Marlborough School (Woodstock)
Encyclopedia
The Marlborough School is a co-educational Church of England
comprehensive school
in the small market town
of Woodstock
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) northwest of Oxford
. The school's catchment area
includes Woodstock itself and surrounding villages. The school is named after the Duke of Marlborough
whose ancestral home, Blenheim Palace
, is in Woodstock. It has been included in The Sunday Times
Parent Power Top Schools list.
In the 2008-2009 academic year the school enrolled more than a thousand pupils. It is the second most over-subscribed school in Oxfordshire, after Cherwell.
once taught at a school in Woodstock and, in the 16th century, the town had its own free grammar school
, The Marlborough School was opened in 1939 by the Bishop of Dorchester
, suffragan bishop
of the Anglican Diocese of Oxford
. The original school was built as a single building which has become known as the main block. There is a foundation stone bearing the details of the opening of the school at the main entrance. The interior of the main block has been remodelled extensively over the years.
After World War II
pre-fabricated ex-army barracks were erected at the west end of the site. At various times these were used for home economics teaching and as a sixth form block.
Additional class rooms for music and for science and technology teaching together with a library and canteen were erected in the 1970s.
. Some of the Foreign Language Department and some parts of the English and Science Departments were based in temporary Portakabin
classrooms on the east of the site. The largest of these, "the battleship" erected in the late 1990s was only replaced almost a decade later.
From the 1970s through to the 1990s, the school had a reputation as a progressive comprehensive
, with a focus on teaching how to learn and how to socialise, which it did with varying degrees of success. Former headmaster, Mr A.G. O'Hagan, favoured CSE
s (Certificate of Secondary Education, achievement graded by 1-5, 5 the lowest and 1 an equivalent to a C grade or above at O Level) over GCE
(General Certificate of Education) O Level examinations as he prioritised cumulative and cooperative learning over competition. O'Hagan could be said to have been ahead of his time: The two examinations have since been replaced by the modern GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
Unfortunately, the emphasis on CSEs left some school leavers from this era at a disadvantage and was a contributing factor to the Marlborough School's GCE underperformance. During this time, Mr. O'Hagan and his staff imagined a future where technology would replace many manual jobs and create increased leisure time; thus sports, hobbies and community service were encouraged. Although even from the beginning of the sixth form some pupils gained places at Oxford
, Cambridge
or other leading British universities this went against the socialist ethos at that time. Whether the imagined future that staff allegedly foresaw has been proved right is highly questionable.
Edward McConnell, headmaster from the late 1980s to the early 2000s increased emphasis on the importance of examinations with success.
Starting in the late 1990s, new language, mathematics and sixth form blocks were built to complement the existing science, music, library/cafeteria buildings and sports hall.
school under Labour's specialist school
programme.
In 2007, plans were unveiled for a new £1,000,000 multi-purpose school building with a "theatre", cinema and conference venue. This building, the Marlborough Enterprise Centre, opened in early 2007 and saw a student-led production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in July of the same year.
In 2010, a £3.8-million science center, dedicated to the memory of Oxfordshire County Councillor Brian Hodgson, was opened by Prof. Peter Dobson, director of Oxford University's Begbroke Science Park, and was blessed by the Bishop of Dorchester the Rt Rev Colin Fletcher.
Every other year the School produces a Summer Show. These have included Oliver!
, Grease
, The Wizard of Oz
and Bugsy Malone
.
The annual Presentation Assemblies invite notable local people to hand students their awards.
The Marlborough School Chamber Choir has toured in Europe a number of times; visiting places such as Venice
, Prague
, the Santa Maria de Montserrat
and Barcelona
. In July 2009 they travelled to Strasbourg
and performed 3 concerts in and around the city. They have also performed Christmas Carols at Blenheim Palace
in 2007 and 2008. Choristers from The Marlborough School Chamber Choir were recently interviewed by Phil Mercer of BBC Oxford to discuss their tour plans and their music programme.
Marlborough students enjoy outdoor sports in Blenheim Park as well as a yearly "Fun Run" which pays for The Woodstock Pensioners Annual Christmas Dinner
.
While most electives are free, some electives have a cost for transport and entrance to the venue. Students can choose a variety of electives, from ones that help to improve fitness, to coursework and school work help, to personal leisure.
. This enables children with disabilities in Oxfordshire to be educated in a mainstream secondary school. On 1 September 2007 the two schools merged on the Woodstock site and the Headington site was closed.
Ormerod School was named after the physician Sir Arthur Latham Ormerod (born 1870), a son of the physician Edward Latham Ormerod. From 1901 until 1929 Sir Arthur was Oxford's first Medical Officer for Health. In 1928 he instigated the founding of the Ormerod School in Headington.
Common room
is a hall assigned to Years 12 and 13 in which the majority of the Sixth Form relax, however the conservatory wing of the cafeteria is reserved for sixth form students as well as staff and guests. The Sixth Form also enjoy their 'Sixth Form Garden', which is attached to their Common Room. This garden contains 2 benches dedicated to the memory of students who have died.
There are approximately 220 members of the Marlborough School Sixth Form.
Voluntary controlled school
A voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in the small market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Woodstock
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Woodstock is a small town northwest of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. It is the location of Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Winston Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874 and is buried in the nearby village of Bladon....
, about 8 miles (12.9 km) northwest of 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...
. The school's catchment area
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
includes Woodstock itself and surrounding villages. The school is named after the Duke of Marlborough
Duke of Marlborough
Duke of Marlborough , is a hereditary title in the Peerage of England. The first holder of the title was John Churchill , the noted English general, and indeed an unqualified reference to the Duke of Marlborough in a historical text will almost certainly refer to him.-History:The dukedom was...
whose ancestral home, Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
, is in Woodstock. It has been included in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
Parent Power Top Schools list.
In the 2008-2009 academic year the school enrolled more than a thousand pupils. It is the second most over-subscribed school in Oxfordshire, after Cherwell.
History
Although Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
once taught at a school in Woodstock and, in the 16th century, the town had its own free grammar school
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...
, The Marlborough School was opened in 1939 by the Bishop of Dorchester
Bishop of Dorchester
Title held by various ecclesiastics including:*Bishop of Dorchester , suffragan bishop under the Church of England, 20th century onwards*Bishop of Dorchester , Saxon bishopric, merged into bishop of Lincoln c.1072...
, suffragan bishop
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
of the Anglican Diocese of Oxford
Diocese of Oxford
-History:The Diocese of Oxford was created in 1541 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford...
. The original school was built as a single building which has become known as the main block. There is a foundation stone bearing the details of the opening of the school at the main entrance. The interior of the main block has been remodelled extensively over the years.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
pre-fabricated ex-army barracks were erected at the west end of the site. At various times these were used for home economics teaching and as a sixth form block.
Additional class rooms for music and for science and technology teaching together with a library and canteen were erected in the 1970s.
1970s-1990s
The school suffered particularly badly from the underfunding of English state education in the 1980s and early 1990s under the Conservative government of Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
. Some of the Foreign Language Department and some parts of the English and Science Departments were based in temporary Portakabin
Portable building
A portable building, or demountable building , is a building designed and built to be movable rather than permanently located. A common modern design is sometimes called a modular building, but portable buildings can be different in that they are more often used temporarily and taken away later....
classrooms on the east of the site. The largest of these, "the battleship" erected in the late 1990s was only replaced almost a decade later.
From the 1970s through to the 1990s, the school had a reputation as a progressive comprehensive
Educational progressivism
Progressive education is a pedagogical movement that began in the late nineteenth century and has persisted in various forms to the present. More recently, it has been viewed as an alternative to the test-oriented instruction legislated by the No Child Left Behind educational funding act...
, with a focus on teaching how to learn and how to socialise, which it did with varying degrees of success. Former headmaster, Mr A.G. O'Hagan, favoured CSE
CSE
CSE may refer to:* Calcutta Stock Exchange* Casablanca Stock Exchange* Certificate of Secondary Education, a UK examination* Centre for Science and Environment, an Indian non-governmental organization...
s (Certificate of Secondary Education, achievement graded by 1-5, 5 the lowest and 1 an equivalent to a C grade or above at O Level) over GCE
General Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
(General Certificate of Education) O Level examinations as he prioritised cumulative and cooperative learning over competition. O'Hagan could be said to have been ahead of his time: The two examinations have since been replaced by the modern GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education).
Unfortunately, the emphasis on CSEs left some school leavers from this era at a disadvantage and was a contributing factor to the Marlborough School's GCE underperformance. During this time, Mr. O'Hagan and his staff imagined a future where technology would replace many manual jobs and create increased leisure time; thus sports, hobbies and community service were encouraged. Although even from the beginning of the sixth form some pupils gained places at 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...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
or other leading British universities this went against the socialist ethos at that time. Whether the imagined future that staff allegedly foresaw has been proved right is highly questionable.
Edward McConnell, headmaster from the late 1980s to the early 2000s increased emphasis on the importance of examinations with success.
Starting in the late 1990s, new language, mathematics and sixth form blocks were built to complement the existing science, music, library/cafeteria buildings and sports hall.
21st century
The Marlborough School acquired the status of a Business and EnterpriseBusiness and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
school under Labour's specialist school
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
programme.
In 2007, plans were unveiled for a new £1,000,000 multi-purpose school building with a "theatre", cinema and conference venue. This building, the Marlborough Enterprise Centre, opened in early 2007 and saw a student-led production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in July of the same year.
In 2010, a £3.8-million science center, dedicated to the memory of Oxfordshire County Councillor Brian Hodgson, was opened by Prof. Peter Dobson, director of Oxford University's Begbroke Science Park, and was blessed by the Bishop of Dorchester the Rt Rev Colin Fletcher.
Every other year the School produces a Summer Show. These have included Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
, Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (adaptations)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, which has been adapted into several different works, the most famous being the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland...
and Bugsy Malone
Bugsy Malone
Bugsy Malone is a 1976 musical film, very loosely based on events in New York City in the Prohibition era, specifically the exploits of gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran, as dramatized in cinema...
.
The annual Presentation Assemblies invite notable local people to hand students their awards.
The Marlborough School Chamber Choir has toured in Europe a number of times; visiting places such as Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, the Santa Maria de Montserrat
Santa Maria de Montserrat
Santa Maria de Montserrat is a Benedictine abbey located on the mountain of Montserrat, in Monistrol de Montserrat, in Catalonia, Spain.It hosts the Virgin of Montserrat, and the Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, a publishing house, one of the oldest presses in the world still running, with...
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. In July 2009 they travelled to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and performed 3 concerts in and around the city. They have also performed Christmas Carols at Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
in 2007 and 2008. Choristers from The Marlborough School Chamber Choir were recently interviewed by Phil Mercer of BBC Oxford to discuss their tour plans and their music programme.
Marlborough students enjoy outdoor sports in Blenheim Park as well as a yearly "Fun Run" which pays for The Woodstock Pensioners Annual Christmas Dinner
Christmas dinner
Christmas dinner is the primary meal traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. In many ways the meal is similar to a standard Sunday dinner. Christmas feasts have traditionally been luxurious and abundant...
.
Elective System
Students at the Marlborough School all enroll onto an Electives System. The school dedicates 2 lessons on Wednesday afternoons for pupils to engage in extra curricular activities. At the end of a school year, students receive a Electives Brochure, and an Electives form, which allows students to choose an extra curricular activity for the next years. The students choose 6 options, putting them on the form in order of preference. It is then sorted that 3 of the 6 are chosen. Normally preference 1 is done in term 1, preference 2 in term 2 and preference 3 in term 3.While most electives are free, some electives have a cost for transport and entrance to the venue. Students can choose a variety of electives, from ones that help to improve fitness, to coursework and school work help, to personal leisure.
Ormerod Department
Since 2005, The Marlborough School has included an embedded unit from the Ormerod School in HeadingtonHeadington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
. This enables children with disabilities in Oxfordshire to be educated in a mainstream secondary school. On 1 September 2007 the two schools merged on the Woodstock site and the Headington site was closed.
Ormerod School was named after the physician Sir Arthur Latham Ormerod (born 1870), a son of the physician Edward Latham Ormerod. From 1901 until 1929 Sir Arthur was Oxford's first Medical Officer for Health. In 1928 he instigated the founding of the Ormerod School in Headington.
The Sixth Form
The Sixth Form at Marlborough is an essential and integral body of the school. The students are mostly non-leavers from previous years however newcomers are welcomed. The Sixth Formers are allowed privileges which Year 7-11 students are denied, such as, a free dress code, meaning no school uniform is required. Students are allocated free periods in which they are expected to study, they have assigned rooms for only sixth form students in regards to this. The Sixth FormSixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
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...
is a hall assigned to Years 12 and 13 in which the majority of the Sixth Form relax, however the conservatory wing of the cafeteria is reserved for sixth form students as well as staff and guests. The Sixth Form also enjoy their 'Sixth Form Garden', which is attached to their Common Room. This garden contains 2 benches dedicated to the memory of students who have died.
There are approximately 220 members of the Marlborough School Sixth Form.
Notable alumni
- Julian Brooks, documentary film maker
- Andrea Cripps, Oscar team-winning costume designer (GladiatorGladiatorA gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
) - David Derbyshire, science reporter
- Rupert FriendRupert FriendRupert Friend is an English film actor, who is best known for his roles as Mr. Wickham in the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice, Lieutenant Kurt Kotler in the 2008 film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Prince Albert in the 2009 film The Young Victoria.-Career:He made his debut in the film The...
, actor (The LibertineThe LibertineThe Libertine may refer to:* The Libertine , directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile* The Libertine , starring Johnny Depp, John Malkovich, Samantha Morton, and Rosamund Pike* "The Libertine" , a song by Patrick Wolf...
, Pride and PrejudicePride and PrejudicePride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England...
, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Young Victoria, CheriCheriCheri is a given name, and may refer to:* Cheri Blauwet, wheelchair racer* Cheri Dennis , American singer* Cheri DiNovo , Canadian United Church minister and social democratic politician...
) - Warwick Vardy, animal film maker (IMAX Bugs! narrated by Judi DenchJudi DenchDame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
) - Josh McEachranJosh McEachranJoshua Mark "Josh" McEachran is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea...
, footballer (attacking midfielder for Chelsea F.C.Chelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
)
External links
- School Web site
- £3.8 millon science centre opens at Marlborough School
- Target Two Point Zero The Bank of England/Times Interest Rate Challenge 2004, runner up
- School takes broader view
- Performance Centre gets Electrovoice
- Marlborough School receives Fair Trade award
- Pupils help draw up new centre designs
- The Oxford Trust
- Marlborough School students tend war graves
- Animation Station project
- Students British Board of Film Certification
- English Schools Football Association
- Girl's car speed protest pays off
- Marlborough School Football Team
- Marlborough School wins major prize
- Oxford Girls Choir
- Ormerod Sports
- Integrating the Ormerod Children
- Times UK Top Schools
- Rugby: Telegraph Emerging Schools
- West Oxfordshire School Sports Partnership
- Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra
- Oxfordshire Lawn Tennis Association
- Boon or Bust for Teen Tycoon