Channing School For Girls
Encyclopedia
Channing School is an independent day school for girls aged 4–18 located on Highgate Hill in Highgate, London. The school was founded in 1885 and is affiliated with the Unitarian
faith although it is open to all girls of various faiths and backgrounds. Channing currently enrols approximately 560 girls. It scores highly in GCSE and A levels. Channing School is a member of the Girls' Schools Association
and a MyDaughter
school.
The Good Schools Guide called the school "A sheltered, isolated school in a beautiful setting, less pressured than many London girls' schools but still getting excellent results and producing self-assured young women."
and was endowed by the Misses Matilda and Emily Sharpe, the daughters of Samuel Sharpe
, primarily for the daughters of Unitarian ministers, and named after William Ellery Channing
. Robert Spears later became the first minister of Highgate Unitarian Church. There was assistance for six pupils by private benefactions. After a year, numbers had risen to about 90 pupils and by 1925 to about 125.
Ivy House, higher up the hill, was leased for dormitories and offices in 1885. In the same year the school also leased the semi-detached
West View, immediately below Sutherland House and extended the frontage of both in 1887. In 1901 West View was bought, the other half of the semi-detached property, Slingley, was bought in 1921. The neighbouring building, Hampden House was acquired in 1925 and in 1930 the adjacent Arundel House; these two forming another pair of semi-detached houses. Fairseat, leased with two acres of land, was used from 1926. A hall was opened in 1927 and from 1931 the school became known simply as Channing.
Channing was badly damaged by a parachute mine
during World War II
. Haigh House was built in 1954 to replace the damaged and bombed out buildings. In 1943 a Junior School opened at 12 Southwood Lane which was sold in 1955 when the junior school moved to Fairseat. There were 250 girls in 1950 and 390 in 1975.
Channing Senior School has four buildings: Brunner House, Haigh House, the New Hall and Founders Hall. Founders Hall, once the Old Hall, was re-opened in February 2008 after renovations split the hall into two floors in order to extend the Sixth Form Centre. An upper floor was added to Brunner House in 2003, and constitutes staff offices and classrooms which double as the form rooms of year groups 7 to 9. Haigh House has the science department, music department, art department, ICT department, and changing rooms. The music department takes the place of the old dormitories, as the school was once a boarding school. In the New Hall, assembly and gym take place. It also has a new, fully equipped fitness suite built next to the New Hall.
The Senior School has a Rounders pitch, tennis courts, two ponds and a cricket pitch. It also owns a large expanse of grass down the road where summer sports are played and the Channing Fireworks take place; they are supposed to be the best in London.
Recently, the school has followed in the footsteps of Fairseat and introduced the "House" system. The girls are placed in one of four houses:
Throughout the academic year, the girls participate in numerous activities within these groups including Sports Competitions.
Years 7-9 are referred to as the Middle School, with Years 10 and 11 comprising the senior school, and Years 12-13 the Sixth Form.
Students are encouraged to participate in an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. From Year 9, they are offered the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
faith although it is open to all girls of various faiths and backgrounds. Channing currently enrols approximately 560 girls. It scores highly in GCSE and A levels. Channing School is a member of the Girls' Schools Association
Girls' Schools Association
The Girls' Schools Association is the professional association of the heads of independent girls' schools in the UK and overseas and is a constituent member of the Independent Schools Council .-History:...
and a MyDaughter
MyDaughter
MyDaughter is a British website set up by the Girls' Schools Association offering advice to parents of daughters on all aspects of raising and educating girls...
school.
The Good Schools Guide called the school "A sheltered, isolated school in a beautiful setting, less pressured than many London girls' schools but still getting excellent results and producing self-assured young women."
History
Channing School, originally called Channing House, first opened in 1885 in Sutherland House under the Revd. Robert SpearsRobert Spears
Robert Spears was a British Unitarian minister who was editor of the confessedly "Biblical Unitarian" Christian Life weekly.-Life:...
and was endowed by the Misses Matilda and Emily Sharpe, the daughters of Samuel Sharpe
Samuel Sharpe (scholar)
Samuel Sharpe was an English Unitarian Egyptologist and translator of the Bible.-Life:He was the second son of Sutton Sharpe , brewer, by his second wife, Maria , and was born in King Street, Golden Square, London, on 8 March 1799, baptised at St. James's, Piccadilly...
, primarily for the daughters of Unitarian ministers, and named after William Ellery Channing
William Ellery Channing
Dr. William Ellery Channing was the foremost Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century and, along with Andrews Norton, one of Unitarianism's leading theologians. He was known for his articulate and impassioned sermons and public speeches, and as a prominent thinker...
. Robert Spears later became the first minister of Highgate Unitarian Church. There was assistance for six pupils by private benefactions. After a year, numbers had risen to about 90 pupils and by 1925 to about 125.
Ivy House, higher up the hill, was leased for dormitories and offices in 1885. In the same year the school also leased the semi-detached
Semi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
West View, immediately below Sutherland House and extended the frontage of both in 1887. In 1901 West View was bought, the other half of the semi-detached property, Slingley, was bought in 1921. The neighbouring building, Hampden House was acquired in 1925 and in 1930 the adjacent Arundel House; these two forming another pair of semi-detached houses. Fairseat, leased with two acres of land, was used from 1926. A hall was opened in 1927 and from 1931 the school became known simply as Channing.
Channing was badly damaged by a parachute mine
Parachute mine
A parachute mine is a parachute naval mine dropped from an aircraft. They were mostly used in World War II by the Luftwaffe and initially by the Royal Air Force Bomber Command.-Blast effects:...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Haigh House was built in 1954 to replace the damaged and bombed out buildings. In 1943 a Junior School opened at 12 Southwood Lane which was sold in 1955 when the junior school moved to Fairseat. There were 250 girls in 1950 and 390 in 1975.
Buildings
Channing Junior School (also known as Fairseat) was the home of Sir Sydney Waterlow Bt, who donated the park next door to the public after he died. There is a statue of him on the highest point in the park (just behind Fairseat's Tennis Courts) which shows him holding a key which is said to be the key to the park which he is offering to the public.Channing Senior School has four buildings: Brunner House, Haigh House, the New Hall and Founders Hall. Founders Hall, once the Old Hall, was re-opened in February 2008 after renovations split the hall into two floors in order to extend the Sixth Form Centre. An upper floor was added to Brunner House in 2003, and constitutes staff offices and classrooms which double as the form rooms of year groups 7 to 9. Haigh House has the science department, music department, art department, ICT department, and changing rooms. The music department takes the place of the old dormitories, as the school was once a boarding school. In the New Hall, assembly and gym take place. It also has a new, fully equipped fitness suite built next to the New Hall.
Grounds
Fairseat's Grounds are extensive and beautiful. They are part of Sir Sydney Waterlow's park, and there is a Cedar tree which is over 100 years old, and is the sign of Fairseat. It also has a cottage ( It is called ' the Fairseat Cottage') and adventure playground and tennis courts.The Senior School has a Rounders pitch, tennis courts, two ponds and a cricket pitch. It also owns a large expanse of grass down the road where summer sports are played and the Channing Fireworks take place; they are supposed to be the best in London.
School life
When new students join in Year 7, they are paired with a Year 8 girl who is there for support and guidance during the first year. This develops a strong bond between the girls and the year groups.Recently, the school has followed in the footsteps of Fairseat and introduced the "House" system. The girls are placed in one of four houses:
- Sharpe
- Spears
- Waterlow
- Goodwin
Throughout the academic year, the girls participate in numerous activities within these groups including Sports Competitions.
Years 7-9 are referred to as the Middle School, with Years 10 and 11 comprising the senior school, and Years 12-13 the Sixth Form.
Students are encouraged to participate in an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. From Year 9, they are offered the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.