Derby Grammar School set to enter new co-educational era

Derby Grammar School has announced its intention to become a fully co-educational school within two years.

Derby Grammar, which already accepts girls into the Sixth Form, will open its doors to primary-aged girls in September 2022. The following year, girls will be eligible to join Years 7-11 from September 2023, including via applications through the school’s scholarship provision.

The move marks a major step forward for new Head Paul Logan, who took the helm at the beginning of the current academic year. He said the decision, which had already received the broad backing of existing parents and school governors, reflected the direction of modern society. It also reinforces the school’s deep-rooted commitment to supporting family life, which has become of even greater importance as a result of Covid-19.

During the pandemic, there’s been much more emphasis on family,

said Mr Logan.

We’ve had many discussions with parents, and they are showing far more interest than ever before in keeping siblings together in school.

We are very much focused on doing what is best for parents as well as the children, and it’s so much easier for families if siblings attend the same school.

He said that parent surveys carried out by the school had clearly highlighted issues such as transport, bus services, varying school holiday dates in the region and ‘wraparound care’.

All we are doing here is making those things less of a problem for parents and bringing us more in line with the way modern life is heading, he said.

Although the planned co-ed route appears to represent a sea change for Derby Grammar School, girls in fact already make up one-third of our sixth form cohort, and are extremely proactive and visible members of the school.

He added that, with a far greater emphasis on mindfulness and well-being throughout the school, amplified by Covid-19, as well as experience of catering for non-binary pupils and those with other individual needs, the move to a fully co-ed school was the natural next step.

An application for a ‘material change’ to its education provision will shortly be submitted by the school to the Department for Education.

Assuming the move is approved, parents of reception, infant and junior aged girls will be welcome to apply for places starting in September.

Parents should expect to learn whether or not applications have been successful by around mid-April. The release of places will be followed by an open week at the primary school, which boasts new purpose-built classrooms, at the end of April.

Whereas many state schools can become quickly over-subscribed, often with large class sizes throughout all year groups, Derby Grammar School’s largest class size numbers just 17 pupils, and its reception year operates almost on a one-to-one pupil-to-staff ratio.