King Edward VII School was formed in 1905 and named after the reigning monarch, when Wesley College was merged with Sheffield Royal Grammar School on the site of the former on Glossop Road. The former buildings of Wesley College, now King Edward VII upper school, designed and built by the Sheffield architect, William Flockton in 1838, were Grade II* listed in 1973.[2] The school's history is far older than its regal name suggests. It can be traced directly to a Royal Charter granted in 1604 for the "Free School of King James", the result of a legacy of Thomas Smith who had died the previous year. However, there are traces of the school as far back as the thirteenth century, like a number in other towns of mediaeval England (see Old Edwardians website for more details).
The School supported a Junior School until the advent of the 11-plus entry that was a consequence of the Education Act 1944. The last boys left the junior school in 1947 and the 1948 entry was the first entirely from the 11-plus.
The final 11-plus examination entry was in 1968 and from September 1969 the school's intake was for a co-educational comprehensive school. Girls were admitted in 1969 to Crosspool Secondary Modern School which became the lower school for King Edward VII School. In 2005, the school celebrated its 100th anniversary. During 2011–12 a major building programme of extension and refurbishment was undertaken.
Current status
The school has two sites: the lower school (KS3) on Darwin Lane, and the upper school (KS4, Sixth Form and Language College) on Glossop Road.
The school is described in the 2006 OFSTED report of 13 September 2006 as a mixed community secondary school (11–19).[3] The school has 1,678 students in all, 524 of whom are in the 6th form.
In 2015, the school received an OFSTED score of "good".
Of the 6th form roughly 50% originate from the lower school, the remainder coming from other schools in the Sheffield region (many of which are 11–16).
The chair of governors is Peter Dickson and the headteacher is Linda Gooden.
The upper school was refurbished in 2010–2012, with the addition of a sports hall and science block, as part of the BSF (Building Schools for the Future) programme; work began in July 2010 and finished in May 2012.[4]
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