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Our School History
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King Edward VI High School was created from two successful Stafford schools.
The Free Grammar School of King Edward VI was first established in Stafford in 1550 to provide free education to young boys.
In 1862 a new building was erected for the school on Newport Road
​and would serve as the home of the boys' grammar school for over 100 years.
Stafford Girls' High School was established in 1907 as a grammar school for girls and was based at The Oval, just off the Lichfield Road,
with some accommodation for students at The Hough Cottage (now at The Hough Retail Park).
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The school later moved to a new site off West Way, close to Stafford Castle; the modern home of King Edward VI High School.
​In 1976 King Edward VI Grammar School and Stafford Girls' High School
​were officially amalgamated to create a comprehensive off West Way.
The old King Edward VI building on Newport Road remained in education hands and was turned over to Chetwynd Middle School (until 1988) before later becoming known as the Chetwynd Centre, home of the Stafford Collegiate, where many Post-16 subjects were taught as part of an agreement between the Stafford secondary schools and Stafford College of Further Education. This itself closed in 2017.
The old girls' school buildings on The Oval also remained in education hands,
​later becoming an art college before being converted into residential apartments.
Education in Stafford
In the 1970s, education in Stafford moved to a three-tier system, leading to the creation of middle schools and first schools.
​
This system was abandoned in 1988.
​
Flash Ley Middle School became Flash Ley Community Primary School
Holmcroft Middle School became Tillington Manor Primary School
Highfield Grove became The Grove Primary School and later Rowley Park Academy
Eccleshall Middle School became Bishop Lonsdale CofE Academy
Heron Brook Middle School became Gnosall St. Lawrence Church of England (C) Primary Academy
Broadacres Middle School became St. Peter's CE Primary School, Hixon
Riverway Middle School became council offices
Kingston Middle School became home to the Staffordshire Education Department and today is now the new home of St. Leonard's Primary School
The boys' school had the Latin motto "​Incepta Persequor",
which loosely translates as
"To finish well what's well begun".