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Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys [1] is a selective boys school of nearly 1000 pupils and staff, located in the outskirts of Canterbury, Kent. It holds both Foundation and Grammar school (selective) status and has 'specialist college' status in mathematics and science. The school boasts a high local and national reputation as a school with an outstanding academic record, due to inspirational teaching methods and high quality pastoral care. The 2005 Oftsted inspection notes that the "standard of education in the school is good... Most pupils achieve exceptionally high standards." Its sister school is Simon Langton Grammar School For Girls.
Students typically join the school in Year 7 from all over East Kent and can then stay on until their GCSE's in Year 11. However, the majority of students decide to stay on into the sixth form, where a large number gain entry into universities, both in the UK and abroad. Notably, while the lower school (Years 7-11) is limited to boys, the sixth form is mixed, though still predominantly male. The A-Level results obtained rank the school as one of the most successful boys schools in the country.
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The Langton is unique amongst secondary schools in that it recognises that the Student voice can and must have an extremely productive influence in the running of the school. Just as all industries are driven by their consumers, so a school's policy must reflect the view of those who consume the service of education; that is to say the pupils. The Student Union was established to play a leading part in decision making and assessment of the educational experience in order to improve pupils' experiences of an already excellent establishment.
From November 2006, the acclaimed author Simon Scarrow will take up the newly formed position of Writer in Residence at SLBS, a position he said he is "honoured to accept". Simon will visit the school on a regular basis to hold creative writing sessions for students as well as judging the annual Scarrow Award for Fiction.
This department is the first programme for ASD pupils in a grammar school in England. This department is run by Mrs Jan Newport, Mrs Brown, Mrs Barnes, Mrs Lilford and Mrs Kohler. This programme seeks to facilitate inclusion into mainstream education by encouraging positive policies to promote social integration.
There are four Head Students at the Langton selected by the head of sixth form, after consultation with staff and a secret ballot of year 13.
This academic year (2006-2007) they are Matthew Fraser (Head Boy), Lily Martin (Head Girl), Anna McCormick (Deputy Head Girl) and Neil Cox (Deputy Head Boy).
The Head Students for the next academic year (2007-2008) will be decided during Spring 2007.
2005-2006
Thomas Hancox (Head Boy), Katie Lawrence (Head Girl), Benn Cody (Deputy Head Boy) and Richard Partridge (Deputy Head Boy)
2004-2005
Alex Brown (Head Boy), Steph Williams (Head Girl), Jamie Bennie-Coulson (Deputy Head Boy), Alex Scott (Deputy Head Girl)
2003-2004
Sam Allan (Head Boy), Helena Miscioscia(Head Girl), Phil Smith (Deputy Head Boy), Sam Brown (Deputy Head Boy)
2002-2003
Chris Holliday (Head Boy), Amber Reed-Ashton (Head Girl)
The Old Langtonians Association is the association which aims to keep old members of the school in some sort of contact with each other, to keep ties between the school, the staff and previous alumni.
The current Social Secretary of the Old Langtonians is Jamie Bennie-Coulson.
The Langton Ultimate Frisbee Team, known as L.U.F.T, was started last year (2005) by Mr. Butler and Mr. Holloway (after a request by Joshua Blinston-Jones), who teach Citizenship and Biology respectively. Both Mr. Butler and Mr. Holloway played at university, and are now encouraging many years in the school to start playing.
There are three different teams currently in the school: The Sixth Form Team (the main group), as well as teams made up from Year 11 and Year 10 students.
The sixth form team is the longest established team at the Langton, and has had one competitive match, against two teams from St Edmund's School, Canterbury, which they won.
An example of how the team plays can be seen here.
The Simon Langton Dodgeball team was started up in 2006, organised by David Cox, Andrew Kinch and Jamie Scott. Currently there is a year 12 team, who train every Friday, as well as a year 7 team, who have recently started training. There have been three games played, two against the Boys school staff, and also one against the girls school staff, which was won!!! However, due to adverse restrictions put onto the sport of dodgeball, Mr. Watson doesn't agree that this is a true sport!
The promotional video for the staff match can be seen here.
The Dong Chen International (DCI) is a 6th Form football tournament, combining knock out stages for boys' teams and a special exhibition game for the girls. The Boys' teams are divided into tutor groups, with each form assigned a country. The Girls, as a demographic within the school, are less numerous, and therefore play in year groups: Year 12 Girls vs. Year 13 Girls.
The DCI was first established in 2004 by Dong Chen, then in Lower 6th. To date there have been three DCI tournaments (2004, 2005, 2006); the first two were organised by Dong Chen, and the most recent by Richard Partridge and Katie Lawrence. Since 2005 the tournament has been a fundraiser for charity, with the money raised by Tutor Groups going to the Disasters Emergency Committee. Fundraising is also supported by the SLBS Students' Union. Since 2005, the Union has donated £1.50 for each goal scored in the DCI.
The winners of the 2006 DCI were 13ES, 'The Art Form', representing Sweden. To secure the championship they beat in the final 13AJ, 'The English Form', representing Italy. The Girls' Game was won by Year 13, who also won the 2005 Girls' Game as Year 12s.
A somewhat similar competition in previous decades was the intramural athletics tournament, which matched the Chapter House versus the Glebe House. (Students were randomly assigned to a House.)
The Big House Group was established in December 2005 by Neil Holroyde, to provide a name with which students' video projects could be released. However, Big House then grew to incorporate MishMash Parties and Promotions, a student run parties and promotions company, and Fresh Productions, a dedicated filming, editing and DVD production company. Fresh Productions has now been used by the school for two years running, to film and edit the schools National Youth Parliament Competition entry, and MishMash has held a number of successful events over the last two years.
Established on April 1st 2005, Ben and Ollie's is a student operated, student owned, and student serving Common Room Coffee Company. Under the mantra 'we live to give', Ben and Ollie's strived to offer a cheerful, friendly and independent alternative to a hot beverage machine belonging to Nescafé.
What began as two men, a coffee machine and a dream soon grew: a third man, the provision of tea, a waitress. Eventually the 'drinks division' provided a range of coffee beverages, teas, hot chocolate and fruit juices. Ben and Ollie's has continued to expand, and now sells sweets, chocolates and other confectionaries; in addition to its drinks line.
The establishment somewhat serves to replace the function of the old "tuck shop" which operated from a kiosk in the dining hall, which has now become the Head Students Office.
However since the departure of Ollie and Ben in 2006, the organisation has become defunct. Attepmts to revive it have met with a resistance from Students and Staff. Many feel that this is because it is lacking the Quality Service and Smile that Ollie brought to it. Others suspect that it is in fact because it was a poor idea in the first place, and that even Ben and Ollie themselves scarcely bothered with it.
Many feel that the flair that he brought to such a mundane thing as Coffee really made it what it was.
However, Ollie has gone on to enjoy a full time career at Starbucks. Despite this apparently 'small-time' job, he has been brought to the attention of not only his regional managers, but also his national management. Its appears his passion for bringing not only a hot beverage, but also a smile has begun his path to bigger things.
The school has been linked with the music of the Canterbury Scene as founding members of the Wilde Flowers, Caravan and Soft Machine were alumni. Robert Wyatt is probably the most well known of the Musicians that stemmed from Soft Machine. Ian MacDonald, then editor of NME, is quoted as describing the school as "an exclusive, private establishment for the sons of local intellectuals and artists. Very free, emphatically geared to the uninhibited development of self-expression. A hot-bed to teenage avant-garderie."[2] Other famous Langton musicians include Tony Coe (Jazz Musician) and Trevor Pinnock.
Sir Freddie Laker, airline entrepreneur was an alumnus of the school.
Alec Rose (Sir), knighted by Queen Elizabeth II the day after circumnavigating the world single-handed.
Gideon Coe radio DJ currently on Radio 6, 10:00 - 13:00, and sometime journalist was also a member of the School.
Founder and editor of Gay News, Denis Lemon, was also a member of the School.
Alumni of the School are given the opportunity to join the *Old Langtonian Association which organises events and get-togethers for former members of the School.
The Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys selects on the basis of ability at the age of 11. Therefore, it ultimatley discriminates against those from poorer backgrounds, consequenlty, many people have argued that all such schools should be abolished.