Sexey's School
Encyclopedia
Sexey's School is a state boarding school
in Bruton
, Somerset
, England that also takes some day pupils from the surrounding area. Sexey's School is named after Hugh Sexey
who, in 1599, was appointed as a Royal auditor to Elizabeth I
and later as a Royal auditor to James I
. Sexey's Hospital
was established in 1619 from the proceeds of his will
, and the school was founded in 1889. State boarding schools are most unusual in the England and Wales. The school became an Academy in August 2011.
Sexey's was a grammar school
until the Education Act 1944
, after which it became a Voluntary controlled school
. In 1991 it adopted Grant Maintained
status and in September 1999 it became a Voluntary aided school
.
It remained an all-boys school until 1977 when it became fully co-educational
. Boarding facilities were expanded in the 1980s with the building of two new boarding houses - Lisbury House and Coombe House, making Sexey's one of the largest schools of its type in the country. The school has continued expansion with the introduction of a policy in 2003 to take day pupils from a local catchment area
of 1.5 miles. Prior to this the last day pupil
was admitted in 1983. In 2001 the school had 394 students. In 2007 there were 512 students.
Sexey's has complex funding arrangements being a school that has both state (government funded) and independent
(charity funded) income.
produced a glossy calendar
as part of a Young Enterprise
business project, sold for charity, called "Sexey's Hot Twelve",that featured 12 pictures of boys and girls in seductive poses. Child protection groups criticised the calendar for its potential attraction to adults who prey on vulnerable young people. The school reported that they had received no complaints, and that most of the 500 copies were bought immediately after going on sale.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in Bruton
Bruton
Bruton is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the River Brue seven miles south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, ten miles north-west of Gillingham and twelve miles south-west of Frome in the South Somerset district. The town has a...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England that also takes some day pupils from the surrounding area. Sexey's School is named after Hugh Sexey
Hugh Sexey
Hugh Sexey was born near Bruton, Somerset and attended Bruton Grammar School. By the age of 43 he had been appointed as Royal auditor of the Exchequer to Queen Elizabeth I and later King James I...
who, in 1599, was appointed as a Royal auditor to Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and later as a Royal auditor to James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. Sexey's Hospital
Sexey's Hospital
Sexey's Hospital in Bruton, Somerset, England was built around 1630 as almshouses. The West Wing and chapel have been designated as a Grade I listed building. The East Wing and gateway are grade II listed....
was established in 1619 from the proceeds of his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, and the school was founded in 1889. State boarding schools are most unusual in the England and Wales. The school became an Academy in August 2011.
History
Sexey's School dates back to a Trade School which opened on 6 April 1891 with 15 boys. The headmaster and the boys moved into temporary premises in a house known as 'The Glen' on Quaperlake Street in Bruton. At the end of its first year there were 40 boys at the school learning basic subjects including practical mechanics, land measuring and elementary science. The school was moved to its current site and re-founded in 1898. The first headmaster was William Albert KnightSexey's was a 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...
until the Education Act 1944
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
, after which it became a Voluntary controlled school
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...
. In 1991 it adopted Grant Maintained
Grant-maintained school
Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...
status and in September 1999 it became a Voluntary aided school
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
.
It remained an all-boys school until 1977 when it became fully co-educational
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
. Boarding facilities were expanded in the 1980s with the building of two new boarding houses - Lisbury House and Coombe House, making Sexey's one of the largest schools of its type in the country. The school has continued expansion with the introduction of a policy in 2003 to take day pupils from a local 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...
of 1.5 miles. Prior to this the last day pupil
Day pupil
Day pupils are students who attend boarding school but who are not boarders and who travel between home and school every day...
was admitted in 1983. In 2001 the school had 394 students. In 2007 there were 512 students.
Sexey's has complex funding arrangements being a school that has both state (government funded) and independent
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...
(charity funded) income.
Boarding
As of 2007 the school has around 300 boarders. Around two thirds of the school, and one third of sixth form are boarders. There are four boarding houses:- Walwin House (formerly Junior House), two houses built in the late 1930s. Walwin used to accommodate year 7 boarders and has capacity for 49 children - 30 boys and 19 girls. It is now shut down because it was unstable, had an unequal amount of beds and was to far away from the school.
- Cliff House, a Grade II listed building built by Thomas Hannam in 1820 and opened as a boarding house in 1892. Cliff takes boarders in years 8, 9 , and 10.
- Coombe House, opened 1983. Coombe has capacity for around 100 boarders in years 8, 9 , and 10.
- Lisbury House, opened 1983, has around 85 boarders in years 11, 12 and 13. The majority of sixth form boarders live in Lisbury.
- MacMillian House, Opened 2011, is a new £3 Million Pound installation replacing Walwin. Its name is a tribute to Douglas MacMillian who went to the school and founded MacMillian Cancer Support.
Headmasters
- William Albert Knight (1891–1927)
- Wallace E. Page (1927–1955)
- William R. Towns (1955–1965)
- Norman S. Roberts (1965–1970)
- David Curtis (1970–1980)
- John Lello (1980–1989)
- David Charman (1989–1995)
- Stephen G. Burgoyne (1995–2007)
- Raymond McGovern (2008–present)
School song
The school song is a devotional chorus which is mentioned in the first school magazine in 1897.
Hear mighty Lord,
Thy Sexeian's humble cry:
Hear, mighty Lord.
Inspire with motives high
For work and School.
For students here and past
Grant thankfulness,
And endless rest at last.
2002 calendar
In 2001, a group of pupilsStudent
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
produced a glossy calendar
Calendar
A calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
as part of a Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise is a not-for-profit business and enterprise education charity in the United Kingdom. It is made up of 12 regional organisations, each operating individually under a license agreement...
business project, sold for charity, called "Sexey's Hot Twelve",that featured 12 pictures of boys and girls in seductive poses. Child protection groups criticised the calendar for its potential attraction to adults who prey on vulnerable young people. The school reported that they had received no complaints, and that most of the 500 copies were bought immediately after going on sale.
Notable alumni
- L.J.F. BrimbleL.J.F. BrimbleLionel John Farnham Brimble was a botanist, author, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and editor of Nature magazine.-Early life:...
, botanist and editor of Nature magazine - Frederick Tom BrooksFrederick Tom BrooksFrederick Tom Brooks was an English botanist, and was Professor of Botany, Cambridge University.He was born in Somerset and attended Sexey's School, Somerset from 1895-1898. He went up to Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1902 and became Professor of Botany there in 1936...
FRS, botanist, Professor of Botany, Cambridge University, attended 1895-1898 - Gilbert GabrielGilbert GabrielGilbert Alexander Gabriel is an African-English multi-instrumental musician and lyricist. He was a member of the English folk rock trio, The Dream Academy, which had three albums and a worldwide hit in 1985, called "Life in a Northern Town", which he helped co-write.He has also recorded a solo...
, musician and member of The Dream AcademyThe Dream AcademyThe Dream Academy was a folk rock band from England, comprising singer/guitarist Nick Laird-Clowes; multi-instrumentalist Kate St John; plus keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. They are most noted for their hit single, "Life in a Northern Town".-History:Laird-Clowes and Gabriel met each other in the late... - Professor Sir David John ReadDavid ReadProfessor Sir David Read FRS is Emeritus Professor of Plant Science in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at University of Sheffield. His first degree and PhD came from University of Hull, the latter in 1963...
FRS, biologist, Vice President and Biological Secretary of the Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"... - Sir Harold Richard Scott, Commissioner of the Metropolitan PoliceCommissioner of Police of the MetropolisThe Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
, 1945–1953 - Ned SherrinNed SherrinEdward George "Ned" Sherrin CBE was an English broadcaster, author and stage director. He qualified as a barrister and then worked in independent television before joining the BBC...
, broadcaster, author and stage director, 1931–2007 - Arthur WillisArthur WillisArthur Willis was a professional footballer who played for Tottenham Hotspur, Swansea City, Haverfordwest and England.- Football career :...
, botanist and editor - Alex Tew, creator of Million Dollar Homepage
- Douglas MacmillanDouglas MacmillanDouglas Macmillan MBE was a civil servant and charity founder. He was the seventh of eight children of William Macmillan and his wife Emily...
, founder of Macmillan Cancer Support