Calday Grange Grammar School (abbreviated to CGGS; also known as Calday, Calday Grange) is a non-denominational selective state-funded grammar school, founded in 1636, situated on Caldy Hill in the town of West Kirby on the Wirral peninsula, England. The school admits boys from age 11 to 18, and since 1985 girls for the sixth form only. The school has academy status, hosts the Wirral Able Children Centre, and has been awarded Sportsmark Gold and Investors in People status.
Video Calday Grange Grammar School
Geography
The school stands in a residential area of Wirral close to the Dee Estuary. The name derives from the old English "cauld eye," meaning "cold height." Pupils come primarily from Wirral, Deeside and Cheshire areas. The main site at the top of Caldy Hill is occupied by the school buildings, sports cages and field, with a larger field located over Grammar School Lane. A mile southeast of the main school buildings, along Column Road/Telegraph Road, Calday has the Glasspool Playing Fields including 3 rugby pitches, a cricket square and a sand-based artificial hockey field. The school is surrounded by good-quality suburban housing development and the protected heathlands and woods of Grange, Caldy and Thurstaston.
Maps Calday Grange Grammar School
School History and Status
Founded in 1636, Calday Grange Grammar School is Wirral's oldest surviving grammar school. It was established as a free grammar school on the present site by local landowner William Glegg. From when it started with 12 pupils, the school has grown and transformed into a dynamic establishment of over 1300 students - which includes over 400 male and female students in the Sixth Form.
Calday Grange Grammar School became a trust school on 1 January 2009, transferring ownership of the school land and buildings to a Charitable Trust called "The Calday Grange Trust". The Calday Grange Trust is a partnership between Calday Grange Grammar School, The University of Liverpool, Unilever Research and Development and Maestro Services Ltd. Calday Grange Grammar School was the first Wirral School to convert to Trust Status.
In September 2011, the school informed parents that "The School has received notification from Companies House that the Calday Grange Trust Company has been dissolved. This has been notified to the Governing Body who contacted Wirral Local Authority and indicated their wish to revert to the Foundation Schools Instrument of Government".
In July 2011, the process for converting to an Academy school was begun, and the school converted to academy status with effect from 1 January 2013. It was confirmed there would be no change to the title of the school.
Performance
The last OFSTED inspection was in 2010, Upon completion they reported that the school scored an overall effectiveness of Grade 2 - "Good", with a number of outstanding features.
The overall effectiveness of the sixth Form remained unchanged at Grade 2. The outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils remained at Grade 1 - "Outstanding", and the quality of teaching and effectiveness of leadership scored a Grade 2 - "Good" and the effectiveness of the governing body got given a Grade 3 - "Satisfactory".
In 2015 96% of the year group achieved 5 GCSE passes at grades A* to C with 96.2% gaining at 5 A* to C grades including English and Maths. Four students achieved the highest possible level of 10 or more A* grades.
In 2015 Calday School received the best A level results since 2010 with a pass rate of 99.2% at A*-E grades. With a big increase in A*-A grades at 34.5%, as well as 64% in students gaining A*-B. All students who had applied for university were successfully placed (the majority gaining their first choice), with an increasing number of students successfully embarking on degree level apprenticeships.
The Calday Association of Parents and Staff (CAPS)
The school has a very active group of parents involved in charity and fund-raising initiatives for the school and 2015 parents and staff set up (CAPS) the Calday Association of Parents and Staff (CAPS) is for Calday Schools parents, teachers and local community groups to raise money and to support the school.
All parents of Calday students are automatically members of CAPS, as are all of the teaching and support staff.
Their aim is promoting the school, creating positive links through enjoyable events and activities, and obviously, to raise funds to support and develop the school.
CAPS provides an opportunity for everyone to work together towards a common goal. All parents, teachers and school staff can be involved even if they only have a small amount of time available.
Extracurricular
Introduction
Calday have many extracurricular activities to offer. These activities complement the school's academic curriculum and to enhance the student's educational experience.
Sport
Calday Grange Grammar School has a history and tradition of sporting provision and sport plays a big part in the Calday experience with many active sporting teams and students competing in local, regional, national and international events. The school's hockey teams made it to the North England Hockey finals with the under 16s making it through to the national finals at the national hockey stadium in London
Combined Cadet Force
The school maintains a Combined Cadet Force. The combined Cadet force has been at Calday since 1916, when a unit of the Officers' Training Corps was first formed. It plays a big part in the Calday experience and teaches the students leadership skills, respect, personal discipline and technical knowledge.
There are three sections to the CCF:
Army
Royal Navy
Royal Air Force
2016 was the centenary of the CCF at Calday Grange Grammar School.
Duke of Edinburgh award
Calday offers the Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh award, helping the students to develop independence and employaility skills
To complete the award you must complete 4 sections:
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- Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community
- Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities
- Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests
- Expedition: planning, training for and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad At Gold level, you must do an additional Residential section, which involves working and staying away from home doing a shared activity
Arts, Music and Drama
The school put on many drama performances through the year including the most recent one "Great Britain". The school's Dramatic society are currently practising for their performance of The Jungle Book.
Other
There are also many other clubs and activities that students can get involved in, helping them develop talents and skills including the very active sixth-form-led Amnesty International group. The school has undergone many changes in recent years to unblock students' pathways to enjoyment by adding enrichment opportunities. There are also many volunteering opportunities in the school shop and to help support The "Refilwe" Community Project in South Africa which the school has been involved in for over 9 years. Students have also been involved with various independent entrepreneurial pursuits.
Houses
The school has three Houses named after past benefactors and headmasters. Members of each house are identified by different coloured stripes on the school tie from years 7 to 11.
- Bennett - Named after Thomas Bennett, House colour Blue.
- Glegg - Named after William Glegg, House colour Red.
- Hollowell - Named after Rev. William Hollowell, House colour Green.
There was a fourth house, named after Sir Alfred Paton, with yellow as its colour. It was taken out of the house system in the 1990s.
Notable former students
Headteachers
References
Sources
- Protheroe, M. J. (1976). A History of Calday Grange Grammar School, West Kirby, 1636-1976. West Kirby: The Parents' Association.
External links
- Official website
- Calday Alumni
- Official Facebook page
- Calday Grange Swimming Pool Trust
Source of article : Wikipedia
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