Proposal to expand Queen Mary’s Grammar School as part of the DfE’s Selective Schools Expansion Fund (SSEF) programme.
Queen Mary’s Grammar School is an academically selective school with an aim to support pupils to achieve their full academic potential. We value the life of the mind and want to pass on a love of learning. Through partnership between School, pupil and parents, we aim for the examination success that will open doors to the very best institutions and international employers. We are proposing to extend the opportunity for children from all backgrounds to benefit from a grammar school education by expanding our school.
The Department for Education is making this opportunity possible through its Selective Schools Expansion Fund (SSEF) and Mercian Trust intend to submit two separate bids for our two Walsall grammar schools. The intention is to offer more choice for parents and young people in Walsall and the surrounding areas and in particular to extend the opportunity for children eligible for pupil premium. Following change in our admissions policy for September 2018, there will be 20% of our intake with eligibility for pupil premium in Year 7. As part of these proposals we intend to offer a 10% discount against points required for entry to our sixth form for students previously eligible for pupil premium. (50 points’ score for the best 8 GCSE results for pupil premium compared with 54 for the remainder of the entry cohort).
In summary our proposals for the QMGS will be to:
Provide additional pupil places
It will apply to:
• Increase the Published Admission Number (PAN) for years 7-11 from 150 to 180
(This will provide 150 additional pupil places)
• Increase the size of the Sixth Form from 410 to 500
(This will provide an additional 90 places)
Provide the necessary accommodation
It will use funds secured to:
• Build additional classrooms and laboratories within the existing campus of the school
• Provide additional dining spaces
Widen Access
The School will ensure that additional places are available for disadvantaged pupils in the Borough of Walsall. It will use the bid to the SSEF to:
•Revise its Admissions Policy
•Engage in more outreach work to Walsall Primary Schools
•Provide additional familiarisation sessions for the entrance test
•Extend access to site facilities and teaching resources (including in shortage subjects such as MFL, Maths and Science)
Increase efficiency
It will use the opportunity to:
•Ensure that a full range of Post-16 A Level options remain financially viable
•Increase collaboration with Queen Mary’s High School
If you wish to make your views known as part of the consultation regarding these proposals for Queen Mary’s Grammar School, you can access our survey here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KG33TLC
If you are interested in hearing more about these proposals, we are planning open evenings at the school later in June/early July. Date and time of this event will be published on this website.