Chantry High School (Worcestershire)
Encyclopedia
The Chantry High School is mixed gender comprehensive school
in Martley
, Worcestershire
, England
. The school has about 700 students on roll who come mainly from small villages around the edge of Worcester
, The school has a Technology College
specialism. A July 2009 Ofsted report awarded the school a Grade 1 (Outstanding).
had been founded at Martley before 1350. It was probably founded in 1315, when the chapel of St. Mary was built. The founder is not known, but it appears from 16th-century deeds that the objects of the chantry were besides the chantry services the maintenance of a school, the repair of the church and 'other charitable alms. It was not returned among the chantries at the Dissolution and in the 16th and 17th centuries its endowments known as St. Mary Lands were the subject of much litigation as concealed lands. From depositions taken in 1573–4 it appeared that part of the rents had been previously applied to the maintenance of a chantry priest called St. Mary priest, who said the St. Mary mass within the church of Martley and received part of the profits of the lands from certain specially appointed wardens called St. Mary wardens, with certain other moneys, 'gathered in the parish of every man his devotion.' The last priest maintained with a stipend was Sir William Sheward, who died 7 March 1544. He used to say mass in a 'clossed' on the right side of the church commonly called Sir William's 'closed.' The last St. Mary wardens were chosen about forty years before, and received the rents for about twenty years. By a decree of 1577 a messuage
and lands in Martley and elsewhere, part of this property, were assigned for the maintenance of a free school in Martley, and the chantry-house, that was a timbered building in the churchyard, from that time became the schoolhouse.
The present school opened in 1963 becoming a Comprehensive High School in 1983 as part of Worcestershire Schools reorganisation.
Status, and the Sportsmark
award, and also has Healthy Schools and Green Flag Eco status, and the Extended Services Stamp
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in Martley
Martley
Martley is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills district of the English county of Worcestershire. It is approximately nine miles north-west of Worcester. The population of the village is approximately 1200 people...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The school has about 700 students on roll who come mainly from small villages around the edge of Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, The school has a Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
specialism. A July 2009 Ofsted report awarded the school a Grade 1 (Outstanding).
History
A chantryChantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
had been founded at Martley before 1350. It was probably founded in 1315, when the chapel of St. Mary was built. The founder is not known, but it appears from 16th-century deeds that the objects of the chantry were besides the chantry services the maintenance of a school, the repair of the church and 'other charitable alms. It was not returned among the chantries at the Dissolution and in the 16th and 17th centuries its endowments known as St. Mary Lands were the subject of much litigation as concealed lands. From depositions taken in 1573–4 it appeared that part of the rents had been previously applied to the maintenance of a chantry priest called St. Mary priest, who said the St. Mary mass within the church of Martley and received part of the profits of the lands from certain specially appointed wardens called St. Mary wardens, with certain other moneys, 'gathered in the parish of every man his devotion.' The last priest maintained with a stipend was Sir William Sheward, who died 7 March 1544. He used to say mass in a 'clossed' on the right side of the church commonly called Sir William's 'closed.' The last St. Mary wardens were chosen about forty years before, and received the rents for about twenty years. By a decree of 1577 a messuage
Messuage
In law, the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house and includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard and garden. At one time messuage supposedly had a more extensive meaning than that conveyed by the words house or site, but such distinction no longer survives.A capital messuage is the...
and lands in Martley and elsewhere, part of this property, were assigned for the maintenance of a free school in Martley, and the chantry-house, that was a timbered building in the churchyard, from that time became the schoolhouse.
The present school opened in 1963 becoming a Comprehensive High School in 1983 as part of Worcestershire Schools reorganisation.
Awards
The school has been awarded the Investors in PeopleInvestors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
Status, and the Sportsmark
Sportsmark
Sportsmark is Sport England's accreditation scheme for secondary schools. The scheme recognises a school's out of hours sports provision.Sportsmark awards are given to secondary schools for provision for sport and physical education. They are currently being reviewed along with Activemark awards...
award, and also has Healthy Schools and Green Flag Eco status, and the Extended Services Stamp