The Gryphon School

The Gryphon School was created from an amalgamation of three schools: Lord Digby's Girls School (1743–1992), Foster's Grammar School for Boys (1640–1992) and St Aldhelm's Secondary Modern School (1959–1992).[2][3] This merger is not forgotten, and many students come to understand how their school was formed through a miniature history lesson provided in physical education lessons. This miniature history lesson ties in with the school's sporting competitiveness, and the names of the three merged schools and the new school name "The Gryphon School" still exist as sporting houses. Students are assigned a house as to which they are a part of during inter-house events such as rugby, football and hockey in addition to the more known "sports day".

The only remaining aspect of St Aldhelm’s School which stood on the school's site prior to 1992 is the now out of use swimming pool which remained open until the end of the 2005-06 educational year where students participated in an inter-house swimming gala as part of sports day. The rumour for closure of the pool created by students is of a rat infestation however this bears no resemblance to the true reason which is that of any outside swimming pool, very expensive to maintain. The Gryphon School now have used the Oxley Sports Centre swimming pool in the past, as a substitute for its closure.

The main school building is modelled in a post-modern architectural style, of which pays homage to the local vernacular; it’s yellow bricks in fitting with the honey coloured stone of Sherborne and the surrounding area, as well as its red-tiled hipped roofs, and classic four-pane windows.

The school converted to academy status in August 2012.

In June 2017, the school joined the newly established multi-academy trust "Sherborne Area Schools' Trust".[4]

As of 1 June 2017, the school became a founding member of the Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. This newly established multi-academy trust was formed to create a formal partnership between member schools: Buckland Newton CE Primary, St Andrews CE Primary (Yetminster), Sherborne Primary, Sherborne Abbey CE Primary, St Mary's CE Primary (Bradford Abbas), The Gryphon School and Thornford CE Primary.[5] In 2019, King Arthur's Community School become a SAST member, becoming the second secondary school in The Trust.[6] The trust is growing, with Charlton Horthorne Primary School being the latest school to join, in mid-2019.

The Gryphon School is the largest member school of the Trust with 1560 in the school, and an over 3300 pupils in Trust combined, including The Gryphon School.

Steven Hillier, the Headmaster of The Gryphon School until June 2017 was appointed Executive Head of the multi-academy trust. With Nicki Edwards becoming the Headmistress of The Gryphon School as of June 2017.

1-A table showing the percentage of Gryphon School students who got 5 A*-C grades including English and Maths at GCSE level. From 2017 A*-C also equates to the new 9-4 grades
2-A table showing A* A and B grade results as a percentage of entries for Sixth Formers.

The Gryphon School has a sixth form college which consists of years 12 and 13. The sixth form students have the opportunity to take GCE A-level courses in a wide variety of subjects, along with a selection of Level-3 BTEC subjects.

Students who are part of the sixth form are exempt from the uniform policies that years 7-11 are obliged to follow; and as a result do not have to wear uniform.

The sixth form students make use of many perks such as a dedicated common room in the centre of the school, adjacent to the Gryphon Café and close to the Learning Resource Centre with its own Sixth Form only provision, notably an alternative mezzanine for Sixth Formers with computers. The introduction of a new 'Sixth Form Café' in 2017 allows students to purchase food that is not available to lower years due to the strict laws on food sold to under 16 year-olds.

The general area of which the students attending the sixth form travel in from is larger than that of the rest of the school. Many of these students travel by bus, lift share, or drive themselves in once they can drive.

In 2015, the school started to implement the iGryphon strategy. This was aimed to integrate students' and teachers' personal devices into the classroom. The first idea was to suggest that students buy their own iPads and MacBooks; however, they subsequently chose to change it to a 'Bring your own device' system; where students bring their already purchased devices in.[10]

When first announced the iGryphon strategy kick-started a lot of criticism, with parents claiming that it was unfair on students whose families couldn't afford the 'expensive devices'. This is one of the reasons that the school changed the original plan.

Since then, the school has bought 100 iPads for students to use. Also, they have implemented "super fast" WiFi for the whole school to use. Plus the use of VLE systems and online homework.

The iGryphon plan remains an ongoing project always open to improvement as technology progresses, but it has been so far a success; despite the initial plan's critics.

The school currently has over 350 Windows PCs, 100 iMacs, 90 iPads for student use within their lessons. Some IT rooms are accessible before and after school as well as in lunch and break times in order to complete homework and revision exercises.

Over recent years the school has been investing in the facilities in the school to make them better and more suited to the current student base of almost 1,600.

Here is a list of the main projects the school has completed and what projects are planned for the near future on school facilities.

• 2004 - AstroTurf added to sports centre.
• 2004 - New outdoor geography classrooms added.
• 2006 - Conference Centre and new reception built.
• 2009 - Sixth form common room moved.
• 2012 - Canteen expanded.
• 2013-14 - Sports Centre refurbished.
• 2013-14 - Pool removed.
• 2014 - New two-story building with two classrooms and a lift built at the far-end of the school.
• 2014 - 'The Pod' built to reduce canteen queues and sells quick takeaway food to all students.
• 2015 - Inner 'quads' levelled and grass replaced with synthetic grass.
• 2017 - New Sixth Form only café opened in the common room to reduce queue sizes for the main school café. It also is able to sell different products as it has fewer regulations set on sugar and fat contents.
• Planned - New 10 classroom block to replace outdoor classrooms in History and Geography.

The future plans for the school are to allow for the rapidly growing number of students in the school. They are also planned to replace the separate building that makes up the Geography and History department; which were only originally meant to be temporary buildings to house the growing number of students. As of 2016, the school is still trying to gain grants given by local authorities for the construction new building. The Astroturf is due for replacement and is planned to have a new surface layer in the near future.

The large catchment area of the school has meant that many people use the buses operating to and from the school as their main means of transport. In addition to this, the school has multiple car parks and does allow sixth-formers who can drive to park in the school carparks - though it can get very congested at busy times and finding a space can become difficult. Bike racks are available for those who travel by bike, and the school has good pavement links for walking into and from the rest of Sherborne. In 2019, a proposed puffin crossing on Bristol Road has been approved to be built which will make the walk into the centre of town much safer.

Many students travel from far villages and towns or out of catchment; The Gryphon School caters private AM and PM bus services provided by local tour and coach hire operators (South West Tours, Bakers, Vale Coaches etc.). If a service is destined within Dorset students are eligible for free transport as provided by Dorset County Council "School Transport" scheme.[11] By school invitation, First Group, the local bus service operator was allocated a bay in the bus park and allowed access twice a day to offer students in both Sherborne and Yeovil a service into the school.

As of Summer 2018, the main provider of both private- and council-funded buses into the school are operated by South West Coaches, following the surprise collapse of the Nippy Bus company.

The Gryphon Sports Centre shares the same site as the school and used to be run by West Dorset District Council, but in 2018 was taken over by the Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. The PE facilities are used by the sports centre in the evening and at weekends, including the AstroTurf, multiple sport fields, hard courts, studio and gymnasium.

It is a busy facility and the largest in of its kind in the area, the centre has a main sports hall, an aerobics/dance studio and a recently built fully air conditioned fitness suite. Outdoor facilities include six tennis courts or five netball courts plus a floodlit astroturf pitch.

In recent years the leisure centre has had some major work done to it to update and renew it.

• The outdoor swimming pool was removed and turfed over due to cost and deterioration. Completed 2014.
• The two squash courts were removed and replaced with a brand new Fitness Suite/Gym downstairs and a Sports Studies IT Room and Psychology classroom on the new upper floor. Completed 2014.
• Foyer, viewing balcony and corridors repainted and re-carpeted. Completed 2014.
• New automatic doors added to the front entrance to the sports centre. Completed 2015.
• Sign removed from the building to make way for new windows in the fitness suite and classrooms. Completed 2014.
• Sports hall floor sanded and repainted. Completed 2015.
• New natural white-light lamps fitted in main sports hall. Completed 2015.

• Ollie Devoto – Exeter Chiefs and England rugby player
• Ben Hardy – actor
• Tom James – Northampton Saints rugby player
• Chris Loder – MP for West Dorset

• Official website