School Study Hastings St Leonards

[Richard]

A) Pre-school / Nursery
B) Primary
C) Secondary

State or Independent (Private)
Which schools are high on your list of what you think of as good schools ?
Many people think the State Comprehensives are a waste of time!!

Some Independents such as 'Claremont' (considered to be "Outstanding" by Ofsted) has its own system of Nursery and then Pre-Prep leading to Prep (Primary), then Senior (Secondary)
'Battle Abbey' is another Independent school of good repute

Primary schools are state funded but some are 'Faith Schools' and have a very high standard of education - especially the Catholic ones.
The State Comprehensive are the only ones within reach of most parents and if you think the State should be able to supply a good education (which it certainly should) then you have to do your own research, relying on whatever evidence you can gather.

[Richard]

does anyone remember when Hastings Grammar Schooll went Comprehensive ?
I know that 'Labour' decided to abolish the '11-Plus' system in the 1960's but it was a gradual change across the country and many state-run Grammar Schools still exist.

Or does anyone know who was the founder and any benefactors and if there were 'Houses' (sporting?) or similar system in place ?

[tony_crittenden]

Hello Richard.
I went to HGS on Nelson Road from 1951 - 1956/7. There were 'Houses' each indicated by a coloured band around the dreaded shool uniform caps. ( 1/2 hour detention if you were spotted going to or fro school without it !).
I was in Norman - light blue and incidentally the housemaster Tom Cookson was the husband of Catherine Cookson the author. The others were:
Saxon - red, Parker - yellow, Wykham - orange (?) Beckett - dark blue and Saunders - green.
Let me know if you want any more info,. There is a good 'old boys' website and also info on Friends Re-united etc.
Can I ask why you have an interest in the old HGS ?
Tony.

[tony_crittenden]

Hello Richard.
I went to HGS on Nelson Road from 1951 - 1956/7. There were 'Houses' each indicated by a coloured band around the dreaded shool uniform caps. ( 1/2 hour detention if you were spotted going to or fro school without it !).
I was in Norman - light blue and incidentally the housemaster Tom Cookson was the husband of Catherine Cookson the author. The others were:
Saxon - red, Parker - yellow, Wykham - orange (?) Beckett - dark blue and Saunders - green.
Let me know if you want any more info,. There is a good 'old boys' website and also info on Friends Re-united etc.
Can I ask why you have an interest in the old HGS ?
Tony.

[Richard]

Thanks Tony - HGS just seemed a good place to start and like others it may have been rebuilt or redeveloped in Victorian or more recent times but actually stretches back much further in time.
I like the history attached and what I can learn along the way.
Interestingly the tradition of putting pupils into a 'House' system, paying hommage to benefactors, was a common theme in Grammar schools as was the involvement of a religious body.

Primary and secondary schools can be of several types:

1. Voluntary aided
2. Voluntary controlled

HGS switched from 1. to 2. about 6 years prior to becoming Comprehensive although I believe boundary changes may have played a part in the process?