It is situated in the centre of Stourbridge, to the north of the town centre, on the side of the ring road (A491). In 2024, the college was listed as 'good' following an inspection by Ofsted.[1]
The college's motto is the same motto as that of the Order of the Garter. Translated from Old French it meant "Shame be to him who thinks evil of it".
History
The original school was founded on 21 May 1430 and was known as the Chantry School of Holy Trinity. The charter for the grammar school was granted on 17 June 1552 by King Edward VI. It became a selective sixth form college in September 1976 due to the introduction of comprehensive education in the Dudley borough, which Stourbridge had been incorporated into 2 years earlier and most of the rest of the borough had followed suit with a year earlier.[2]
In February 2021 the college converted to academy status and is now sponsored by the Heart of Mercia Academy Trust.[3]
Admissions
The college is selective, and students are accepted only on the condition of achieving high grades at GCSE level.[4]
Students are generally from within the West Midlands, coming from as far afield as Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Worcester. Background education of most pupils is usually from state secondary schools, though there are many independent institutions in the area. For example, some pupils come from Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School and Old Swinford Hospital.
Campus
The college buildings are all on one site, on Lower High Street in Stourbridge. The campus is bound by the Ring Road, Coventry Street, adjacent shops on Lower High Street and the street itself, and a new housing development. All lessons take place on college grounds.
In 2018 the college opened the new Frank Foley Building, situated near Duke Street, at a cost of £3.5 million. This provides a new canteen for students, dance studio, drama suite and computer science and graphic design facilities. Additionally, the new Henry Hickman Building at a cost of £1.8 million was completed in 2019, providing the college with a brand-new Library and upstairs are new classrooms for Politics, History and Classical Civilisation.
A-Level & AS subjects
College building c.1950
Students choose 3 or 4 subjects to study in the first year, year 12. At the end of year 12, students who studied 3 subjects carry all of these through to the second year, year 13, whilst most students studying 4 subjects in year 12 drop a subject. Students following a 3 subject programme have more time for enrichment activities and time to focus on the chosen courses in depth, whilst those students studying 4 subjects have flexibility when deciding which subject to drop. These are the courses taught at Kings Edward's, as of September 2021.
