Why Choose Bury Grammar School?

Bury Grammar School has a long history of academic excellence, dating back to 1570. We are both hugely proud of our traditions and happy to be a modern school, continually embracing new technologies and innovative teaching methods.

 

BGS is a leading school in this region where our pupils consistently reach outstanding academic standards, achieving exceptional examination results at GCSE and A Level, and gaining places on courses at top-performing universities. 

Most importantly to us, many pupils exceed individual expectations and go beyond what would have been thought possible for them. We take pride in challenging our pupils to fulfil their academic potential and to achieve the best grades of which they are capable. Close analysis of each individual’s pupil’s progress every half term, followed by additional stretching or support as needed, is integral to our young people’s success. You can read more about pupils' 'value added' and our Academic Intervention Programme here: Academic Support at BGS.

 

Pupils are encouraged to be independent learners and to extend themselves. Our ethos is one of achievement for all - an ethos shared by pupils and staff alike. 

 

A thought-provoking and stimulating curriculum, delivered by passionate and enthusiastic teachers, brings learning very much to life at BGS. It is the norm to ‘go beyond the syllabus’ and this approach enables our pupils to stand out when applying for university and embarking upon their careers.  Please read more about our students’ university outcomes and future careers here.

 

Our Senior School is unique and offers the best of both worlds: 

 

Boys and girls are taught separately and benefit from tailored single sex pastoral care; they are encouraged to be bold in their learning and grow immensely in academic confidence. 

 

Outside the classroom, girls and boys enjoy an extensive coeducational extra-curricular programme and have the opportunity to get to know each other; thereby they also grow to be socially confident and well-balanced young people. 

 

Sixth Form is the ‘crème de la crème' and represents the culmination of the skill and confidence which a BGS education gives. It is a coeducational setting which offers the best possible preparation for life beyond school.  

 

You can see why our pupils leave BGS ready to take on the world beyond school!

We are proud of the excellent relationships which exist between staff and pupils and amongst the pupils themselves. These are developed, not only in the classroom, but also through our rich enrichment programme.

 

ISI inspectors recognised this during their inspection of the school: ‘Pupils of all ages develop outstanding personal qualities: they are friendly, confident and articulate. They are considerate of others and know that they are valued as individuals by the school community. Relations between pupils and teachers and among the pupils themselves are excellent.’ 

 

Visitors to the School often comment on our friendly approach. 

Crucial to the education of the pupils is the partnership between pupils, parents and the School. This relationship is integral to pupils’ success and is promoted throughout the School – not least through the close liaison between parents and their children's form tutors, class teachers and Heads of Year.

 

Parents are closely involved in their child’s education from the initial induction programme, which begins before pupils enter the School, through to the end of the child’s BGS career. For us, good communication is vital, and we will always seek to communicate positively, honestly, and openly with pupils and parents. We provide our parents with regular information and we like to work with parents and we see this as a very important part of our role! 

The BGS approach to pastoral care is a caring and modern one: relationships between pupils and teachers are excellent and we entrust pupils with positions of leadership to bring out the best in them. Older pupils are encouraged to mentor younger ones, the long-standing tradition of appointing Prefects and a School Captain/ Head Girl/ Head Boy plays a significant role in the School’s ethos, and all pupils are encouraged to take on the role of Pupil Ambassadors to promote the School at the highest level. 

  

Above all we are committed to fostering a happy learning environment where pupils can thrive. 

  

In addition to the pastoral work of class teachers, form tutors and Heads of Year, the Schools have a dedicated team of health support workers. One ISI Inspection report said: ‘Pupils’ confidence and resilience is strengthened as the result of the high priority given to pastoral care in the school. Staff know the pupils well and treat them as individuals.’ 

  

We recognise that happy learners are good learners and take emotional well-being seriously. Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHEE) is delivered each week by specialists and there is a whole school emphasis on promoting well-being and developing qualities to both succeed and be happy in life. 

One of Bury Grammar School's key strengths is our dedication to the development of every individual child. Our pupils are taught in small classes, typically around 20 up to GCSE and often fewer than 12 at A Level, thereby enabling the individual attention which ensures that they make the best possible progress. 

  

Our highly qualified and dedicated staff have faith in the ability and potential of those they teach, and the knowledge and skill to nurture them. They work hard to create an environment which is academically exciting and fun to be part of. They are caring and encouraging, inspiring in each pupil a sense of self-worth, and those high aspirations and high expectations which are vital to success. 

  

Staff are incredibly generous with their time, energy and expertise, both in the classroom and in the provision of a rich enrichment programme. 

  

For those pupils who have specific learning needs, our SENDCo carefully coordinates targeted support, and all those who show a particular talent in a certain area are actively encouraged and extended. 

 

Our extra-curricular programme is simply superb and one of the aspects of school life which is likely to have a profound impact on pupils and remain in their memories long after leaving us.  You can read more about this on our Enrichment webpages.

 

Sport, Music, Drama, Debating, Community Service, Outdoor Pursuits, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, World Challenge expeditions and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) all offer unrivalled opportunities and make our education truly an all-round one. 

 

It is not uncommon to find that a pupil’s eventual career will be inspired by a club or activity in which they have engaged through our extra-curricular programme. 

Our pupils are also encouraged to contribute to the community through charitable activities and voluntary work, and also to take part in work experience, school trips and opportunities provided by local businesses and national events. 

 

In addition to the enrichment programme, many co-curricular activities – i.e. those directly related to what goes on in the classroom – take place. These activities include Physics trips to CERN in Switzerland, Mathematics Challenges, field trips for Geography and Biology, an annual trip to First World War battlefields and language exchange programmes with schools in Cologne and Dijon. We also participate in the Young Enterprise scheme and in competitions such as the annual Sir Rhys Davies Mock Law Trial, which attracts teams from the leading independent schools in the region. 

 

There are lots of opportunities to shine! 

 

 

As a strong and successful school spread over a 45-acre campus, BGS provides the ultimate 21st century facilities from the very start of the educational journey.  

At every age, pupils enjoy a superb and safe setting where they enjoy both modern state-of-the-art facilities and historic buildings full of character.  

 

Our Kindergarten and Infants have bright and modern purpose-built classrooms designed exclusively for our Early Years Foundation Stage pupils within our stunning Primary Division.  

 

The dedicated Primary Division houses a state-of-the-art library encouraging a love of learning, impressive outdoor play areas, classrooms built specifically for this age group, their very own music rooms and gym and a beautiful hall which is at the heart of the Division and much-loved by pupils and parents. It would be hard to provide a more impressive setting for our youngest pupils!   

 

The Senior School is comprised of superb ‘centres of learning’ which form the base of each of our eight academic faculties.  While each pupil has their ‘home base’ on either the Senior Boys’ or Senior Girls’ campus, every Senior School pupil has access to all of our tremendous faculty centres of learning.  Please find a plan of the School here.

 

There are two leading edge libraries much loved by our pupils, impressive Science laboratories which are of the highest quality and provide pupils with a first-class teaching and learning environment, Drama and Music studios, Computer Science suites, a Social Science centre, English and Maths bases, a Modern Language Suite, the ‘Hub’ - a relaxed area for pupils to receive one-to-one help and two spectacular school halls.   

 

For older pupils, the Sixth Form Centre has its own learning zones for individual and group study, a café and common rooms. Sixth formers also enjoy their own academic base and classrooms in a dedicated building, 'The Courthouse', which offers unrivalled facilities and a superb environment in which to complete a Bury Grammar school education. 

  

The School has top quality sports facilities including an 18-metre indoor swimming pool, a 3G Astro Turf pitch for football, rugby or cricket and a Multi Use Games Area for hockey and tennis. There are full-sized volleyball and basketball courts, four additional tennis courts, a 50 metre sprint track and facilities for high jump, long jump and triple jump, all set within the School campus. Our sports mad pupils could not want for anything more! 

 

This is an environment in which pupils are inspired to learn and grow.  

 

Explore our campus now via our Virtual Tour of Bury Grammar School.

 

And it is easily accessible, plot you journey to our school on Google Maps, via our Contact Us webpage, or plan your journey to BGS via our private school coach service: School Transport Service | Bury Grammar School.

 

Many friendships formed at BGS last a lifetime. 

 

Not only do these friendships mean a lot personally to our alumni and our community, but they also represent important support networks in the world of work. 

  

We are immensely proud of our former students, many of whom remain part of our alumni associations. They not only act as role models for our current students but have also forged strong relationships with the school which continue throughout their lives. 

 

Careers lectures for current pupils given by alumni, networking events and much informal support and guidance characterise the relationships between alumni and the pupils of today. 

 

Links from the past to the present and through to the future which can make all the difference. 

 

Read more on these webpages: Alumni - Bury Grammar School.

 

 

Our pupils leave BGS as articulate, confident, considerate and well-rounded young people, ready to meet the opportunities and challenges of higher education and their future careers, and eager to make an outstanding contribution to society.  

 

We are proud of what we offer them. 

 

And immensely proud of what they achieve and the people they become.