There is evidence that a school stood in the same area as EGS, Enfield Chantry School, from c. 1398–1558, and is the predecessor of Enfield Grammar School. The school has its origins in the 1462 will of Agnes Myddleton, which left an estate at Poynetts in Essex to set up a chantry chapel in St Andrew’s church. The chantry priest, who later also became a teacher, chanted prayers for the souls of the donor, her parents and her four husbands.

Early in the 16th century the funds from the Poynetts estate were converted to support a school. In 1516 the parish acquired Prounces house, behind the King’s Head, for the school master and in 1557 a school house is first mentioned. William Garrett’s 1586 bequest of £50 helped the parish to build the present Grade II listed Tudor three storey red brick school in the 1580/90s, at a total cost of over £400. Initially, the upper floors were used for parish meetings. This building was sometimes referred to as the Old Hall and is still part of our current school.

Until 1967 EGS remained a grammar school. In that year, it was amalgamated with Chace Boys School to form a comprehensive school which retained the name Enfield Grammar School. The two schools were separated again in 1970, but both remained comprehensive. Chace Boys School has since become co-educational and has changed its name to Chace Community School.

The school motto, ‘Tant Que Je Puis’ Old French for ‘As much as I can’ , which is incorporated in the school badge / crest was adopted from the family of Dr. Robert Uvedale who was master from 1664 to 1676.

The school has a house system for some internal sporting activities and pupil awards and achievements. The names of the houses are Forty, Myddelton, Poynetts, Raleigh, St. Andrew’s and Uvedale. See The Houses page for more information.

For a significant period, when the school was a selective one up to the end of the 1960s, the houses were the basis of a wide range of other competitive internal activities such as drama, debating, competitive sports (including shooting).

 

An Enfield Grammar School Magazine from 1932-33

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