Enfield Grammar School (abbreviated to EGS; also known as Enfield Grammar) is a boys' Comprehensive school and sixth form with academy status, founded in 1558, situated in Enfield Town in the London Borough of Enfield in North London.
History
Enfield Grammar School was founded on 25 May 1558. The school's first known headmaster was William Bradshawe who was head until 1600.
At its foundation, the school inherited part of a charitable endowment. This property had endowed the earlier Enfield chantry-school which preceded and was incorporated into the Grammar School. As Dr. Birkett Marshall points out, there is evidence a schoolmaster existed in Enfield prior to 1524, based on an account of the funeral of a Sir Thomas Lovell. An older school-house that certainly still existed east of the churchyard in 1572 seems likely to have housed the grammar school established in 1558 until the erection in the 1580s of the Tudor building sometimes referred to as the Old Hall. This was built on the grounds adjacent to Prounces house, bought by the parish in 1516 and originally occupied by John Prouns in 1399. The Tudor school building is still currently in use. There were reportedly boarders in this building for part of its history, as reputedly there were much later at Enfield Court (the Lower School).
On the dissolution of the chantries in 1547 the rights to the charitable property passed to the Crown. However, the Court of Augmentations questioned and challenged the King's title so that in 1550 the property was restored. In 1553 Queen Mary relinquished all claims and in 1558 an attempt was made to endow a school with the Poynetts estate. Unfortunately, a proposed trustee died before the execution of the deed, which meant a second deed granted only £6 13s. 4d. just sufficient for the salary of the former chantry priest who established a school, the remainder being used for the relief of the poor. Thus from 1558, a schoolmaster began teaching the children of Enfield's poor Latin and English 'according to the trade and use of grammar schools'. In 1586 William Garrett left £50 to build a schoolhouse, and this money is presumed to have been used to erect the Tudor building which is still in use and stands adjacent to the west of St. Andrew's Church.
In 1623, when the Prounces estate property was settled in trust, Prounces house became the schoolmaster's residence. One headmaster, Robert Uvedale, while continuing in his post at EGS much to the consternation of the trustees and some parishioners opened another rival private (fee-paying) boarding-school, the Palace School, in about 1660, which survived until 1896.
In 1967, it was amalgamated with Chace Boys School to form a comprehensive school that retained the name Enfield Grammar School. The two schools were separated again in 1970. Chace Boys School has since become co-educational and has changed its name to Chace Community School.
In 2023, the school started to accept female applications for its 6th form; the first time in the school’s 500 year history.
Academic performance
Academic performance at Enfield Grammar School is outstanding, with students entering EGS with very high levels of attainment. Progress and attainment in the Sixth Form are also exceptional. In the Ofsted report from 2014, EGS was rated 'outstanding' in all areas, including Achievement, Behaviour and Safety of pupils; Quality of teaching, learning and assessment; Personal development and Welfare; 16 to 19 study programmes; and Leadership and Management.
As of 2021, the school's most recent inspection by Ofsted was in 2018, with a judgement of Good.
Location
The upper school buildings are next to the Enfield Town Market Place and St. Andrew's Church, and have been extended several times since 1586. A new hall and further extensions were completed shortly before World War II.