Queen Elizabeth's Mercian School

Infobox UK school
name = Queen Elizabeth’s Mercian School
A Specialist Music College


size =
latitude = 52.64132
longitude = -1.69266
dms = dms
motto = High Expectations, High Standards, High Achievements
motto_pl =
established = 1588
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Community Comprehensive school
religion =
president =
head_label = Headteacher
head = Kevin Debney
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label = Chair of Governors
chair = Jerry Hutchinson
founder =
founder_pl =
specialist = Music College
specialist_pl =
street = Ashby Road
city = Tamworth
county = Staffordshire
country = England
postcode = B79 8AJ
LEA = Staffordshire
ofsted = 124418
staff =
enrollment = c 1200
gender = Mixed
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses = colour box|greenFreville
colour box|blueGuy
colour box|goldOffa
colour box|redPeel
colours = color box|blue Blue and color box|gold Gold
website = http://qems.org.uk/
website_name = Official School Website

Queen Elizabeth's Mercian School is an 11-18 comprehensive school to the north of Tamworth, a small market town in Staffordshire in the Midlands near Birmingham. It is also known as Queen Elizabeth's Mercian or QEMS (pronounced "quems"). There are over 1200 pupils on roll with over 120 in years 12 and 13. The schools has been awarded specialist status as a Music College.

Campus

QEMS is based in several buildings across the school. overall, there are seven buildings (Main Block (Lower School), DT, RE, Middle Block, Elizabeth Block, Boys' Gym, Girls' Gym) and mostly each department is based in one of the buildings.

Other Notable Areas

The library is open virtually everyday for pupils to borrow and return books or to use the computer facilities for School work.

The library is home of chess club (where anyone can play chess) and the currently inactive warhammer club. These are both popular amongst the students, particularly in Key Stage 3

hutdown

The school has recently been put forward for shutting down, despite the fact that both GCSE and A level results are (according to the Head, at least) improving. This comes ahead of plans for a new sixth form centre and acamdemy. The sixth form centre would be built on the site of QEMS if the plans went ahead. The academy would replace another Tamworth school - Woodhouse High SchoolCite web|url=http://www.tamworthherald.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=159453&command=displayContent&sourceNode=159436&contentPK=20735445&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch Head 'astounded' that school may shut|title=Head "Astounded" that school may shut|accessdate=2008-09-19|work=Tamworth Herald] . There is some criticism of this plan and groups have been set up in oppositionCite web|url=http://handsofftamworthschools.webs.com/index.htm|title=Hands off Tamworth Schools Campaign|accessdate=2008-09-19] and has gained coverage in the local papers.Cite web|url=http://www.thisistamworth.co.uk/news/Hands-Tamworth-schools-8211-demands-action-group/article-337239-detail/article.html|title='Hands off Tamworth schools'|accessdate=2008-09-18|work=Tamworth Herald, 18-Sep-08]

Specialist Status

QEMS has gained status as a Specialist Music College, under the UK Government's Specialist Schools scheme.

References