Boston Grammar School

The Boston Grammar School is an 11–18 boys selective grammar school and sixth form college located in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.

By October 2021, a total of 812 pupils attending the school, 201 of which were in the sixth form provision at the school.

A recent 2021 Ofsted report assessed the school overall as 'good'

History

Establishment

The school was founded by charter of Philip and Mary in 1555. The oldest sections of the school were built in 1567, formerly referred to as the "big school" and now used as the school library. South End Site became the model for Boston Latin School which was the first school in what was to become the United States of America. The school still retains the Latin motto 'Floreat Bostona' (May Boston Flourish). This motto also forms the title of the official school song, written by Dr G.E. Pattenden, headmaster from 1850 to 1887, which he referred to as 'my school hymn'. The song is still sung at official school occasions such as Prizegiving, Charter Day and Beastmart.

In the 1960s when under Holland County Council Education Committee, it was a voluntary controlled school with around 620 boys. The school had a CCF.

Sixth form

Girls are now admitted to the sixth form. There were 597 pupils on the roll as at April 2008, including 170 in the sixth form. The school has been awarded Technology College and sports specialist status. In December 2012, Boston Grammar School shut its doors for the final time as a selective school, run by the local authority. In January 2013, Boston Grammar School re-opened as a selective academy.

Academy status

On 1 January 2013, Boston Grammar School became a converter academy, under the leadership of the then headteacher, Paul Marsh. No changes were made to the school uniform and the school retained its existing name. This ended the federation between Boston Grammar School and Boston High School, with both schools now having an independent governing body, budget and establishment number.

Federation plans

In 2006, there were controversial plans by Lincolnshire County Council to federate Boston Grammar School with the local girls grammar school Boston High School, with effect from September 2011. In 2010 it was announced that due to the withdrawal of Building Schools for the Future funding by the new coalition government, that both schools would operate as two separate schools, still under a federation – on two sites – with one governing body. This arrangement ended when Boston Grammar School became an academy in 2013.)

Cyril Bland – cricketer
Brian Bolland – comics artist
Richard Budge – former head of RJB Mining, and his older brother Tony, founder of the A.F. Budge construction company
Joseph Langley Burchnall – mathematician
Danny Butterfield – footballer
Bernard Codd – professional motorcycle road racer
Bill Dunham – former Deputy Commandant General of the Royal Marines
Victor Emery – physicist
Simon Garner – footballer (Blackburn Rovers F.C.)
Arthur James Grant – historian
John Hallam – Canon of Windsor
Wyn Harness (1971–78) – former assistant editor, and a founder of The Independent
Michael Horne FRS, structural engineer
Carl Hudson – Musician (Keyboard player for Professor Green)
Richard Hurst – writer and director
John Leverett – former governor of Massachusetts (likely)
Rev Dr John Newton CBE – former president of the Methodist Conference, former President of The Wesley Historical Society
Ernest Stewart Roberts, Vice-Chancellor from 1906 to 1908 of the University of Cambridge
Ray Tinkler – football referee
Jonathan Van-Tam MBE (1976–82) – Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England
David Ward – former Lib Dem MP for Bradford East (2010–2015)
Oswald Wardell-Yerburgh – clergyman
Scott Williams – professional darts player

Notable staff

James Dyson, headmaster 1912–1919

References

External links

Boston Grammar School
Boston High School
Old Bostonian Association – including much historical information
Telegraph October 2008
Telegraph December 2006
Federation plan in July 2006