King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford


King Edward VI Grammar School, or KEGS, is a British grammar school with academy status located in the city of Chelmsford, Essex, England. It takes pupils between the ages of 11 and 18 — from Year 7 to 11 the pupils are exclusively male, although it becomes mixed in the sixth form.
The headteacher is Tom Carter, who was appointed in the autumn of 2014.

History of the school

KEGS was one of many grammar schools founded by Edward VI. Its current form resulted from a royal warrant dated 24 March 1551, although evidence of this school exists from as far back as the 13th century, possibly earlier, as a chantry school in a different location in Chelmsford. Indeed, the school of 1551 was merely a "rebranding" of the Chelmsford Chantry School, a Roman Catholic institution which had been abolished along with the monasteries during the English Reformation. The school was moved to its present site on Broomfield Road in 1892. Once a boarding school, it was one of many grammar schools to join the state sector and abolish the nominal fees. The last boarding students left in the 1970s. In 1976 it admitted the first female pupil to the Sixth Form, to study Classics.
The school has been ranked in the top 50 schools in the country in national examination league tables. KEGS was previously a Foundation School and Specialist Science College and Language College. The school converted to academy status in April 2011, but continues to have science and languages as specialisms. It is also a Leading Edge school.
In 1981 it was named by The Sunday Times as the most successful state school as measured by Oxbridge open awards. In 1998, it was rated by the Financial Times as the most successful state school at GCE advanced level in the period 1993-1998. In 2001 the school was named Sunday Times School of the Year. The 2015 Good Schools Guide names KEGS as the top selective state school for a number of A-level subjects, as well as GCSE History and FSMQ Additional Mathematics. In November 2006, it was judged to be "outstanding" by OFSTED.

House system

In 1907, headmaster Frank Rogers set up the system of "Houses" — Holland, named for Philemon Holland; Mildmay, for Sir Walter Mildmay; Strutt, for Joseph Strutt; and Tindal, for Nicholas Conyngham Tindal, dividing the school into four forms in each year. Due to the expansion of the school roll over the last few years, this has not been the case. Instead, there are five forms, which contain a mix of people from different houses.

Extracurricular activities

Combined Cadet Force and Corps of Drums

The school maintains an Army contingent of the Combined Cadet Force, which was also open to students of Chelmsford County High School for Girls until 2017. Military music is provided within the contingent by a Corps of Drums playing drums, flutes and bugles. The Corps wears the full dress scarlet tunics of The Essex Regiment, incorporating the purple facings which gave the Essex Regiment its nickname 'The Pompadours'. It carries the drums of the 5th Battalion emblazoned with the Regiment's battle honours.

KEGS music

The school has many ensembles, of which the orchestras include members from other schools, though the majority are from KEGS and Chelmsford County High School for Girls. The other ensembles are exclusive to those who attend KEGS.
The Fleur de Lys Society was a sixth-form debating society-cum-charity fundraising society. The FDL was believed to have been started by Frank Rogers, an influential Headmaster. As well as holding debates on a variety of topical subjects, it was also an important charitable organisation within the school. However, due to the controversial nature and content of several debates, the Society was suspended in 2007.

The KEGS Ambassador

The KEGS Ambassador is the school's independent student newspaper. Since its creation in January 2009, it has featured numerous articles by alumni, staff and students.

KEGS Medical Society

The KEGS Medical Society is where topical medical issues are discussed.

The KEGS Economics Journal

The KEGS Economics Journal is another of the school's student-led newspapers. They feature articles on a wide variety of national and international economic and political affairs.

Notable former pupils

Of the Chelmsford Chantry School (before the Royal Charter of 1551)