History Center, Hoboken, NJ, USA.
  25. "England lady cricketer gives tips". Yorkshire Live. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  26. "Roberts: 'I've done it the long way round' – Barnsley News from the Barnsley Chronicle". Barnsley Chronicle. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  27. Thomson, Doug (13 May 2014). "Why John Stones' elevation to England's stand-by squad brings pride to Penistone". Huddersfield Examiner. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
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