Lawrence Sheriff School
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Sheriff School is a selective boys' grammar school
in Rugby
in Warwickshire
. The school is named after Lawrence Sheriff
, the Elizabethan
man who founded Rugby School
. The school's name is often shortened to 'LSS', or often just 'Sheriff' by boys at the school. In a recent OFSTED http://www.ofsted.gov.uk inspection the school achieved 'outstanding' in all fields of inspection. The school runs in partnership with Rugby High School for Girls
, the local all-female grammar school. Pupils at Lawrence Sheriff School are often referred to as 'Griffins'.
and neighbouring Brownsover
, which was originally carried out by Rugby School. By the eighteenth century, Rugby School had acquired a national reputation as a public school
and moved to its present site.
As the proportion of pupils from outside Rugby increased and the people of the town seemed to benefit less from Lawrence Sheriff's original bequest, local concern led to the nineteenth century proposal of a Lower School for local boys, with Foundation Scholarships to the Great School. The Lower School was opened in 1878 on the present site of Lawrence Sheriff School with a curriculum
designed to meet the needs of a commercial education and preparation for Rugby School. By 1906, a compromise between the traditions of the Foundation and a proposal to hand the school over to the county, led to a Governing body chaired by the Headmaster of Rugby School and containing both Foundation and County Governors. The school was built on what before was glebe
land named Market Field, at what was the east limit of the built-up area of Rugby.
started), a small incident caused a big and lasting effect on the area. To enlarge the school's sports area, he planned to buy a larger area of glebe land, Reynolds Field, west of the school land. But, as he was going down Bath Road in a horsedrawn carriage to the railway station to go to Oxford
to buy the land, the horse went too far to the left; the carriage hit a lamppost; the horse panicked and fought hard to get free and away; and Weisse was spilt out on the road with an eye cut by glass from a carriage lamp, and he had to go to hospital, and he never got to the meeting, and the school never bought the land, but that land later became Moultrie Road and Elsee Road and the addresses on them, instead of remaining open land.
continued into voluntary aided status under the 1944 Act.
At the time the school opened, it was on the outskirts of Rugby
town, which in 1878 was much smaller than now. The original building (now called Big School), was extended in 1909 with science wings (now used for Chemistry and Physics) on each side. The school continued to grow with several extensions, including the Jubilee Wings (1926 and 1934), the library wing (1957), and major expansion in the early 1960s, which included new biology labs and a new gymnasium. Big School was badly damaged by a fire in 1983, but was immediately restored, so the only tell-tale signs of this event are the steel reinforcements of the ceiling timbers. The venerable school organ
was damaged beyond repair and was replaced. The most recent period of growth started in the late 1980s and the school has seen many extensions and new facilities over the last fifteen years.
The school also has an old boys society: the Old Laurentians.
The school has been expanded greatly in the last five years with the construction of a new sixth form centre and the conversion of Penrhos House, originally the sixth form common room
, into a Music block, as well as the construction of a new Learning Resources Centre.
pitches and changing rooms. Over the school year of 2009, the field has undergone regeneration with new pitches created, including the construction of an Astroturf field, a new block of changing rooms, cricket nets and leveled playing fields.
Thanks to Sport England
funding, the school also houses a regional and local table tennis
centre.
The LRC provides extra classrooms that will allow the school to continue in its current growth. As well as this, the provision of two new computer rooms will allow some departments (specifically those that aren't primarily computer based) to explore the advantages of using computers within lesson times.
Many contentious changes have been made in the past academic year, including a new timetable and tutoring system. These have seen considerable debate outside of official forums, by staff and students alike. This system is being introduced in other schools around the country. Its common name is Vertical tutoring, because forms now consist of students from every year. In Lawrence Sheriff, forms are also organised so that only pupils from one house are in a form. Since the start of 2007, much more emphasis has been put on house competition by the senior staff, with forms now having to prepare banners and other "supporters' items" for the school's annual sports day.
An Enrichment system also runs in the school, which has been met with mixed opinion since its inclusion into the timetable. The idea seems less emphasised than it previously was when first introduced.
On 8 November 2010, Lawrence Sheriff introduced a new security measure in order to protect the school against unauthorised personnel entering the grounds. This took the form of a set of ID cards, a different colour for each section of the school (black for lower school, blue for Sixth Form, and red for staff members). Display of the cards is mandatory for Sixth Form and Staff, though Lower School are required only to be able to present the card when requested. In the future, it will be used to access secure areas of the school, and possibly be used for registration purposes. However, the system has been noted as being a waste of money, particularly within the lower school as they already have a uniform by which they can be identified, but these people do not realise this is a requirement put in place by Ofsted
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. The school is named after Lawrence Sheriff
Lawrence Sheriff
Lawrence Sheriff was an Elizabethan gentleman and grocer to Elizabeth I who founded Rugby School.Not much is known about Lawrence Sheriff's early life, but it thought that he was born near St. Andrew's Church in Rugby, Warwickshire...
, the Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
man who founded Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
. The school's name is often shortened to 'LSS', or often just 'Sheriff' by boys at the school. In a recent OFSTED http://www.ofsted.gov.uk inspection the school achieved 'outstanding' in all fields of inspection. The school runs in partnership with Rugby High School for Girls
Rugby High School for Girls
Rugby High School for Girls is a selective girls' grammar school situated in Bilton, Warwickshire, England...
, the local all-female grammar school. Pupils at Lawrence Sheriff School are often referred to as 'Griffins'.
History
Foundation
Lawrence Sheriff School was founded to fulfil Lawrence Sheriff's original intentions to provide a school for the boys of RugbyRugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
and neighbouring Brownsover
Brownsover
Brownsover is a small village about 1½ miles north of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Since 1960, it has been further absorbed by the suburban expansion of Rugby.-'Old' Brownsover:...
, which was originally carried out by Rugby School. By the eighteenth century, Rugby School had acquired a national reputation as a public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
and moved to its present site.
As the proportion of pupils from outside Rugby increased and the people of the town seemed to benefit less from Lawrence Sheriff's original bequest, local concern led to the nineteenth century proposal of a Lower School for local boys, with Foundation Scholarships to the Great School. The Lower School was opened in 1878 on the present site of Lawrence Sheriff School with a curriculum
Curriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
designed to meet the needs of a commercial education and preparation for Rugby School. By 1906, a compromise between the traditions of the Foundation and a proposal to hand the school over to the county, led to a Governing body chaired by the Headmaster of Rugby School and containing both Foundation and County Governors. The school was built on what before was glebe
Glebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
land named Market Field, at what was the east limit of the built-up area of Rugby.
Early history
Under its second headmaster, Weisse (who renamed himself Whitehouse when World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
started), a small incident caused a big and lasting effect on the area. To enlarge the school's sports area, he planned to buy a larger area of glebe land, Reynolds Field, west of the school land. But, as he was going down Bath Road in a horsedrawn carriage to the railway station to go to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
to buy the land, the horse went too far to the left; the carriage hit a lamppost; the horse panicked and fought hard to get free and away; and Weisse was spilt out on the road with an eye cut by glass from a carriage lamp, and he had to go to hospital, and he never got to the meeting, and the school never bought the land, but that land later became Moultrie Road and Elsee Road and the addresses on them, instead of remaining open land.
Voluntary aided status
This partnershipPartnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
continued into voluntary aided status under the 1944 Act.
At the time the school opened, it was on the outskirts of Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
town, which in 1878 was much smaller than now. The original building (now called Big School), was extended in 1909 with science wings (now used for Chemistry and Physics) on each side. The school continued to grow with several extensions, including the Jubilee Wings (1926 and 1934), the library wing (1957), and major expansion in the early 1960s, which included new biology labs and a new gymnasium. Big School was badly damaged by a fire in 1983, but was immediately restored, so the only tell-tale signs of this event are the steel reinforcements of the ceiling timbers. The venerable school organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
was damaged beyond repair and was replaced. The most recent period of growth started in the late 1980s and the school has seen many extensions and new facilities over the last fifteen years.
Present day
Lawrence Sheriff School is now the selective boys' grammar school for Rugby and the surrounding area, with the buildings owned and maintained by the Governors, and the running costs funded by the local Authority.The school also has an old boys society: the Old Laurentians.
The school has been expanded greatly in the last five years with the construction of a new sixth form centre and the conversion of Penrhos House, originally the sixth form common room
Common room
The phrase common room is used especially in British and Canadian English to describe a type of shared lounge, most often found in dormitories, at universities, colleges, military bases, hospitals, rest homes, hostels, and even minimum-security prisons. It is generally connected to several...
, into a Music block, as well as the construction of a new Learning Resources Centre.
Sport
The school also owns a nearby playing field, Hart Field, with five RugbyRugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
pitches and changing rooms. Over the school year of 2009, the field has undergone regeneration with new pitches created, including the construction of an Astroturf field, a new block of changing rooms, cricket nets and leveled playing fields.
Thanks to Sport England
Sport England
Sport England is the brand name for the English Sports Council and is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
funding, the school also houses a regional and local table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
centre.
Academic performance
The school has been placed top of the national school GCSE league tables twice in the last three years. In January 2009 the school achieved an average point score of 792, whilst in January 2011 it came top again, with an average point score of 757.4.The Learning Resources Centre
The Learning Resources Centre is now open to students at Lawrence Sheriff School. This new building has eight new classrooms (to be split between Maths and Computing) as well as a new library area. This relieves pressure on other departments (notably Art and Design & Technology) of the school who can now move into the vacant old Mathematics rooms. It also allows students using the library to make use of a much more suited 'open' space - rather than the converted Headmasters' House ('Sheriff Centre') which has housed its many books until now. There has, however, been one aspect of controversy since the opening of this new building. Included on the floor is a floor mural, made up of mathematical and literal references (such as the famous formula E = mc2) but also including a cartoon drawing of a made up book entitled "Plays and Devilishly Daring Melodramas". It did not take long for students of the school to quickly realise that this book name had been formed of the initials of Peter Kent, Annabel Kay, Dennis Barnett, Diane Halestrap and Melissa Hipkins - the 5 main members of the schools' Senior Management Team.The LRC provides extra classrooms that will allow the school to continue in its current growth. As well as this, the provision of two new computer rooms will allow some departments (specifically those that aren't primarily computer based) to explore the advantages of using computers within lesson times.
Sheriff Centre
The Sheriff Centre which currently houses offices for the Assistant Head, Deputy Head and Exams Secretaries on its ground floor is now being redeveloped as a Management Suite. The first and second floors of this building (formerly the library) have been redundant since the opening of the LRC and it is believed that offices for the senior members of staff will be moved into this space.Recent changes
An Enrichment system also runs in the school, which has been met with mixed opinion since its inclusion into the timetable. The idea seems less emphasised than it previously was when first introduced.
On 8 November 2010, Lawrence Sheriff introduced a new security measure in order to protect the school against unauthorised personnel entering the grounds. This took the form of a set of ID cards, a different colour for each section of the school (black for lower school, blue for Sixth Form, and red for staff members). Display of the cards is mandatory for Sixth Form and Staff, though Lower School are required only to be able to present the card when requested. In the future, it will be used to access secure areas of the school, and possibly be used for registration purposes. However, the system has been noted as being a waste of money, particularly within the lower school as they already have a uniform by which they can be identified, but these people do not realise this is a requirement put in place by Ofsted
Notable Old Laurentians
Former pupils at the school are called Old Laurentians and include:- Steve BeebeeSteve BeebeeSteve Beebee is a journalist, author and broadcaster, best known for his work with Kerrang! magazine. Beebee is one of the magazine's longest serving writers. He is known for championing bands for their genuine entertainment qualities as opposed to their tendency to fit in with present fashions and...
— author and journalist - Arthur BostromArthur BostromArthur Bostrom is an English actor, most famous for his role as Officer Crabtree, in the long-running BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo!.-Biography:...
— Crabtree in 'Allo 'Allo!'Allo 'Allo!'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody of another BBC programme, the wartime drama Secret Army, and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6...
(head boy at the school) - Will Carruthers — musician
- Prof Michael ClaridgeMichael ClaridgeMichael Frederick Claridge FLS FRES FIBiol is a British entomologist. He is Emeritus Professor of Entomology at Cardiff University. He received the Linnean Medal for Zoology in 2000 and was President of the Linnean Society 1988–1991....
, Professor of Entomology at Cardiff UniversityCardiff UniversityCardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
from 1983–99 and President of the Linnean Society of LondonLinnean Society of LondonThe Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
from 1988–91 - Ben CroshawBen CroshawBenjamin Richard "Yahtzee" Croshaw is an English comedic writer, video game journalist and author of adventure games created using Adventure Game Studio software. He writes articles for Australia's Hyper magazine, a major games publication...
— producer of Zero PunctuationZero PunctuationZero Punctuation is an ongoing video game review series created by comedy writer and video game journalist Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw and published by the online magazine The Escapist.-Background:... - Wayne ClarkeWayne Clarke (broadcaster)Wayne Clarke is an award-winning radio presenter and producer.He is the current holder of the Andrew Cross Award as "Religious Broadcaster of the Year ", one of the premier awards for the religious media in the United Kingdom...
— award-winning broadcaster - Prof Valentine CunninghamValentine CunninghamValentine Cunningham is a professor of English language and literature at the University of Oxford. He tutors English at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he is a Senior Fellow and Vice President. His specialism is modern English literature and literary theory. He has written a number of books,...
, Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
since 1996 - Prof John L. HarperJohn L. HarperJohn Lander Harper CBE FRS was a British biologist, specializing in ecology and plant population biology.He was born in 1925 and educated at Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby. He obtained his degree in Botany in and his MA and MPhil from Oxford...
CBE - plant biologist - Thomas HedleyThomas HedleyThomas Hedley Jr., is a British magazine editor and screenwriter. The former publisher of Duckworth in London, is presently President and Publisher of Hedley Media Group in New York City. As a young editor of Esquire magazine, he edited and published essays by Federico Fellini, François Truffaut,...
— media magnate - Prof Robert George Spencer HudsonRobert George Spencer HudsonRobert George Spencer Hudson was an English Geologist and Paleontologist. He was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the eldest son of Robert Spencer Hudson....
- geologist and President of the Paleontological Association from 1957-9 - Mark MapletoftMark MapletoftMark Mapletoft is a former a rugby union international who represented England in 1997.-Family:Mark has four children, Miss Ellie Mapletoft, Master Will Mapletoft, Master Jack Thomas Mapletoft and Miss Gracie Elizabeth Mapletoft...
- Former England Rugby player and season top point scorer in English rugby union premiership. - David MowatDavid MowatDavid John Mowat is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Warrington South, and was first elected at the 2010 general election.- Early life :...
- Conservative MP for Warrington South since 2010 - Mark PawseyMark PawseyMark Julian Francis Pawsey is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Rugby since the 2010 general election....
- Conservative MP for RugbyRugby (UK Parliament constituency)Rugby is a parliamentary constituency in Warwickshire, England. It elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom using the first past the post system....
since 2010 - Jason PierceJason PierceJason Pierce , also known as J. Spaceman or Spaceman, is an English musician. He was formerly the joint leader – with Peter Kember – of the alternative rock band Spacemen 3, and is now the leader and sole permanent member of the band Spiritualized.In between his work with Spiritualized...
— singer - Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
John Porter OBE - Mike PowellMike Powell (Warwickshire cricketer)Michael James Powell is an English cricketer and coach who played for and captained Warwickshire County Cricket Club. He also played for Griqualand West in South Africa in the 2001–02 season, and three matches for Otago in New Zealand in the 2005–06 season.He captained Warwickshire from 2001 to 2003...
— Warwickshire cricketer - Ric Todd - former Ambassador to Poland (2007–2011) and current Governor of the Turks and Caicos IslandsGovernor of the Turks and Caicos IslandsThe Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Turks and Caicos Islands. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
- Andrew RawnsleyAndrew RawnsleyAndrew Nicholas James Rawnsley is a British political journalist, notably for The Observer, and broadcaster.-Early life:...
(briefly) - political journalist - Walter SweeneyWalter SweeneyWalter Edward Sweeney is a British Conservative politician.-Member of Parliament:In 1992, Sweeney was elected MP for the Vale of Glamorgan by just 19 votes, defeating Labour's John Smith who had received the seat in a 1989 by-election...
- Conservative MP for Vale of GlamorganVale of Glamorgan (UK Parliament constituency)Vale of Glamorgan is a county constituency in South Wales, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1992-7 (by only 19 votes) - Maj-GenMajor-General (United Kingdom)Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Anthony Trythall CB - Director of Army Education from 1980-4 - Prof Kevin WarwickKevin WarwickKevin Warwick is a British scientist and professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom...
— computer scientist - Sir Norman WoodingNorman WoodingSir Norman Wooding CBE was a leading British industrialist with a PhD in Chemistry. He was also a friend of former Chancellor of the University of Bath, Sir Frank Kearton, later Lord Kearton.-References:...
CBE - Chairman of CourtauldsCourtauldsCourtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals.-Foundation:The Company was founded by George Courtauld and his cousin Peter Taylor in 1794 as a silk, crepe and textile business at Pebmarsh in north Essex trading as George Courtauld & Co...
from 1978–83
Other information
- The school has four houses: Wheeler, Simpson, Caldecott and Tait.
- The Parents' Association is in the Guinness Book of Records as the UK's oldest Parents Association
- The school has a partnership with Rugby SchoolRugby SchoolRugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and twinned at Years 12 and 13 (the sixth form) of education with Rugby High SchoolRugby High School for GirlsRugby High School for Girls is a selective girls' grammar school situated in Bilton, Warwickshire, England... - The main hall is called Big school
- WWE Champion CM PunkCM PunkPhillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
once wrestled in Big School in a show booked by the Wrestling Association of Rugby.