St Bees School
 |
|
| Motto |
Latin: Ingredere ut proficias (Enter so that you may make progress) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1583 |
| Closed | 2015 |
| Type | Independent day and boarding |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Founder | Archbishop Edmund Grindal |
| Location |
St Bees Cumbria CA27 0DS England Coordinates: 54°29′40″N 3°35′33″W / 54.4944°N 3.5925°W |
| DfE number | 909/6003 |
| DfE URN | 112444 Tables |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 4–18 |
| Houses | Bega, Lonsdale, School, Grindal |
| Publication | "The Pacquet" |
| Former Pupils | Old St. Beghians |
| Website | www |
St. Bees School was a co-educational independent school located in the West Cumbrian village of St Bees. Founded in 1583 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal as a boys' "free grammar school", it was later a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and was coeducational from 1978. Before closure in 2015 the school accommodated both day pupils and boarders, who lived in five boarding houses located on the school grounds and in the village, although each day pupil was also a member of a house. The last headmaster was James Davies, from September 2012 to July 2015.
The school had a long and varied history, which was characterised by periods of prosperity interspersed with periods of difficulty. Although the school had a difficult start due to the Queen initially refusing to sign the letters patent establishing the school, it eventually began to grow, partially due to its ownership of the mineral rights to surrounding land. However, despite selling the mining rights for much less than they were worth and taking part in a resulting legal tussle which lasted for the latter half of the 18th century, the school expanded rapidly throughout the 19th century, building much of the campus as seen today. The school did, however, have to be rescued by former members of the school in 1938 due to a financial crisis caused by a sudden drop in pupil numbers.
The school formally closed to pupils in July 2015. Before closure approximately one third of the pupils were boarders, many from China and Eastern Europe. Although many boarders were members of the main school, the school had a dedicated "International Centre", where pupils were intensively tutored to improve their English to a level where they could join the main school, frequently entering the sixth form after having spent one year in the centre and passing an ESOL exam.
The board of trustees is, as of summer 2016, examining a range of educational models with the possibility of re-opening.
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