Dr Challoner's Grammar School

Dr Challoner's Grammar School

Mottoes	Ad Astra Per Aspera (to the stars through difficulties) Excellence with Integrity
Established	1624
Type	Academy Grammar
Headteacher	Dr Mark Fenton
Chairman of Governors	Mrs Jane Penton-Hauchard
Founder	Dr Robert Chaloner
Specialisms	Science and Language College
Location	Chesham Road Amersham Buckinghamshire HP6 5HA England
Local authority	Buckinghamshire
DfE URN	110514
Ofsted	Reports
Staff	150
Students	1300
Gender	Boys
Ages	11–18
Houses	Foxell, Holman, Newman, Pearson, Rayner, Thorne
Colours	Blue, White, Yellow
Website	challoners.com

Coordinates: 51°40′34″N 0°36′35″W / 51.67622°N 0.60982°W / 51.67622; -0.60982

Dr Challoner's Grammar School, often abbreviated to DCGS, is an Academy Grammar School of approximately 1,300 boys located in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England.

It was founded in 1624 in accordance with the last will and testament of Dr Robert Chaloner (spelt with only one ‘l’). Chaloner was Rector of Amersham from 1576 to 1584, when he took up office as a Canon of Windsor, Berkshire, a post he held until his death in 1621.

History

In his will, Robert Chaloner left money to establish a grammar school in Amersham. The school was situated in Old Amersham for almost three centuries before moving, with the support of Buckinghamshire County Council, to its present buildings in Amersham-on-the Hill in 1905. At this time, the school embraced the principle of co-education for the first time which, according to the school’s first prospectus in 1906, was "practically universal in America". Each year the boys at Challoner's celebrate Founder's Day where they attend St Mary's church in Old Amersham where Robert Chaloner was rector.

By 1937, Challoner's was incorporated into the state system of education and by the early 1950s the school had about 350 boys and girls on roll. However, plans for expansion to 550 pupils were overtaken by rapid population growth in the area and the decision was made to establish a separate school for girls in Little Chalfont: Dr Challoner's High School, which opened in 1962. The two schools continue to maintain very close links, collaborating especially in music and drama productions, whilst the Dr. Challoner's Debating Society has staged numerous collaborative events.

The continued expansion of the Grammar School to its present size of over 1,200 boys saw major building projects in the 1950s, 1980s and 1990s, followed by the construction of a large astroturf pitch and improvements to the sports fields.

In 2002, Challoner's became one of the first Science Colleges in the United Kingdom. The school started a second specialism as a Language College in April 2007.

In 2005, the school celebrated the 100th anniversary of the move to the current (Chesham Road) site, also building the Centenary Sports Pitch. The current headmaster is Dr. Mark Fenton, who attended Peterhouse, Cambridge University as an undergraduate and Anglia Ruskin University (formerly known as Anglia Polytechnic) as a graduate student.

In that same year, a house system was founded, with each of the six houses named after a previous headmaster: Foxell, Holman, Newman, Pearson, Rayner and Thorne. At the end of each year, a sports day has been run; winning in 2005 was Rayner, in 2006 Pearson and in 2007, 2008, 2009 Holman, 2010 Thorne and in 2011 Holman. An earlier house system with four houses named for those listed in the original school song as "Buckinghamshire's four mighty men"- Challoner, Hampden, Milton and Penn - was abandoned in 1976. The chorus of that song appears below.

England of shires has a good two score
Each of them brags of her mighty men
Bucks she can boast of her famous four
Challoner, Hampden, Milton and Penn

The school was inspected by Ofsted on 12 November 2007. The report graded the school as "Outstanding" in every category.

The school also has a high number of students securing Oxbridge places, with 27 (14%) in 2010.^{[citation needed]}

On 1 September 2008, the school officially changed its status from a Voluntary Controlled school to a Foundation school, on the basis that "the additional autonomy which foundation status offers will enabled the school to provide an even better standard of education in the future".^[1] In January 2011 the school became an Academy.^[2]

Notable former pupils

See also: Category:People educated at Dr Challoner's Grammar School

Notable former students include:

• Peter Atkins - physical chemist and textbook author
• Steve Chandra Savale - guitarist with Asian Dub Foundation
• Chris Cleave - author
• Graham Fitch - concert pianist & master-teacher
• Roger Hammond – professional racing cyclist
• Greg Hands – Conservative MP for Chelsea & Fulham
• Dave Legeno – actor, Fenrir Greyback in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Margaret Mee – botanical artist^[3]
• Roger Moore – actor (attended Challoner's for a short time while an evacuee during World War II)
• John Mousinho - footballer for Stevenage F.C.
• Kenneth Page Oakley - anthropologist, son of Tom Page Oakley, Headmaster of DCGS
• Alexis Petridis - rock & pop critic
• Dominic Raab - Conservative MP for Esher & Walton
• Arthur Reynolds – missionary & author
• Abdul Waheed – (born Donald Stewart-Whyte), two years after leaving Challoner's, he was arrested in connection with the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot
• Rick Warden – actor

Further reading

• F. R. Treadgold, B.A (1973). Dr Challoner and his school. (Amersham). 
• F. R. Treadgold, B.A (1974). "Challoner's" 1624 - 1974: The story of Dr. Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham. The Leagrave Press Ltd, Luton. ISBN 0-85236-051-7. 

References

1. ^ "The Challoner: July 2008". Dr Challoner's Grammar School. http://www.challoners.com/documents/challoner/Challoners%204pp%20A4%20Newsletter%20LR.pdf. 
2. ^ "Open academies map and schools submitting applications". Department for Education. http://www.education.gov.uk/academies/a0069811/open-academies-map-and-schools-submitting-applications. Retrieved 23 May 2011. 
3. ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. 2004. 

External links

• Department for Education Performance Tables 2009 (GCSE and equivalent)
• Department for Education Performance Tables 2009 (Post-16)