The Gryphon School
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Gryphon School is a
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...
secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
with academy status for 11 to 18-year-olds in
Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish includes the hamlets of Nether Coombe and Lower Clatcombe. T ...
,
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
, England. The school has been the largest member of the Academy Trust "Sherborne Area Schools' Trust" (SAST) since June 2017. Established in September 1992, student numbers have grown steadily from 850 to almost 1,600 . The
sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...
has around 400 students and teaches a variety of
A-levels The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...
. In September 2005, the school achieved Business and Enterprise Specialist School. - However the school no longer uses this as its title following the re-brand in 2013. The school includes the Main Gryphon Secondary School, The Gryphon Sixth Form and Little Gryphons Nursery.


History of The Gryphon School

The Gryphon School was created from an amalgamation of three schools: Lord Digby's Girls School (1743–1992), Foster's Grammar School for Boys (1640–1992) and St Aldhelm's Secondary Modern School (1959–1992). This merger is not forgotten, and many students come to understand how their school was formed through a miniature history lesson provided in physical education lessons. This miniature history lesson ties in with the school's sporting competitiveness, and the names of the three merged schools and the new school name "The Gryphon School" still exist as sporting
houses A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
. Students are assigned a house as to which they are a part of during inter-house events such as rugby, football and hockey in addition to the more known "sports day". The only remaining aspect of St Aldhelm’s School which stood on the school's site prior to 1992 is the now out of use swimming pool which remained open until the end of the 2005-06 educational year where students participated in an inter-house swimming gala as part of sports day. The rumour for closure of the pool created by students is of a rat infestation however this bears no resemblance to the true reason which is that of any outside swimming pool, very expensive to maintain. The Gryphon School now have used the Oxley Sports Centre swimming pool in the past, as a substitute for its closure. The main school building is modelled in a post-modern architectural style, of which pays homage to the local vernacular; it’s yellow bricks in fitting with the honey coloured stone of Sherborne and the surrounding area, as well as its red-tiled hipped roofs, and classic four-pane windows. The school converted to academy status in August 2012. In June 2017, the school joined the newly established multi-academy trust "Sherborne Area Schools' Trust".


Sherborne Area Schools' Trust (SAST)

As of 1 June 2017, the school became a founding member of the Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. This newly established multi-academy trust was formed to create a formal partnership between member schools: Buckland Newton CE Primary, St Andrews CE Primary (Yetminster), Sherborne Primary, Sherborne Abbey CE Primary, St Mary's CE Primary (Bradford Abbas), The Gryphon School and Thornford CE Primary. In 2019, King Arthur's Community School become a SAST member, becoming the second secondary school in The Trust. The trust is growing, with Charlton Horthorne Primary School being the latest school to join, in mid-2019. The Gryphon School is the largest member school of the Trust with 1560 in the school, and an over 3300 pupils in Trust combined, including The Gryphon School. Steven Hillier, the Headmaster of The Gryphon School until June 2017 was appointed Executive Head of the multi-academy trust. With Nicki Edwards becoming the Headmistress of The Gryphon School as of June 2017.


Years


Year 7

Year 7 students go on a variety of trips including a residential to Carey Camp. In previous years students have gone to
Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...
during Year Seven and Carey Camp in year 8 but as of 2008–09 Year Sevens go to Carey Camp.


Year 8

In Year Eight students take the same subjects as in the previous year but at the end of year seven are given the choice of two additional modern foreign languages:
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
or
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
. Students choose whether in year 9 they would like to do Design and Technology with a language or two languages, which may be
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
,
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
or
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
.


Year 9

During the Spring Term Year Nine students have a series of information assemblies and tasters for
GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...
subjects that they have not already studied in
Key Stage 3 Key Stage 3 (commonly abbreviated as KS3) is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14. In Northern Ireland the ...
( KS3), they then choose what courses they would like to sit for GCSE and can choose the extended or reduced core routes. The school suggests routes based on results of previous tests and exams. Extended core subjects include
English Language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
,
English Literature English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
, Science, Additional Science,
Maths Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
, Full Course RE, Citizenship (1/2 a GCSE, if students are on site on a Monday), and five additional options choices. Reduced Core subjects included English Language, Science, Mathematics, Short Course RE (1/2 a GCSE), ICT (OCR) Nationals, And 2 In school additional options choices, a vocational choice on a Monday and a separate one on a Tuesday or a vocational activity on both Monday and Tuesday. They also go on various international trips to aid their learning about the country's cultures.


Year 10

Year 10 is the start of GCSE where students begin to study the content they will be examined on during year 11. During year 10 students who took additional and core-science take they GCSE core science exams in Biology, Physics and Chemistry. For some subjects, coursework is completed in year 10 that contributes towards the end GCSE. However, from 2017, much of this coursework will no longer exist due to the new '100% exam' system brought in by the
Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
.


Year 11

Year 11 is the year where the full exams for the chosen GCSE subjects take place between May and June. Before then year 11 students spend the first part of the year learning content for exams and revising for exams. After May half-term year 11 students go on study leave. This means that they no longer attend normal school lessons, but can return for revision and return for the remaining exams. At the end of June, once all the exams are completed, year 11 officially don't attend the school. Many students go to the Gryphon Sixth Form, but many go to college or take on apprenticeships in the following September.


Exam results

1-A table showing the percentage of Gryphon School students who got 5 A*-C grades including English and Maths at GCSE level. From 2017 A*-C also equates to the new 9-4 grades
2-A table showing A* A and B grade results as a percentage of entries for Sixth Formers.


Sixth form college

The Gryphon School has a
sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...
college which consists of years 12 and 13. The sixth form students have the opportunity to take
GCE A-level The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational au ...
courses in a wide variety of subjects, along with a selection of Level-3 BTEC subjects. Students who are part of the sixth form are exempt from the uniform policies that years 7-11 are obliged to follow; and as a result do not have to wear uniform. The sixth form students make use of many perks such as a dedicated common room in the centre of the school, adjacent to the Gryphon Café and close to the Learning Resource Centre with its own Sixth Form only provision, notably an alternative mezzanine for Sixth Formers with computers. The introduction of a new 'Sixth Form Café' in 2017 allows students to purchase food that is not available to lower years due to the strict laws on food sold to under 16 year-olds. The general area of which the students attending the sixth form travel in from is larger than that of the rest of the school. Many of these students travel by bus, lift share, or drive themselves in once they can drive.


iGryphon (BYOD)

In 2015, the school started to implement the iGryphon strategy. This was aimed to integrate students' and teachers' personal devices into the classroom. The first idea was to suggest that students buy their own iPads and MacBooks; however, they subsequently chose to change it to a '
Bring your own device Bring your own device (BYOD )—also called bring your own technology (BYOT), bring your own phone (BYOP), and bring your own personal computer (BYOPC)—refers to being allowed to use one's personally owned device, rather than being required to u ...
' system; where students bring their already purchased devices in. When first announced the iGryphon strategy kick-started a lot of criticism, with parents claiming that it was unfair on students whose families couldn't afford the 'expensive devices'. This is one of the reasons that the school changed the original plan. Since then, the school has bought 100 iPads for students to use. Also, they have implemented "super fast" WiFi for the whole school to use. Plus the use of VLE systems and online homework. The iGryphon plan remains an ongoing project always open to improvement as technology progresses, but it has been so far a success; despite the initial plan's critics. The school currently has over 350 Windows PCs, 100
iMac iMac is a family of all-in-one Mac desktop computers designed and built by Apple Inc. It has been the primary part of Apple's consumer desktop offerings since its debut in August 1998, and has evolved through seven distinct forms. In it ...
s, 90
iPad The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...
s for student use within their lessons. Some IT rooms are accessible before and after school as well as in lunch and break times in order to complete homework and revision exercises.


Site Development and Expansion

Over recent years the school has been investing in the facilities in the school to make them better and more suited to the current student base of almost 1,600. Here is a list of the main projects the school has completed and what projects are planned for the near future on school facilities. * 2004 - AstroTurf added to sports centre. * 2004 - New outdoor geography classrooms added. * 2006 - Conference Centre and new reception built. * 2009 - Sixth form common room moved. * 2012 - Canteen expanded. * 2013-14 - Sports Centre refurbished. * 2013-14 - Pool removed. * 2014 - New two-story building with two classrooms and a lift built at the far-end of the school. * 2014 - 'The Pod' built to reduce canteen queues and sells quick takeaway food to all students. * 2015 - Inner 'quads' levelled and grass replaced with synthetic grass. * 2017 - New Sixth Form only café opened in the common room to reduce queue sizes for the main school café. It also is able to sell different products as it has fewer regulations set on sugar and fat contents. * Planned - New 10 classroom block to replace outdoor classrooms in History and Geography. The future plans for the school are to allow for the rapidly growing number of students in the school. They are also planned to replace the separate building that makes up the Geography and History department; which were only originally meant to be temporary buildings to house the growing number of students. As of 2016, the school is still trying to gain grants given by local authorities for the construction new building. The Astroturf is due for replacement and is planned to have a new surface layer in the near future.


Transport

The large catchment area of the school has meant that many people use the buses operating to and from the school as their main means of transport. In addition to this, the school has multiple car parks and does allow sixth-formers who can drive to park in the school carparks - though it can get very congested at busy times and finding a space can become difficult. Bike racks are available for those who travel by bike, and the school has good pavement links for walking into and from the rest of
Sherborne Sherborne is a market town and civil parish in north west Dorset, in South West England. It is sited on the River Yeo, on the edge of the Blackmore Vale, east of Yeovil. The parish includes the hamlets of Nether Coombe and Lower Clatcombe. T ...
. In 2019, a proposed
puffin crossing A puffin crossing (its name derived from the phrase "pedestrian user-friendly intelligent") is a type of pedestrian crossing in use in the United Kingdom. The design is distinct from the older pelican crossing in that the lights signalling to ...
on Bristol Road has been approved to be built which will make the walk into the centre of town much safer. Many students travel from far villages and towns or out of catchment; The Gryphon School caters private AM and PM bus services provided by local tour and coach hire operators (South West Tours, Bakers, Vale Coaches etc.). If a service is destined within
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
students are eligible for free transport as provided by Dorset County Council "School Transport" scheme. By school invitation, First Group, the local bus service operator was allocated a bay in the bus park and allowed access twice a day to offer students in both Sherborne and
Yeovil Yeovil ( ) is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the district of South Somerset, England. The population of Yeovil at the last census (2011) was 45,784. More recent estimates show a population of 48,564. It is close to Somer ...
a service into the school. As of Summer 2018, the main provider of both private- and council-funded buses into the school are operated by
South West Coaches South West Coaches is a privately owned bus company that operates services around Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire, in South West England. History Reggie Wake started bus services from South Barrow in February 1930. Business expanded during Worl ...
, following the surprise collapse of the
Nippy Bus Nippy Bus was a privately owned bus company operating services in Somerset, England. It operated local town services in Yeovil under contract to the Somerset County Council as well as rural services. Nippy Club was launched in 2010 utilising a co ...
company.


Sports centre

The Gryphon Sports Centre shares the same site as the school and used to be run by
West Dorset District Council West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...
, but in 2018 was taken over by the Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. The PE facilities are used by the sports centre in the evening and at weekends, including the
AstroTurf AstroTurf is an American subsidiary of SportGroup that produces artificial turf for playing surfaces in sports. The original AstroTurf product was a short-pile synthetic turf invented in 1965 by Monsanto. Since the early 2000s, AstroTurf has m ...
, multiple sport fields, hard courts, studio and
gym A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational ins ...
nasium. It is a busy facility and the largest in of its kind in the area, the centre has a main
sports hall The following is a list of indoor arenas. Africa Asia Europe North America Canada United States Oceania South America See also *Arena *Stadium *Sport venue *Lists of stadiums *List of buildings *List of music venu ...
, an
aerobics Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness (flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-vascular fitness). It ...
/
dance studio A dance studio is a space in which dancers learn or rehearse. The term is typically used to describe a space that has either been built or equipped for the purpose. Overview A dance studio normally includes a smooth floor covering or, if used fo ...
and a recently built fully air conditioned fitness suite. Outdoor facilities include six
tennis courts A tennis court is the venue where the sport of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the centre. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles matches. A variety of surfaces can be u ...
or five netball courts plus a
floodlit A floodlight is a broad-beamed, gas discharge lamp#High-intensity discharge lamps, high-intensity artificial light. They are often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is Night game, being held during low-li ...
astroturf AstroTurf is an American subsidiary of SportGroup that produces artificial turf for playing surfaces in sports. The original AstroTurf product was a short-pile synthetic turf invented in 1965 by Monsanto. Since the early 2000s, AstroTurf has m ...
pitch. In recent years the leisure centre has had some major work done to it to update and renew it. * The outdoor swimming pool was removed and turfed over due to cost and deterioration. Completed 2014. * The two squash courts were removed and replaced with a brand new Fitness Suite/Gym downstairs and a Sports Studies IT Room and Psychology classroom on the new upper floor. Completed 2014. * Foyer, viewing balcony and corridors repainted and re-carpeted. Completed 2014. * New automatic doors added to the front entrance to the sports centre. Completed 2015. * Sign removed from the building to make way for new windows in the fitness suite and classrooms. Completed 2014. * Sports hall floor sanded and repainted. Completed 2015. * New natural white-light lamps fitted in main sports hall. Completed 2015.


Controversies


Boris Johnson Graffiti

In January of 2020, an Instagram account posted a picture referencing the UK Prime Minister with the words "F*ck Boris" graffitied onto one of the school walls. Local MP
Chris Loder Christopher Lionel John Loder (born 5 September 1981) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who has been the MP for West Dorset (UK Parliament constituency), West Dorset since the 2019 United Kingdom general electio ...
contacted the school and teachers promptly took the account down. An anonymous parent of a gryphon student contacted freelance journalist website
Byline Times ''Byline Times'' is a British newspaper and website founded in October 2018 by Peter Jukes and Stephen Colegrave, who are also its executive editors. It is a development of Byline, a crowdfunding and media outlet platform founded in April 2015 ...
, who then claimed that "political surveillance" was used to help identify the owner of the account. However, Chris Loder believed that said claims were 'totally unfounded', merely stumbling across the account while browsing online. A spokesperson for The Gryphon reaffirms the schools political independency and ask that when students express their own political opinions and ideals, they "do not reference our school when doing so".


Notable alumni

*
Ollie Devoto Oliver Jonathan Devoto (born 22 September 1993) is an English rugby union player, who plays for Exeter Chiefs as a utility back primarily as a centre and fly-half. Early life Devoto was born in Yeovil, Somerset and grew up in Sherborne in Dors ...
– Exeter Chiefs and England rugby player * Ben Hardy – actor *
Tom James Thomas James MBE (born 11 March 1984) is a British rower, twice Olympic champion and victorious Cambridge Blue. In a British coxless four in 2012 he set a world's best time which still stood as of 2021. Background and early life James was bor ...
– Northampton Saints rugby player *
Chris Loder Christopher Lionel John Loder (born 5 September 1981) is a British Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician who has been the MP for West Dorset (UK Parliament constituency), West Dorset since the 2019 United Kingdom general electio ...
– MP for West Dorset


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gryphon School The Secondary schools in Dorset Church of England secondary schools in the Diocese of Salisbury Academies in Dorset Sherborne Educational institutions established in 1992 1992 establishments in England