Wolmer's Schools

Wolmer's Schools, also referred to as Wolmer's Trust Group of Schools in Kingston, Jamaica, currently consists of Wolmer's Pre-School, Wolmer's Preparatory School and two high schools: Wolmer's Trust High School For Girls and Wolmer's Trust High School for Boys. Both are schools of choice for many Jamaican students sitting Primary Exit Profile examinations. While acknowledged as separate institutions, each school shares a school song, crest, and motto, "Age Quod Agis", a Latin phrase that translates as "Whatever you do, do it well". Another English translation is “Whatever you do, do it to the best of your abilities”. Wolmer's Schools closely resemble British schools of the 1950s more than those today, a trend that can be noted of the entire Jamaican schooling system. Wolmer's Boys' and Girls' have been deemed some of the top schools in the Caribbean and performs well in exit examinations (CSEC/CAPE), especially in the Sciences and Mathematics.

Wolmer's Girls' was ranked second in the Reform of Education in Jamaica 2021 for top value-added traditional/secondary school in the island.

Wolmer’s Girls’ is ranked fourth, in the 2023 Educate Jamaica High School Rankings. Wolmer’s Boys is ranked seventh.

History
Wolmer's is the second-oldest high school in the Caribbean, having been established in 1729 by John Wolmer, a goldsmith, who bequeathed £2,360 for the establishment of a Free School. However, it did not come into existence until 1736, when the Wolmer's Trust was set up.

The oldest is Combermere School, in Barbados, originally the Drax Parish School, established in 1695 by the will of Colonel Henry Drax, a son of Sir James Drax, of 1682. The third (by record thus far) being Harrison College in Barbados, formerly Harrison Free School, established in 1733.

Wolmer's is certainly the oldest school in the Caribbean to retain its original name. It turned into a group of schools, which was completely overhauled during the educational reforms of Governor John Peter Grant, who brought two new schoolmasters over from England.

Wolmer's is the oldest continually operating school in Jamaica.

Curriculum
At the secondary-school level, Wolmer's Schools follow the traditional English grammar-school model used throughout the British West Indies, which incorporates the optional year 12 and 13, collectively known as Sixth Form. The first year of secondary school is regarded as first form, or grade seven, and the subsequent year groups are numbered in increasing order up to sixth form, or grade twelve and grade thirteen. The school offers a variety of CSEC and CAPE subjects done at the fourth, fifth and sixth form levels respectively. It has been known for being the only all-boys school in Jamaica to be ranked in the top ten high schools on the island. The Girls' School is also placed highly in various sources as being one of the best in the country.

Rhodes Scholars
Since 1904, Wolmer's Schools has educated 24 Rhodes Scholars.

Cricket
Wolmer's Boys School has the most wins of the Sunlight Cup for Inter-Scholastic Under 19 Cricket. Moreover, the school continues to produce cricketers that have represented Jamaica and the West Indies Cricket Team. The school is noted in cricket in the West Indies for having produced six test wicket-keepers. The Daily Telegraph once wrote: "One school: six Test wicket-keepers. There has never been any nurturing like it."

Notable alumni
Arts, culture and entertainment
 * Cherine Anderson, international recording artiste, actress, President of The Reach One Child R.O.C. Foundation
 * Peter Ashbourne CD, composer
 * Maurice Ashley, chess player, author and commentator
 * James Aubrey (actor)-Austrian born English actor
 * Harry Belafonte OJ, actor and singer, winner of Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Oscar Awards
 * Aston Cooke, playwright
 * David Heron, playwright and actor
 * Marlon James, novelist
 * Diana King, international recording artiste
 * Sean Paul, Grammy-winning artiste
 * Kei Miller, novelist and poet
 * Wayne Marshall, artiste
 * Henry Wilcoxon, actor
 * Paul Williamson, tenor

Business, finance and politics
 * Lloyd Carney, American businessman
 * Amy Jacques Garvey, wife of Marcus Mosiah Garvey
 * Florizel Glasspole, Governor General of Jamaica 1973–1991
 * Keble Munn, former Minister of Agriculture and Minister of National Security
 * Patsy Robertson, diplomat, Official Spokesperson for The Commonwealth 1983–1994
 * Billy Strachan, RAF pilot, pioneer of black civil rights in Britain, communist, legal expert, newspaper editor
 * Edward Seaga, Prime Minister of Jamaica 1980–1989
 * Brian Wynter, Governor of the Bank of Jamaica
 * Harold Moody, doctor and campaigner for racial equality in Britain

Sports
 * Gerry Alexander, cricketer
 * Ivan Barrow, cricketer
 * Carlton Baugh, cricketer
 * Gareth Breese, cricketer
 * Patrick Harris, cricketer
 * Roy Anthony Bridge, sports administrator and IOC member
 * Christoff Bryan, national high-jump record holder
 * Jeff Dujon, cricketer
 * Ashani Fairclough, footballer
 * Julian Forte, track athlete
 * Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, track athlete – double Olympic Gold medallist in the 100m
 * Lindel Frater, track athlete
 * Michael Frater, track athlete – Olympic Gold Medallist in the 4 x 100m
 * Ricardo Gardner, footballer – English Premier League (Bolton Wanderers)
 * Jackie Hendriks, cricketer
 * Omar Holness – footballer
 * Jaheel Hyde, Olympian
 * Peter Isaacs, footballer
 * Sir Herbert Macdonald, footballer, tennis player and sports administrator and promoter
 * Germaine Mason, Olympian
 * Karl Nunes, cricketer
 * Patrick Patterson, cricketer
 * Allan Rae, cricketer
 * Luton Shelton, footballer – record holder for most goals for Jamaica in international football
 * Khari Stephenson, footballer
 * Paul Young, footballer