Wisbech Grammar School A GSG School

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2022, Mr Barnaby Rimmer, a former pupil and previously deputy head academic at the school. Before that he worked for more than 22 years in the state sector, including leading curriculum, teaching and learning, as well as safeguarding and pastoral. Has had experience in both secondary and primary education. Outside school he says that, ‘aside from my role as family taxi driver’, he enjoys many sports, including playing competitive touch rugby – both locally and nationally.

Entrance

The school is selective, but not excessively so. Heads meet every child before a place is offered after they have taken an entrance assessment. School happy to say no to pupils. Entry to senior school for prep pupils not guaranteed and they also have to sit entrance assessment and be interviewed by the head. A few each year don’t make the grade, but usually headed off at the pass in year 5 and guided elsewhere. Two-form entry in reception, which is full. Numbers almost double in year 7 when a large number come from local state primaries. A few more join in year 9. Head cleverly not hugely increasing numbers, although there is demand; instead he is raising entry standards – parents take note. Entry to sixth form requires all GCSEs at 4+ with chosen A levels needing a minimum of a 6. Eight to 10 join externally a year, usually from grammars in Lincolnshire.

Exit

Virtually all pupils go from prep to senior, the odd one to grammars across the county line. Roughly a third leave after year 11, mainly to impressive state sixth forms in Cambridge (there is a good train link) or other privates in Cambridge. Some, from the farming contingent in particular, to board at big hitters such as Oundle and Uppingham. Head very proud that high numbers achieve first-choice universities. One to Oxbridge and three medics in 2021; others to study eg history of art at Leeds, earth science at St Andrews and business management at Birmingham. Apprenticeships actively embraced, by parents and pupils, many of whom return to family businesses. The odd gap year, but not many.

Latest results

In 2021, 43 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 54 per cent A*/A at A level (79 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last year when exams took place), 28 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 15 per cent A*/A at A level (36 per cent A*-B).

Teaching and learning

Solid results that are steadily improving. Science taught singly with many pupils taking all three at GCSE: clever appointments with all three heads of department now having PhDs – ‘they are so enthusiastic,’ said one parent. Maths and English standards improved. RS now taught to A level. French, German and Spanish on offer; every child has to take at least one language at GCSE. Pupils set in English, maths and languages, from year 4 in prep and year 7 in the senior. Pupils happy and focused, chatty to visitors and proud to show off work.

Homework every night from year 3, ‘but not on Wednesdays as we have matches then,’ said our charming guides. Nice to see old-fashioned lift-top desks in some prep classrooms: ‘Some of our teachers don’t like them as they are noisy.’ Older children taught in the science block by senior teachers. Some facilities shared with senior school: library, assembly hall and refectory.

Junior and senior parents happy with academic progress and small class sizes, reasons why they chose the school. ‘There’s lots of parents’ evenings, it’s easy to see teachers – who care.’ ‘The children are pushed and compete with each other, in the nicest way.’ Parents talked of teachers going ‘above and beyond’. We visited a science hospital where a teacher is present throughout the lesson and any senior school pupil can pop in for advice and help. Good up-to-date labs; ‘the chemistry lab is the hottest room in the school,’ said our guides ruefully, and we can vouch for that. A separate electronics room. Inspiring art studio: do admire the giraffe sculpture, as well as a man on a chair and a gorilla. Very impressive art on display throughout the school. Lots of IT suites including a language lab. DT workshop well used, radio blaring; note the buggy and electric car, both driven by pupils.

Separate sixth form centre offering a kitchen, garden, lots of computers and a common room. Plenty of UCAS support and interview practice. ‘We have supportive teachers,’ said our guides. ‘I can’t fault the school academically,’ said every parent we spoke to. Some mentioned personality clashes with the odd teacher; school tries its best to counteract this by making sure child not taught by them again. ‘Teachers are honest and offer extra support where it’s needed.’ ‘Good hiring choices have been made by the head.’ A couple of parents mentioned that communication could be improved but realise that ‘paper free is the way to go, so we must read emails’. Bright and gifted invited to join Poyser Group in sixth form, made up of pupils who are scholars and exhibitioners, with extra lectures.

Learning support and SEN

SEN support in both schools help 66 in total but only two currently with EHC plans. Help within the classroom from learning support assistants or one-to-one with SEN-qualified teacher. Some four children need EAL support.

The arts and extracurricular

School cleverly has a period 5 every day, straight after lunch, which is effectively a free period when children can indulge in sports and clubs, extra help sessions, music and band practice, and the occasional homework session. ‘They make sure we aren’t doing homework every day in period 5.’ This allows every child, however far they live from the school, to join in practices and clubs. Plenty of after-school sports clubs as well. We enjoyed watching a dance session in the new studio.

Lots of drama productions, whole school and year groups as well as successful shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and at the local theatre. Plenty of music clubs on offer; ‘What I would like is a club for complete beginners, there’s plenty on offer for the knowledgeable but nothing for those of us who can’t even read music,’ said one pupil.

Plenty of school trips including an icebreaker on the Norfolk coast for year 7 and more exotic ones further afield for older pupils including to the Himalayas and Costa Rica. Lots of sports tours. DofE up to gold.

Sport

Sport has dramatically improved since the arrival of the current head, with the appointment of new staff and coaches. Sport for all, right the way through the school, including compulsory for sixth form – good. Rugby and rugby sevens for boys; ‘we want it for the girls too,’ said one of our prep guides. Cricket and hockey, for boys and girls, no football for either. Plenty of teams for all. Fitness suite well used with conditioning coach improving the fitness of team members. Parents keen supporters of matches, home and away. One parent would like better communication from the PE staff: ‘I’d like to know fixtures and kit requirement sooner.’ A happy father remarked, ‘Coaching has improved dramatically recently, as have the teams' and parents’ match teas.’

Boarders

Opened Hazel House (the school’s first ever boarding facilities) to international pupils in 2019 and another similar property in 2020 – the first two of seven projects to kick-start the school’s international strategy. These two houses – one for boys and one for girls – house 12 boarders each, all with en-suite facilities, with plans to expand the provision to 50 pupils over the next couple of years. Eight other students are in homestay accommodation either with teaching staff or parents of other students.

Not your typical purpose-built, Travelodge-style boarding facility – rather, a converted five-double-bedroom house, with open-plan common areas and separate kitchen. Mainly Asian cohort, with ‘executive chef’ plucked from an exclusive Burnham market restaurant specialising in Asian cuisine.

All boarders are studying either a pre-A Level course or A levels, coupled with specialist EAL and EAP. Recreational sports on offer at the weekends, plus trips out to eg Cambridge, London and north Norfolk coast. Boarders can stay during half-term for a programme of academic enrichment, English language support and cultural trips.

Ethos and heritage

Located in the Cambridgeshire Fen town of Wisbech and founded in 1379, it is one of the oldest schools in the country. Originally two separate schools, for girls and boys, they amalgamated in 1970 with the boys moving across the river to the girls’ school on the current site. In 1983 the school became fully independent and increased in size. Newest addition is the sixth form centre, which opened in 2019.

Arriving at the school is slightly underwhelming as the new car park, although very convenient, is all that you initially see, along with the school sign. Walk through to the school and you are surprised by so much space – 34 acres in total – with lots of newish buildings and plenty of pitches. Mention must go to the very pretty gardens, all immaculately kept, including the head’s garden which the pupils aren’t allowed to use. There’s plenty of seating elsewhere for everyone.

Prep school brightly decorated with plenty of outside space and the added bonus of being able to say hello to a couple of horses in the next-door field. The best behaved table in year 4 gets a cup at the end of the day, so behaviour exemplary.

Parents talk about the ‘welcoming feel’ when they first visited and ‘the happy children we met’, wanting that for their own offspring. Our impression too. Surprisingly the school does not seem very well known locally. ‘I didn’t know the prep existed,’ said one parent, but the head is working to make it much more visible with an open-door policy. School does not have strong competition from other privates (there aren’t any close by) but the Lincolnshire grammars are on the doorstep, so head aware school needs to ‘up its game with what we offer for a broader education’.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

All parents spoke highly of pastoral care and how problems were handled. Head does not deny bullying exists, but it is dealt with swiftly, effectively and robustly, backed up by parents whose children have experienced it. One parent said that the arrival of the current prep head had improved discipline standards dramatically. All parents said teachers knew their children very well. Lots of help during transition from one school to another. ‘It’s a happy school where teachers are really helpful, and care.’ ‘They know the social issues that children are up against, understand the children and use their strengths to help them cope.’ Strong mentoring system in place between sixth form prefects and year 7 classes. Tutors have 10 children each so do know them well, and spend time with them daily. Forms mixed every year, up to year 11, so friendship groups do not become static and everyone knows each other. Sixth form in the same tutor group for two years, vertically across two years, so lots of support for lower sixth from upper and vice versa. Counsellor and nurse available with mental health nurse due to be appointed shortly.

Pupils and parents

Pupils come from far and wide across the county, and from Lincolnshire and Norfolk as well. Parents happy to travel to access school, up to an hour each way in some cases. Traditionally a school for the children of farmers, there are still many today, joined by Forces families and professionals, many self-starters running their own businesses. Parents working hard, both of them, to pay fees. Many children are second or third generation to come here, at least. Head has extended the school day to include a 7.45am drop-off and 6pm pick-up, at no extra cost, which parents greatly appreciate.

Pupils a friendly bunch, down to earth and unpretentious. Fourteen prefects wear distinctive striped blazers which make them easily identifiable. Other pupils more conservatively dressed in smart navy blazers. Sixth formers wear ‘business wear’.

Money matters

Academic, sports and music scholarships available of up to £1,000, rising to £1,500 in the sixth form. Means-tested bursaries up to 100 per cent in exceptional circumstances.

The last word

We get the impression from parents that the school's purpose and intent has intensified, taking all with it. They have stiff competition from local grammars so have had to up their game, offering a well-rounded education, and parents appreciate this. ‘Confident children are what they produce, happy to stand up and speak in front of people; how I wish I had been given that chance when I was at school.’

Special Education Needs