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King Edward VI School (commonly shortened to K.E.S.) is a boys grammar school and academy in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. However from September 2013 the school will allow up to 25% of the intake for year 12 to be girls. It is generally believed that William Shakespeare attended this school, leading to the label of "Shakespeare's School".

Administration

The school is currently led by the Headmaster, Mr. Bennet Carr MA FRGS, and the Head of Governors, Prof. Ronnie Mulryne MA PhD. The Head Boy is elected by the boys of the Lower Sixth and teachers. It is a voluntary aided school and funds certain aspects of the school from its own resources (Registered charity 528769, Limited Company registration 7696173).

Admissions

KES is a completely selective school: to enter the school, all students must pass a selective exam, primarily the eleven plus, which is taken in Year 6 (ages 10 and 11) across Warwickshire. KES is a brother school to Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls and in some subjects in the Sixth Form students can attend classes at either school.

School Council

There is a School Council, consisting of elected members from each year group, and a Sixth Form Committee. These provide a voice for the students in many different aspects of the school. There is also an ICT Steering Group to develop ICT use at the school.

Specialist status

In March 2006 the school was granted a specialist humanities college status, emphasizing on English, Drama and Classics.

Buildings

Given the age of the school it is not surprising to find a wide variety of architectural styles on the site ranging from the fifteenth-century Guildhall to the Denis Dyson science building opened in 2008. The historic part of the school is still used. The ground-floor of the Guildhall, where the town council of Shakespeare's time met and where travelling players performed - the holes for the rods to hold the temporary stage are still visible - was used as a library until February 2013.It is currently undergoing restoration work. On the first floor the old Council Chamber, known since Victorian times as "Big School", is the room in which William Shakespeare is believed to have been taught and is still used for teaching. The building known as Pedagogue's House across the courtyard currently houses the school office, the offices of the Headmaster, the two deputy headmasters and the School Archive. Pedagogue's House, first built in 1427 and believed to be the oldest half-timbered schoolroom in England, is attached to the Old Vicarage where the Headmaster lives. Adjacent to the school site is the Guild Chapel, founded by the medieval Guild of the Holy Cross and now owned by the Stratford-upon-Avon Town Trust. Today it is used by the school for morning service and various other school events, such as the annual carol service.

The other school buildings predominately date from the 1930s, for example, the SH block (Shakespeare Block). Many have been extended during the 1950s, 60s and 70s and he most recent part part of the school, built in 2008, is the Denis Dyson Building, a science block which has two chemistry, two biology and three information technology (ICT) rooms. The Levi Fox Hall, also built recently and named after a Chairman of the Governors, is primarily used for sport, assemblies, school plays, concerts and examinations. The Royal Shakespeare Company has used the space for a production of Julius Caesar.

Student life

Students take part in a variety of sporting and other competitions and events. The school has flourishing sporting, music and drama departments in addition to diverse interests such as the Warwickshire Mock Magistrates and Mock Bar court trials, Young Enterprise, Bank of England Target Two Point Zero Challenge, as well as other debating and public speaking competitions.

Sport

The school's rugby team is very successful and has had success in the Daily Mail Cup (Winners 1991, Semi Finalists in 1996, Quarter Finalists on two occasions and in 2008/09 Vase Semi Finalists) and also goes on annual international tours, most recently to South Africa in 2010. Students also take part in fencing, athletics, rowing, hockey, basketball, badminton, table tennis and volleyball. Fencing has recently re-emerged as a popular sport at the school, with wins from pupils at several major fencing tournaments, and at least six current members of the school having experienced international fencing competitions for Great Britain.

Music

The music department holds termly concerts and the King Eddie's Revival Big Band are frequently featured. The band has played at the prestigious 100 Club, Oxford Street, London. The school also puts on an annual play for example in 2005 the production was Unman, Wittering and Zigo, in 2006 Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, in 2007 an adaption of Simon Armitage's The Odyssey, and in 2008 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Since 2008, Edward's Boys have very successfully presented productions of early 16th century plays, written specifically for boy actors, and not performed for four hundred years. These have been performed in London, Oxford, Warwick and in Strafford.

See also

• List of Victoria Crosses by school
• Stratford School, in the London Borough of Newham, also previously known as Stratford Grammar School

References

1. "Professor Ronnie Mulryne". Retrieved 14 October 2011.
2. "The Science Block". Retrieved 14 October 2011.
3. "King Edward VI School history". {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "http://www.kes.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/School-Buildings.pdf" ignored (help)]
4. "The Levi Fox Hall". Retrieved 14 October 2011.
5. "KESST". Retrieved 14 October 2011.
6. "Shakespeare's Swords Fencing Club". Retrieved 27 February 2012.

http://www.kes.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Sixth-Form-Open-Evening-2012-Pack-FINAL.pdf

External links

• King Edward VI School - Stratford-upon-Avon
• Shakespeare's School - Stratford-upon-Avon The School's Historical Association.
• EduBase
• The School's Old Boys Association

• Grammar schools in Warwickshire
• Humanities Colleges in England
• Boys' schools in Warwickshire
• Educational institutions established in the 13th century
• 13th-century establishments in England
• Academies in Warwickshire