Independent juniors marks centenary with cathedral service

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, (QEGS) in Wakefield, marked the 100th birthday of its junior school with a special service at the city's cathedral in which a letter of congratulations from the Queen was read out.

The original school dates back to the 16th century and was named after Queen Elizabeth I but first began educating junior age pupils in November 1910.

In its first term, the junior school department's headmaster JB Baynes presided over 51 boys with the help of three other teachers. The head's salary at the time was 300 a year while annual fees for boys under the age of 10 was just six guineas.

The opening of the new junior school building was recorded in the local press which noted that the "spacious classrooms were splendidly lit" while the sanitary arrangements were "of an up-to-date character."

In the past 100 years the school has had continuity with just

five head teachers – three of which served 93 years between them.

It has also undergone a transformation from just four teaching staff to 22 with a further six classroom assistants and from five classrooms to 14 housing around 240 pupils.

Now the school is looking to extend its tradition of providing an all-boys education by opening up a new pre-prep unit, to be known as Centenary House, in September 2011.

To mark the junior school's 100th birthday pupils, teachers, parents and past members of the QEGs community attended a centenary service at Wakefield Cathedral.

The junior school has also held a Past 100 Years charity day in which both children and staff were invited to dress up as significant figures dating back to 1910 with people arriving as everything from war evacuees and Gandhi to Ronald McDonald and the Pink Panther.

Headteacher Louise Gray said: "The boys and staff have totally entered into the spirit of this term's charity day – The Last 100 Years. QEGS was brimming

with familiar characters and there is an air of excitement and fun.

"It is our aim to make QEGS Junior School and Pre-Prep the best all boys' independent school in the country.

"It is an exciting journey for all concerned and I can only wish that in 100 years time a head teacher will be standing in Wakefield Cathedral celebrating the 200th anniversary of QEGS Junior School and remarking that the forbears of 100 years ago had the vision to build a new pre-prep and how successful it has been."