King Henry VIII School
Encyclopedia
King Henry VIII School is a coeducational Independent school
founded in 1545 by John Hales, comprising a senior school (ages 11–18) and associated preparatory school (ages 3–11) located in Coventry
, England
. The senior school has approximately 800 pupils (120 in each of years 7–11 and 100 in each year of the Sixth Form), the majority of whom pay full fees of £9,168 per year, though some scholarship
s are awarded, as well as bursaries awarded for able students from less well off backgrounds - this ranges from 10% to 90%. Some pupils commute
daily from as far as Northampton
(30 miles away), usually by train
— Coventry rail station being within two minutes' walk of the school.
The school sits on an 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) urban site just minutes from the railway station, allowing pupils to come from the surrounding towns of Warwick, Balsall Common, Leamington, Kenilworth and Nuneaton. The buildings are an imposing example of Victorian collegiate Tudor, to which there have been many additions including a new art complex, drama studio, sports hall, library and most recently a swimming pool and fitness suite. The prep school has its own building on the same site. Although a Christian school, pupils of other faiths are welcomed. A strong commitment to academic learning is reflected in very good examination results. Pupils are also encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities including a variety of sports played at county, regional and national levels, music, drama, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, public speaking and debating.
as the Free Grammar School under letters patent
of King Henry VIII
. It spent more than 300 years in the former Hospital of St. John the Baptist (Henry having dissolved
the Hospital) just north of the city centre, before moving to its present site on the south side of the city in 1885, a building there having been designed for it by Edward Burgess
. Much of this original redbrick still stands despite war damage as well as many expansions. Girls were first admitted to the school in 1975.
The school is run by the Coventry School Foundation, a registered charity
, and jointly administered with Bablake School
under a common Board of Governors. The schools have mutual arrangements such as a common entrance examination
, shared astroturf
pitches, and similar school uniform
s, differing only in the colour of tie and the crest on the blazer
.
The Coventry School Foundation also includes the new Bablake Junior School and King Henry VIII Preparatory School, formed from the merger of Coventry Preparatory School with King Henry VIII Junior School from the beginning of the 2008/9 academic year. The two school sites remain in use by the preparatory school, with the Reception to Y3 classes occupying the old Coventry Preparatory site, which is known as Swallows, in honour of the school's founder. The Y4 to Y6 classes occupy the former King Henry VIII Junior School site, adjacent to the senior school, which is known as Hales in honour of that school's founder. With effect from September 2008, King Henry VIII School began to offer continuity of education from ages 3 to 18.
A fifth house called King's was abolished in 1996, following a decision to reduce the number of houses to four by eliminating whichever house came in overall last place that year. Its loss was particularly notable since up until a change of leadership only a few years previously it had consistently dominated the house competitions, winning the overall competition almost every year for some decades.
There are around fifty events each year, across all years in the school. They range from sporting competitions on Games’ afternoons to major Drama and Music festivals, via many after-school events, such as badminton and basketball in the Sports’ Hall and debating, chess and hockey in their specialist areas. Students can show their paces in rugby or netball, get involved in cricket or tennis, or pit their wits at more intellectual pursuits. At events such as inter-house music and drama festivals, they are presented with further opportunities for individual and group achievement. The House Points system, whereby all staff can commend work, behaviour or attitude, is integrated into the competition.
The points won in each of the House events (four for first down to one for fourth) are totalled to make up the Band Trophy points, with that trophy awarded annually. There is a real sense of competition and belonging, fostered by the fortnightly House meetings; it is certainly the intention that every student finds an opening in House events, whether in something in which they have already enjoyed success, or taking the plunge in an entirely new activity.
King Henry VIII school is known to have a firm yet friendly rivalry with its sister school in the Coventry School Fountation - Bablake School. Annual competitions in sports between the two schools mark highlights in the year for all in the school community.
Not unto us, O Lord,
The praise and glory be
Of any deed or word.
For in Thy judgement lies
To crown or bring to nought
All knowledge and device
That man has reached or wrought.
And we confess our blame,
How all too high we hold
That noise which men call fame,
That dross which men call gold.
For these we undergo
Our hot and godless days,
But in our souls we know
Not unto us the praise.
O Power by whom we live
Creator, Judge and Friend,
Upholdingly forgive,
Nor leave us at the end.
But grant us yet to see,
In all our piteous ways,
Non Nobis, Domine,
Not unto us the praise.
Non nobis Domine is usually sung as a three-part perpetual canon with the two comites entering at the lower fourth and lower octave in relation to the dux. This is the version given in most of the early sources, but many other solutions are technically possible. The school song has now fallen out of use.
is probably Coventry poet Philip Larkin
. Other alumni include:
teacher and the then headmaster of King Henry VIII were both convicted of possession of child pornography
, on unrelated charges.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
founded in 1545 by John Hales, comprising a senior school (ages 11–18) and associated preparatory school (ages 3–11) located in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, 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 senior school has approximately 800 pupils (120 in each of years 7–11 and 100 in each year of the Sixth Form), the majority of whom pay full fees of £9,168 per year, though some scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s are awarded, as well as bursaries awarded for able students from less well off backgrounds - this ranges from 10% to 90%. Some pupils commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
daily from as far as Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
(30 miles away), usually by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
— Coventry rail station being within two minutes' walk of the school.
The school sits on an 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) urban site just minutes from the railway station, allowing pupils to come from the surrounding towns of Warwick, Balsall Common, Leamington, Kenilworth and Nuneaton. The buildings are an imposing example of Victorian collegiate Tudor, to which there have been many additions including a new art complex, drama studio, sports hall, library and most recently a swimming pool and fitness suite. The prep school has its own building on the same site. Although a Christian school, pupils of other faiths are welcomed. A strong commitment to academic learning is reflected in very good examination results. Pupils are also encouraged to take part in extra-curricular activities including a variety of sports played at county, regional and national levels, music, drama, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, public speaking and debating.
History of the school
The school was founded on 23 July 1545 by John HalesJohn Hales (d.1571)
John Hales was an English writer, administrator and politician.-Life:A son of Thomas Hales of Hales Place, Halden, Kent, Hales was brought up by Christopher Hales, who was an uncle or else a more distant relation. Without a university education, he learned Latin, Greek, French, and German...
as the Free Grammar School under letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
of King 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...
. It spent more than 300 years in the former Hospital of St. John the Baptist (Henry having dissolved
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...
the Hospital) just north of the city centre, before moving to its present site on the south side of the city in 1885, a building there having been designed for it by Edward Burgess
Edward Burgess
Edward Burgess was an American yacht designer, born June 30, 1848 in West Sandwich, Massachusetts.Edward is fifth son of Benjamin Franklin Burgess and Cordelia Williams Ellis. The Burgess family were merchants who made their money in the West Indies trade and lost it in 1879...
. Much of this original redbrick still stands despite war damage as well as many expansions. Girls were first admitted to the school in 1975.
The school is run by the Coventry School Foundation, a registered charity
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...
, and jointly administered with Bablake School
Bablake School
Bablake School is a co-educational Independent school located in Coventry, England and founded in 1344 by Queen Isabella, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom...
under a common Board of Governors. The schools have mutual arrangements such as a common entrance examination
Entrance examination
An entrance examination is an examination that many educational institutions use to select students for admission. These exams may be administered at any level of education, from primary to higher education, although they are more common at higher levels....
, shared astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
pitches, and similar school uniform
School 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...
s, differing only in the colour of tie and the crest on the blazer
Blazer
A blazer is a type of jacket. The term blazer occasionally is synonymous with boating jacket and sports jacket, two different garments. A blazer resembles a suit coat cut more casually — sometimes with flap-less patch pockets and metal buttons. A blazer's cloth is usually durable , because it is an...
.
The Coventry School Foundation also includes the new Bablake Junior School and King Henry VIII Preparatory School, formed from the merger of Coventry Preparatory School with King Henry VIII Junior School from the beginning of the 2008/9 academic year. The two school sites remain in use by the preparatory school, with the Reception to Y3 classes occupying the old Coventry Preparatory site, which is known as Swallows, in honour of the school's founder. The Y4 to Y6 classes occupy the former King Henry VIII Junior School site, adjacent to the senior school, which is known as Hales in honour of that school's founder. With effect from September 2008, King Henry VIII School began to offer continuity of education from ages 3 to 18.
Houses and competitions
The four modern-day houses are:- Hales'
- Holland's
- Sherwyn's
- White's
A fifth house called King's was abolished in 1996, following a decision to reduce the number of houses to four by eliminating whichever house came in overall last place that year. Its loss was particularly notable since up until a change of leadership only a few years previously it had consistently dominated the house competitions, winning the overall competition almost every year for some decades.
There are around fifty events each year, across all years in the school. They range from sporting competitions on Games’ afternoons to major Drama and Music festivals, via many after-school events, such as badminton and basketball in the Sports’ Hall and debating, chess and hockey in their specialist areas. Students can show their paces in rugby or netball, get involved in cricket or tennis, or pit their wits at more intellectual pursuits. At events such as inter-house music and drama festivals, they are presented with further opportunities for individual and group achievement. The House Points system, whereby all staff can commend work, behaviour or attitude, is integrated into the competition.
The points won in each of the House events (four for first down to one for fourth) are totalled to make up the Band Trophy points, with that trophy awarded annually. There is a real sense of competition and belonging, fostered by the fortnightly House meetings; it is certainly the intention that every student finds an opening in House events, whether in something in which they have already enjoyed success, or taking the plunge in an entirely new activity.
King Henry VIII school is known to have a firm yet friendly rivalry with its sister school in the Coventry School Fountation - Bablake School. Annual competitions in sports between the two schools mark highlights in the year for all in the school community.
Le Fousseau
In 1991 Le Logis de Fousseau, a manor house in the French Department of Mayenne, was generously donated to the Foundation by Mr Bill Boucher for the use and benefit of the pupils of the Foundation. Since then it has been used and enjoyed by countless pupils. Le Fousseau is located deep in the country around 15 km from Fougères. The border with Brittany is only a few kilometres to the west and that of Normandy some 20 km to the north. In the Autumn term of each academic year all the pupils in Year 8 visit Le Fousseau, for a week, to practise speaking French and to learn more about French culture and way of life. Older students, especially in Years 10 and 12, also use the manor house for study trips.School song - Non Nobis Domine
Non Nobis, Domine!Not unto us, O Lord,
The praise and glory be
Of any deed or word.
For in Thy judgement lies
To crown or bring to nought
All knowledge and device
That man has reached or wrought.
And we confess our blame,
How all too high we hold
That noise which men call fame,
That dross which men call gold.
For these we undergo
Our hot and godless days,
But in our souls we know
Not unto us the praise.
O Power by whom we live
Creator, Judge and Friend,
Upholdingly forgive,
Nor leave us at the end.
But grant us yet to see,
In all our piteous ways,
Non Nobis, Domine,
Not unto us the praise.
Non nobis Domine is usually sung as a three-part perpetual canon with the two comites entering at the lower fourth and lower octave in relation to the dux. This is the version given in most of the early sources, but many other solutions are technically possible. The school song has now fallen out of use.
Former Headmasters
- George Fisher MA (Oxon), 2000–2010
- Terence Vardon MA (Oxon), 1994–1999
- Rhidian James BA (Leeds), 1992–1994
- Roy Cooke MA (Oxon), 1974–1977
- Herbert Walker BA (London), 1950–1974
- A.A.C. Burton MA (Oxon), 1931–1950
- John Lupton MA (Cantab), 1910–1931
- A.D. Perrott MA (Cantab), 1906–1910
- C.R. Gilbert MA (Cantab), 1890–1906
- W.W. Sweet-Escott MA (Oxon), 1879–1889
- John Grover, 1867–1879
- Henry Temple, 1857–1867
- Thomas Sheepshanks MA (Cantab), 1834–1857
- William Brooks MA (Oxon), 1779–1833
- Thomas Edwards DD (Cantab), 1758–1779
- Edward Jackson BA (Cantab), 1718–1758
- Richard Marsden MA (Oxon), 1717–1718
- George Greenway, 1701–1717
- Samuel Carte MA (Oxon), 1691–1700
- Samuel Frankland MA (Cantab), 1651–1691
- Phineas White BA (Cantab), 1629–1651
- Philemon HollandPhilemon HollandPhilemon Holland was an English translator.His father, John Holland, was a clergyman who fled the Kingdom of England during the persecutions of Mary I of England...
MD (Cantab) MA (Oxon), 1628–1629 - James Cranford, 1611–1627
- Jeremiah Arnold, MA (Oxon) MA (Cantab), 1602–1611
- John Tovey MA (Oxon), 1599–1602
- Leonard Cox BA (Cantab) MA (Oxon), 1572–1599
- Thomas Sherwyn BA (Oxon)
Famous Old Coventrians
The school's best-known alumnusAlumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
is probably Coventry poet Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
. Other alumni include:
- Debee AshbyDebee AshbyDebee Ashby is a former English adult model and actress. She is also known as Debbie Ashby or Debby Ashby.Ashby became well known at the age of 16 years when she was expelled from King Henry VIII School, Coventry on 16 December 1983 because she had posed topless in her school uniform for the...
, page 3 model - Richard BaylieRichard BaylieDr Richard Baylie was twice President of St. John's College, Oxford, twice Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Dean of Salisbury....
, President of St John's College, Oxford - Paul BarnesPaul Barnes (designer)Paul Barnes is a graphic design and typographer. He has designed several new typefaces.-Career:After an education at the University of Reading, in 1992 he emigrated to the United States to work with Roger Black. In 1995 he left Roger Black and began work as a freelance designer in London...
, graphic designer and typographer - Ralph BathurstRalph BathurstRalph Bathurst was an English theologian and physician.-Early life:He was born in Hothorpe, Northamptonshire in 1620 and educated at King Henry VIII School, Coventry.He graduated with a B.A...
, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University - Colin BlakemoreColin BlakemoreProfessor Colin Blakemore, Ph.D., FRS, FMedSci, HonFSB, HonFRCP, is a British neurobiologist who is Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and University of Warwick specialising in vision and the development of the brain. He was formerly Chief Executive of the British Medical...
, author and scientist - Harvey Brough, musician and composer, founder of Harvey and the Wallbangers
- Nicholas BullenNicholas Bullen-Biography:He is one of the founding members - with Miles Ratledge - of Napalm Death, the band credited with creating the Grindcore genre.The duo had collaborated on fanzines and played together in a number of 'bedroom' bands from 1980 onwards and formed the first line-up of Napalm Death in May...
, musician, composer and writer, co-founder of Napalm DeathNapalm DeathNapalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ... - Bob Carlton, composer of the rock musical Return to the Forbidden PlanetReturn to the Forbidden PlanetReturn to the Forbidden Planet is a Jukebox musical by playwright Bob Carlton based on Shakespeare's The Tempest and the 1950s science fiction film Forbidden Planet ....
- Michael Cole, author of 'The Piano in the Classical Era' (OUP, 1998); 'Broadwood' (Tachley Books, 2004)
- Edward Thomas CopsonEdward Thomas CopsonEdward Thomas Copson FRSE was a British mathematician who contributed widely to the development of mathematics at the University of St. Andrews, serving as Regius Professor of Mathematics amongst other positions.-Life:...
, mathematician - Jerry DammersJerry DammersJeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers is a British musician who is a founder and keyboard player of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A...
, Musician. Founder Member of The SpecialsThe SpecialsThe Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups... - Peter Ho DaviesPeter Ho DaviesPeter Ho Davies is a contemporary British writer of Welsh and Chinese descent.-Biography:Born and raised in Coventry, Davies studied physics at Manchester University then English at Cambridge University....
, author - Paul DanielPaul DanielPaul Daniel CBE is an English conductor. He is particularly noted for performances and recordings of opera and of British music....
, conductor - Sir William DugdaleWilliam DugdaleSir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
, antiquary - David DuckhamDavid DuckhamDavid John Duckham MBE is a retired English rugby union player. He played 36 games for England from 1969 to 1976 and scored 10 tries. Duckham made his debut at centre, partnering John Spencer against Ireland in 1969...
, rugby player - Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Edwards MCMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
TankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
commander. - Jackie Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, admiral
- Sir Frederick GibberdFrederick GibberdSir Frederick Ernest Gibberd was an English architect and landscape designer.Gibberd was born in Coventry, the eldest of the five children of a local tailor, and was educated at the city's King Henry VIII School...
, architect of Liverpool Metropolitan CathedralLiverpool Metropolitan CathedralThe Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Liverpool and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool. The Metropolitan Cathedral is one of two cathedrals in the city... - Sir Leslie Gibson, KC, former Chief Justice of Trinidad, Palestine and Hong Kong
- Andy GoodeAndy GoodeAndrew James Goode is a rugby union footballer who plays fly-half for Worcester and England.-Career:...
, rugby player - James GrindalJames GrindalJames Grindal is a rugby union footballer who plays scrum-half for Leicester Tigers. He has been capped by England at Under-21 level....
, rugby player - Roger HarrabinRoger HarrabinRoger Harrabin is the BBC’s Environment Analyst, and one of their senior journalists on the environment and energy. He has broadcast on environmental issues since the 1980s and has won many awards in print, TV and radio...
- BBC journalist and reporter - Adrian Warner - BBC Olympic correspondent and author
- Basil HeatleyBasil HeatleyBenjamin Basil Heatley was a British athlete, who mainly competed in the marathon. He was born in Kenilworth, Warwickshire....
, marathon runner - Ian Hobson, pianist
- John Wilfrid Linnett, chemist and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University
- David McCutchionDavid McCutchionDavid McCutchion was an English-born academic, and a pioneer in a number of original strands of scholarship in Indian studies before his early death at age 41...
, Indophile academic - Eric MalpassEric MalpassEric Lawson Malpass was an English novelist noted for his humorous and witty descriptions of rural family life, in particular that of his creation, the extended Pentecost family. However, Malpass also wrote historical fiction, ranging in scope from the late Middle Ages to Edwardian England...
, novelist - Arthur Samuel Peake, theologian and biblical scholar
- Herbert Marcus Powell, chemist
- S. S. Prawer, Taylor Professor of German Emeritus, Oxford University
- Jonathan Rathbone, composer, former director of the Swingle Singers
- Peter RossboroughPeter RossboroughPeter Rossborough is a former a rugby union international who represented England from 1971 to 1975. He played club rugby for Coventry R.F.C. during the 1970s.-Rugby union career:...
, rugby player - John SheepshanksJohn SheepshanksJohn Sheepshanks , British manufacturer and art collector, was born in Leeds, and became a partner in his father's business as a cloth manufacturer....
, Bishop of Norwich - Bob WyattBob WyattRobert "Bob" Elliott Storey Wyatt was an English cricket player. He played for Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and the English cricket team....
, cricketer - Peter Whittingham, football player (Aston Villa FC, Cardiff City FC and England U21)
- Laura Moore, Candidate on BBC TV Series: The ApprenticeThe ApprenticeThe Apprentice is a television franchise which originated in 2004 in the United States. As originally conceived, the show depicted 16 contestants from around the country with various backgrounds competing in an elimination-style competition to become an apprentice to Donald Trump...
Controversies
In a scandal in 1999, a mathematicsMathematics
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...
teacher and the then headmaster of King Henry VIII were both convicted of possession of child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
, on unrelated charges.