Borden Grammar School

Borden Grammar School is a selective boys grammar school with academy status situated in the centre of Sittingbourne, Kent, England, which educates students aged 11–18. Whilst the school mainly admits boys, a small number girls have been educated at the school within the Sixth Form. The school holds specialist status in both Sports and Modern Foreign Languages. The school has a Latin motto, nitere porro which translates as "to strive forward".

History

The old Borden Grammar School now Sittingbourne Adult Education College

The school was originally built in Borden on College Road, funded with money from then local resident William Barrow, opening in October 1878. It later moved to its present site in Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne but retained its original name. The old school building is now an Adult Education Centre.^[1]

Houses

In common with many secondary schools in England, Borden had a house system from its earliest days; however this traditional system was ended by headmaster Stephen Wright in 2002. The original houses were 'Borden', 'Swale', 'Barrow' and 'School'. Aside from the references to the school's location and benefactor, the etymology of 'Swale' can be explained by reference to the local stretch of water, The Swale, which runs between Sittingbourne and the Isle of Sheppey and also lends its name to the local Borough Council.

A house system was reinstated at the start of the school year beginning September 2007. The house names are Lords, Wimbledon, Wembley and Twickenham, named after the homes of cricket, tennis, football and rugby in England.^[2]

Modern School

On 1 September 2006 the school was awarded Specialist status for Sports and Modern Foreign Languages. With this status and an associated increase in funding, the school has built many new facilities including a multi use games area (MUGA), a new library and a new private study area. In 2011 the school also received a sports bursary, with which it used to construct a climbing wall in the gym.^[3]

Borden became an academy in 2012, which changed the flexibility of the curriculum able to be taught at the school as well as increased funding.^[4]

The school, along with other Sittingbourne-based Secondary schools, Fulston Manor School and Highsted Grammar School for Girls, maintain a close community and share teaching responsibilities of specialised subject at A-Level, with Borden teaching Economics, Sociology and Psychology.

Borden Grammar School uses a mailing system to keep parents up to date, that is called ParentMail. ParentMail enables the school to send out letters and messages direct to parents by email. Over half of the parents have now signed up to this service and are receiving letters and other news via email.

Notable former pupils

• Francis Eustace Baker CBE, Governor of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha from 1984-8
• Geoff Beynon, Joint General Secretary from 1979-87 of the Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association (changed its name to the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in 1993)
• Frank Cassell CB, UK representative at the IMF from 1988–90
• Prof Trevor Dadson, Professor of Hispanic Studies since 2004 at Queen Mary, University of London, and from 1990-2004 at the University of Birmingham
• Admiral Sir Kenneth Eaton, GBE, KCB, Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom from 2001-7, and Third Sea Lord from 1989–94
• Sir Stanley Hooker CBE, aeronautical engineer who designed the early jet engines, culminating with the Rolls-Royce Pegasus
• Thomas Kent CBE, Managing Director in 1977 of the British Aircraft Corporation
• Kevin Keohane CBE, (first) Rector from 1976-8 of the Roehamptom Institute of Higher Education (now Roehampton University since 2006)
• Sir Peter Kitcatt KCB
• Air Vice-Marshal Ronald Knott CB DSO DFC* AFC*, Station Commander from 1959-61 of RAF Gütersloh
• Peter Millican, philosopher
• Noel Muddiman CBE, Chief Executive from 1995-2004 of Motability
• Prof John Shepherd, Emeritus Professor of Geography, Birkbeck College, University of London, Director, Defra Rural Evidence Research Centre 2004 - 2009, Member, Defra RDPE External Assurance and Risk Committee
• Sir Alfred Road CBE, Chief Inspector of Taxes from 1952-6
• Prof Patrick Sims-Williams, Professor of Celtic Studies since 1994 at Aberystwyth University, editor since 1981 of Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies
• Rob Smyth, sports journalist, noted for The Guardian's over-by-over cricket coverage, was highly commended at the 2009 Sports Journalists' Association Awards
• Sir Cecil Pembry Grey Wakeley,1st Baronet, KBE, CB, President of the Royal College of Surgeons^[5]
• Simon Honey, known as Ben Dover, pornographic actor and director.
• Roger Chapman - Professional Golfer
• Philip Goldacre, Actor. TV, Film, Theatre, West Emd, Royal National Theatre ^{[6] [7]}

References

1. ↑ Short, Bryan. "Borden Grammar School - the early years part 1". The Old Bordenian Association. Retrieved 26 August 2015. 
2. ↑ "House Information". Borden Grammar School. Retrieved 26 August 2015. Lords, Twickenham, Wembley and Wimbledon 
3. ↑ "About Us". Borden Grammar School. Retrieved 26 August 2015. 
4. ↑ "Borden Grammar School, Sittingbourne". Kent-Teach. Retrieved 26 August 2015. 
5. ↑ School Archive
6. ↑ https://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/9496-3499-0814
7. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325116/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

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