Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, or QE as it is commonly known, is a sixth form college on Vane Terrace in Darlington, County Durham, England. It educates nearly 2000 students from Darlington and the surrounding areas with students coming from Stockton, Richmond, Newton Aycliffe and elsewhere. It is situated near the town centre, next to Stanhope Park.
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College | |
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Address | |
Vane Terrace Darlington , County Durham , DL3 7AU England | |
Information | |
Type | Sixth form college |
Religious affiliation(s) | Mixed |
Established | 1970 |
Ofsted | Reports |
Principal | Tim Fisher |
Gender | Mixed |
Age | 16 to 18 |
Enrolment | 2,000 (approx.) |
Telephone | 01325 461315 |
Fax | 01325 361705 |
Website | http://www.qeliz.ac.uk |
History
It was established in 1970 on the site of the old Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, designed by George Gordon Hoskins. The original educational establishment was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I, hence the name. Much of the building was refurbished following a fire in 1987 and on 17 April 1991, the Duchess of Kent opened the library. In 2004 a large extension was completed, the Trinity building, including a new sports hall, art department and atrium study area, increasing the capacity of students. In 2012 another extension was completed with the Stanhope building, designed to house creative arts and media, as well as a refurbishment of the library with more computer and study areas.[1]
Admissions
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College is one of the most highly rated colleges in England and has almost 2000 students, mostly aged 16–18. It offers around 40 full-time AS and A level courses, some vocational courses and GCSEs, as well as several part-time evening classes.[2] For most students the college requires that applicants have at least 6 GCSEs at grades A* to C to begin A level courses.
Extra-curricular activities
QE boasts many student societies including sports clubs, React, a social action group, and one of the few sixth form level Labour Party groups in the country.
Academic performance
A level results for 2011 had over 99% pass rate and over 60% A*-B grades.
Alumni
- Jane Kennedy, Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree (1992–2010)
- Andrea Sutcliffe, chief executive Appointments Commission 2007– (1980–2)
- Prof Antony Eddison, Director of Middlesex University, Mauritius.
- Theo Hutchcraft, one half of synth-pop duo, Hurts.
- Alan Strickland, Labour councillor
- Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North
- Scarlett Moffatt, Reality star
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
- Vice Admiral Sir Robert Dixon, former President of the Institute of Marine Engineers (1878–85)
- Walter Dixon (1870–1931), pharmacologist.[3]
- Sir Eric Miller, industrialist (1893-1900)
- Bentley Beetham (1886–1963), mountaineer, ornithologist and photographer
- Rev Lewis Watt, Professor of Social Economics from 1935–65 at Heythrop College
- William Henderson, 1st Baron Henderson, Labour MP for Enfield from 1923–4 and 1929–31 (1902–09)
- Norman Creek (1909–14)
- Air Vice-Marshal Arthur Hutton CBE DFC (1912–19)
- Sir William Lee OBE, Chairman from 1957–60 of Darlington RDC (1918–25)
- Eric Neil (1918–1990), physiologist.[4]
- Chapman Pincher, journalist (1925–32)
- James Bourn, UK Ambassador to Somalia from 1970–3 (1928–35)
- Rear Admiral Thomas Cruddas CB, Comdr HMS Ark Royal from 1953–55 (1928–35)
- Sir Geoffrey Cass, chief executive of Cambridge University Press from 1972–92 (1933–40)
- William Singleton CBE, vet (1934–41)
- Commander Don Neesham, Head of the Flying Squad from 1973–9 at New Scotland Yard, working with Jack Slipper (1935–42)
- Prof Thomas Scratcherd, Professor of Physiology from 1973–87 at the University of Sheffield, involved with exocrine secretion from the pancreas (1935–42)
- Prof James Tait, Joel Professor of Physics as Applied to Medicine from 1970–82 at University College London (1937–44)
- Angus Maddison, economist (1938–45)
- John Edwin Wood, Executive Director from 1984–8 of British Aerospace, Filton (1941–46)
- Prof David Daniell, Professor of English from 1992–4 at University College London (1940–7)
- Nevil Johnson, political adviser (1940–7)
- Prof Cecil Kidd, Regius Professor of Physiology from 1984–97 at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen (1944–51)
- Aidan Chambers, children's novelist who wrote Postcards from No Man's Land (1946–53)
- Dr Bernard Dixon OBE, science writer (1949–56)
- Ian Hamilton, poet (1949–56)
- Sir Alan Wilson, Vice-Chancellor from 1991–2004 of the University of Leeds (1950–7)
- Derek Hunt, former chief executive of MFI (1950–7)
- Edward Pearce, political journalist, (1950–7)
- Keith Johnson author of physics text books for O and A level, software developer for education (1950–57)
- Mike Jackson, UK Ambassador to Bolivia 1991-5 and Costa Rica 1995-7 (1951–58)
- Dr Paul Walker, Chairman since 2008 of the Transform Drug Policy Foundation (1952–59)
- Richard Anelay, barrister, married to Joyce Anelay, Baroness Anelay of St Johns (1957–64)
- David Harker CBE, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice (1962–69)
- Mark Ralph (Footballer)
- Tom Noble – manager of Tygers of Pan Tang – internationally successful rock group
- Robin DC Matthews professor (1951–1958)
- Stanley Baines Hamilton (1889–1977), civil engineer and historian.[5]
References
- College Website – Facilities Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Courses Overview Archived 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- J. A. Gunn, 'Dixon, Walter Ernest (1870–1931)’, rev. Virginia Berridge, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 May 2011
- Norman Joels, 'Neil, Eric (1918–1990)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 May 2011
- A. P. Woolrich, 'Hamilton, Stanley Baines (1889–1977)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 May 2011