Bradford Girls' Grammar School is a
free school for girls aged 5 – 16 and boys aged 5 – 11. Founded in 1875, the school is on the outskirts of
Bradford
Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
city centre in
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...
, England. Recent public examination results put the school top in Bradford and among the top three in Yorkshire. Bradford Girls has a debating society, which Barbara Castle attended when at the school.
Previously a
Direct Grant Grammar School
A direct grant grammar school was a type of selective secondary school in the United Kingdom that existed between 1945 and 1976. One quarter of the places in these schools were directly funded by central government, while the remainder attracted ...
, then a
private school
A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...
, it became a free school in 2013, and no longer charges for admission.
An outline history of the school, with photographs, is available on the BGGS website.
For many years, the school publication was known as ''The Chronicle''. The school celebrated its centenary in 1975.
Head teachers
*Miss Porter, Headmistress from 1875
*Miss Stocker
*Miss Roberts, 1894–1927
*Miss Hooke, 1927–1955
*Miss M.M. Black, 1955–1975
*Miss R.M. Gleave, 1975–1986
*Mrs L. Warrington, 1986–2009
*Mrs Kathryn Matthews, 2009–2020
*Mrs Clare Martin, 2020-2024
*Mrs Caroline Foster, 2024–current
[Caroline Foster new head at Bradford Girls’ Grammar School, Telegraph and Argus, 2 Sept 2024 https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24556399.caroline-foster-new-head-bradford-girls-grammar-school/ Retrieved 29 Sept 2024.]
Notable former pupils
*
Juliet Barker, British historian.
*
Linda Barker, English interior designer and television presenter.
*
Marion Bidder, British physiologist.
*
Barbara Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn (1910-2002), British Labour Party politician.
*
Thangam Debbonaire, British Labour Party politician.
*
Elizabeth Denby (1894–1965), English social housing expert and consultant.
*
Anne Dyer, first female bishop in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
*
Ruby Ferguson (1899–1966), née Rubie Constance Ashby, writer of popular fiction, including children's books.
*
Isabel Hilton, journalist.
*
Jennifer Ingleheart, Professor of Latin at
Durham University
Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...
.
*
Melanie Kilburn, English actress.
*
Natalia Kills, English singer-songwriter.
*
Julia Longbottom, diplomat.
*
Lizzie Mickery, British writer and former actress
*
Dorothy Miell, academic
*
Louisa Pesel, embroiderer, educator and textile collector.
*
Anita Rani
Anita Rani Nazran (born 25 October 1977), better known as Anita Rani, is a British radio and television presenter.
Early life
Rani was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and grew up in Heaton, West Yorkshire, Heaton and Odsal. Her parents were ...
, English radio and television presenter, and journalist.
*
Helene Reynard, Economist and college administrator.
*
Jo Shaw, legal scholar
*
Mary Tamm, Actress.
*
Anna Watts, astrophysicist.
References
{{Authority control
Schools in Bradford
Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association
*
Educational institutions established in 1875
1875 establishments in England
Secondary schools in the City of Bradford
Free schools in Yorkshire
Primary schools in the City of Bradford