Dartford Grammar is UK’s top International Baccalaureate school of the decade
Dartford Grammar School has been named The Sunday Times International Baccalaureate School of the Decade by authoritative survey Parent Power, published in The Sunday Times Schools Guide.
“This is our only award to straddle both the state and independent sectors. That the winner of the award is a state school speaks volumes for the achievement of Dartford Grammar School. Its pupils ace the tough International Baccalaureate examinations year after year, achieving staggering success without their parents having to wear the cost of school fees. John Oakes has provided inspirational leadership throughout the past decade, while pupils have steadily upped their performance in the IB. Twice our IB School of the Year in the past five years, the school provides a broad and excellent education for its children, who are drawn from a notably diverse range of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.”
Alastair McCall, Editor of Parent Power
Normally a yearly survey, this year’s twenty-eighth edition looks at academic performance across 2009-19.
The rankings have been determined by academic achievement in the IB Diploma examination over the full ten years, together with the progression of those results and scrutiny of outreach activities.
Meet the Head Boy: Stephen Bamigbade
DGSChapter spoke to Dartford Grammar School’s Head Boy, Stephen Bamigbade to talk about his study of the IB Diploma, and some of his highlights at the school.
He joined the school in 2014 from Gateway Primary School to study the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and for the later GCSE examinations.
He now studies Higher Level Biology, Chemistry and Economics, with Standard Level English Literature and Performance, Mathematics and Chinese. This is supported by the programme’s Creativity, Action, Service and Theory of Knowledge programmes.
He continues to play an active role in the school’s wider community, having volunteered as part of Old Dartfordian Sir Mick Jagger’s Red Rooster Project, an initiative for primary-school-aged musicians whilst scoring tries on the school field as a member of the school’s rugby squad.
This is in addition to serving as a student technician at the school’s Mick Jagger Centre, a performing arts venue that provides music education and hosts regular concerts from visiting orchestras and productions. Despite the pandemic, he continues to sing as a tenor with the school’s 6th Form Vocal Group which is a weekly highlight.
The Dartford Grammar School 6th Form Vocal Group
December is the period that our Year 13 students finish up their internal assessments, polish their personal statements for submission and continue to revise for their all-important examinations.
One that the initiatives that Stephen is leading, alongside the school’s student leadership team, is holding subject masterclasses delivered by Year 13 students to our newest sixth-form students.
“We had the #BlackLivesMatter movement, and recent events in the United States have demonstrated to us the importance of cultural and racial awareness. We have definitely been successful in our education, and we are smashing that as an international school, through those recent events have highlighted to us how we have not been as progressive as society seems.
It is very interesting to see our younger students learn about microaggressions, racism and the cultural stigmas and stereotypes, and steer them towards a brighter path.”
Stephen Bamigbade, Head Boy at Dartford Grammar School
Headmaster Mr Oakes shared this statement with members of the school community.
“This award by the Sunday Times as the top IB School in the UK over a decade, in what is highly prestigious and academically rigorous qualification, pays testimony to the determination, focus and energy of dedicated staff, the ambitious students that choose this school as their path to the outside world in the secure knowledge their potential will be maximised, and everyone who supports them – parents and carers in particular – through a busy two years. I am privileged to have witnessed the ongoing hard work and success that leads to accolades such at this!”
Mr Oakes, Headmaster of Dartford Grammar School
To read more about the school’s accolade, visit the Dartford Grammar School website
Cover image by © Ricky, Editor-in-chief
Accompanying images by © Stephen Bamigbade