Christ's Hospital
Encyclopedia
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter
located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham
in Horsham District
, West Sussex
, England
. It is a charity school, giving children from poorer backgrounds the chance to have a better education. The school was originally founded in the 16th century in Greyfriars
, London
and Hertford
.
Christ's Hospital is almost unique for a British independent school in that it educates a proportion of its students free, and most at a reduced rate. This stems from its founding charter as a charitable school. School fees are paid on a means-tested
basis, with substantial subsidies paid by the school, so that pupils from all walks of life are able to have a high quality, independent school education that would otherwise be beyond the means of their parents.
In 2005/6 82% of children attending CH came from state or grant-maintained schools. In 2006 19% of children accepting places were assessed as being in "very high" need, 64% in "medium to high" need and 17% in "low" need.
The trustees of the foundation are the Council of Almoners, chaired by the Treasurer of Christ's Hospital, who govern the foundation according to a Scheme of Administration granted by the Charity Commission
. The historic Court of Governors survives as a formal institution consisting of over 650 benefactors but its powers have since the 19th century been largely transferred to the smaller Council of Almoners.
In 2007 Christ's Hospital was formally separated into two related registered charities
: Christ's Hospital Foundation and Christ's Hospital School.
In the open competitive examination, precedence is given to candidates who satisfy the conditions of a number of trusts, including:
Some of the means of entry are denoted on the uniform by a round metal plate (varying in design according to type of presentation) sewn on the breast of the housey coat.
Christ’s Hospital was the result of the vision of King Edward VI
, assisted by Nicholas Ridley
, Bishop of London, and Sir Richard Dobbs, Lord Mayor of the City of London. Its genesis was the earlier dissolution of the monasteries
and the resultant overflow onto the streets of the poor and destitute. Encouraged by a sermon from Ridley, exhorting mercy to the poor, the King wrote to the Lord Mayor encouraging him to action. This he did via a committee of 30 merchants. Henry VIII
had already granted the use of Greyfriars to the City for the relief of the poor. Edward granted the Palace of Bridewell, his lands at the Savoy
, and rents and other chattels to create three Royal Hospitals — Bridewell Hospital (now the King Edward's School, Witley
, Surrey
), St Thomas' Hospital
and Christ's Hospital, which was for the education of poor children.
The first boys and girls entered the school in Newgate
in 1552. The Royal Charter
was granted and signed by its Founder, Edward VI, the following year. The first Treasurer was Richard Grafton
. The Protestant Foundation survived the Marian
period and in the 1560s sent its first scholars to Oxford and Cambridge.
The school occupied Newgate as its major site for 350 years, but from time to time children were housed in other parts of the country. 32 children perished during the Great Plague of 1665
. In the following year the Great Fire of London
destroyed much of the Hospital except four cloisters and three wards, but there were no casualties among the children. Around 200 pupils were sent to Islington and Clerkenwell and then to Ware and Hertford. By the end of the 17th century the buildings had been rebuilt with the assistance of Sir Christopher Wren
, a Governor of Christ's Hospital, and Nicholas Hawksmoor
who designed the Writing School (1696). The church of Christ Church Newgate Street, designed by Wren, replaced the damaged choir of the former Greyfriars' church, and served as a place of worship for the children of Christ's Hospital in the City until the move to Horsham.
Christ's Hospital was given its second Royal Charter
by Charles II
in 1673. This charter specifically created the Royal Mathematical School whose original purpose was to train mathematicians
and navigators
who would serve as naval officers or merchant seafarers. Samuel Pepys
, Secretary to His Majesty's Navy and from 1699 Vice President of Christ's Hospital, made a considerable contribution to Christ's Hospital. Isaac Newton
, Jonas Moore
, John Flamsteed
, and Edmund Halley contributed to plans for the course of study of the new school within the foundation.
The girls settled at Hertford
from 1707. The Governors had been paying a teacher in Hertford from 1653, and the removal of some children from London following the Great Fire strengthened the link with the town. In 1761, 200 boys under the age of 10 along with the boys from Ware were relocated to Hertford. In 1778 the last girls were moved out of London to join the others at Hertford, where the school was rebuilt 1795–1798 to provide accommodation for the new numbers.
Christ's Hospital's most famous Upper Master was James Boyer
who presided from 1778 to 1799 and instructed James Leigh Hunt, Charles Lamb, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge
.
Two of 19th-century London's most notable architects, John Shaw Senior
and John Shaw Junior
, were architects and surveyors to Christ's Hospital throughout the first half of the 1800s. The Shaws' work included the old school hall (c.1825).
HRH The Duke of Cambridge
started a tradition of Royal Presidents in 1854.
A commission of inquiry in 1837 proposed reforms, and in 1864 the Taunton Commission investigated the endowed schools. As a result of this a greater number of girls were admitted. However in the 1890s boys still outnumbered girls at Hertford.
Another commission in 1877 proposed a new site for the school, where all the boys would be taught. This proposal was questioned by some of the Governors. The Duke of Cambridge said "I am one of those who are perfectly prepared to go with the spirit of the age in which we live, but I confess that I am also one of those who do not love change for change’s sake. To upset an old and long standing institution... is a very dangerous experiment to try."
However, the proposal was carried out. 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land outside Horsham in Sussex was purchased from the Aylesbury Dairy Company for £47,500. The foundation stone was laid by Edward, Prince of Wales
on 23 October 1897, on behalf of the Sovereign, the date being the anniversary of the birthday of the founder. Architectural features from the old school buildings (the Grecians' Arch and the Wren Arch) were salvaged and incorporated in the new buildings.
The boys were relocated from Newgate and Hertford to the new site in 1902. Hertford became a girls-only school.
Over the centuries Christ’s Hospital has continued to enjoy royal patronage. In 1919, George V
became the first Royal Patron, followed by George VI
in 1937 and HM The Queen in 1953.
The Hertford school for girls merged with the boys at Horsham in 1985 and hence Christ’s Hospital returned to its original co-educational roots. The Charitable Foundation staff, who had remained in Great Tower Street, London, moved to Horsham in 1987.
Christ's Hospital is the most philanthropic of all independent schools, with assets of £261 million and an income from its investments in property and securities of £9 million. A substantial proportion of this income goes towards subsidising school fees. It has said it is in a sound enough position to "withstand the vagaries of the markets". However recent expenses (such as a gas leak which required the complete replacement of the gas pipes, and ongoing refurbishments which have incurred spiralling costs) have dented this happy situation, and Christ's Hospital is now in a somewhat poorer financial situation.
Mostly due to this, in early 2010, the Council of Almoners decided that the school would take on a small number of day pupils. It was to be limited to one day pupil, per boarding house, per school year. This was taken with mixed thoughts from pupils and old blues.
The magnanimous support of the City of London Corporation and Livery companies of the City (some 20 actively support children in the School) remains uninterrupted. Christ’s Hospital remains true to its founder’s principles of supporting disadvantaged children and by remaining a school for the public.
The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
. John Franklin was appointed as the new headmaster from September 2007 in succession to Dr. Peter Southern. Mr. Franklin was born in Brisbane
and was educated in both the UK and Australia
. He was previously Headmaster of Ardingly College
.
Links with the City and the Lord Mayor of London are maintained, with an annual parade through the City of London on St. Matthew's Day
and a regular place in the Lord Mayor's Show
.
One of the Christ's Hospital traditions is marching into lunch with the band, which is done each day except Sunday, weather permitting.
Another is the annual speech-day parade, where the Lord Mayor of London and his procession watch the school perform a march-past through the main quad. They also join the school in chapel for a grand service, and eat lunch with the Grecian year and their parents. Lastly they move to Big School to hear the Senior Grecian's oration and witness the Grecian prize-giving. This is always on the last day before the Summer Half Term.
: belted, long blue coats, knee-breeches, yellow socks, and bands
at the neck. The uniform has been in place since 1552. The nickname "Blue-coat School" comes from the blue coats worn by the students – however, the nickname used within the school community itself is "Housey" and the long coat is called a "housey coat".
Second and third form pupils wear a simple leather belt with a buckle. When pupils reach their "Little Erasmus
" (year 9), they are presented with more elaborate hallmarked sterling silver
'broadie' buckles and belts, which the pupils keep after leaving the school.
A complementary uniform was introduced for girls on re-unification of the schools in 1985– knee length pleated skirt, summer jacket, yellow socks (for the boys and junior girls), and grey socks or grey/black tights for senior girls, as well as the long coat in winter, and the bands.
By 2011 students and alumni stated that they see the uniform as important way of giving the school a unique identity and unifying the school. Around that time the administrators had discussed the idea of updating the uniform. The school's 800 students voted; over 95% voted in favor of keeping the original uniform.
As part of the commemoration of the fifty years since the artist's death, the chapel hosted an exhibition of the "Brangwyns": cartoons by the artist Frank Brangwyn
of the paintings the artist made for the chapel depicting scenes from Christian history such as St Peter standing up with the eleven, famous conversions, and martyrdoms.
At the Leaving Service, school-leavers receive a Bible as a reminder of the school's commitment to Christian values.
Children are encouraged to explore their own worldview in the Theology and Philosophy classes. Pupils are encouraged to respect different religions and cultures. The school welcomes children from other religious and cultural backgrounds.
Towards the end, the snare drummers, and in 2011 the cymbals too, perform "splits" a combination of drum solos and trickery with the drumsticks. It is usually an emotional time, as it is the last time the 'Grecians' will play for the school band.
Famous alumni of Christ's Hospital Music School include conductors Sir Colin Davis
, Charles Hazlewood
, Adrian Bawtree
, and Simon Joly, trumpeter David Mason
(formerly Principal Trumpet of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), tenor Charles Corp, and composer and conductor Constant Lambert
.
The school's chapel (seating 1,000 and second only in size to Lancing College
Chapel) has a large five-manual Rushworth and Dreaper
organ, one of four organs in the School (the others being a 3-manual 1829 Hill in Big School, played on by Mendelssohn
and Karg-Elert, a 2-manual Father Willis
in the Dining Hall, and a Flight and Robson chamber organ in the Court Room). The near 150-strong Chapel Choir has made many recordings and through these has earned an excellent reputation. Throughout the school's history, many musically gifted pupils have gone on to take up choral and organ scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge or have gained places at leading music conservatories. The school has a Symphony Orchestra and many other smaller choirs and instrumental ensembles, along with the celebrated annual House Singing Competition. The Music Department organises a concert every February at St John's, Smith Square in London, thus providing an excellent performance opportunity for budding soloists and chamber musicians, alongside masterclasses with musicians such as Stephen Kovacevich
, Hugh Bean
, Adrian Thompson and Patrick Russill. The school is also famous as the first place in England to host a complete cycle of the chamber music of Brahms
, under the direction of the then Head of Piano John Thwaites
.
Christ's Hospital was featured in the first series of the reality television programme Rock School
, in which Gene Simmons
of KISS
helped a group of pupils form their own rock band.
The school's most famous ensemble is its band, simply named Christ's Hospital Band
. It plays for the daily parade and performs in the annual Lord Mayor's Show
in the City of London
. The band also has a regular engagement each summer at Lord's Cricket Ground
. The band played in the prestigious Rose Bowl Parade in California
in 2002. The band led the procession at the Queen's 80th birthday in London on 21 April 2006 and has played at Twickenham Stadium
on a number of occasions.
The Christ's Hospital Arts Centre served as a principal arts venue for Horsham and the surrounding area until the establishment of an arts centre in Horsham in the 1980s. A programme of performances continues to be open to the public. Former notable pupils in theatre and film include Jason Flemyng
, Leo Gregory
, James D'Arcy
, Michael Wilding
, and Roger Allam
.
), the Brangwyn cartoons, and the only picture of Queen Victoria on a horse outside the Royal Collection
. Many visitors come to see the paintings. Christ's Hospital Art School gives students the opportunity to work in many different mediums, having halfterms alternated between DT and Art.
and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in September 2009. Ofsted highlighted much that was very good or outstanding at CH. The ISI report concluded that Christ's Hospital is, "conspicuously successful in its aim to provide a high quality boarding experience and a broad and challenging academic education. The strong house communities and the care and concern shown by all staff contribute strongly to the outstanding relationships and high standards of pupils." However, due to failure to comply with some "safeguarding" rules, the overall quality of welfare provision at the school was rated as "inadequate" by the Ofsted inspectors in spite of all the good work elsewhere. The Head Master was 'disappointed' with this and has rectified the errors and requested a new inspection to regrade the school.
The school uses traditional year group names. The nomenclature used by the school and its National Curriculum equivalence are shown in the following table:
The school houses
are named after notable Old Blues, primarily writers. Each house has an "A" and "B" side, each housing roughly 45 pupils arranged from west to east as follows:
The sixteen original main boarding houses stretch from Peele to Leigh Hunt along The Avenue, built as four H-blocks on either side of the main Quad. Leigh Hunt was originally the pair of preparatory houses, Prep A and Prep B, until converting to junior houses on the abolition in 1964 of entry at the age of nine.
The sixteen original houses provided two dormitories (Upper Dorm and Lower Dorm) sleeping up to about 30 boys each. As the merger of the boys and girls approached, some dormitories were divided into cubicles, and subsequent developments created dormitories accommodating about twelve pupils each. Since 2001 there has been a rolling refurbishment programme, with the refurbished houses providing a range of accommodation: four-bed rooms for the junior pupils to one-bed rooms for the more senior pupils.
Until 1964, boys at Horsham lived in all-through houses from 2nd Form to Grecians (with the exception of Prep A and Prep B). Then houses were divided into senior houses (Peele, Thornton, Middleton, Coleridge and Lamb) and Junior houses (Barnes, Maine, Leigh Hunt) with boys transferring to a senior house after Little Erasmus. In conjunction with the merger, a further reorganisation occurred with each house converting to a senior side and a junior side. This system reverted to the all-through houses in 2000; now from 2nd Form to Deps.
Grecians West and Grecians East were completed early in 2001 and provide individual study bedrooms plus several general common rooms and kitchenettes shared by a group of seven to ten pupils in the final year (Grecians) living a transitional style of life in preparation for university or life beyond school.
With the transformation of Thornton from boys' houses to girls' houses in 2007, there are now an equal number of girls and boys at the school for the first time in its history.
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
in Horsham District
Horsham (district)
Horsham is a local government district in West Sussex, England. Its council is based in Horsham. The district borders those of Crawley, Mid Sussex, Mole Valley, Chichester, Arun and Adur....
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, 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...
. It is a charity school, giving children from poorer backgrounds the chance to have a better education. The school was originally founded in the 16th century in Greyfriars
Christ Church Greyfriars
Christ Church Greyfriars, also known as Christ Church Newgate, was an Anglican church located on Newgate Street, opposite St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. Built first in the gothic style, then in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren, it ranked among the City's most notable...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
.
The charitable foundation
Means test
A means test is a determination of whether an individual or family is eligible for help from the government.- Canada :In Canada means tests are used for student finance , and "welfare" . They are not generally used for primary education and secondary education which are tax-funded...
basis, with substantial subsidies paid by the school, so that pupils from all walks of life are able to have a high quality, independent school education that would otherwise be beyond the means of their parents.
The trustees of the foundation are the Council of Almoners, chaired by the Treasurer of Christ's Hospital, who govern the foundation according to a Scheme of Administration granted by the Charity Commission
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
. The historic Court of Governors survives as a formal institution consisting of over 650 benefactors but its powers have since the 19th century been largely transferred to the smaller Council of Almoners.
In 2007 Christ's Hospital was formally separated into two related registered charities
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
: Christ's Hospital Foundation and Christ's Hospital School.
Admissions
Admission of pupils is either by open competitive examination or by "presentation" — in either case the suitability of candidates is judged according to criteria of need and parental income. Certain individuals and corporate bodies exercise rights of presentation, proposing suitable candidates for admission. In effect the selection of pupils is made according to a complex set of scholarships.- Donation Governors are individuals who, in return for a financial donation, can propose a suitable candidate.
- A number of livery companies have rights of presentation, including the Ironmongers' Company, the Cooks' Company, the Drapers' Company, the Grocers' Company, the Fishmongers' Company, the Skinners' Company, the Mercers' Company, the Master Mariners' Company and others.
- The Guild of Freemen of the City of London have rights of presentation.
- The Council of Almoners exercises rights of presentation in respect of:
- Distinguished Service Presentation: sons, daughters, grandsons or granddaughters of persons distinguished in literature, science or art, the service of the Crown or services to Christ's Hospital (established 1866).
- Royal Mathematical School: sons or daughters of Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, Royal MarinesRoyal MarinesThe Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
or Royal Navy Reserve List 1 (Merchant Navy) personnel - Girls' Additional Endowment Fund: orphan daughters of various professions (trust established 1904/5)
- Brodribb Foundation: blood relations of members of the Brodribb family (established 1927)
- Almoners' Presentees: supplementary places should the number of children presented fall short of vacancies available
In the open competitive examination, precedence is given to candidates who satisfy the conditions of a number of trusts, including:
- children from schools in the area formerly controlled by the Inner London Education AuthorityInner London Education AuthorityThe Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
- children from schools in certain ancient country parishes
- Oliver Whitby Educational Foundation: children from ChichesterChichesterChichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
- Royal Air Force Foundation: sons and daughters of officers or men of the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Royal Auxiliary Air ForceRoyal Auxiliary Air ForceThe Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
or Royal Air Force Reserve. The Foundation was instituted by Barnes WallisBarnes WallisSir Barnes Neville Wallis, CBE FRS, RDI, FRAeS , was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. He is best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the RAF in Operation Chastise to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley during World War II...
using the money he received from the Royal Commission on Awards for Inventors for inventing the bouncing bomb - Reeve's Foundation: children of parents connected with the ecclesiatical parish of St. Sepulchre in the City of London or the parish of ClerkenwellClerkenwellClerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
or St. Andrews, Holborn - West's Gifts: children of parents resident in the borough of NewburyNewbury, BerkshireNewbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
, borough of Reading, parish of TwickenhamTwickenhamTwickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
(1911 boundaries) or in default any contiguous parish or place thereto. Preference in respect of a third of the places is given to children who can establish a relationship to the founders of the trust, John West (born 1640, Master of the Clothworkers' Company and witness to the will of Samuel PepysSamuel PepysSamuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
) and Frances West (his wife, born 1643) with the charity paying up to 50% of the pupils school fees. - Almoners' Nominees are those selected for admission as a result of the competitive examination without satisfying any other means of presentation.
Some of the means of entry are denoted on the uniform by a round metal plate (varying in design according to type of presentation) sewn on the breast of the housey coat.
History
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, assisted by Nicholas Ridley
Nicholas Ridley (martyr)
Nicholas Ridley was an English Bishop of London. Ridley was burned at the stake, as one of the Oxford Martyrs, during the Marian Persecutions, for his teachings and his support of Lady Jane Grey...
, Bishop of London, and Sir Richard Dobbs, Lord Mayor of the City of London. Its genesis was the earlier dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and the resultant overflow onto the streets of the poor and destitute. Encouraged by a sermon from Ridley, exhorting mercy to the poor, the King wrote to the Lord Mayor encouraging him to action. This he did via a committee of 30 merchants. Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
had already granted the use of Greyfriars to the City for the relief of the poor. Edward granted the Palace of Bridewell, his lands at the Savoy
Savoy Palace
The Savoy Palace was considered the grandest nobleman's residence of medieval London, until it was destroyed in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. It fronted the Strand, on the site of the present Savoy Theatre and the Savoy Hotel that memorialise its name...
, and rents and other chattels to create three Royal Hospitals — Bridewell Hospital (now the King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI and Nicholas Ridley. The School is located in the village of Wormley , Surrey, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
), St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
and Christ's Hospital, which was for the education of poor children.
The first boys and girls entered the school in Newgate
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
in 1552. The Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
was granted and signed by its Founder, Edward VI, the following year. The first Treasurer was Richard Grafton
Richard Grafton
Richard Grafton , was King's Printer under Henry VIII and Edward VI. He was a member of the Grocers' Company and MP for Coventry elected 1562-63.-Under Henry VIII:...
. The Protestant Foundation survived the Marian
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
period and in the 1560s sent its first scholars to Oxford and Cambridge.
The school occupied Newgate as its major site for 350 years, but from time to time children were housed in other parts of the country. 32 children perished during the Great Plague of 1665
Great Plague of London
The Great Plague was a massive outbreak of disease in the Kingdom of England that killed an estimated 100,000 people, 20% of London's population. The disease is identified as bubonic plague, an infection by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, transmitted through a flea vector...
. In the following year the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
destroyed much of the Hospital except four cloisters and three wards, but there were no casualties among the children. Around 200 pupils were sent to Islington and Clerkenwell and then to Ware and Hertford. By the end of the 17th century the buildings had been rebuilt with the assistance of Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
, a Governor of Christ's Hospital, and Nicholas Hawksmoor
Nicholas Hawksmoor
Nicholas Hawksmoor was a British architect born in Nottinghamshire, probably in East Drayton.-Life:Hawksmoor was born in Nottinghamshire in 1661, into a yeoman farming family, almost certainly in East Drayton, Nottinghamshire. On his death he was to leave property at nearby Ragnall, Dunham and a...
who designed the Writing School (1696). The church of Christ Church Newgate Street, designed by Wren, replaced the damaged choir of the former Greyfriars' church, and served as a place of worship for the children of Christ's Hospital in the City until the move to Horsham.
Christ's Hospital was given its second Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
by Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in 1673. This charter specifically created the Royal Mathematical School whose original purpose was to train mathematicians
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and navigators
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
who would serve as naval officers or merchant seafarers. Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
, Secretary to His Majesty's Navy and from 1699 Vice President of Christ's Hospital, made a considerable contribution to Christ's Hospital. Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
, Jonas Moore
Jonas Moore
Sir Jonas Moore, FRS was an English mathematician, surveyor, Ordnance Officer and patron of astronomy. He participated in two of the most ambitious English civil engineering projects of the 17th century: the draining of the Great Level of the Fens and the building of the Mole at Tangier...
, John Flamsteed
John Flamsteed
Sir John Flamsteed FRS was an English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal. He catalogued over 3000 stars.- Life :Flamsteed was born in Denby, Derbyshire, England, the only son of Stephen Flamsteed...
, and Edmund Halley contributed to plans for the course of study of the new school within the foundation.
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
from 1707. The Governors had been paying a teacher in Hertford from 1653, and the removal of some children from London following the Great Fire strengthened the link with the town. In 1761, 200 boys under the age of 10 along with the boys from Ware were relocated to Hertford. In 1778 the last girls were moved out of London to join the others at Hertford, where the school was rebuilt 1795–1798 to provide accommodation for the new numbers.
Christ's Hospital's most famous Upper Master was James Boyer
James Boyer
The Reverend James Boyer was the tyrannical headmaster of Christ’s Hospital from the years 1778 to 1799.These turbulent years at the end of the 18th century were when three of the school's most famous students attended: Leigh Hunt, Charles Lamb, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Boyer’s personality...
who presided from 1778 to 1799 and instructed James Leigh Hunt, Charles Lamb, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, Romantic, literary critic and philosopher who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla...
.
Two of 19th-century London's most notable architects, John Shaw Senior
John Shaw Sr.
John Shaw, Senior, was an architect related to the Shaw and Hardwick family and one of the first architects to draw up plans for semi-detached housing in London....
and John Shaw Junior
John Shaw Jr
John Shaw Junior was an English architect of the 19th century who was complimented as a designer in the "Manner of Wren". He designed buildings in the classical Jacobean fashion and designed some of London's first semi-detached homes in the area close to Chalk Farm. Shaw retired in the early...
, were architects and surveyors to Christ's Hospital throughout the first half of the 1800s. The Shaws' work included the old school hall (c.1825).
HRH The Duke of Cambridge
Prince George, Duke of Cambridge
Prince George, Duke of Cambridge was a member of the British Royal Family, a male-line grandson of King George III. The Duke was an army officer and served as commander-in-chief of the British Army from 1856 to 1895...
started a tradition of Royal Presidents in 1854.
A commission of inquiry in 1837 proposed reforms, and in 1864 the Taunton Commission investigated the endowed schools. As a result of this a greater number of girls were admitted. However in the 1890s boys still outnumbered girls at Hertford.
Another commission in 1877 proposed a new site for the school, where all the boys would be taught. This proposal was questioned by some of the Governors. The Duke of Cambridge said "I am one of those who are perfectly prepared to go with the spirit of the age in which we live, but I confess that I am also one of those who do not love change for change’s sake. To upset an old and long standing institution... is a very dangerous experiment to try."
However, the proposal was carried out. 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land outside Horsham in Sussex was purchased from the Aylesbury Dairy Company for £47,500. The foundation stone was laid by Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
on 23 October 1897, on behalf of the Sovereign, the date being the anniversary of the birthday of the founder. Architectural features from the old school buildings (the Grecians' Arch and the Wren Arch) were salvaged and incorporated in the new buildings.
The boys were relocated from Newgate and Hertford to the new site in 1902. Hertford became a girls-only school.
Over the centuries Christ’s Hospital has continued to enjoy royal patronage. In 1919, George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
became the first Royal Patron, followed by George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
in 1937 and HM The Queen in 1953.
Christ's Hospital today
The 'dangerous experiment' feared by the Duke of Cambridge has worked spectacularly well. Christ's Hospital now enjoys the benefits of the gentle Sussex countryside whilst being, in terms of campus size, the largest school in the country.The Hertford school for girls merged with the boys at Horsham in 1985 and hence Christ’s Hospital returned to its original co-educational roots. The Charitable Foundation staff, who had remained in Great Tower Street, London, moved to Horsham in 1987.
Christ's Hospital is the most philanthropic of all independent schools, with assets of £261 million and an income from its investments in property and securities of £9 million. A substantial proportion of this income goes towards subsidising school fees. It has said it is in a sound enough position to "withstand the vagaries of the markets". However recent expenses (such as a gas leak which required the complete replacement of the gas pipes, and ongoing refurbishments which have incurred spiralling costs) have dented this happy situation, and Christ's Hospital is now in a somewhat poorer financial situation.
Mostly due to this, in early 2010, the Council of Almoners decided that the school would take on a small number of day pupils. It was to be limited to one day pupil, per boarding house, per school year. This was taken with mixed thoughts from pupils and old blues.
The magnanimous support of the City of London Corporation and Livery companies of the City (some 20 actively support children in the School) remains uninterrupted. Christ’s Hospital remains true to its founder’s principles of supporting disadvantaged children and by remaining a school for the public.
The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
. John Franklin was appointed as the new headmaster from September 2007 in succession to Dr. Peter Southern. Mr. Franklin was born in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and was educated in both the UK and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He was previously Headmaster of Ardingly College
Ardingly College
Ardingly College is a selective independent co-educational boarding and day school, founded in 1858 by Canon Nathaniel Woodard, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The college is located in the village of Ardingly near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, England, having moved to its present...
.
Traditions
Matthew the Evangelist
Matthew the Evangelist was, according to the Bible, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the four Evangelists.-Identity:...
and a regular place in the Lord Mayor's Show
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now the metropolis's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile...
.
One of the Christ's Hospital traditions is marching into lunch with the band, which is done each day except Sunday, weather permitting.
Another is the annual speech-day parade, where the Lord Mayor of London and his procession watch the school perform a march-past through the main quad. They also join the school in chapel for a grand service, and eat lunch with the Grecian year and their parents. Lastly they move to Big School to hear the Senior Grecian's oration and witness the Grecian prize-giving. This is always on the last day before the Summer Half Term.
Uniform
The school's Tudor uniformSchool uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
: belted, long blue coats, knee-breeches, yellow socks, and bands
Bands (neckwear)
Bands are a form of formal neckwear, worn by some clergy and lawyers, and with some forms of academic dress. They take the form of two oblong pieces of cloth, usually though not invariably white, which are tied to the neck. Bands is usually plural because they require two similar parts and did not...
at the neck. The uniform has been in place since 1552. The nickname "Blue-coat School" comes from the blue coats worn by the students – however, the nickname used within the school community itself is "Housey" and the long coat is called a "housey coat".
Second and third form pupils wear a simple leather belt with a buckle. When pupils reach their "Little Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
" (year 9), they are presented with more elaborate hallmarked sterling silver
Sterling silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925....
'broadie' buckles and belts, which the pupils keep after leaving the school.
A complementary uniform was introduced for girls on re-unification of the schools in 1985– knee length pleated skirt, summer jacket, yellow socks (for the boys and junior girls), and grey socks or grey/black tights for senior girls, as well as the long coat in winter, and the bands.
By 2011 students and alumni stated that they see the uniform as important way of giving the school a unique identity and unifying the school. Around that time the administrators had discussed the idea of updating the uniform. The school's 800 students voted; over 95% voted in favor of keeping the original uniform.
Chapel and religion
As a "religious, royal and ancient foundation", the school chapel is central to Christ's Hospital life.As part of the commemoration of the fifty years since the artist's death, the chapel hosted an exhibition of the "Brangwyns": cartoons by the artist Frank Brangwyn
Frank Brangwyn
Sir Frank William Brangwyn RA RWS RBA was an Anglo-Welsh artist, painter, water colourist, virtuoso engraver and illustrator, and progressive designer.- Biography :...
of the paintings the artist made for the chapel depicting scenes from Christian history such as St Peter standing up with the eleven, famous conversions, and martyrdoms.
At the Leaving Service, school-leavers receive a Bible as a reminder of the school's commitment to Christian values.
Children are encouraged to explore their own worldview in the Theology and Philosophy classes. Pupils are encouraged to respect different religions and cultures. The school welcomes children from other religious and cultural backgrounds.
Beating Retreat
At the end of every academic year, the Christ's Hospital school band marches out from the music school, and perform a parade in the Quadrangle. The parade lasts for approximately an hour, during which they perform maneuvers with ranks of the band members forming shapes whilst playing their instruments.Towards the end, the snare drummers, and in 2011 the cymbals too, perform "splits" a combination of drum solos and trickery with the drumsticks. It is usually an emotional time, as it is the last time the 'Grecians' will play for the school band.
Societies and clubs
- Christ's Hospital Scout Troop: founded in 1918, it is one of the oldest Scout troops in the country. Based in the Lord Wakefield Scout Headquarters, which is centrally located on the school grounds.
- Christ's Hospital Debating Society: The Debating Society holds a debate each Friday evening.
- Christ's Hospital Breakfast Club: founded in 2010, the Breakfast Club meets every Friday morning to have breakfast together in the Dining Hall. Guests, by invitation only, have included the Headmaster and his wife, the Clerk, and various other members of the teaching staff. The Club have often put on themed breakfasts including Valentine's DayValentine's DaySaint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, the Royal Wedding 2011 and Armistice DayArmistice DayArmistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...
.
Music
Christ's Hospital has a long and distinguished musical tradition and has one of the largest school music departments in the country, with around 35 visiting staff and 9 residential staff. The residential music staff include:- Adrian BawtreeAdrian BawtreeAdrian Bawtree is a composer and organist. From 2009 until 2011, he served as the director of music at Christ's Hospital. For 22 years, he has been involved in the music industry. He has toured the Czech Republic, Hungary, and USA...
MBE MA (Oxon) FRCO LRAM, Director of Music (succeeding Bruce GrindlayBruce GrindlayBruce Grindlay is a British organist, conductor, teacher and the Current Headmaster at Sutton Valence SchoolGrindlay finished his schooling in Canada and studied at the Royal Canadian College of Organists as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of British Columbia...
MA (Cantab) BMus (Cantab) FRCO (CHM)) - Steve Titchener BA MMus, Head of Brass and Music technology (currently Assistant Musical Director with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra)
- Tim Callaghan LRAM, Head of Strings
- Terry Whittingham, Bandmaster (a former Bandmaster of the Queen's Own Highlanders)
Famous alumni of Christ's Hospital Music School include conductors Sir Colin Davis
Colin Davis
Sir Colin Rex Davis, CH, CBE is an English conductor. His repertoire is broad, but among the composers with whom he is particularly associated are Mozart, Berlioz, Elgar, Sibelius, Stravinsky and Tippett....
, Charles Hazlewood
Charles Hazlewood
Charles Matthew Egerton Hazlewood is a British conductor and advocate for broadening access to orchestral music. Renowned for his widespread presence across the BBC, he conducts orchestras around the world, making his debut with the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Orchestra of the Age of...
, Adrian Bawtree
Adrian Bawtree
Adrian Bawtree is a composer and organist. From 2009 until 2011, he served as the director of music at Christ's Hospital. For 22 years, he has been involved in the music industry. He has toured the Czech Republic, Hungary, and USA...
, and Simon Joly, trumpeter David Mason
David Mason
David Mason was an English orchestral, solo and session trumpet player. He played the flugelhorn for the premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams's ninth symphony and the piccolo trumpet solo on The Beatles' song "Penny Lane"....
(formerly Principal Trumpet of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), tenor Charles Corp, and composer and conductor Constant Lambert
Constant Lambert
Leonard Constant Lambert was a British composer and conductor.-Early life:Lambert, the son of Russian-born Australian painter George Lambert, was educated at Christ's Hospital and the Royal College of Music...
.
The school's chapel (seating 1,000 and second only in size to Lancing College
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
Chapel) has a large five-manual Rushworth and Dreaper
Rushworth and Dreaper
Rushworth and Dreaper was a firm of organ builders based in Liverpool, England Upon its bankruptcy, its archives were mostly destroyed, and the Victorian clock in the works tower was removed...
organ, one of four organs in the School (the others being a 3-manual 1829 Hill in Big School, played on by Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
and Karg-Elert, a 2-manual Father Willis
Henry Willis & Sons
thumb|250px|St Bees Priory organ, the last major instrument to be personally supervised by "Father" Henry Willis, 1899Henry Willis & Sons is a British firm of pipe organ builders founded in 1845 in Liverpool. Although most of their installations have been in the UK, examples can be found in other...
in the Dining Hall, and a Flight and Robson chamber organ in the Court Room). The near 150-strong Chapel Choir has made many recordings and through these has earned an excellent reputation. Throughout the school's history, many musically gifted pupils have gone on to take up choral and organ scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge or have gained places at leading music conservatories. The school has a Symphony Orchestra and many other smaller choirs and instrumental ensembles, along with the celebrated annual House Singing Competition. The Music Department organises a concert every February at St John's, Smith Square in London, thus providing an excellent performance opportunity for budding soloists and chamber musicians, alongside masterclasses with musicians such as Stephen Kovacevich
Stephen Kovacevich
Stephen Kovacevich , who has also been known as Stephen Bishop and Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich is an American classical pianist and conductor.-Biography:...
, Hugh Bean
Hugh Bean
Hugh Cecil Bean CBE was an English violinist.He was born in Beckenham. After lessons from his father from the age of five, he became a pupil of Albert Sammons when he was nine years old. Later, he attended the Royal College of Music , where at age 17 he was awarded the principal prize for violin...
, Adrian Thompson and Patrick Russill. The school is also famous as the first place in England to host a complete cycle of the chamber music of Brahms
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist, and one of the leading musicians of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene...
, under the direction of the then Head of Piano John Thwaites
John Thwaites
John Thwaites may refer to:*John Thwaites *John Thwaites *John Anthony Thwaites , British art critic and author*Jack Thwaites, British-Australian conservationist...
.
Christ's Hospital was featured in the first series of the reality television programme Rock School
Rock School
Rock School is a British reality TV series starring Gene Simmons , in which he has a short time to turn a class of school children into a fully fledged rock band, at the end of which they must perform in a supporting slot for a leading rock band.Rock School is made by British production company...
, in which Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
of KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
helped a group of pupils form their own rock band.
The school's most famous ensemble is its band, simply named Christ's Hospital Band
Christ's Hospital Band
Christ's Hospital is the marching band of Christ's Hospital. It is conducted by Terry Whittingham who is a housemaster at CH and the previous bandmaster of the Queen's Own Highlanders.The band plays for the daily parade at the school and other events....
. It plays for the daily parade and performs in the annual Lord Mayor's Show
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now the metropolis's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The band also has a regular engagement each summer at Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
. The band played in the prestigious Rose Bowl Parade in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 2002. The band led the procession at the Queen's 80th birthday in London on 21 April 2006 and has played at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
on a number of occasions.
Drama
An Arts Centre complex (architect: Bill Howell) was opened in 1974 including a theatre with Tudor style auditorium, music school extension, Octagon rehearsal/performance space and classrooms.The Christ's Hospital Arts Centre served as a principal arts venue for Horsham and the surrounding area until the establishment of an arts centre in Horsham in the 1980s. A programme of performances continues to be open to the public. Former notable pupils in theatre and film include Jason Flemyng
Jason Flemyng
Jason Iain Flemyng is an English actor. He is known for his film work, which has included roles in British films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch , both for Guy Ritchie, as well as Hollywood productions such as Rob Roy along with the Alan Moore comic book adaptations From...
, Leo Gregory
Leo Gregory
Leo Gregory is an English film and television actor. He has appeared in many films such as Green Street, Stoned, Act of Grace, Daylight Robbery, and Menace....
, James D'Arcy
James D'Arcy
-Early life:James D'Arcy was born as Simon D'Arcy and grew up in Fulham, London, with his mother, Caroline and his younger sister Charlotte. His father died when he was young. After completing his education at Christ's Hospital in 1991, he went to Australia for a year and worked in the drama...
, Michael Wilding
Michael Wilding (actor)
-Early life:Born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, Wilding was a successful commercial artist when he joined the art department of a London film studio in 1933. He soon embarked on an acting career.-Career:...
, and Roger Allam
Roger Allam
Roger Allam is an English actor, known primarily for his stage career, although he has performed in film and television. He played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the stage musical Les Misérables....
.
Art
Christ's Hospital has many famous paintings, such as the "Verrio" (painted by Antonio VerrioAntonio Verrio
The Italian-born Antonio Verrio was responsible for introducing Baroque mural painting into England and served the Crown over a thirty year period.-Career:...
), the Brangwyn cartoons, and the only picture of Queen Victoria on a horse outside the Royal Collection
Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the art collection of the British Royal Family. It is property of the monarch as sovereign, but is held in trust for her successors and the nation. It contains over 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawings, and about 150,000 old master prints, as well as historical...
. Many visitors come to see the paintings. Christ's Hospital Art School gives students the opportunity to work in many different mediums, having halfterms alternated between DT and Art.
Ofsted
Christ's Hospital was inspected by OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in September 2009. Ofsted highlighted much that was very good or outstanding at CH. The ISI report concluded that Christ's Hospital is, "conspicuously successful in its aim to provide a high quality boarding experience and a broad and challenging academic education. The strong house communities and the care and concern shown by all staff contribute strongly to the outstanding relationships and high standards of pupils." However, due to failure to comply with some "safeguarding" rules, the overall quality of welfare provision at the school was rated as "inadequate" by the Ofsted inspectors in spite of all the good work elsewhere. The Head Master was 'disappointed' with this and has rectified the errors and requested a new inspection to regrade the school.
Year groups
The ages currently range from 11 to 18, although "Leigh Hunt" was originally a prep school which took children from the ages of 8/9, in preparation for the senior school.The school uses traditional year group names. The nomenclature used by the school and its National Curriculum equivalence are shown in the following table:
School | Nat.Curric. equiv. |
Second Form (2nd) | Year 7 |
Third Form (3rd) | Year 8 |
Little Erasmus (LE) | Year 9 |
Upper Fourth (UF) | Year 10 |
Great Erasmus (GE) | Year 11 |
Deputy Grecians (Deps) | Year 12 (lower sixth) |
Grecians | Year 13 (upper sixth) |
Accommodation
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
are named after notable Old Blues, primarily writers. Each house has an "A" and "B" side, each housing roughly 45 pupils arranged from west to east as follows:
- Grecians West (mixed)
- Peele – George PeeleGeorge PeeleGeorge Peele , was an English dramatist.-Life:Peele was christened on 25 July 1556. His father, who appears to have belonged to a Devonshire family, was clerk of Christ's Hospital, and wrote two treatises on bookkeeping...
(boys) - Thornton – Edward ThorntonEdward Thornton (1766–1852)Sir Edward Thornton was a British diplomat, and father of Sir Edward Thornton .He was born in London, the third son of an innkeeper, but orphaned at an early age. He was educated at Christ's Hospital and at Pembroke College, Cambridge...
(girls) - Middleton – Thomas Fanshawe Middleton (boys)
- Coleridge – Samuel Taylor ColeridgeSamuel Taylor ColeridgeSamuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, Romantic, literary critic and philosopher who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla...
(girls) - Lamb – Charles Lamb (boys)
- Barnes – Thomas BarnesThomas Barnes (journalist)Thomas Barnes was a British journalist, essayist, and editor. He is best known for his work with The Times which he edited from 1817 until his death in 1841.-Early life and education:...
(girls) - Maine – Henry James Sumner MaineHenry James Sumner MaineSir Henry James Sumner Maine, KCSI , was an English comparative jurist and historian. He is famous for the thesis outlined in Ancient Law that law and society developed "from status to contract." According to the thesis, in the ancient world individuals were tightly bound by status to traditional...
(boys) - Leigh Hunt – James Henry Leigh Hunt (girls)
- Grecians East (mixed)
The sixteen original main boarding houses stretch from Peele to Leigh Hunt along The Avenue, built as four H-blocks on either side of the main Quad. Leigh Hunt was originally the pair of preparatory houses, Prep A and Prep B, until converting to junior houses on the abolition in 1964 of entry at the age of nine.
The sixteen original houses provided two dormitories (Upper Dorm and Lower Dorm) sleeping up to about 30 boys each. As the merger of the boys and girls approached, some dormitories were divided into cubicles, and subsequent developments created dormitories accommodating about twelve pupils each. Since 2001 there has been a rolling refurbishment programme, with the refurbished houses providing a range of accommodation: four-bed rooms for the junior pupils to one-bed rooms for the more senior pupils.
Until 1964, boys at Horsham lived in all-through houses from 2nd Form to Grecians (with the exception of Prep A and Prep B). Then houses were divided into senior houses (Peele, Thornton, Middleton, Coleridge and Lamb) and Junior houses (Barnes, Maine, Leigh Hunt) with boys transferring to a senior house after Little Erasmus. In conjunction with the merger, a further reorganisation occurred with each house converting to a senior side and a junior side. This system reverted to the all-through houses in 2000; now from 2nd Form to Deps.
Grecians West and Grecians East were completed early in 2001 and provide individual study bedrooms plus several general common rooms and kitchenettes shared by a group of seven to ten pupils in the final year (Grecians) living a transitional style of life in preparation for university or life beyond school.
With the transformation of Thornton from boys' houses to girls' houses in 2007, there are now an equal number of girls and boys at the school for the first time in its history.
Staff
Notable members of staff have included:- Edward Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of BewdleyEdward Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of BewdleyEdward Alfred Alexander Baldwin, 4th Earl Baldwin of Bewdley is a British educator and Crossbench elected hereditary peer in the House of Lords....
- Edward BuckEdward BuckEdward Buck was an English schoolmaster and rower who won several events at Henley Royal Regatta.Buck was the son of Albert Buck of Worcester. He was educated at Malvern College and matriculated at Hertford College, Oxford in 1876 where he studied mathematics and won the Hershell Astronomy Prize...
- Samuel CobbSamuel CobbSamuel Cobb may refer to:* Samuel Cobb , English poet, school master, classicist, and translator of Chaucer* Samuel C. Cobb, American politician, Mayor of Boston* Samuel Sylvester Cobb, American businessman...
- Gerald DaviesGerald DaviesThomas Gerald Reames Davies CBE is one of the acknowledged greats of Welsh rugby, playing for the side between 1966 and 1978.-Biography:...
- Ralph Henry Carless DavisRalph Henry Carless DavisRalph Henry Carless Davis , always known publicly as R. H. C. Davis, was a British historian specialising in the European Middle Ages...
- John FlamsteedJohn FlamsteedSir John Flamsteed FRS was an English astronomer and the first Astronomer Royal. He catalogued over 3000 stars.- Life :Flamsteed was born in Denby, Derbyshire, England, the only son of Stephen Flamsteed...
- George Andrew JacobGeorge Andrew JacobThe Reverend George Andrew Jacob DD was an English clergyman and schoolmaster and author of many books about education and Christianity....
- Derrick Somerset MacnuttDerrick Somerset MacnuttDerrick Somerset Macnutt was a British crossword compiler who provided crosswords for The Observer newspaper under the pseudonym Ximenes. He was one of the principal influences on the modern style of cryptic crossword.- Career :...
- William Hamilton FyfeWilliam Hamilton FyfeSir William Hamilton Fyfe was an English and Canadian classics scholar, educator, and educational administrator. He served as the 10th Principal of Queen's University, Ontario, from 1930 to 1936, and was the first layman to hold that position. He served as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the...
- C. S. LangCraig Sellar LangCraig Sellar Lang was a New Zealand-born, British-domiciled organist, music teacher, and composer.Born in Hastings, New Zealand, Dr. C. S. Lang was educated at Clifton College, and studied with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford at the Royal College of Music...
- Elizabeth Keane
- Steve GattingSteve GattingStephen "Steve" Paul Gatting is an English former footballer, who is best known for playing for Brighton & Hove Albion in the 1983 FA Cup Final. He is currently a youth team coach at Arsenal...
- Bruce GrindlayBruce GrindlayBruce Grindlay is a British organist, conductor, teacher and the Current Headmaster at Sutton Valence SchoolGrindlay finished his schooling in Canada and studied at the Royal Canadian College of Organists as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of British Columbia...
(departing PrecentorPrecentorA precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
) - William WalesWilliam Wales (astronomer)William Wales was a British mathematician and astronomer.-Early life:Wales was born around 1734 to John and Sarah Wales and was baptized in Warmfield that year...
- Dr David Newsome
See also
- Christs Hospital railway stationChrists Hospital railway stationChrist's Hospital railway station is near Horsham, West Sussex. It was opened in 1902 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and was intended primarily to serve Christ's Hospital, a large independent school which had moved to the area in that year. It now also serves the rural area to the...
- List of Victoria Crosses by School
- The Royal Hospital School
External links
- Christ's Hospital
- Christ's Hospital Association website (Alumni website)