Hill House School
Encyclopedia
Of the many schools named Hill House School, there is one which is a preparatory day school based in Knightsbridge
, London
. It was founded in September 1951 by Lt-Col Stuart Townend and has several branches located in West London and in Switzerland. Former pupils include Prince Charles and Lily Allen
.
The Good Schools Guide described the school as "A school with a notable and inescapable past which booms at a visitor from every wood-panelled wall, display board and cabinet," also stating that "Its aim from the first was to be 'international' and to nurture each individual child's talents."
Hill House pupils are often seen on the move around Knightsbridge, Sloane Square
and Chelsea, and are distinct in that their school uniform entails burgundy knickerbockers, tan shirts, more often than not with mustard-coloured "gold" roundneck jumpers. The uniform was designed by the founder's wife, and is notable for its bright colours. It was designed to be used for sport as well as class lessons and lacks a tie,however there is a cravat to be worn for weekly Assembly and special occasions. The Colonel's wife once said "a grey uniform produces grey minds, grey boys". Prince Charles went to Hill House. It was his first school and it was the first time that an heir to the British throne had been to school. Lieutenant-Colonel Townend died in 2002 at the age of 93. His son, Richard Townend, is now Headmaster. The school very much remains a family concern.
Pupils attend the school from the ages of four to 13.
Many of the pupils come from abroad. Pupils generally go on to sit the Common Entrance Examination to continue into independent
secondary schools. Regular boys boarding school destinations include Eton College
, Harrow School
, and Charterhouse School
. Boys' days schools include St Paul's School, Westminster School
, City of London School
, King's College School
, and Latymer Upper School
. Girls' boarding schools include Wycombe Abbey
, Benenden School
and Roedean School
. Girls' day schools include St Paul's Girls' School
, James Allen's Girls' School
, City of London School for Girls
, Francis Holland School
and Queen's Gate School
.
The school used to have a policy of not preparing pupils for scholarships. That has recently changed, and the school is now rapidly gaining a reputation for helping pupils win scholarships to highly ranked institutions like St Paul's School, Lancing College
and Benenden
.
Due to an agreement with the former Headmaster, the Duke of York barracks on King's Road is used as a sports ground both for regular games lessons and the school's annual field day, The late Colonel believed that learning to swim is extremely important so the school makes use of local swimming facilities
+such as Latchmere Swimming Pool - immortalised in a song by the band The Macabees. Queens Club, in Fulham and the Oval, in Kennington are also used for tennis, squash and cricket.
The purpose built house in Glion, 2,500 feet above Lac Léman, hosts special courses throughout the year for selected pupils from London, providing experience of a boarding school environment in the setting of a mountain village in the French speaking canton of Vaud
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, 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...
. It was founded in September 1951 by Lt-Col Stuart Townend and has several branches located in West London and in Switzerland. Former pupils include Prince Charles and Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
.
The Good Schools Guide described the school as "A school with a notable and inescapable past which booms at a visitor from every wood-panelled wall, display board and cabinet," also stating that "Its aim from the first was to be 'international' and to nurture each individual child's talents."
Hill House pupils are often seen on the move around Knightsbridge, Sloane Square
Sloane Square
Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the fashionable London districts of Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The square is part of the Hans Town area designed in 1771 by Henry...
and Chelsea, and are distinct in that their school uniform entails burgundy knickerbockers, tan shirts, more often than not with mustard-coloured "gold" roundneck jumpers. The uniform was designed by the founder's wife, and is notable for its bright colours. It was designed to be used for sport as well as class lessons and lacks a tie,however there is a cravat to be worn for weekly Assembly and special occasions. The Colonel's wife once said "a grey uniform produces grey minds, grey boys". Prince Charles went to Hill House. It was his first school and it was the first time that an heir to the British throne had been to school. Lieutenant-Colonel Townend died in 2002 at the age of 93. His son, Richard Townend, is now Headmaster. The school very much remains a family concern.
Pupils attend the school from the ages of four to 13.
Many of the pupils come from abroad. Pupils generally go on to sit the Common Entrance Examination to continue into independent
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
secondary schools. Regular boys boarding school destinations include Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, and Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
. Boys' days schools include St Paul's School, Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
, King's College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
, and Latymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School
Latymer Upper School, founded by Edward Latymer in 1624, is a selective independent school in Hammersmith, West London, England, lying between King Street and the Thames. It is a day school for 1,130 pupils – boys and girls aged 11–18; there is also the Latymer Preparatory School for boys and girls...
. Girls' boarding schools include Wycombe Abbey
Wycombe Abbey
Wycombe Abbey is an independent girls' boarding school situated in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is academically one of the top schools in the United Kingdom, and the top girls' boarding school...
, Benenden School
Benenden School
Benenden School is an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England. It is located in Benenden in the Kentish countryside, between Cranbrook and Tenterden....
and Roedean School
Roedean School
-Roedeanians in fiction:* Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward * Dawn Drummond-Clayton * Emily James...
. Girls' day schools include St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
, James Allen's Girls' School
James Allen's Girls' School
James Allen's Girls' School, or JAGS, is an independent day school situated in Dulwich, South London, England. It has a senior school for 11–18 year old girls, a prep school for 7–11 year old girls , and a pre-preparatory school — JAPPS — for 4–7 year old girls.-Jags History:The school is part of...
, City of London School for Girls
City of London School for Girls
City of London School for Girls is a girls' independent school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. It is sister school of the City of London School and the City of London Freemen's School .-History:The school was founded by William Ward in 1894...
, Francis Holland School
Francis Holland School
Francis Holland School is the name of two independent day schools for girls in central London governed by the Francis Holland Schools Trust...
and Queen's Gate School
Queen's Gate School
Queen's Gate School is an all girls' independent school in South Kensington, London.The Good Schools Guide described it as a "Charming popular school, with a mixed intake, which does jolly well by its girls."The school is located in Central London...
.
The school used to have a policy of not preparing pupils for scholarships. That has recently changed, and the school is now rapidly gaining a reputation for helping pupils win scholarships to highly ranked institutions like St Paul's School, 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...
and Benenden
Benenden
Benenden is a village and civil parish in the Tunbridge Wells District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the Weald six miles to the west of Tenterden...
.
Due to an agreement with the former Headmaster, the Duke of York barracks on King's Road is used as a sports ground both for regular games lessons and the school's annual field day, The late Colonel believed that learning to swim is extremely important so the school makes use of local swimming facilities
+such as Latchmere Swimming Pool - immortalised in a song by the band The Macabees. Queens Club, in Fulham and the Oval, in Kennington are also used for tennis, squash and cricket.
The purpose built house in Glion, 2,500 feet above Lac Léman, hosts special courses throughout the year for selected pupils from London, providing experience of a boarding school environment in the setting of a mountain village in the French speaking canton of Vaud
House systems
The school is also famous for the names of years, being in in a system using the Greek alphabet. The school is also famously spread over the area of Knightsbridge in five buildings, separating the different years.- Small School - 4-5 years - Flood Street
- Lower School - 5-6 years - Milner Street and Cadogan Gardens
- Middle School - 6-7 years - Pont Street
- Upper School - 7-10 years - Cadogan Gardens
- Main School - 10-13 - Hans Place - consisting of:
- Girls Transitus & Senior School - 10-11 years
- Lower Sixth - 12 years
- Upper Sixth - 13 years
Notable former pupils
- Lily AllenLily AllenLily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, singer-songwriter - Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
- Mark WatsonMark Watson (comedian)Mark Andrew Watson is an English stand-up comedian and novelist.-Early life:Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh parents and attended Henleaze Junior school and then Bristol Grammar School, where he won the prize of 'Gabbler of the year', before going to Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied...
, comedian - George MorrisseyGeorge MorrisseyGeorge Morrissey was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League .Morrissey, a forward, came to St Kilda from Ballarat and soon made a name of himself as a tough and aggressive player. In 1911 he joined Tasmanian club North Hobart and became their first...
, Designer - Marlon Richards, Son of Rolling Stones member Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
External links
- http://www.hillhouseschool.co.uk/results08.htm
- Profile at the Good Schools Guide
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1411622/Lieutenant-Colonel-Stuart-Townend.html
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ltcol-stuart-townend-615298.html