Queen's Park High School or QPHS is a

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

secondary school and

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

located in

Queens Park, Chester {{Infobox UK place, , country = England , coordinates = {{coord, 53.1835, -2.8747, display=inline,title , official_name= Queens Park , map_type= Cheshire , population= , os_grid_reference= SJ415655 , unitary_eng ...

, England. The school symbol is the heraldic lion, and the school uniform consists of a blue blazer with a small white lion on the left hand side, and black or blue trousers.

History

Queen's Park High School although only coming under its current name in 1971 is the oldest non-public school in Chester.

Boys' School

Chester City Grammar School for Boys developed out of a technical day school, which opened at the Grosvenor Museum in 1892. Following the Education Act, 1902, it was decided to adapt the day technical school to meet the requirements of the Act, and its name was changed to City and County School for Boys in June 1907. It was transferred to Chester Corporation in August 1908, but remained at the Grosvenor Museum, with its own Board of Governors (some of them being appointed by Chester Corporation), until 1912. The school then moved to new buildings in Queen's Park. In 1938 its name was changed to Chester City Grammar School for Boys, and in 1941 new premises were opened in Queen's Park. As the 1970s dawned the school came under the scheme for the reorganisation of schools in Chester, and Chester City Grammar School for Boys combined with Chester City High School for Girls, with the name of Queen's Park High School. The Headmaster of the combined school was appointed in 1970, and complete amalgamation of the boys' and girls' schools took effect from September 1971.

Girls' School

Chester City High School for Girls was established following the Education Act, 1902, which made provision for secondary education. It began in temporary premises, the Race Stands on the Roodee, on 23 January 1905. On 25 March 1912 new premises were opened in Queen's Park. Originally known as the City and County School for Girls, because the County Education Authority maintained a certain number of the places available to students, the name of the school was changed in 1938 to Chester City High School for Girls. Under the scheme for the reorganisation of schools in Chester, prepared by the City Education Officer in 1968, the City High School for Girls and City Grammar School for Boys combined to form a mixed High School. The headmaster of the combined school was appointed in 1970, but the headmistress of the City High School remained as associate headmistress until July 1971. From that date the City High School for Girls ceased to exist as a separate school.

Extracurriculars

Musicals and theatrical productions

QPHS has a long history of annual school performances which usually run for a week in the spring term.

Other musical events

Each year QPHS stages a Summer Concert and Candle Lit Christmas Evening. There is an active school orchestra. In February the school has an ''

X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003) ...

'' like event called ''The V Factor'' showcasing the talents of the school's pupils. There is an annual Battle of the Bands contest open to students from all local secondary schools.

School magazine

*''The Inkwell'' - from 1923 to 1959 *''Cestria'' - from 1959 to 1970 *''Queen's Park High School Magazine'' - Special issue in 1970 *''Newsletter'' - from 1971 to present

Headmasters

*1893 to 1911, J.A. MacMichael *1912 to 1937, J.K. Wilkins *1938 to 1942, Eric Ayres *1942 to 1948, R.P. Challacombe *1949 to 1970, C. Race *1971 to 1989, Ken.D. Munden *1989 to 2009, A.D. Firman *2009 to 2015, S.J. Casey *2015 to 2021, L Watterson *2021 to present T Kearns

Notable Former pupils

Chester City Grammar School

Russ Abbot Russ Abbot (born Russell Allan Roberts; 18 September 1947) is an English musician, comedian and actor. Born in Chester, he first came to public notice during the 1970s as the singer and drummer with British comedy showband the Black Abbots, la ...

, Comedian * Sir Charles Bell CBE, Chairman of Coats Paton Ltd from 1967–75 *

Stephen Byers Stephen John Byers (born 13 April 1953) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wallsend between 1992 and 1997, and North Tyneside from 1997 to 2010. He served in the Cabinet from 1998 to 2002, and was ...

, Labour MP for

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since 1997 and for

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from 1992-7 * Sir John Enderby CBE Bristol Honorary Degrees
/ref> * Prof Clifford Formston, Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the Royal Veterinary College from 1943–74 * John Golding, Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme from 1969–86 * Professor Paul Gough, Vice-Chancellor of

Arts University Bournemouth Arts University Bournemouth (abbreviated AUB) is a further and higher education university based in Poole, England, specialising in art, performance, design, and media. It was formerly known as The Arts University College at Bournemouth and T ...

, and Chair of UKADIA * Keith Harris - Ventriloquist with Orville the Duck * Jon Lloyd, Chief Executive since 2008 of

UK Coal UK Coal Production Ltd, formerly UK Coal plc, was the largest coal mining business in the United Kingdom. The company was based in Harworth, in Nottinghamshire. The company was a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. The successor company that co ...

* Bob Mills, Comedian/Writer - 1968-1972 * John G. Robinson, railway engineer * Prof James Scudamore CB,

Chief Veterinary Officer Chief veterinary officer (CVO) is the head of a veterinary authority (typically a national government service comprising veterinarians, other professionals and paraprofessionals). They have the responsibility and competence for ensuring or supervisi ...

from 1997-2004

City & County School Chester for Girls

* Mary Whitehouse

References

External links

The QPHS website

EduBase
{{authority control 1892 establishments in England Schools in Chester Secondary schools in Cheshire West and Chester Educational institutions established in 1892 Academies in Cheshire West and Chester