History of Schooling



We are grateful to Derek Gillard for the carefully researched information which he has provided and which is available on his website for those wishing for a more in-depth article than our own. Here is Derek's site.

Can you improve this page?

Is there anything important that you think we have missed? Do you have useful photographs or other material? Have you a worksheet you could share? Please write to us on the contact page.

List of Early Grammar Schools


Schools that have closed

  • Derby School (1160, Royal charter 1554) – closed in 1989
  • Hull Grammar School (c.1330, endowed 1479) – closed in 2005
  • Cirencester Grammar School (1461) – closed in 1966
  • Taunton Grammar School (1522) – closed in 1870
  • Mercers' School (1545) - closed in 1959
  • Douai School (1615) – closed in 1999
  • Midhurst Grammar School (1672) – closed in 2008

Schools that are still operational

The bold date on each line is the foundation (or when it is believed to have been founded)

  • 597
    The King's School, Canterbury (abbey founded 597, Royal charter 1541)
  • 604
    The King's School, Rochester (Royal charter 1541)
  • 627
    The Minster School, York
  • 627
    St Peter's School, York
  • 631
    Thetford Grammar School (mentioned 1114, refounded 1566)
  • 676
    Hereford Cathedral School (mentioned 1384)
  • 685
    Royal Grammar School Worcester (first conclusive evidence 1291, Royal charter 1561)
  • 700
    Beverley Grammar School (c.700)
  • 900
    The Pilgrims' School (c.900)
  • 90?
    Warwick School (10th century, refounded 1545)
  • 909
    Wells Cathedral School (909)
  • 948
    St Albans School (c.948, refounded 1549)
  • 970
    The King's School, Ely
  • 1091
    Salisbury Cathedral School (1091)
  • 1096
    Norwich School (1096, refounded 1547)
  • 1125
    Reading School (abbey founded 1125, refounded 1486, Royal charter 1541)
  • 1140
    Bristol Cathedral School (abbey founded 1140, refounded 1542)
  • 1179
    Westminster School (1179, Royal charter 1540)
  • 1206
    Colchester Royal Grammar School (1206, Royal charter 1585)
  • 1235
    Lancaster Royal Grammar School (1235)
  • 1256
    Abingdon School (endowed 1256 (possibly as old as 1100), refounded 1563)
  • 1276
    King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth (earliest reference 1276, refounded 1551)
  • 1299
    Ipswich School (1299, refounded 1528)
  • 1309
    Stamford School (1309, re-endowed 1532)
  • 1323
    Northallerton College
  • 1326
    Hanley Castle High School
  • 1329
    The King's School, Grantham (refounded 1528)
  • 1330
    Bourne Grammar School (earliest record of existence 1330, endowed 1636)
  • 1335
    The King's School, Ottery St Mary (refounded 1545)
  • 1344
    Bablake School
  • 1350
    Doncaster Grammar School / Hall Cross School (first record of existence 1350)
  • 1379
    New College School
  • 1379
    Wisbech Grammar School
  • 1382
    Winchester College
  • 1384
    Katharine Lady Berkeley's School
  • 1392
    Penistone Grammar School
  • 1407
    Oswestry School
  • 1414
    Durham School (refounded 1541)
  • 1416
    Chorister School
  • 1423
    Royal Latin School (first mention 1423, Royal charter 1548)
  • 1430
    Sponne School (chantry founded 1430)
  • 1432
    Sevenoaks School
  • 1440
    Chipping Campden School (c1440)
  • 1441
    Eton College
  • 1442
    City of London School
  • 1446
    St Dunstan's College (earlier than 1446)
  • 1451
    Hartismere School
  • 1466
    St. Bartholomew's School, Newbury
  • 1476
    Bromsgrove School (record of a chantry school 1476, re-founded 1553)
  • 1480
    Magdalen College School, Oxford
  • 1487
    Stockport Grammar School
  • 1492
    Ermysted's Grammar School (record of a chantry school 1492, re-founded 1548)
  • 1495
    King Edward VI School, Lichfield
  • 1495
    Loughborough Grammar School
  • 1497
    The Prebendal School
  • 1497
    Queen Elizabeth's School, Wimborne Minster
  • 1499
    Giggleswick School (Royal charter 1553)
  • 1502
    The King's School in Macclesfield
  • 1503
    Bridgnorth Endowed School
  • 1509
    St Paul's School (London)
  • 1509
    Royal Grammar School, Guildford
  • 1509
    Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn
  • 1512
    Wolverhampton Grammar School
  • 1512
    Lewes Old Grammar School Lewes, East Sussex
  • 1513
    Nottingham High School
  • 1514
    Pocklington School
  • 1515
    Manchester Grammar School
  • 1516
    Gillingham School
  • 1516
    Bolton School
  • 1518
    Cranbrook School, Kent
  • 1519
    King's School, Bruton
  • 1520
    Coleshill School
  • 1525
    Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
  • 1525
    Sedbergh School
  • 1527
    Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
  • 1529
    Bingley Grammar School
  • 1532
    Bristol Grammar School
  • 1532
    Stamford School
  • 1532
    The College of Richard Collyer
  • 1536
    Coopers' Company and Coborn School
  • 1539
    The Crypt School, Gloucester
  • 1541
    Berkhamsted Collegiate School
  • 1541
    The King's School, Chester
  • 1541
    The King's School, Gloucester (Dates from 11th century)
  • 1541
    The King's School, Peterborough
  • 1541
    The King's School, Worcester
  • 1541
    Northampton Grammar School – later renamed to Northampton School for Boys
  • 1542
    Dauntsey's School
  • 1545
    King Henry VIII School, Coventry
  • 1546
    Archbishop Holgate's School, York
  • 1546
    Colyton Grammar School
  • 1548
    Bradford Grammar School
  • 1549
    Maidstone Grammar School
  • 1549
    Kirkham Grammar School
  • 1550
    King Edward Grammar School, Bury St. Edmunds
  • 1550
    Sherborne School (possibly early 8th century)
  • 1551
    King Edward VI Grammar School (Chelmsford)
  • 1551
    King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth (possibly 1276)
  • 1552
    Bedford School (earliest record 1085)
  • 1552
    King Edward's School, Bath
  • 1552
    King Edward's School, Birmingham
  • 1552
    King Edward VI Grammar School, Stourbridge (formerly chantry school 1430) (became Sixth Form College 1992)
  • 1552
    King Edward VI School, Morpeth) (formerly chantry school, established in 14th century, abolished in 1547)
  • 1552
    Leeds Grammar School
  • 1552
    Shrewsbury School
  • 1552
    Hutton Grammar School
  • 1553
    Christ's Hospital
  • 1553
    King Edward's School, Witley
  • 1553
    King Edward VI School, Southampton
  • 1553
    King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon
  • 1553
    Tonbridge School
  • 1554
    Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
  • 1554
    Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall
  • 1555
    Boston Grammar School
  • 1555
    Gresham's School
  • 1555
    Ripon Grammar School
  • 1556
    Hampton School
  • 1556
    Oundle School
  • 1557
    Repton School
  • 1558
    Brentwood School
  • 1558
    Enfield Grammar School
  • 1558
    Alleyne's High School, Stone, Staffordshire
  • 1558
    The Thomas Alleyne School, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
  • 1558
    Thomas Alleyne's High School, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.
  • 1560
    Solihull School
  • 1561
    Kingston Grammar School
  • 1561
    Merchant Taylors' School
  • 1563
    Sir Roger Manwood's School
  • 1564
    Felsted School
  • 1564
    Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
  • 1565
    Highgate School
  • 1566
    King Charles I School
  • 1566
    Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford
  • 1566
    Rivington and Blackrod Grammar School, Rivington (now Rivington High School)
  • 1566
    Bedford Modern School
  • 1567
    Ashby School
  • 1567
    Rugby School
  • 1568
    Colfe's School refounded (1652)
  • 1568
    St Edmund's College
  • 1570
    Bury Grammar School
  • 1571
    Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle
  • 1571
    St Olave's Grammar School
  • 1571
    Burford School
  • 1572
    Harrow School
  • 1572
    Netherthorpe School
  • 1573
    Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet
  • 1574
    Appleby Grammar School (charter granted by Elizabeth I in 1574)
  • 1576
    Dartford Grammar School
  • 1576
    Pate's Grammar School
  • 1576
    Sutton Valence School
  • 1577
    Woodbridge School
  • 1579
    The Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School (endowed 1564)
  • 1583
    St. Bees School
  • 1584
    Oakham School
  • 1584
    Uppingham School
  • 1585
    Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Ashbourne
  • 1588
    Newport Free Grammar School
  • 1588
    Spalding Grammar School
  • 1589
    Queen Elizabeth's High School
  • 1590
    Conyers' School
  • 1590
    Queen Elizabeth's Hospital
  • 1591
    Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield
  • 1592
    Lymm High School
  • 1593
    Stonyhurst College
  • 1594
    Emanuel School
  • 1595
    Wellingborough School
  • 1596
    Whitgift School
  • 1596
    Trinity School of John Whitgift
  • 1597
    Aldenham School
  • 1598
    Aylesbury Grammar School
  • 1600
    Kimbolton School (1531, earliest references, 1600 accepted)
  • 1604
    King James's School
  • 1604
    Blundell's School
  • 1604
    Carre's Grammar School
  • 1606
    Downside School
  • 1606
    Marlwood School
  • 1606
    Paston College
  • 1607
    Ilkley Grammar School
  • 1611
    Charterhouse School
  • 1612
    Batley Grammar School
  • 1613
    Dame Alice Owen's School
  • 1613
    Heversham School
  • 1614
    Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
  • 1614
    Steyning Grammar School
  • 1615
    The Perse School
  • 1615
    Wilson's School
  • 1616
    Richard Hale School
  • 1619
    William Parker School
  • 1619
    Alleyn's School
  • 1619
    Dulwich College (founded as: The College of "God's Gift")
  • 1620
    Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
  • 1624
    Dr Challoner's Grammar School
  • 1624
    The Latymer School
  • 1624
    Latymer Upper School
  • 1624
    Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
  • 1629
    Chigwell School
  • 1630
    Caistor Grammar School
  • 1630
    The Norton Knatchbull School
  • 1633
    Exeter School
  • 1634
    Red Maids' School (all girls)
  • 1636
    Calday Grange Grammar School
  • 1636
    Lady Manners School
  • 1640
    Free Grammar School, Alton (Also known as Eggar's)
  • 1642
    The King's School, Westminster City School Formed and refounded in 1877
  • 1645
    Cheam School
  • 1645
    The Palmers School, Westminster City School Formed and refounded in 1877
  • 1646
    Reading Blue Coat School
  • 1647
    The Emery Hill School, Westminster City School Formed and refounded in 1877
  • 1652
    Earls High School
  • 1656
    Adams' Grammar School
  • 1658
    Hele's School , moved site in 1937
  • 1658
    The Maynard School , all girls
  • 1660
    Henry Box School
  • 1666
    Sir Thomas Rich's School
  • 1667
    Old Swinford Hospital
  • 1669
    Brigg Grammar School , Sir John Nelthorpe School since 1976.
  • 1674
    The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone
  • 1675
    Reigate Grammar School
  • 1677
    Sandbach School
  • 1685
    Tenison's School, Lambeth
  • 1694
    The Royal Hospital School
  • 1698
    Grey Coat Hospital