The Wakefield Way.
WAYAHEAD
FORWARD FROM THE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
We have prepared this comprehensive set of FAQs to offer information to all members of the Wakefield Grammar School Foundation community on the joining together of our Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield Girls’ High School and Wakefield Grammar Pre-Preparatory School into one outstanding coeducational Diamond model school from September 2026.
We will continue to update this document as our plans develop and there is more detail to be shared.
We welcome your comments and understand that you may still have questions, so please do get in touch through our email address: wayahead@wgsf.net. We want to ensure you have access to all the information you need as we work together to introduce this exciting development.
Kind regards
Martin Shevill
CHAIR OF GOVERNORS
Strategic
How ready is the Foundation for a more co-educational structure?
Are all the Governors agreed?
What due diligence has been done?
Can you explain the timing of the announcement?
Financial
Is this change purely financially motivated?
Will fees or financial support be affected by this move?
Facilities
What is the long-term plan for facilities?
Will there be separate single-sex facilities?
Education
New: Who will lead the school?
What’s the timeline for change?
Will my child’s education be disrupted?
Will there be any changes to pastoral care?
Will any other aspect of school life be sex-separated? Feedback
Why is the Foundation joining our schools together?
Having spent some time gathering the views of parents and staff, considering the best academic options, monitoring the external environment for independent schools and carrying out due diligence, the Governing Body believes this model makes the best academic, pastoral and financial sense.
Pupils already enjoy opportunities only made possible by the close collaboration between our schools, and we are building on that to bring together the best of both single-sex and co-educational learning, creating a fully rounded educational experience for girls and boys.
We will be a Diamond model school, what does that mean?
A diamond model is a school which has both single-sex teaching and co-educational teaching and activities.
We will have one outstanding co-educational school which will retain single-sex teaching from 11 to 16 whilst allowing pupils to learn together at the beginning and end of their school life.
In the Primary Section, from ages 3 to 11, girls and boys will be taught in a co-educational setting.
In the Senior Section, from ages 11 to 16, girls and boys will have separate academic lessons, in recognition of their different needs during this important period of development. Both girls and boys will be offered the same facilities and curriculum. Pastoral care, cocurricular activities, PSHE and social time will be co-educational, allowing all pupils to collaborate and learn from each other.
From ages 16 to 18, our pupils will come together for a co-educational Sixth Form, ensuring that they are ready for the world beyond the school gates.
Strategic Q&As
How ready is the Foundation for a more co-educational structure?
Many of our pupils have already experienced co-education in the Pre-Prep or through joint teaching in the Sixth Form. The vast majority of our teachers are experienced in teaching both sexes, and some already teach both girls and boys across our schools. Our students also already enjoy co-curricular and co-educational opportunities such as drama and music. We will be ensuring we keep abreast of the best research and professional development available to assist us on this exciting journey.
Are all the Governors agreed?
The Governing Body is unanimous in their decision and has worked closely with the senior leadership across all three schools.
What due diligence has been done?
As the Governing Body has been giving careful consideration to this proposal for some time, comprehensive due diligence has been undertaken. This has included financial modelling, consideration of alternate options, internal reviews, research into staff and parental priorities and visits to other schools.
Can you explain the timing of the announcement?
The Governing Body has spent some time considering how to continue to improve the education we offer whilst planning for the likely changes ahead. We have learnt what parents and staff value most in our surveys, and we have used that information, along with comprehensive professional advice, to inform our decision-making.
Whilst it is necessary to maintain confidentiality during the initial review phase, we have announced our decision as early this term as possible. Naturally there are decisions still to take, and we hope to share more details with you in the coming weeks and months.
Financial Q&As
Is this change purely financially motivated?
No, it is a balanced decision which puts quality education and an exceptional all-round experience for pupils at the centre.
The Governing Body manages the finances extremely carefully. At the same time, we are mindful of the financial pressures on independent schools and on parents, particularly the impact of VAT, and we need to respond practically and proactively to that.
Will fees or financial support be affected by this move?
Our fees will continue to be reviewed by the Governing Body on an annual basis. We will continue to offer scholarships and bursaries to pupils according to our published criteria and will focus even more on fundraising for these.
Facilities Q&As
What is the long-term plan for facilities?
We are currently in the early stages of exploring options to develop our estate to accommodate a co-educational intake. There is the opportunity for the reconfiguration of our sites which will benefit all our pupils, providing an exceptional educational experience for everyone. From 2026, our pupils will be located according to age rather than gender.
We will be keeping you updated about developments.
Will there be separate single-sex facilities?
All the necessary separate single-sex facilities will be in place for September 2026. This will include, amongst other things, separate toilets and changing facilities.
Education Q&As
Who will lead the school?
Dr Richard Brookes
Mrs Emma Gill
The school will be led by an Executive Head, Dr Brookes, who will have overall responsibility for the whole school from ages 318. Dr Brookes will be supported by Mrs Gill as Head of Primary Section and Mrs Cocker as Director of Finance and Operations. Together they form a strong, experienced and forward-looking team and as a Governing Body we are confident that they are the right team to lead our school into the future.
What’s the timeline for change?
Our schools will not be coming together until September 2026. We are in the early stages of the transition process and will be prioritising having conversations with our students, parents, staff and wider community over the coming weeks. After that we will be sharing more detail of our plans and providing more opportunities for you to contribute to our bright future.
Will my child’s education be disrupted?
No – for the time being, pupils will be taught by the same teachers in the same place. This is a gradual change which won’t be fully operational for two years and there will be increasing alignment of experiences, opportunities, leadership and operations during this time. We will update you promptly as matters progress.
We recognise that some year groups may need special consideration to ensure that their educational and pastoral journey is smooth. We are actively planning for this and will have more information to share before Christmas 2024.
Will there be any changes to pastoral care?
There will be some careful improvements to help the transition to the new structure including more opportunities for year groups to get to know each other. Underpinning pastoral care are the existing warm relationships between staff and pupils and the excellent professional experience of our current pastoral team, including in single-sex and co-educational settings. Of course, we will be reviewing our pastoral structures in the coming months to match our new model.
Will any other aspect of school life be sex-separated?
As we develop our approach to a co-educational structure, our aim will be to encourage each child’s engagement according to their ambitions and needs. For many years now, our schools have championed academic and co-curricular pursuits for each and every child, and we will always be committed to inspiring the next generation of pioneers.
For those in Senior Section and Sixth Form most school sports will remain single sex. We will continue to invest in our strong and successful sporting traditions.
We will be reviewing our PSHE to ensure every pupil can thrive in a welcoming and caring environment.
Feedback
How can I get involved?
We are interested to hear your views and for you to contribute to the development of the new school. We will be holding regular parent breakfasts, updates and other opportunities over the coming months.
You can also contact us through our dedicated email address: wayahead@wgsf.net
Discover The Wakefield Way. Way Ahead.