The American School in London
Encyclopedia
The American School in London is an international, independent K-12 school in St John's Wood
, London
, England
for students aged between 4 and 18 years. Established in 1951 by Princeton
graduate Stephen Eckard
, it is the oldest American school in the city and the only non-profit American school in England. As of September 2006 the school has an enrollment of 1,344 students.
ASL is situated on 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) in central London, and maintains 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) of playing fields nearby.
The school follows an American structure and is organised into three departments: the
lower, middle and high schools. Although the majority of students hold American
citizenship, the school has a strong international flavour with over 50 countries
represented. The school functions as an important cultural centre for American
families in London and maintains close links with the American Embassy.
The American School in London welcomed Barack Obama
for a visit during the 2008-2009 school year. He was there to speak with American Embassy employees.
ASL has been reviewed by the online Good Schools Guide International.
Within half a year, the School had become so popular that three teachers were hired and it was moved to a more spacious property in Chelsea. An alumnus of ASL in its early years remembered Mr. Eckard wearing many hats: "Headmaster, counselor, teacher, administrator, even bus driver – Mr. Eckard did it all."
The School continued to grow, moving first to a large house in Grosvenor Square and then adding two houses in Gloucester Gate and four houses in York Terrace. Students played sports at Regent’s Park and on the lawn of Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador.
The first High School graduation was held in 1960, an event that brought Mr. Eckard much joy. "It would be difficult to exaggerate the pride I feel in our School’s first graduating class," he said. "To the extent that it marks a milestone of achievement for me in the development of the American School in London, I hope this feeling is shared by the Senior Class."
In 1964, the newly formed Board of Trustees made the landmark decision to raise funds for a $7 million building to house the whole School. They broke ground in 1968 with the help of Ambassador David K.E. Bruce. The cornerstone was laid two years later by Ambassador Walter Annenberg. The Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher, MP, then secretary of state for education and science, spoke at the building’s dedication in 1971.
In September 2000, the School opened a new High School wing, which included an additional 24000 square feet (2,229.7 m²) of space, a new gym, art studios, computer labs and a renovated library.
In June 2006, the School broke ground on the School Center for Education and the Arts, to create a 450-seat theater and new flexible teaching and performance space. The Center was completed in the Winter of 2007 and officially opened in March 2008.
In addition to 80 classrooms, the School has 17 computer centers; nine science labs; five music rooms; five art studios; a photography darkroom; recording studio; a state-of-the-art language lab; two libraries with a total of 50,000 volumes; two gyms; and two playgrounds. The School Center for Education and the Arts was renovated in 2007, and seats 450 people.
K1–Grade 4 £19,350
Grades 5–12 £22,550
Tuition covers textbooks, laboratory fees and all required activities except for the Music Tour for band, orchestra and choir members. There is an additional fee for the support program for students with specific learning difficulties (SLD), which is £3,150 (the fee for High School students receiving half-time support at two times per cycle is £1,575.) There are occasional additional expenses—usually travel—associated with some Middle and High school classes. Tuition does not include expenses for trips related to extracurricular activities such as athletics, Model UN or service learning.
The school has a need-based financial-aid program, employing forms and analysis based on those used by the School and Student Service (SSS) for Financial Aid in the US. Interested families should contact the admissions office.
and the European Council of International Schools
. It also belongs to the National Association of Independent Schools
and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Finalist.
. Previous speakers include:
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 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...
for students aged between 4 and 18 years. Established in 1951 by Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
graduate Stephen Eckard
Stephen Eckard
Stephen Larned Eckard was an American journalist who spent much of his life living in London. He was a regular contributor to The American....
, it is the oldest American school in the city and the only non-profit American school in England. As of September 2006 the school has an enrollment of 1,344 students.
ASL is situated on 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) in central London, and maintains 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) of playing fields nearby.
The school follows an American structure and is organised into three departments: the
lower, middle and high schools. Although the majority of students hold American
citizenship, the school has a strong international flavour with over 50 countries
represented. The school functions as an important cultural centre for American
families in London and maintains close links with the American Embassy.
The American School in London welcomed Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for a visit during the 2008-2009 school year. He was there to speak with American Embassy employees.
ASL has been reviewed by the online Good Schools Guide International.
History
ASL was founded in 1951 by Stephen L. Eckard, an American journalist and former teacher living in London.Within half a year, the School had become so popular that three teachers were hired and it was moved to a more spacious property in Chelsea. An alumnus of ASL in its early years remembered Mr. Eckard wearing many hats: "Headmaster, counselor, teacher, administrator, even bus driver – Mr. Eckard did it all."
The School continued to grow, moving first to a large house in Grosvenor Square and then adding two houses in Gloucester Gate and four houses in York Terrace. Students played sports at Regent’s Park and on the lawn of Winfield House, the residence of the US ambassador.
The first High School graduation was held in 1960, an event that brought Mr. Eckard much joy. "It would be difficult to exaggerate the pride I feel in our School’s first graduating class," he said. "To the extent that it marks a milestone of achievement for me in the development of the American School in London, I hope this feeling is shared by the Senior Class."
In 1964, the newly formed Board of Trustees made the landmark decision to raise funds for a $7 million building to house the whole School. They broke ground in 1968 with the help of Ambassador David K.E. Bruce. The cornerstone was laid two years later by Ambassador Walter Annenberg. The Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher, MP, then secretary of state for education and science, spoke at the building’s dedication in 1971.
In September 2000, the School opened a new High School wing, which included an additional 24000 square feet (2,229.7 m²) of space, a new gym, art studios, computer labs and a renovated library.
In June 2006, the School broke ground on the School Center for Education and the Arts, to create a 450-seat theater and new flexible teaching and performance space. The Center was completed in the Winter of 2007 and officially opened in March 2008.
Mission statement
"Our mission is to develop the intellect and character of each student by providing an outstanding American education with a global perspective."Facilities
ASL is housed on 3.5 acres (14,164 m²) in central London, and maintains 22 acres (89,030.9 m²) of playing fields.In addition to 80 classrooms, the School has 17 computer centers; nine science labs; five music rooms; five art studios; a photography darkroom; recording studio; a state-of-the-art language lab; two libraries with a total of 50,000 volumes; two gyms; and two playgrounds. The School Center for Education and the Arts was renovated in 2007, and seats 450 people.
Tuition
Tuition fees for 2011-12 school year:K1–Grade 4 £19,350
Grades 5–12 £22,550
Tuition covers textbooks, laboratory fees and all required activities except for the Music Tour for band, orchestra and choir members. There is an additional fee for the support program for students with specific learning difficulties (SLD), which is £3,150 (the fee for High School students receiving half-time support at two times per cycle is £1,575.) There are occasional additional expenses—usually travel—associated with some Middle and High school classes. Tuition does not include expenses for trips related to extracurricular activities such as athletics, Model UN or service learning.
The school has a need-based financial-aid program, employing forms and analysis based on those used by the School and Student Service (SSS) for Financial Aid in the US. Interested families should contact the admissions office.
Accreditation and memberships
The American School in London is accredited by the United States Middle States Association of Colleges and SchoolsMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
and the European Council of International Schools
European Council of International Schools
The European Council of International Schools - ECIS is an association of international schools founded in 1965. ECIS is a collaborative network promoting the ideals and best practice of international education....
. It also belongs to the National Association of Independent Schools
National Association of Independent Schools
The National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...
and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
The Standard
The Standard is the High School newspaper, and has a circulation roughly equivalent to the size of the high school student body (with additional readership through the school's website), with a volunteer student staff of 12 editors and 30 writers. The Standard was a 2005, 2007 and 2010 PacemakerNational Pacemaker Awards
The National Pacemaker Awards are awards for excellence in American student journalism, given annually since 1927. The awards are generally considered to be the highest national honors in their field, and are unofficially known as the "Pulitzer Prizes of student journalism."The National Scholastic...
Finalist.
The Scroll
The Middle School newspaper is called The Scroll. It was a nominee for the Pacemaker in 2008 and won the Pacemaker in 2009.Heads of School
- Stephen EckardStephen EckardStephen Larned Eckard was an American journalist who spent much of his life living in London. He was a regular contributor to The American....
, founder, head of school 1951-1971 - Jack Harrison, head of school 1971-1986
- William E. Harris, head of school 1986-1991
- William Greenham, interim head of school 1991-1992
- Judith L. Glickman, head of school 1992-1998
- William C. Mules, head of school 1998-2007
- Coreen R. Hester, head of school 2007-
Notable alumni
- Nate AckermanNate AckermanNate Ackerman is a British-American wrestler. He is the son of Peter Ackerman.Ackerman competed in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games as part of the Great Britain National Team. He also competed in the 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005 World Championships...
, OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
wrestler - Devon AokiDevon AokiDevon Edwenna Aoki is an American model and actress.-Early life:Aoki was born in New York City, New York, and grew up in California and London, attending high school at The American School in London...
, model and actor - Stewart CopelandStewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
, composer and musician - R. Luke DuBoisR. Luke DuBoisRoger Luke DuBois is an American composer, performer, conceptual new media artist, programmer, record producer and pedagogue based in New York City.-Biography:...
, composer and artist - Marc EwingMarc EwingMarc Ewing is the creator and originator of the Red Hat brand of software, most notably the Red Hat range of Linux operating system distributions. He was involved in the 86open project in the mid-90s....
, founder of Red Hat, Inc.Red HatRed Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide.... - Justin HaytheJustin HaytheJustin Haythe is an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter.Born in London, Haythe is a graduate of The American School in London and Middlebury College. He earned his MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. His debut novel, The Honeymoon, was nominated for the 2004 Man Booker Prize...
, novelist and screenwriter - Candace KitaCandace KitaCandace Kita real name Candace Bender, is a Japanese-American actress and former fashion model, who has appeared in roles in TV shows such as Complete Savages, Two and a Half Men, According to Jim, and Ugly Betty.-Acting:...
, actor and model - Jacob LiefJacob LiefIn 1999, Jacob Lief and Malizole Banks Gwaxula founded Ubuntu Education Fund with the goal of transforming the lives of the children of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Ignoring the traditional development models, they redefined the theory of “going to scale” ;rather than expanding geographically...
, humanitarian - Andrew LuckAndrew LuckAndrew Austen Luck is an American football quarterback for Stanford University. He was the runner-up for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, and is considered a leading contender for the 2011 Heisman Trophy. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the...
, college quarterback, Stanford University - Gabriele MarcottiGabriele MarcottiGabriele Marcotti is an England-based Italian sports journalist, sports author, and radio-television presenter.Born in Italy and now based in London, he was raised in Chicago, Poland, Germany, New York and Japan...
, journalist and author - Lloyd SamLloyd SamLloyd Ekow Sam is a professional English footballer of Ghanaian heritage, who plays in midfield as a Winger who is comfortable playing on either side of the pitch. He is currently playing for Leeds United after leaving Charlton Athletic. As a child he spent some of his childhood living in Senegal...
, footballer, Leeds United - Steve-OSteve-OSteve-O is an American stunt performer and television personality. His entertainment career is mostly centered around his performance stunts on the American TV series Jackass and accompanying movies....
(Stephen Glover), actor - Kathleen TurnerKathleen TurnerMary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
, actor - Norah VincentNorah VincentNorah Vincent is an American writer.Vincent was a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies from its 2001 inception to 2003...
, journalist and author - Charles Walker, Conservative MP
- Karen WhiteKaren WhiteKaren White is an American author of more than ten romantic fiction novels.-Life and career:White was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and during her childhood lived in numerous states and also in Venezula and London, England, where she graduated from The American School in London...
, author - Sam RobardsSam RobardsSam Prideaux Robards is an American actor.-Life and career:Robards was born in New York City, the son of actors Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall. He began his acting career in 1980 in an off-Broadway production of Album, and made his feature film debut in director Paul Mazursky's 1982 film Tempest....
, actor
Commencement speakers
Each year the school invites a notable speaker to address the High School class during their commencementCommencement speech
A commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions. The "commencement" is a ceremony in which degrees or diplomas are conferred upon graduating students...
. Previous speakers include:
- 2011 Wade DavisWade DavisEdmund Wade Davis is a Canadian anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author and photographer whose work has focused on worldwide indigenous cultures, especially in North and South America and particularly involving the traditional uses and beliefs associated with psychoactive plants...
, anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author and photographer - 2010 Bill Roedy, Chairman and Chief Executive of MTV International
- 2009 Charles Spencer, 9th Earl SpencerCharles Spencer, 9th Earl SpencerCharles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL , styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British peer and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
- 2008 Jacob LiefJacob LiefIn 1999, Jacob Lief and Malizole Banks Gwaxula founded Ubuntu Education Fund with the goal of transforming the lives of the children of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Ignoring the traditional development models, they redefined the theory of “going to scale” ;rather than expanding geographically...
'95, founder of Ubuntu Education FundUbuntu Education FundThe Ubuntu Education Fund is a nonprofit community organization founded in 1999 and based in the township of Zwide in Port Elizabeth, South Africa... - 2007 Dr. William C. Mules, Head of School at The American School in London, 1998–2007
- 2006 Charles Walker, ’86 MP
- 2005 Dr. Norman R. Smith, President, Richmond, The American International University in London
- 2004 Prof. James Cuno, Director, Courtauld Institute of Art
- 2003 Billy CollinsBilly CollinsBilly Collins is an American poet, appointed as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. He is a Distinguished Professor at Lehman College of the City University of New York and is the Senior Distinguished Fellow of the Winter Park Institute, Florida...
, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the United States Library of Congress - 2002 Sue McGregor, OBE, Former Presenter Today Program, BBC Radio 4
- 2001 Warren M. HogeWarren HogeWarren McClamroch Hoge is an American journalist, much of whose long career has been at The New York Times. From 2004 until mid-2008, he served as the Times 's foreign correspondent at the United Nations bureau...
, London Bureau Chief, The New York Times - 2000 T.R. Reid, London Bureau Chief, The Washington Post
- 1999 Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Minister of State
- 1998 The American Ambassador, The Honorable Philip LaderPhilip LaderPhilip Lader was the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom and as of 2010 is chairman of WPP Group plc, a global media and communications firm....
- 1997 The American Ambassador, The Honorable William J. CroweWilliam J. CroweAdmiral William James Crowe, Jr. was a United States Navy Admiral who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, and as the ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Bill Clinton.-Biography:Crowe was born in La Grange, Kentucky...
- 1996 Daniel Pedersen, London Bureau Chief, Newsweek Magazine
- 1995 Matthew ParrisMatthew ParrisMatthew Francis Parris is a UK-based journalist and former Conservative politician.-Early life and family:...
, Columnist, The Times - 1994 William Roedy
- 1993 The American Ambassador, The Honorable Raymond SeitzRaymond G. H. SeitzRaymond George Hardenbergh Seitz is a former career diplomat and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 8, 1940. He graduated from Yale University in 1963 with a BA in history, following which he spent 2 years teaching in Dallas, Texas. He joined the US...
- 1991 Richard RogersRichard RogersRichard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside CH Kt FRIBA FCSD is a British architect noted for his modernist and functionalist designs....
, Architect - 1988 Howell Raines, London Bureau Chief, The New York Times
- 1987 William Ruston
- 1985 The Rt. Hon. The Lord Chalfont, O.B..E M.C. P.C.
- 1984 The High Commissioner for Canada, His Excellency The Honourable Donald C. Jamieson P.C.
- 1983 The American Ambassador, The Honorable John Louis Jr.
- 1980 Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
- 1979 Vice-Admiral Joseph P. Moorer
- 1975 The Right Honorable, The Ambassador, Mr. Elliott Richardson
- 1971 The Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham
- 1969 Thomas R Byrne, Labor Attache, American Embassy, London Board of Governors, Georgetown University