Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College

Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College, or "Q.E" is a sixth form college in Leicester, England.

Foundation

The college, also known as WQEIC, which has about 1900 students, was founded in 1976 following a (comprehensive) reorganisation of secondary education in the city. Many parts of rural Leicestershire went comprehensive in 1968. It occupies a site adjoining Victoria Park and the University of Leicester that was previously occupied by Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys (also known as Wyggeston Boys' School). Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College (WQEIC) is a sixth form college located in the city of Leicester in the East Midlands. It was awarded Learning and Skills Beacon Status in April 2003.

It was named after William Wyggeston.

Curriculum

Courses including AS, A2, IB and GCSEs are all provided at the college

The student population reflects the ethnic diversity of Leicester, with 70 per cent being from ethnic minorities, primarily of Asian background.

There are 1,865 full-time 16-18 year-old students and 140 teaching staff. More than 40 subjects are offered at A Level. Somewhat against the national trend Mathematics and Sciences account for more than a third of enrolments. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma was introduced in September 2006 with 33 students opting for this alternative.

In addition to its sixth form work the college delivers a one-year Foundation Programme in partnership with the University of Leicester, leading directly to university entry. In September 2006 WQEIC launched a new Foundation Degree for Science Technicians.

The college works increasingly closely with local schools and colleges and this partnership working will develop further in pursuit of the curriculum agenda for the 14 to 19 age group.

Strengths

An enrichment programme offers more than seventy courses and activities including many science-based options such as Medical Laboratory Science and Space Physics, reflecting the college's strengths in science. The inclusion of languages in the enrichment programme has also improved the overall take-up of languages. The college has a long-established tradition of sporting prowess and two thirds of students participate in sport.

Academic performance

In 2006 the A Level pass rate was 98 per cent with 45 per cent at grades A and B. About 90% of students progress to higher education, mostly in the Midlands region.

Beacon activity

WQEIC has worked with other providers on the development of effective quality assurance systems and self-assessment processes with a particular focus on the use of value-added measures. A significant amount of work was also done in the field of Student Support and Guidance and Student Services.

As an innovation project the college has led the development of a common Virtual Learning Environment across post-16 providers in the Leicester area.

The college has also forged links at departmental level with counterparts in local schools and colleges. The focus was on sharing good practice, progression issues and collaborative working in the interests of improving quality.

Early History

After William Wyggeston's death, his brother Thomas Wyggeston, as a trustee, used part of the money to establish a grammar school in Leicester. Whilst this eventually became defunct, it gave its name to the later Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys which, after the re-organisation of local government led to the system of education in the City of Leicester becoming comprehensive, became Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College. Wyggeston Grammar School for Girls, also known as Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School, was founded not long after the boys' school. In 1976 the site became Wyggeston Collegiate Sixth Form College, known as Regent College since 1996.

The IB

The college started offering the IB Diploma Programme in 2006

The Prime Minister's Global Fellowship

The school has a good record of students attaining places on the prestigious Prime Minister's Global Fellowship programme. The school achieved its first student in the inaugural year of the programme, 2008, and in 2009 had 3 successful applicants.^[1]

Notable former students...

Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys

• Sir Frank Adcock OBE, Professor of Ancient History, University of Cambridge (1897-1904)
• Sir Richard Armstrong CBE, conductor Scottish Opera 1993-2005 (1954-61)
• Henry Atkins, chess master and school-teacher (1883-1890)
• Sir David Attenborough CBE, broadcaster and naturalist (1937-44)
• Sir Richard Attenborough, actor, director, producer, and entrepreneur
• Peter Beck, Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan 2008-, (1952-9)
• Graham Bell, biologist (1960-8)
• Prof Sir Paul Bramley, Professor of Dental Surgery, University of Sheffield from 1969-88 (1934-41)
• Allan Bridgewater CBE, Chairman of Swiss Re GB 1998-2008, Chairman of the Association of British Insurers 1993-5, (1937-44)
• David Campton, dramatist (1935-42)
• Prof Sir Cyril Clarke CBE, made the important discovery for Rhesus-negative mothers (1918-25)
• Guy Clarke, Ambassador to Republic of Liberia 1957-60, Republic of Guinea 1959-60, and Nepal 1962-3 (1921-8)
• Dr Arthur Cooke MBE, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford 1982-5 (1924-31)
• Wing Commander Geoffrey Cooper, Labour MP 1945-51 for Middlesbrough West (1918-25)
• Sir Walter Cooper MBE, Australian politician (1903-10)
• Mark Cox, professional tennis player
• Archibald Crawford, Lord Hungarton, Chairman of the NFU (1902-9)
• Sir Thomas Creed CBE, Principal of Queen Mary College 1952-67, Vice Chancellor of the University of London 1964-7 (1908-15)
• Sir Anthony Dawson, (1939-46)
• Neil Fletcher, Labour politician and ILEA leader (1955-62)
• Sir John Goldring, a Lord Justice of Appeal (1956-63)
• Prof David Grahame-Smith CBE, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Oxford 1972-2000 (1944-51)
• Andrew Gray, Chairman of the Wellcome Foundation 1971-7, (1923-30)
• Paul Gray CB, Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs 2006-7 (1959-66)
• Sir Mark Henig, Chairman of the English Tourist Board 1969-79 (1922-9)
• Michael Higgins, Chief Executive of UCAS 1993-2003 (1955-62)
• Simon Hoggart, journalist and broadcaster
• Ken Horn, television director and producer.
• Albert Ernest Knight, professional cricket player (1884-91)
• Jon Lord, composer, Hammond organ and piano player (1952-9)
• Sir Patrick Lowry CBE, Chairman of Acas 1981-7 (1931-8)
• Sir Hayes Marriott (1885-92)
• Ed McLachlan, cartoonist (1956-9)
• Sir Leopold Moore (1879-86)
• E. Phillips Oppenheim, novelist and thriller writer (1877-84)
• Prof Ewan Page, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading 1979-93, President of the BCS from 1984-5 (1939-46)
• Sir Charles Peake. Ambassador to Yugoslavia 1946-51, Greece 1951-7 (1908-15)
• Tim Pigott-Smith, film and television actor (1957-62)
• Frank Prentice, rugby player, (1910-7)
• Rear-Adm Gwynedd Pritchard (1935-42)
• Rt Rev John Richards, Bishop of Ebbsfleet 1994-8 (1945-52)
• Sir Henry Skinner (1937-44)
• Sir Andrew Smith (1958-64)
• Prof John Swales, Professor of Medicine at the University of Leicester 1974-2000, President of the British Hypertension Society from 1982-4 (1947-54)
• Sir Philip Watts, Shell chairman from 2001-4 (1956-63)
• Peter Webbon, Chairman of the Animal Health Trust 2007- (1959-66)
• Quentin Willson, TV presenter and motoring expert (1968-75)

Two former masters at the Boys' Grammar School went on to eminence:

• Colin Dexter - Crime writer
• Ted Wragg - Educationalist and academic

References

External links

• College web site
• EduBase