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The Boston Grammar School is a selective grammar school and
sixth form college A sixth form college is an educational institution, where students aged 16 to 19 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A Levels, Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) and the International Baccalaureate Di ...
for boys aged 11 to 18 and girls attending the sixth form aged 16–18 located in
Boston, Lincolnshire Boston is a market town and inland port in the borough of the same name in the county of Lincolnshire, England. Boston is north of London, north-east of Peterborough, east of Nottingham, south-east of Lincoln, south-southeast of Hull ...
, England. A recent 2021
Ofsted The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a Non-ministerial government department, non-ministerial department of Government of the United Kingdom, His Majesty's government, reporting to Parliament of the U ...
report assessed the school overall as 'good'


History

The school was founded by charter of
Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
and
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
in 1555. The oldest sections of the school were built in 1567, formerly referred to as the "big school" and is now used as the school library. South End Site became the model for
Boston Latin School The Boston Latin School is a public exam school in Boston, Massachusetts. It was established on April 23, 1635, making it both the oldest public school in the British America and the oldest existing school in the United States. Its curriculum f ...
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 1850–1887, 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 Holland County Council was the county council of Holland, one of the three Parts of Lincolnshire in eastern England. It came into its powers on 1 April 1889 and was abolished on 1 April 1974. The county council was based at County Hall, Boston. It ...
Education Committee, it was a
voluntary controlled school A voluntary controlled school (VC school) is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust (usually a Christian denomination) has some formal influence in the running of the school. Such schools have less autonomy than ...
with around 620 boys. The school had a
CCF CCF can refer to: Computing * Confidential Consortium Framework, a free and open source blockchain infrastructure framework developed by Microsoft * Customer Care Framework, a Microsoft product Finance * Credit conversion factor converts the a ...
. 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 In the United Kingdom, a Technology College is a specialist school that specialises in design and technology, mathematics and science. Beginning in 1994, they were the first specialist schools that were not CTC colleges. In 2008, there were 59 ...
and
Sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
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, Mr 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 Boston High School, also known as ''Boston High School for Girls'', is a selective grammar school and sixth form college for girls aged 11 to 18 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. The school's sixth form has been coeducational since 1992. A 201 ...
, 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 Boston High School, also known as ''Boston High School for Girls'', is a selective grammar school and sixth form college for girls aged 11 to 18 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. The school's sixth form has been coeducational since 1992. A 201 ...
, with effect from September 2011. In 2010 it was announced that due to the withdrawal of
Building Schools for the Future Building Schools for the Future (BSF) was the name given to the British government's investment programme in secondary school buildings in England in the 2000s. The programme was ambitious in its costs, timescales and objectives, with politicia ...
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.


Traditions


Houses

There are four houses in the school named after important figures in the school's history. Each is associated with a different colour which is reflected in PE shirts, and boys are assigned to a house when they join the school on an arbitrary basis in order to create different groups for school activities, including Sports Day. Laughton – (yellow), John Laughton left a bequest to the local bluecoats' school. On its closure this was subsequently given to the grammar school. Head of House: Miss Amanda Cook; Muston – (blue), Robert De Muston was the first schoolmaster of Boston in 1329. Head of House: Mr Alan Mountford; Gannock – (red), William Gannock was the Mayor of Boston at the time the school was built on its current site in 1567. Head of House: Miss Christine Abrams; Parry – (green), John Parry the Liberal MP for Boston who in 1875 gave a gold medal to the scholar of the year. This medal is still awarded to the student who attains the best A-level results each year. Head of House: Miss Louise Brown.


Beast Mart

Beast Mart is an annual half-day holiday, awarded to boys to commemorate the annual cattle market that took place traditionally in the school yard (the Beast Yard). The Beast Mart declaration takes place one day in December each year. The Council Chief Executive (in place of the historical Town Clerk) reads the declaration of the Beast Mart and the Mayor requests that the headmaster give the school a half-day holiday. The head of school then leads three cheers to the King and the Mayor calling "hip, hip, hip!"


Charter Day

A celebration of the granting of the school charter takes place annually at
St Botolph's Church, Boston St Botolph's Church is the Anglican parish church of Boston, Lincolnshire, England. It has been referred to as "Boston Stump" since it was constructed. Its tower is tall, and was long used as a landmark for sailors; on a clear day it can be se ...
, (known locally as Boston Stump). During this celebration the school song is traditionally sung.


Prizegiving

An annual prizegiving ceremony is held in December of each year. During this event a number of awards recognising achievement in academic disciplines, sport and other areas are awarded. Old boys are often in attendance, including the previous year's A-level students who return to receive their A-level certificates. The prestigious Parry Gold Medal is awarded to the student who achieved the best A-level results. A guest speaker is always invited, and notable guests of honour have included
Helen Sharman Helen Patricia Sharman, CMG, OBE, HonFRSC (born 30 May 1963) is a British chemist and cosmonaut who became the first British person, first Western European woman and first privately funded woman in space, as well as the first woman to visit ...
,
Barry Spikings Barry Spikings (born 23 November 1939) is a British film producer who worked in Hollywood. Spikings is best known as a producer of the film, ''The Deer Hunter'' (1978), which won five Academy Awards. Biography Spikings was born in Boston, Lincoln ...
and
Mark Simmonds Mark Jonathon Mortlock Simmonds (born 12 April 1964) is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Boston and Skegness in Lincolnshire, and was first elected in 2001, succeeding Sir Richar ...
MP.


Controversies


Reports of violence towards a student (2004)

On 17 December, 2004, it was reported that an act of violence was committed by a teacher towards a student. According to reports, Richard Anderson aggressively threw a bag at a 13-year-old pupil after asking them to leave the classroom. The bag hit the student in the back of the head and had to wear a neckbrace upon their return to school. On November 11, 2004, Richard Anderson was dismissed from the school, only to return in January 2005 following a sit-down protest organised by students of the school, which caused the premises to be shut down for two days.


Notable former pupils

*
George Bass George Bass (; 30 January 1771 – after 5 February 1803) was a British naval surgeon and explorer of Australia. Early years Bass was born on 30 January 1771 at Aswarby, a hamlet near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, the son of a tenant farmer, George ...
– surgeon and explorer (likely) *
Cyril Bland Cyril Herbert George Bland (23 May 1872 – 1 July 1950) was an English cricketer active from 1897 to 1904 who played for Sussex. He was born in Boston, Lincolnshire, where he was educated at Boston Grammar School, and died at Cowbridge, Bosto ...
– cricketer *
Brian Bolland Brian Bolland (; born 26 March 1951)Salisbury, Mark, ''Artists on Comic Art'' (Titan Books, 2000) , p. 11 is a British comics artist. Best known in the United Kingdom as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology '' 2 ...
– comics artist *
Richard Budge Richard John Budge (19 April 1947 – 18 July 2016) was a coal mining entrepreneur and chairman of The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisations. Early life He went to Boston Grammar School in Lincolnshire. He studied Fine Arts at the University ...
– former head of RJB Mining *
Joseph Langley Burchnall Professor Joseph Langley Burchnall (8 December 1892 – 29 April 1975) was an English mathematician who introduced the Burchnall–Chaundy theory. Life Burchnall was born in Whichford, Warwickshire, the son of Walter Henry Burchnall, a sch ...
– mathematician *
Danny Butterfield Daniel Paul Butterfield (born 21 November 1979) is an English former professional footballer and coach who is currently an assistant head coach at Lincoln City. Butterfield was born in Boston, Lincolnshire and played between 1997 and 2016 as ...
– footballer *
Bernard Codd Bernard David Codd (1934 – 29 July 2013) was an English professional motorcycle road racer. He was a double winner at the 1956 Isle of Man TT motorcycle race. Codd was born in 1934 in Boston, Lincolnshire and he attended Boston Grammar School ...
– professional motorcycle road racer *
John Cridland John Cridland, CBE (born 3 February 1961) is a British business executive. He was the tenth Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from January 2011 to November 2015. Education Cridland was educated at Boston Grammar Sc ...
– former Director General of the
Confederation of British Industry The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is a UK business organisation, which in total claims to speak for 190,000 businesses, this is made up of around 1,500 direct members and 188,500 non-members. The non members are represented through the 1 ...
(Retrieved 13 April 2021 from archive
Business Update - CBI Annual Conference 2015
''CBI''
*
Bill Dunham Brigadier Mark William Dunham (born 1961) is a retired Royal Marines officer who served as the Deputy Commandant General. He was born in Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a lo ...
– former Deputy Commandant General of the Royal Marines *
Victor Emery Victor John Emery (16 May 1934 – 18 July 2002) was a British specialist on superconductors and superfluidity. His model for the electronic structure of the copper-oxide planes is the starting point for many analyses of high-temperature superco ...
– physicist * George Edward Hale Enderby – anaesthetist, who developed Hypotensive anaesthesia using an Oscillotonometer to measure low
blood pressure Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...
Enderby, David (Retrieved 20 November 2012
George Edward Hale Enderby - Pioneer and architect of modern anaesthesia
''BMJ''
*
Simon Garner Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...
– footballer (
Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club, based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second tier of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...
) *
Arthur James Grant Arthur James Grant (21 June 1862 – 24 May 1948) was an English historian.'GRANT, Arthur James', ''Who Was Who'' Early life and education Born in Farlesthorpe, Lincolnshire, Grant was the son of Samuel Grant. He was educated at Boston Grammar S ...
– historian *
John Hallam John William Francis Hallam (28 October 1941 – 14 November 2006) was a British character actor, who frequently played hard men or military types. Early life John Hallam was born, the son of a superintendent at London Docklands, in 194 ...
– Canon of Windsor * Wyn Harness (1971–8) – former assistant editor, and a founder of ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' * Michael Horne FRS, structural engineer *
Carl Hudson Carl Hudson (born 22 October 1983 in Boston, Lincolnshire, England) is a British pianist and keyboardist who has performed with numerous acts including Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, Professor Green, Emeli Sande, Beth Rowley, Jocelyn Brown, Tina Arena ...
– Musician (Keyboard player for
Professor Green Stephen Paul Manderson (born 27 November 1983), better known by his stage name Professor Green or simply Pro Green, is an English rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, television personality and mental health activist from London. Growing up on ...
) *
Richard Hurst Richard Hurst is a British writer and director of comedy, theatre and television. Biography Born Richard Turner in Surrey, he attended Boston Grammar School and Oakham School before studying at St Hugh's College, Oxford, and training as a directo ...
– writer and director *
John Leverett John Leverett (baptized 7 July 1616 – 16 March 1678/79In the Julian calendar, then in use in England, the year began on 25 March. To avoid confusion with dates in the Gregorian calendar, then in use in other parts of Europe, dates between Ja ...
– former governor of
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
(likely) * Rev Dr John Newton CBE – former president of the
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
Conference, former President of The Wesley Historical Society *
T. William Olle T. William (Bill) Olle (born 1933 and died March 2019) was a British computer scientist and consultant and President of T. William Olle Associates, England. Biography Bill Olle was educated at Boston Grammar School (1943-1950). He received an M. ...
– computer scientist *
Simon Patrick Simon Patrick (8 September 1626 – 31 May 1707) was an English theologian and bishop. Life He was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, eldest son of Henry Patrick, a wealthy merchant, on 8 September 1626, and attended Boston Gramma ...
– Bishop of
Ely Ely or ELY may refer to: Places Ireland * Éile, a medieval kingdom commonly anglicised Ely * Ely Place, Dublin, a street United Kingdom * Ely, Cambridgeshire, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England ** Ely Cathedral Ely Cathedral, formal ...
from 1691–1707 *
Mike Pinner Michael John Pinner (born 16 February 1934) is an English former amateur footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Club career Born in Boston, Pinner spent his early career with Boston Grammar School, Wyberton Rangers, Notts County, Cambridge Univ ...
– footballer (
Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd), or simply United, is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. The club competes in the Premier League, ...
) *
Philip Priestley Philip John Priestley CBE FRSA (29 August 1946 – 24 September 2022) was a British diplomat. He was educated at Boston Grammar School and at the University of East Anglia (BA). He served as British Ambassador to Gabon from 1990–1991, and as ...
(1957–64) – former High Commissioner to Belize (2001–4) *
Oliver Ryan Oliver Paul "Ollie" Ryan (born 26 September 1985) is an English footballer. He played professionally with Lincoln City as a forward and currently is playing for Staveley Miners Welfare. Early career Ryan attended Kirton Primary School befor ...
– footballer (ex Lincoln City footballer) * Rt Rev Frank Pilkington Sargeant
Bishop at Lambeth The Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York is a position within the hierarchy of the Church of England. It is a non-diocesan appointment in which a bishop acts as head of staff or general assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to ...
from 1994-9 and
Bishop of Stockport The Bishop of Stockport is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Chester, in the Province of York, England. The title takes its name after the town of Stockport in Greater Manchester Greater Man ...
from 1984–94 *
Barry Spikings Barry Spikings (born 23 November 1939) is a British film producer who worked in Hollywood. Spikings is best known as a producer of the film, ''The Deer Hunter'' (1978), which won five Academy Awards. Biography Spikings was born in Boston, Lincoln ...
– Hollywood producer *
Ernest Stewart Roberts Ernest Stewart Roberts (11 April 1847 – 16 June 1912) was born in Swineshead, Lincolnshire; a classicist and academic administrator. He served as Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridg ...
, Vice-Chancellor from 1906-08 of the
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
* Ray Tinkler – football referee *
Jonathan Van-Tam Sir Jonathan Stafford Nguyen-Van-Tam (born 2 February 1964) is a British healthcare professional specialising in influenza, including its epidemiology, transmission, vaccinology, antiviral drugs and pandemic preparedness. After hospital wor ...
MBE (1976–82) – Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England * David Ward – former Lib Dem MP for Bradford East (2010–2015) * Oswald Wardell-Yerburgh – clergymanPeter Yerburgh
Vol. 134
yarbroughfamily.org, p. 33
* Scott Williams – professional darts player


Notable staff

*
James Dyson Sir James Dyson (born 2 May 1947) is a British inventor, industrial designer, farmer, and billionaire entrepreneur who founded Dyson Ltd. He is best known as the inventor of the dual cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, which works on the princip ...
, headmaster 1912–1919''
Alumni Cantabrigienses ''Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900'' is a biographical register of former members of the University of Cambridge whic ...
'', Part II, Vol. II (1944)
p. 369
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See also

*
List of the oldest schools in the world This is a list of extant schools, excluding universities and higher education establishments, that have been in continuous operation since founded. The dates refer to the foundation or the earliest documented contemporaneous reference to the sch ...


References


External links


Boston Grammar School

Boston High School

Old Bostonian Association
— including much historical information


News items






Federation plan in July 2006
{{authority control Educational institutions established in the 1550s Grammar schools in Lincolnshire 1555 establishments in England Boys' schools in Lincolnshire Schools in Boston, Lincolnshire Academies in Lincolnshire