Harrogate Grammar School

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources.
Find sources: "Harrogate Grammar School" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Academy in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England

Harrogate Grammar School

Address

Arthurs Avenue

Harrogate, North Yorkshire

HG2 9HU

England

Coordinates| 53°58′48″N 1°32′50″W﻿ / ﻿53.98010°N 1.5473°W﻿ / 53.98010; -1.5473
Information
Type| Academy
Motto| Arx Celebris Fontibus
Established| 1885
Department for Education URN| 136497 Tables
Ofsted| Reports
Headteacher| Neil Renton
Staff| 120
Age| 11 to 18
Enrolment| 2,021
Houses| Ventus, Terra, Ignis and Aqua
Sixth form| 460
Website| www.harrogategrammar.co.uk

Harrogate Grammar School is a co-educational academy school and sixth form in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It has around 1,900 pupils in the main school.[1] A 2022 Ofsted inspection rated the school as 'Outstanding' in all five areas of the Ofsted framework[2][3]

## History

[edit]

Harrogate Grammar School was founded in 1903 as the Municipal Secondary Day School of Harrogate. Its original premises were a collection of rented rooms in Haywra Crescent.[4] By the time the school became a Grammar School in 1931 the original roll of 44 pupils had grown to 530, and the school had outgrown its premises. Work began on the new grammar school in Arthurs Avenue and the staff and pupils transferred in 1933.

### Expansion

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The main 1933 building

During the Second World War, many evacuees came to Harrogate from the cities, and the school's roll went up to 900 pupils. To keep pace with these numbers, the school undertook various periods of building expansion, most notably the 1970s addition of a sports hall and gymnasium, as well as music, reflexology and technology facilities.

### Sixth Form

[edit]

The school has undergone a period of growth in its Sixth Form and now has around 540 students on roll. The increased provision for Sixth Form began in the 1980s when a dedicated Sixth Form block was added.

The sixth form was further extended in 2013 as The Sherwood Wing, named after Mrs Jan Sherwood, a former Sixth Form Director, for her contribution to the school.

The school was named in July 2019 as a computing hub for the National Centre for Computing Education.

### Specialist language status

[edit]

In 2002 Harrogate Grammar School was given Specialist Language Status. In 2006 the school was recognised as a successful specialist school and was invited to take on a second specialism in technology.

### Academy and National Teaching School status

[edit]

In 2011, following the government's plans to turn high performing comprehensive schools in the UK into academies, the school was granted academy status. The school operated an independent academy trust until the formation of the Red Kite Learning Trust (RKLT) in late 2015. The RKLT formed as a multi-academy trust (MAT) with partner schools, including nearby primary schools and Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley who had already been linked through the Red Kite Alliance (RKA), a group of schools through which teaching and learning development is shared.

The Learning Trust and Alliance is based at Harrogate Grammar School and they coordinate events, conferences, networking and School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) through Red Kite Teacher Training thanks to the status of Harrogate Grammar as a National Teaching School.

## Staff

[edit]

The current headteacher is Neil Renton who was appointed to the role in January 2019 to take over the post from former head Richard Sheriff in September 2019. Richard Sheriff had been head of the school since 2007, but is due to stay involved with the school closely in his role as CEO of the Red Kite Learning Trust of which Harrogate Grammar is a founding member.[5]

## Motto

[edit]

The school shares its motto with the town of Harrogate. "Arx Celebris Fontibus" translated from Latin as, "A citadel famous for its springs".[6]

The new Library and Learning Support Building completed in 2007

## House system

[edit]

The school operates a House system, introduced in the 1950s. It was later ended but reinstated in 2001. The current houses are: Ventus, Ignis, Terra and Aqua, representing the four classical elements.

## Bullying

[edit]

In 1999, North Yorkshire County Council paid £6000 in an out-of-court settlement, "with no admission of liability" to a former pupil who stated that Harrogate Grammar School persistently failed to protect him from bullying. In 1999, the pupil and his mother founded the charity Bullying Online, now Bullying UK.[7]

## Air Training Corps

[edit]

On 17 February 1939, No 58 (Harrogate) Squadron of the Air Defence Cadet Corps was established at the school by the Air League of the British Empire.[8] The squadron has since moved to separate premises and is no longer associated with the school. Pupils from the school are still active cadets within the squadron.[citation needed]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

See also: Category:People educated at Harrogate Grammar School

* Second Lieutenant Donald Bell VC, Army officer and professional footballer, awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on the Somme in 1916.[9]
* Andrew Brons, British National Party (BNP) MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber[10][11]
* Stuart Colman – Record producer who worked with Shakin Stevens [12]
* Jenny Duncalf – Professional squash player, having held Number 2 world ranking [13]
* Luke Garbutt – Current professional footballer for England national under-21 football team and Everton.[14]
* Richard Haley – Internationally recognised Nuclear Physicist, UK expert on "Criticality Incident Detection".[15]
* Andrew Scarborough – Professional actor who has appeared in The Bill, Heartbeat and most notably starred in Downton Abbey. He and Hugo Speer also from the grammar school, starred together in the BBC comedy drama Hearts and Bones
* Hugo Speer\- Professional actor who has appeared in The Bill, Heartbeat and most notably The Full Monty [16]
* Phil Swainston – England Youth International and professional Rugby Union player for Premiership team London Wasps and Harlequins [17]
* Martyn Wood – England international rugby union footballer.[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Harrogate Grammar School" Get Information about Schools. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
2. ^ "HGS rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted". Harrogate Grammar School. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
3. ^ enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk, Ofsted Communications Team (25 July 2022). "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
4. ^ "Harrogate Grammar School History". Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
5. ^ "Mr Neil Renton appointed as new Headteacher – Harrogate Grammar School". Harrogate Grammar School. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
6. ^ Pine, L. G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London [u.a.]: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 16. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
7. ^ "Education Bullying victim paid £6,000 by council". BBC News. 1 November 1999. Retrieved 3 February 2007.
8. ^ "58 (Harrogate) Squadron History". Archived from the original on 2 February 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2007.
9. ^ "Yorkshire footballer won VC for attack on German trench". Yorkshire Evening Post. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2019
10. ^ Campbell, Duncan (8 June 2009). "Andrew Brons: the genteel face of neo-fascism". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
11. ^ "MEP Andrew Brons to stand down at election". Harrogate Advertiser. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
12. ^ "Stuart Colman, musician and producer" The Yorkshire Post, 26 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
13. ^ "Squash News". The Northern Echo. 12 January 2001. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
14. ^ "Local success in gaining football honours". Harrogate Informer. 16 July 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
15. ^ "Safety Directors' Forum". nuclearinst.com. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
16. ^ "Sneak preview: The Year of the Rat", The Yorkshire Post, 11 March 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
17. ^ "Swainston Phil". Harlequins Rugby. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
18. ^ "Wood Martyn". Bath Rugby Heritage. Bath Rugby. Retrieved 2 January 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Schools in North Yorkshire*

Primary schools|

* Burnsall Primary School
* Scarcroft Primary School

Secondary schools|

* Acklam Grange School
* All Saints Catholic School
* Archbishop Holgate's School
* Barlby High School
* Bedale High School
* Boroughbridge High School
* Brayton Academy
* Caedmon College
* Eskdale School
* Filey School
* Freebrough Academy
* Fulford School
* George Pindar School
* Graham School
* Harrogate Grammar School
* Harrogate High School
* Holy Family RC High School
* Huntcliff School
* Huntington School
* Joseph Rowntree School
* King James's School
* The King's Academy
* Lady Lumley's School
* Laurence Jackson School
* Macmillan Academy
* Manor CE Academy
* Malton School
* Millthorpe School
* Nidderdale High School
* Northallerton School
* Norton College
* Nunthorpe Academy
* Outwood Academy Acklam
* Outwood Academy Bydales
* Outwood Academy Easingwold
* Outwood Academy Normanby
* Outwood Academy Ormesby
* Outwood Academy Redcar
* Outwood Academy Ripon
* Outwood Academy Riverside
* Richmond School
* Risedale School
* Rossett School
* Ryedale School
* Rye Hills Academy
* Sacred Heart RC Secondary
* St Aidan's CE High School
* St Augustine's RC School
* St Francis Xavier School
* St John Fisher RC High School
* St Peter's RC College
* Scalby School
* Scarborough University Technical College
* Selby High School
* Settle College
* Sherburn High School
* The Skipton Academy
* South Craven School
* Stokesley School
* Tadcaster Grammar School
* Thirsk School
* Trinity Catholic College
* Unity City Academy
* Upper Wharfedale School
* Vale of York Academy
* The Wensleydale School
* York High School

Grammar schools|

* Ermysted's Grammar School
* Ripon Grammar School
* Skipton Girls' High School

Independent schools|

* Ampleforth College
* Ashville College
* Aysgarth School
* Bootham School
* Fyling Hall School
* Giggleswick School
* Harrogate Ladies' College
* The Mount School
* Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate
* Queen Margaret's School
* Queen Mary's School
* Read School
* St Olave's School
* St Peter's 2-8
* St Peter's School
* Scarborough College

Special schools|

* Beverley School
* Breckenbrough School

FE & sixth form colleges|

* Askham Bryan College
* Craven College
* Harrogate College
* Middlesbrough College
* Northern School of Art
* Prior Pursglove College
* Redcar & Cleveland College
* Selby College
* Scarborough Sixth Form College
* Scarborough TEC
* York College

Defunct schools|

* Ashfield Secondary Modern School
* Bentham Grammar School
* Blue Coat School
* Grey Coat School
* Bramcote School
* Burnholme Community College
* Clifton House School
* Elmfield College
* Eston Park Academy
* Gillbrook Academy
* Great Ayton Friends' School
* Hall Garth Community Arts College
* Harrogate Tutorial College
* King's Manor School
* Knavesmire Secondary School
* Malsis School
* Menwith Hill School
* The Minster School
* New College, Harrogate
* Newlands School FCJ
* Norwood College
* Queen Anne Grammar School
* Raincliffe School
* Rathmell Academy
* St David's School
* St George's RC Secondary School
* St Martin's Ampleforth
* St Mary's College
* Scarborough Convent School
* Scorton Grammar School
* West End Preparatory School
* Woodleigh School

*including schools in Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough and York.

Authority control databases |

* ISNI

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template