Paston College

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Sketch of the original Paston building

Paston College is a sixth form college in North Walsham, Norfolk, England.

Paston Grammar School

The College started life as Paston Grammar School — a grammar school founded in 1606 by Sir William Paston, a member of an important local family. Among its famous pupiles have been Admiral Lord Nelson, who attended the school in the late 18th century, before moving away to join the Royal Navy, and the actor and writer Stephen Fry.

The school was on two sites in North Walsham; when girls were admitted to the school, "Griffin" site was home to the boys and "Lawn" site to the girls. In 1984 the school became a sixth form college, teaching 16–19-year olds. The two sites remain in use, but are no longer divided between the sexes.

Paston College

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Students on the Paston College Griffin site

The college still occupies its original buildings (though they have been modernised), together with newer buildings. The majority of students are aged between sixteen and nineteen, and the college offers over thirty AS and A level subjects, as well as vocational courses.

In 2005, Paston was among the top ten colleges in England and Wales for AS-level results, and in the top twenty-five for A-level results. The college also managed a pass rate of 97 per cent at A-level and 90 per cent at AS-level — both figures exceeding the national average for all colleges and sixth forms. Fifteen of the twenty-five A-level courses and eight of the thirty-one AS-level courses had 100 per cent pass rates.

Notable ex-pupils

• Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson
• Steven Fry
• Allan Smethurst Singing Postman
• Captain Sir William Hoste
• Clive Baker Clive Baker

External links

• Paston College Website
• The alternative Paston School website — ex-Grammar school students
• Nelson's experience at Paston Grammar School