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A history of the Greenwich Blue Coat Schools

Blackheath Bluecoat School was recognised as ‘comprehensive’ by the Department of Education in September 1973 when the first balanced intake of 180 pupils was admitted. The school was organised into houses and to commemorate its long association with Greenwich and Blackheath each house was named after a famous person associated with the area: Flamsteed, Gordon, Vanbrugh, Wolfe and Wren. Within each house pupils were placed in vertical tutor groups including pupils from each year groups from 1 to 5 (7 to 11). The Sixth Form was a separate pastoral unit.

For academic work pupils were taught in horizontal unstreamed (mixed ability) groups. A measure of team teaching was introduced where appropriate. The staffing for the school year 1973/74 consisted of Headteacher, 2 deputy heads, senior master, 5 Heads of House, 10 Heads of Department, 7 members of staff with special responsibilities. The total was  30 full-time staff, 8 part-time teachers and 4 visiting music instrumental teachers. The total would increase year on year until the school role reached it target of 1050 pupils. In the 1973 Summer examinations 55 candidates were entered for 323 subjects in the Certificate of Secondary Education and 23 at the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level.

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