ABSTRACT
Beddington Grove School is in the centre of a major city in the South East of England. Education here began in the twelfth century; the school dates as a Free Grammar School from 1486. In 1991 it became grant-maintained and in 1999 became a foundation school. It is one of 30 state-maintained boarding schools. In 2006-2007 there were 866 pupils aged 11-18 on roll, with over 200 of these post-16. About 10 per cent are boarders, who pay for their food, but not for tuition. The school operates its own admissions policy, with selection for 112 places at age 11 by examination. The ablest 100 are selected out of approximately 450 applicants, with students from disadvantaged backgrounds admitted on the same basis as others.
