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
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 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 5 (old grade C) to 9 (old grade A*) to begin A level courses.

Academic performance

A level results for 2011 had over 99% pass rate and over 60% A*-B grades.^[3]

Alumni

• Jane Kennedy, Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree (1992–2010)^{[citation needed]}
• Andrea Sutcliffe, chief executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (1980–2)^[4]
• Theo Hutchcraft, one half of synth-pop duo, Hurts^{[citation needed]}
• Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North (2010–present)
• Scarlett Moffatt, Reality star^{[citation needed]}
• Robert Icke, Olivier award-winning theatre director and writer^{[citation needed]}
• Philippa Langley, discoverer of Richard III's body.^[5]

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School

• Vice Admiral Sir Robert Dixon, former President of the Institute of Marine Engineers (1878–85)^{[citation needed]}
• Walter Dixon (1870–1931l), pharmacologist.^[6]
• Sir Eric Miller, industrialist (1893-1900)
• Bentley Beetham (1886–1963), mountaineer, ornithologist and photographer
• William Henderson, 1st Baron Henderson, Labour MP for Enfield from 1923 to 1924 and 1929–31 (1902–09)^{[citation needed]}
• Norman Creek (1909–14)^{[citation needed]}
• Air Vice-Marshal Arthur Hutton CBE DFC (1912–19)^{[citation needed]}
• Eric Neil (1918–1990), physiologist.^[7]
• Chapman Pincher, journalist (1925–32)
• Rear Admiral Thomas Cruddas CB, Comdr HMS Ark Royal from 1953 to 1955 (1928–35)
• Sir Geoffrey Cass, chief executive of Cambridge University Press from 1972 to 1992 (1933–40)
• Prof James Francis Tait, Joel Professor of Physics as Applied to Medicine from 1970 to 1982 at University College London (1937–44)^{[citation needed]}
• Angus Maddison, economist (1938–45)
• Prof David Daniell, Professor of English from 1992 to 1994 at University College London (1940–7)
• Prof Cecil Kidd, Regius Professor of Physiology from 1984 to 1997 at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen (1944–51)^{[citation needed]}
• Aidan Chambers, children's novelist who wrote Postcards from No Man's Land (1946–53)^{[citation needed]}
• Bernard Dixon OBE, science writer (1949–56)^[8]
• Ian Hamilton, poet (1949–56)^{[citation needed]}
• Sir Alan Wilson, Vice-Chancellor from 1991 to 2004 of the University of Leeds (1950–7)^[9]
• Edward Pearce, political journalist, (1950–7)
• David Harker CBE, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice (1962–69)
• Stanley Baines Hamilton (1889–1977), civil engineer and historian.^[10]

See also

• List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)

References

1. College Website – Facilities 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
2. Courses Overview 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine
3. "QE students enjoy stunning A level success". Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
4. "Scie's chief executive looks to the future". The Guardian. 15 May 2012.
5. Abruzzese, Phoebe (16 October 2022). "Philippa "King Finder" Langley returns to Darlington College". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
6. J. A. Gunn, 'Dixon, Walter Ernest (1870–1931)’, rev. Virginia Berridge, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 May 2011^{[permanent dead link]}
7. Norman Joels, 'Neil, Eric (1918–1990)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 May 2011^{[permanent dead link]}
8. Georgina Ferry. "Bernard Dixon obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
9. Kelly, Jim (28 October 2003). "Top man". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
10. A. P. Woolrich, 'Hamilton, Stanley Baines (1889–1977)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 2 May 2011

External links

• College website
• 2005 League tables.
• EduBase

54°31′32″N 1°33′54″W / 54.5256°N 1.5651°W / 54.5256; -1.5651