# Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, or QE as it is commonly known, is a sixth form college on Vane Terrace in Darlington, County Durham, England. It educates nearly 2000 students from Darlington and the surrounding areas with students coming from Stockton, Richmond, Newton Aycliffe and elsewhere. It is situated near the town centre, next to Stanhope Park.

## History

It was established in 1970 on the site of the old Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, designed by George Gordon Hoskins. The original educational establishment was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I, hence the name. Much of the building was refurbished following a fire in 1987 and on 17 April 1991, the Duchess of Kent opened the library. In 2004 a large extension was completed, the Trinity building, including a new sports hall, art department and atrium study area, increasing the capacity of students. In 2012 another extension was completed with the Stanhope building, designed to house creative arts and media, as well as a refurbishment of the library with more computer and study areas.

## Admissions

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College has almost 2000 students, mostly aged 16–18. It offers around 40 full-time AS and A level courses, some vocational courses and GCSEs, as well as several part-time evening classes. For most students the college requires that applicants have at least 6 GCSEs at grades 5 (old grade C) to 9 (old grade A*) to begin A level courses.

## Academic performance

A level results for 2011 had over 99% pass rate and over 60% A*-B grades.

## Alumni

* Jenny Chapman, Labour peer
* Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North (2010–present)
* Theo Hutchcraft, one half of synth-pop duo, Hurts
* Robert Icke, Olivier award-winning theatre director and writer
* Jane Kennedy, Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree (1992–2010)
* Philippa Langley, discoverer of Richard III's body.
* Scarlett Moffatt, television personality
* Alan Strickland, Labour MP for Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor (2024–present)
* Andrea Sutcliffe, chief executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (1980–2)

### Queen Elizabeth Grammar School

* Bentley Beetham (1886–1963), mountaineer, ornithologist and photographer
* Sir Geoffrey Cass, chief executive of Cambridge University Press from 1972 to 1992 (1933–40)
* Aidan Chambers, children's novelist who wrote Postcards from No Man's Land (1946–53)
* Norman Creek (1909–14)
* David Daniell, Professor of English from 1992 to 1994 at University College London (1940–7)
* Bernard Dixon, science writer (1949–56)
* Sir Robert Bland Dixon, former President of the Institute of Marine Engineers (1878–85)
* Walter Ernest Dixon (1870–1931), pharmacologist.
* David Harker, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice (1962–69)
* Ian Hamilton, poet (1949–56)
* William Henderson, 1st Baron Henderson, Labour MP for Enfield from 1923 to 1924 and 1929–31 (1902–09)
* Cecil Kidd, Regius Professor of Physiology from 1984 to 1997 at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen (1944–51)
* Angus Maddison, economist (1938–45)
* Sir Eric Miller, industrialist (1893–1900)
* Eric Neil (1918–1990), physiologist.
* Edward Pearce, political journalist, (1950–7)
* Chapman Pincher, journalist (1925–32)
* James Francis Tait, Joel Professor of Physics as Applied to Medicine from 1970 to 1982 at University College London (1937–44)
* Sir Alan Wilson, Vice-Chancellor from 1991 to 2004 of the University of Leeds (1950–7)