Highworth Grammar School for Girls

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Highworth Grammar School for Girls is a state-funded selective secondary school in Ashford, Kent. The school also admits boys to the sixth form. At an Ofsted inspection in June 2013, the school was rated 1 in all categories.Highworth Grammar School is a selective school of over 1,307 pupils, of whom over 330 are in the Sixth Form, which admits both boys and girls. The school was established in 1904 and moved to its present site in 1928. Since that time there has been a considerable amount of rebuilding and expansion. The school gained Music Specialist Status in September 2005 and applied to convert to Academy status in 2010.Pupils from the school were chosen to form part of a "guard of honour" for athletes at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games, displaying artistic creations their school made to celebrate the event.The headteacher is Mr Paul Danielsen, who has been in the role since January 2006.HistoryThe school was formed as the Ashford County School for Girls in 1904. It was the first state secondary school for girls in Ashford. Initially, it was housed in the Assembly Rooms but then moved to Dover Place where there were fifty pupils and three teachers. Later there was another move to a large house in Station Road. Most girls had to pay fees although some won scholarships and could attend free. Some joined the school from as young as seven years old and were taught in a separate class until they reached secondary school age when they would join other entrants for specialist subject lessons.As the school grew, the building at Station Road was not big enough and the girls attended some lessons in the South Kent College of Technology until the school moved to its present site in 1928.