Wilson's School
Encyclopedia
Wilson's School is a boys' grammar school
in Wallington
, in the London Borough of Sutton
, UK. Admission is based on performance in an entrance test with around 1,000 pupils being taught there.
It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615, moving to its present location on part of the site of the former Croydon Airport
in 1975, changing its name in the process. The move was due to concerns over the size of the facilities, government policy being against grammar schools at the time, and the wish of Sutton Council to have an additional grammar school.
Wilson's became Voluntary Aided in 1997. It was designated as a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing
in 2002 and in April 2007 added a second specialism in the Arts
. Its academic performance places it among the best schools in the United Kingdom.
The school recently changed to an Academy in June 2011 though there will be no name change.
The school operates five houses: Brecon, Camberwell, Greencoat, Hayes and Southwark.
The main sport is Association Football, although others such as athletics and cricket are also played. Swimming and Water Polo were of importance before the conversion of the swimming pool into an additional exercise hall. The status of Badminton Academy was conferred on it in 2006.
Wilson's hosts a Combined Cadet Force and has achieved Eco-Schools
status.
While information on pupils taught at the school before 1843 has been lost, Wilson's has a long list of noted Old Boys across the fields of entertainment, science, the military and the church.
A Short History of Wilson's School, from which much of the information below was taken, was first published in 1951; its most recent edition was in 1987.
in January 2009, Wilson's had the 13th best GCSE results of all UK schools, including independents. They had the best state school results. and 33rd best A-Level results (based on average points per pupil; 17th based on average points per exam entry)
The school was subject to an Ofsted
report in June 2007, which rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) in all 38 of the target areas. The report begins:
The school was founded by Edward Wilson in 1615 and was located in Camberwell
, now part of Greater London
but at that time a small village of cottages, homesteads, inns and larger buildings grouped around a village green. Wilson was born around 1550 in Cartmel, Lancashire, which had its own grammar school, from where he passed on to Cambridge University. No record remains of him taking a degree, although it is known that he went into the Church, being appointed Deacon
at Ely in Norfolk in 1576. He subsequently became Vicar of the Parish of Camberwell, which was presented to him by the Queen
in person. This would indicate that he favoured the settlement of the Church of England which Elizabeth I was resolved to make. His nephew Peter Danson became a governor of the new school at its founding. Danson was also vicar of Carshalton
in Surrey, ironically only one mile from the present site of the school. A further member of the Wilson family, a namesake
of Edward Wilson, is named in the Charter of the School as the Master.
At the time, the establishment of a grammar school in England required the assent of the crown. This was obtained after the first school buildings were constructed. The original Charter bearing this assent has since been lost, although in 1929 the governors of the school obtained a certified extract from the Patent Rolls
. This requirement for the agreement of the Crown explains the legend "Founded in 1615 by Royal Charter" that appears in various places beneath the school name. The Charter was granted by King James I, who had succeeded his cousin Elizabeth by this time.
The charter names the school as "The Free Grammar School of Edward Wilson, clerk, in Camberwell, otherwise Camerwell, in the County of Surrey."
In 1845 the school was forced to close as a result of a financial scandal. Following an Order in Council of Queen Victoria in 1880, which superseded the previous Royal Charter, the school was rebuilt on a different site in Camberwell, opening in 1883. It again catered to the need for schooling of boys in Camberwell, which by this time had grown considerably from its rustic origins. Its working population largely consisted of men working in the professions, clerks, journalists, tradesmen and labourers. Naturally, a grammar school provided an asset to the neighbourhood, with the prospect for boys to go on to University education.
For five and a half years during the Second World War, Wilson's was evacuated to a Camp School at Itchingfield near Horsham, Sussex, and for the only period in its history became a boarding school. The whole compound stood around a broad elliptical area, set in large part to grass and the remainder, an asphalt quadrangle. Radiating from this central area, in spoke-like fashion, was a series of large cedarwood huts. These were the dormitories, ablution blocks and classrooms. Two larger buildings stood adjacent to the asphalted space, one the dining hall and the other the assembly hall which also functioned as the gym, cinema and church. The whole establishment catered for four hundred plus boys forming six houses, all named after past headmasters of the school, Nairn, Macdowell, Wilson, Kelly, Whiteley and Jephson. The Head Master of Christ's Hospital
was kind enough to allow Wilson's the use of the school's cricket pitches, swimming bath and other faciltiies, including the Great Hall for Speech Day.
In 1958, an elementary school in Camberwell known as the Greencoat School was closed after a 250-year history and part of its assets passed to Wilson's Grammar School. The funds were used to provide a new science facility, the Greencoat Building, whch was constructed opposite the main school site in Wilson Road. Two carved figures of a boy and a girl which are believed to have stood over the boys' and girls' entrances to the school were installed first in the Greencoat Building, and later in the Greencoat Courtyard in the new school at Wallington.
From 1883 the school was accustomed to use as a coat of arms
the version of the Wilson shield used by Edward Wilson, probably without authority. In 1985 the then Chairman of Governors, Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, obtained a Grant of Arms from the College of Arms. The new officially authorised Arms introduced to the previous form a silver bar between the wolf and the objects above, together with a gold border. Additionally, a crest is added above the helm in the form of a black wolf holding a silver fleur-de-lys in his paws with a black and gold mantle.
The blazon reads: "Sable a Wolf Salient Or and a Barrulet enhanced Argent in chief a Fleur de Lys also Argent between two Bezants all within a Bordure Gold And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Sable a demi Wolf Salient Sable holding between its paws an Ogress charged with a Fleur de Lys Argent Mantled Sable doubled Or."
The Grant of Arms also gives the rights to a badge, defined as "Within a voided Hexagon Sable charged with three Fleur de Lys Argent and three Bezants a Wolf salient Sable armed and langued Gules." A lapel badge of this design is worn by senior prefects.
Greencoat currently has the highest number of house points from golden tickets and certificates due to academic work and is also the strongest house for sport, winning sports day for 2009.
There are currently five houses in the school, corresponding to the five forms of entry. They are:
Wilson's School is a boys' grammar school
in Wallington
, in the London Borough of Sutton
, UK. Admission is based on performance in an entrance test with around 1,000 pupils being taught there.
It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615, moving to its present location on part of the site of the former Croydon Airport
in 1975, changing its name in the process. The move was due to concerns over the size of the facilities, government policy being against grammar schools at the time, and the wish of Sutton Council to have an additional grammar school.
Wilson's became Voluntary Aided in 1997. It was designated as a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing
in 2002 and in April 2007 added a second specialism in the Arts
. Its academic performance places it among the best schools in the United Kingdom.
The school recently changed to an Academy in June 2011 though there will be no name change.
The school operates five houses: Brecon, Camberwell, Greencoat, Hayes and Southwark.
The main sport is Association Football, although others such as athletics and cricket are also played. Swimming and Water Polo were of importance before the conversion of the swimming pool into an additional exercise hall. The status of Badminton Academy was conferred on it in 2006.
Wilson's hosts a Combined Cadet Force and has achieved Eco-Schools
status.
While information on pupils taught at the school before 1843 has been lost, Wilson's has a long list of noted Old Boys across the fields of entertainment, science, the military and the church.
A Short History of Wilson's School, from which much of the information below was taken, was first published in 1951; its most recent edition was in 1987.
in January 2009, Wilson's had the 13th best GCSE results of all UK schools, including independents. They had the best state school results. and 33rd best A-Level results (based on average points per pupil; 17th based on average points per exam entry)
The school was subject to an Ofsted
report in June 2007, which rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) in all 38 of the target areas. The report begins:
The school was founded by Edward Wilson in 1615 and was located in Camberwell
, now part of Greater London
but at that time a small village of cottages, homesteads, inns and larger buildings grouped around a village green. Wilson was born around 1550 in Cartmel, Lancashire, which had its own grammar school, from where he passed on to Cambridge University. No record remains of him taking a degree, although it is known that he went into the Church, being appointed Deacon
at Ely in Norfolk in 1576. He subsequently became Vicar of the Parish of Camberwell, which was presented to him by the Queen
in person. This would indicate that he favoured the settlement of the Church of England which Elizabeth I was resolved to make. His nephew Peter Danson became a governor of the new school at its founding. Danson was also vicar of Carshalton
in Surrey, ironically only one mile from the present site of the school. A further member of the Wilson family, a namesake
of Edward Wilson, is named in the Charter of the School as the Master.
At the time, the establishment of a grammar school in England required the assent of the crown. This was obtained after the first school buildings were constructed. The original Charter bearing this assent has since been lost, although in 1929 the governors of the school obtained a certified extract from the Patent Rolls
. This requirement for the agreement of the Crown explains the legend "Founded in 1615 by Royal Charter" that appears in various places beneath the school name. The Charter was granted by King James I, who had succeeded his cousin Elizabeth by this time.
The charter names the school as "The Free Grammar School of Edward Wilson, clerk, in Camberwell, otherwise Camerwell, in the County of Surrey."
In 1845 the school was forced to close as a result of a financial scandal. Following an Order in Council of Queen Victoria in 1880, which superseded the previous Royal Charter, the school was rebuilt on a different site in Camberwell, opening in 1883. It again catered to the need for schooling of boys in Camberwell, which by this time had grown considerably from its rustic origins. Its working population largely consisted of men working in the professions, clerks, journalists, tradesmen and labourers. Naturally, a grammar school provided an asset to the neighbourhood, with the prospect for boys to go on to University education.
For five and a half years during the Second World War, Wilson's was evacuated to a Camp School at Itchingfield near Horsham, Sussex, and for the only period in its history became a boarding school. The whole compound stood around a broad elliptical area, set in large part to grass and the remainder, an asphalt quadrangle. Radiating from this central area, in spoke-like fashion, was a series of large cedarwood huts. These were the dormitories, ablution blocks and classrooms. Two larger buildings stood adjacent to the asphalted space, one the dining hall and the other the assembly hall which also functioned as the gym, cinema and church. The whole establishment catered for four hundred plus boys forming six houses, all named after past headmasters of the school, Nairn, Macdowell, Wilson, Kelly, Whiteley and Jephson. The Head Master of Christ's Hospital
was kind enough to allow Wilson's the use of the school's cricket pitches, swimming bath and other faciltiies, including the Great Hall for Speech Day.
In 1958, an elementary school in Camberwell known as the Greencoat School was closed after a 250-year history and part of its assets passed to Wilson's Grammar School. The funds were used to provide a new science facility, the Greencoat Building, whch was constructed opposite the main school site in Wilson Road. Two carved figures of a boy and a girl which are believed to have stood over the boys' and girls' entrances to the school were installed first in the Greencoat Building, and later in the Greencoat Courtyard in the new school at Wallington.
From 1883 the school was accustomed to use as a coat of arms
the version of the Wilson shield used by Edward Wilson, probably without authority. In 1985 the then Chairman of Governors, Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, obtained a Grant of Arms from the College of Arms. The new officially authorised Arms introduced to the previous form a silver bar between the wolf and the objects above, together with a gold border. Additionally, a crest is added above the helm in the form of a black wolf holding a silver fleur-de-lys in his paws with a black and gold mantle.
The blazon reads: "Sable a Wolf Salient Or and a Barrulet enhanced Argent in chief a Fleur de Lys also Argent between two Bezants all within a Bordure Gold And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Sable a demi Wolf Salient Sable holding between its paws an Ogress charged with a Fleur de Lys Argent Mantled Sable doubled Or."
The Grant of Arms also gives the rights to a badge, defined as "Within a voided Hexagon Sable charged with three Fleur de Lys Argent and three Bezants a Wolf salient Sable armed and langued Gules." A lapel badge of this design is worn by senior prefects.
Greencoat currently has the highest number of house points from golden tickets and certificates due to academic work and is also the strongest house for sport, winning sports day for 2009.
There are currently five houses in the school, corresponding to the five forms of entry. They are:
Wilson's School is a boys' grammar school
in Wallington
, in the London Borough of Sutton
, UK. Admission is based on performance in an entrance test with around 1,000 pupils being taught there.
It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615, moving to its present location on part of the site of the former Croydon Airport
in 1975, changing its name in the process. The move was due to concerns over the size of the facilities, government policy being against grammar schools at the time, and the wish of Sutton Council to have an additional grammar school.
Wilson's became Voluntary Aided in 1997. It was designated as a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing
in 2002 and in April 2007 added a second specialism in the Arts
. Its academic performance places it among the best schools in the United Kingdom.
The school recently changed to an Academy in June 2011 though there will be no name change.
The school operates five houses: Brecon, Camberwell, Greencoat, Hayes and Southwark.
The main sport is Association Football, although others such as athletics and cricket are also played. Swimming and Water Polo were of importance before the conversion of the swimming pool into an additional exercise hall. The status of Badminton Academy was conferred on it in 2006.
Wilson's hosts a Combined Cadet Force and has achieved Eco-Schools
status.
While information on pupils taught at the school before 1843 has been lost, Wilson's has a long list of noted Old Boys across the fields of entertainment, science, the military and the church.
A Short History of Wilson's School, from which much of the information below was taken, was first published in 1951; its most recent edition was in 1987.
in January 2009, Wilson's had the 13th best GCSE results of all UK schools, including independents. They had the best state school results. and 33rd best A-Level results (based on average points per pupil; 17th based on average points per exam entry)
The school was subject to an Ofsted
report in June 2007, which rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) in all 38 of the target areas. The report begins:
The school was founded by Edward Wilson in 1615 and was located in Camberwell
, now part of Greater London
but at that time a small village of cottages, homesteads, inns and larger buildings grouped around a village green. Wilson was born around 1550 in Cartmel, Lancashire, which had its own grammar school, from where he passed on to Cambridge University. No record remains of him taking a degree, although it is known that he went into the Church, being appointed Deacon
at Ely in Norfolk in 1576. He subsequently became Vicar of the Parish of Camberwell, which was presented to him by the Queen
in person. This would indicate that he favoured the settlement of the Church of England which Elizabeth I was resolved to make. His nephew Peter Danson became a governor of the new school at its founding. Danson was also vicar of Carshalton
in Surrey, ironically only one mile from the present site of the school. A further member of the Wilson family, a namesake
of Edward Wilson, is named in the Charter of the School as the Master.
At the time, the establishment of a grammar school in England required the assent of the crown. This was obtained after the first school buildings were constructed. The original Charter bearing this assent has since been lost, although in 1929 the governors of the school obtained a certified extract from the Patent Rolls
. This requirement for the agreement of the Crown explains the legend "Founded in 1615 by Royal Charter" that appears in various places beneath the school name. The Charter was granted by King James I, who had succeeded his cousin Elizabeth by this time.
The charter names the school as "The Free Grammar School of Edward Wilson, clerk, in Camberwell, otherwise Camerwell, in the County of Surrey."
In 1845 the school was forced to close as a result of a financial scandal. Following an Order in Council of Queen Victoria in 1880, which superseded the previous Royal Charter, the school was rebuilt on a different site in Camberwell, opening in 1883. It again catered to the need for schooling of boys in Camberwell, which by this time had grown considerably from its rustic origins. Its working population largely consisted of men working in the professions, clerks, journalists, tradesmen and labourers. Naturally, a grammar school provided an asset to the neighbourhood, with the prospect for boys to go on to University education.
For five and a half years during the Second World War, Wilson's was evacuated to a Camp School at Itchingfield near Horsham, Sussex, and for the only period in its history became a boarding school. The whole compound stood around a broad elliptical area, set in large part to grass and the remainder, an asphalt quadrangle. Radiating from this central area, in spoke-like fashion, was a series of large cedarwood huts. These were the dormitories, ablution blocks and classrooms. Two larger buildings stood adjacent to the asphalted space, one the dining hall and the other the assembly hall which also functioned as the gym, cinema and church. The whole establishment catered for four hundred plus boys forming six houses, all named after past headmasters of the school, Nairn, Macdowell, Wilson, Kelly, Whiteley and Jephson. The Head Master of Christ's Hospital
was kind enough to allow Wilson's the use of the school's cricket pitches, swimming bath and other faciltiies, including the Great Hall for Speech Day.
In 1958, an elementary school in Camberwell known as the Greencoat School was closed after a 250-year history and part of its assets passed to Wilson's Grammar School. The funds were used to provide a new science facility, the Greencoat Building, whch was constructed opposite the main school site in Wilson Road. Two carved figures of a boy and a girl which are believed to have stood over the boys' and girls' entrances to the school were installed first in the Greencoat Building, and later in the Greencoat Courtyard in the new school at Wallington.
From 1883 the school was accustomed to use as a coat of arms
the version of the Wilson shield used by Edward Wilson, probably without authority. In 1985 the then Chairman of Governors, Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, obtained a Grant of Arms from the College of Arms. The new officially authorised Arms introduced to the previous form a silver bar between the wolf and the objects above, together with a gold border. Additionally, a crest is added above the helm in the form of a black wolf holding a silver fleur-de-lys in his paws with a black and gold mantle.
The blazon reads: "Sable a Wolf Salient Or and a Barrulet enhanced Argent in chief a Fleur de Lys also Argent between two Bezants all within a Bordure Gold And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Sable a demi Wolf Salient Sable holding between its paws an Ogress charged with a Fleur de Lys Argent Mantled Sable doubled Or."
The Grant of Arms also gives the rights to a badge, defined as "Within a voided Hexagon Sable charged with three Fleur de Lys Argent and three Bezants a Wolf salient Sable armed and langued Gules." A lapel badge of this design is worn by senior prefects.
Greencoat currently has the highest number of house points from golden tickets and certificates due to academic work and is also the strongest house for sport, winning sports day for 2009.
There are currently five houses in the school, corresponding to the five forms of entry. They are:
The School Uniform consists of a white shirt, grey or black trousers, and black blazer emblazoned with the school badge on the left chest pocket. The tie is black with alternating thin white and yellow stripes of equal width. Starting from September 2010, all boys in the middle school (years 9-11) must wear a house tie, which consists of the same school tie with an added stripe with the house colour (red, blue, yellow, green or maroon), with the exception of year 11 in this school year (ending August 2011), who may wear a house badge with the normal tie instead should thye wish.
In exceptionally hot weather, with the permission of the Head, the blazer and tie may be removed and shirt sleeves rolled up.
Traditionally, Sixth Form students were differentiated from the lower years by wearing a black tie variant featuring a repeated small version of the school crest. There was also a prefect tie issued which reverted to stripes - in this case a black tie with alternating blocks of silver white flanked by two thin yellow bands.
Currently however, Sixth Form students are permitted to wear lounge suits or dark jackets, collar and tie with the option of jumpers if necessary.
Musical ensembles range from those for more advanced players (including Senior Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble, and Wind Band) to a range of smaller ensembles catering for every instrumentalist. There is a Senior Choir and a Junior Choir (which combine for school events to form an ensemble of up to 90 singers) as well as a Chamber Choir. From September 2011, the Music Department will have three full time staff and a team of fourteen peripatetic teachers (many of whom run and support ensembles). There are concerts and performances throughout the year, including events held jointly with Wallington High School for Girls.
Collaboration between Music and Drama departments has yielded a range of productions involving junior students in recent years (including musical versions of A Midsummer Night's Dream
and Hamlet
in early 2010). A senior musical production of High Society
will take place in December 2011.
There is generally one senior drama production per year, produced under the company name Shock Tactics. This goes back to 1997 when the then Headmaster bowed to pressure from a small number of parents who objected to the play ’Tis Pity She’s A Whore by John Ford
being produced in school; the production team responded to the ban by taking the show out to a local theatre and performing not as Wilson’s School but as ‘Shock Tactics’. The following year at the same theatre they presented Ghetto by Joshua Sobol. Since then, productions have returned to the school, but the Shock Tactics moniker has remained, despite producing less controversial material.
Every seven or so years the staff perform in a full-scale Christmas pantomime. The last one was Sinbad the Sailor in 2009.
Football
In more modern times, the school's main sport is Association Football. Wilson's has six teams at Under 19 level and two teams for every age group from Under 12s (the Under 12s also have C,D E and F teams) to Under 16s. Football is compulsory in physical education throughout much of the season during a pupil’s early years at the school. In 2007 the 1st XI won the U19 Surrey Cup but lost to Millfield School in the semi-finals of the National Championship.
Cricket
The school has always had a good standard of cricket. There is a team for every year group up until year 11 when there is a first, second and often a third team. The school competes against local schools on Saturdays and there is first team tour every two years. Notable players in the school at present include Muhammad Raza, Dan Kenton(left for university), Sameer Khan, Sachin Duggal and Sam Wright.
Athletics
Alongside cricket, athletics is also popular. During the summer term, the school partakes in many track and field events; these include 100m to 1500m races, hurdles, javelin, shot put, long jump, high jump, triple jump and discus. Year 11 pupil, Jacob Paul completed 400 metre hurdles in a rapid time at the English schools athletics event and this earned him a place in the GB squad.
Badminton
The school was designated an Academy School by Badminton England
in February 2006. The six boys considered best in Badminton from years 8 to 12 receive specialist coaching and there is an after-school club for years 7 and 8 on Mondays and for years 9 and above on Fridays. The school is home for the Chadacre Badminton club, one of the top clubs in the county at senior level.
Swimming and Water Polo
Swimming was first brought in as an organised activity in 1883, using private facilities in Peckham and then Kennington, as no public baths were available in Camberwell until 1892. Masters of this early era include Mr M. Holbein, a channel swimmer, and Mr Cavill, credited by many of being the first to bring the front crawl
to Britain from Australia.
However, it was not until the establishment of the new premises in Sutton, which included a half-Olympic sized swimming pool, that the school gained a national reputation for watersports. This was largely due to the keen involvement of the coach of a local club, who fed budding Wilson's water polo players through to develop their skills at Sutton and Cheam, a local club. By 1976, the school was competing internationally in swimming and provided half of Sutton's team for a gala in Berlin for that year and the next. Four boys were representing the country and the school came second in the 1977 English School Swimming Association Trials.
During this time, several water polo internationals were produced, including members of Welsh and English teams. More recently, the under 14 side came third in the National Schools Competition at Grantham in 1999. In 2000 the under-15 side won the London League. In 2001 Wilson's took a bronze medal at the under-14 national competition. Ex-pupil Kieran Bayles has represented England Schools under-16s and toured with the English under-19s in Malta, despite being two years under age. He played in the European Championship Qualifiers in Portugal.
Since the conversion of the pool to a sports hall in 2005, training and competition in swimming and water polo declined.
Table Tennis
This is taught by Mr Henderson, an external table tennis coach, regarded as one of the top table tennis coaches in the south of England. He is the Chairman of the Surrey Schools and was county player himself. The under-19s are ranked fourth nationally, having won the Surrey Cup, the National Schools Area Tournament and were runners up in the National Regional Tournament.
Rugby Union
Rugby was first introduced to the school in 1886, although it has not been continuously played since then. It was revived in 1921, in the 1960s, 1980s and has continued since a further revival in the mid-1990s. This reflects its status as a secondary game in the school; indeed, the existence of the 1st XV and other teams has not always been well known in the school. In the academic year 2008-2009 Wilson's entered three teams to the Mitcham Bulls League (Yr8, Yr10 and the 1st XV comprising mostly Lower sixth and Yr 11 students). All three leagues were won, and between them only 2 games were lost all season.
Rugby League
Rugby League is not played at the school, but the Rugby Union teams are often entered into Rugby League tournaments, with mixed success. The best result was when the 1st XV (playing League) reached the finals of a competition for the South of England but lost to a last minute drop goal: which was ironic, since a criticism of Union is that kicking and drop-goals are too important.
Wilson's School CCF
was established in 1910 as an Army Officer Training Corps on the original Camberwell site by a teacher, Captain Edmonds. It continued to flourish after the school's move to Wallington under the leadership of Maj. C. Burton, and is now a Combined Cadet Force with Army and RAF sections, the latter introduced in 1964. The Officer team of the CCF is currently headed by Major C. Burton. The corps is inspected every two years, goes on annual Army and RAF camps, and is regularly appraised at a standard well above the average for school CCFs. In 2011 Wilson's School CCF (RAF) reached the National Final of the Air Squadron Trophy and gained third place winning RAF Knowledge and placing second in Drill despite this being their first time qualifying for National Finals.
status (bronze). The goal is for the project to grow within the school and involve all students with representatives from every year group which is one of their ongoing projects, however, only Year 9 pupils are in the group, most likely because the co-ordinator of Eco-Schools, Stephen Phillips, is the current head of year 9.
Noted Old Boys include:
Entertainment and Sport
Arts, Humanities and Politics
Military
Science
Law
Industry and Government
Church
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 Wallington
Wallington, London
Wallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated south south-west of Charing Cross. Prior to the merger of the Municipal Borough of Beddington and Wallington into the London Borough of Sutton, it was part of the county of Surrey.- History :...
, in the London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
, UK. Admission is based on performance in an entrance test with around 1,000 pupils being taught there.
It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615, moving to its present location on part of the site of the former Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
in 1975, changing its name in the process. The move was due to concerns over the size of the facilities, government policy being against grammar schools at the time, and the wish of Sutton Council to have an additional grammar school.
Wilson's became Voluntary Aided in 1997. It was designated as a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing
Mathematics and Computing College
Mathematics and Computing Colleges were introduced in England in 2002 as part of the Government's Specialist Schools Programme which was designed to raise standards in secondary education. Specialist schools focus specifically on their chosen specialism but must also meet the requirements of the...
in 2002 and in April 2007 added a second specialism in the Arts
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
. Its academic performance places it among the best schools in the United Kingdom.
The school recently changed to an Academy in June 2011 though there will be no name change.
The school operates five houses: Brecon, Camberwell, Greencoat, Hayes and Southwark.
The main sport is Association Football, although others such as athletics and cricket are also played. Swimming and Water Polo were of importance before the conversion of the swimming pool into an additional exercise hall. The status of Badminton Academy was conferred on it in 2006.
Wilson's hosts a Combined Cadet Force and has achieved Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
status.
While information on pupils taught at the school before 1843 has been lost, Wilson's has a long list of noted Old Boys across the fields of entertainment, science, the military and the church.
A Short History of Wilson's School, from which much of the information below was taken, was first published in 1951; its most recent edition was in 1987.
Academic performance
According to information supplied by the Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
in January 2009, Wilson's had the 13th best GCSE results of all UK schools, including independents. They had the best state school results. and 33rd best A-Level results (based on average points per pupil; 17th based on average points per exam entry)
The school was subject to an Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report in June 2007, which rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) in all 38 of the target areas. The report begins:
- "Wilson's is an outstanding school that deserves its high reputation. This is how the school sees itself, a view shared by the vast majority of the large number of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire. One parent summed up the school well by noting of their son, 'Wilson's has helped him realise his potential and given him a life-long love for learning.'"
Foundation
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, now part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
but at that time a small village of cottages, homesteads, inns and larger buildings grouped around a village green. Wilson was born around 1550 in Cartmel, Lancashire, which had its own grammar school, from where he passed on to Cambridge University. No record remains of him taking a degree, although it is known that he went into the Church, being appointed Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at Ely in Norfolk in 1576. He subsequently became Vicar of the Parish of Camberwell, which was presented to him by the Queen
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...
in person. This would indicate that he favoured the settlement of the Church of England which Elizabeth I was resolved to make. His nephew Peter Danson became a governor of the new school at its founding. Danson was also vicar of Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
in Surrey, ironically only one mile from the present site of the school. A further member of the Wilson family, a namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
of Edward Wilson, is named in the Charter of the School as the Master.
At the time, the establishment of a grammar school in England required the assent of the crown. This was obtained after the first school buildings were constructed. The original Charter bearing this assent has since been lost, although in 1929 the governors of the school obtained a certified extract from the Patent Rolls
Patent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
. This requirement for the agreement of the Crown explains the legend "Founded in 1615 by Royal Charter" that appears in various places beneath the school name. The Charter was granted by King James I, who had succeeded his cousin Elizabeth by this time.
The charter names the school as "The Free Grammar School of Edward Wilson, clerk, in Camberwell, otherwise Camerwell, in the County of Surrey."
Reconstitution
For five and a half years during the Second World War, Wilson's was evacuated to a Camp School at Itchingfield near Horsham, Sussex, and for the only period in its history became a boarding school. The whole compound stood around a broad elliptical area, set in large part to grass and the remainder, an asphalt quadrangle. Radiating from this central area, in spoke-like fashion, was a series of large cedarwood huts. These were the dormitories, ablution blocks and classrooms. Two larger buildings stood adjacent to the asphalted space, one the dining hall and the other the assembly hall which also functioned as the gym, cinema and church. The whole establishment catered for four hundred plus boys forming six houses, all named after past headmasters of the school, Nairn, Macdowell, Wilson, Kelly, Whiteley and Jephson. The Head Master of Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
was kind enough to allow Wilson's the use of the school's cricket pitches, swimming bath and other faciltiies, including the Great Hall for Speech Day.
In 1958, an elementary school in Camberwell known as the Greencoat School was closed after a 250-year history and part of its assets passed to Wilson's Grammar School. The funds were used to provide a new science facility, the Greencoat Building, whch was constructed opposite the main school site in Wilson Road. Two carved figures of a boy and a girl which are believed to have stood over the boys' and girls' entrances to the school were installed first in the Greencoat Building, and later in the Greencoat Courtyard in the new school at Wallington.
School Coat of Arms and Badge
From 1883 the school was accustomed to use as a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
the version of the Wilson shield used by Edward Wilson, probably without authority. In 1985 the then Chairman of Governors, Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, obtained a Grant of Arms from the College of Arms. The new officially authorised Arms introduced to the previous form a silver bar between the wolf and the objects above, together with a gold border. Additionally, a crest is added above the helm in the form of a black wolf holding a silver fleur-de-lys in his paws with a black and gold mantle.
The blazon reads: "Sable a Wolf Salient Or and a Barrulet enhanced Argent in chief a Fleur de Lys also Argent between two Bezants all within a Bordure Gold And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Sable a demi Wolf Salient Sable holding between its paws an Ogress charged with a Fleur de Lys Argent Mantled Sable doubled Or."
The Grant of Arms also gives the rights to a badge, defined as "Within a voided Hexagon Sable charged with three Fleur de Lys Argent and three Bezants a Wolf salient Sable armed and langued Gules." A lapel badge of this design is worn by senior prefects.
Houses
Each pupil is allocated to one of the houses upon entry to the school. In 1981, four new houses replaced the previous six (Jephson, Kelly, McDowell, Nairne, Whiteley, Wilson), and in 2002 a fifth, Southwark, was added, when the school became five form entry before the new foundation building was opened in 2005. Stundents in the same year in the same house are in the same form, and have registration, form period and lessons in years 7 and 8 together. Having once faded almost to complete insignificance in the life of the school, there is now renewed interest in putting the houses back at the heart of school life. House points are awarded for academic, sporting and extracurricular success; all members of the staff (including all ancillary staff, though not senior management) are allocated to Houses; all students wear a lapel badge of their house shield. House standards have been created for use on Sports Day; these are now kept on permanent display in the main school hall. The houses are also now used to differentiate whom uses the different school canteens: Brecon, Camberwell and Greencoat use the 'South Canteen' while Hayes and Southwark (with also the staff) use the 'North Canteen'.Greencoat currently has the highest number of house points from golden tickets and certificates due to academic work and is also the strongest house for sport, winning sports day for 2009.
There are currently five houses in the school, corresponding to the five forms of entry. They are:
Wilson's School is a boys' 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...
in Wallington
Wallington, London
Wallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated south south-west of Charing Cross. Prior to the merger of the Municipal Borough of Beddington and Wallington into the London Borough of Sutton, it was part of the county of Surrey.- History :...
, in the London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
, UK. Admission is based on performance in an entrance test with around 1,000 pupils being taught there.
It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615, moving to its present location on part of the site of the former Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
in 1975, changing its name in the process. The move was due to concerns over the size of the facilities, government policy being against grammar schools at the time, and the wish of Sutton Council to have an additional grammar school.
Wilson's became Voluntary Aided in 1997. It was designated as a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing
Mathematics and Computing College
Mathematics and Computing Colleges were introduced in England in 2002 as part of the Government's Specialist Schools Programme which was designed to raise standards in secondary education. Specialist schools focus specifically on their chosen specialism but must also meet the requirements of the...
in 2002 and in April 2007 added a second specialism in the Arts
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
. Its academic performance places it among the best schools in the United Kingdom.
The school recently changed to an Academy in June 2011 though there will be no name change.
The school operates five houses: Brecon, Camberwell, Greencoat, Hayes and Southwark.
The main sport is Association Football, although others such as athletics and cricket are also played. Swimming and Water Polo were of importance before the conversion of the swimming pool into an additional exercise hall. The status of Badminton Academy was conferred on it in 2006.
Wilson's hosts a Combined Cadet Force and has achieved Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
status.
While information on pupils taught at the school before 1843 has been lost, Wilson's has a long list of noted Old Boys across the fields of entertainment, science, the military and the church.
A Short History of Wilson's School, from which much of the information below was taken, was first published in 1951; its most recent edition was in 1987.
Academic performance
According to information supplied by the Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
in January 2009, Wilson's had the 13th best GCSE results of all UK schools, including independents. They had the best state school results. and 33rd best A-Level results (based on average points per pupil; 17th based on average points per exam entry)
The school was subject to an Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report in June 2007, which rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) in all 38 of the target areas. The report begins:
- "Wilson's is an outstanding school that deserves its high reputation. This is how the school sees itself, a view shared by the vast majority of the large number of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire. One parent summed up the school well by noting of their son, 'Wilson's has helped him realise his potential and given him a life-long love for learning.'"
Foundation
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, now part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
but at that time a small village of cottages, homesteads, inns and larger buildings grouped around a village green. Wilson was born around 1550 in Cartmel, Lancashire, which had its own grammar school, from where he passed on to Cambridge University. No record remains of him taking a degree, although it is known that he went into the Church, being appointed Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at Ely in Norfolk in 1576. He subsequently became Vicar of the Parish of Camberwell, which was presented to him by the Queen
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...
in person. This would indicate that he favoured the settlement of the Church of England which Elizabeth I was resolved to make. His nephew Peter Danson became a governor of the new school at its founding. Danson was also vicar of Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
in Surrey, ironically only one mile from the present site of the school. A further member of the Wilson family, a namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
of Edward Wilson, is named in the Charter of the School as the Master.
At the time, the establishment of a grammar school in England required the assent of the crown. This was obtained after the first school buildings were constructed. The original Charter bearing this assent has since been lost, although in 1929 the governors of the school obtained a certified extract from the Patent Rolls
Patent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
. This requirement for the agreement of the Crown explains the legend "Founded in 1615 by Royal Charter" that appears in various places beneath the school name. The Charter was granted by King James I, who had succeeded his cousin Elizabeth by this time.
The charter names the school as "The Free Grammar School of Edward Wilson, clerk, in Camberwell, otherwise Camerwell, in the County of Surrey."
Reconstitution
For five and a half years during the Second World War, Wilson's was evacuated to a Camp School at Itchingfield near Horsham, Sussex, and for the only period in its history became a boarding school. The whole compound stood around a broad elliptical area, set in large part to grass and the remainder, an asphalt quadrangle. Radiating from this central area, in spoke-like fashion, was a series of large cedarwood huts. These were the dormitories, ablution blocks and classrooms. Two larger buildings stood adjacent to the asphalted space, one the dining hall and the other the assembly hall which also functioned as the gym, cinema and church. The whole establishment catered for four hundred plus boys forming six houses, all named after past headmasters of the school, Nairn, Macdowell, Wilson, Kelly, Whiteley and Jephson. The Head Master of Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
was kind enough to allow Wilson's the use of the school's cricket pitches, swimming bath and other faciltiies, including the Great Hall for Speech Day.
In 1958, an elementary school in Camberwell known as the Greencoat School was closed after a 250-year history and part of its assets passed to Wilson's Grammar School. The funds were used to provide a new science facility, the Greencoat Building, whch was constructed opposite the main school site in Wilson Road. Two carved figures of a boy and a girl which are believed to have stood over the boys' and girls' entrances to the school were installed first in the Greencoat Building, and later in the Greencoat Courtyard in the new school at Wallington.
School Coat of Arms and Badge
From 1883 the school was accustomed to use as a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
the version of the Wilson shield used by Edward Wilson, probably without authority. In 1985 the then Chairman of Governors, Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, obtained a Grant of Arms from the College of Arms. The new officially authorised Arms introduced to the previous form a silver bar between the wolf and the objects above, together with a gold border. Additionally, a crest is added above the helm in the form of a black wolf holding a silver fleur-de-lys in his paws with a black and gold mantle.
The blazon reads: "Sable a Wolf Salient Or and a Barrulet enhanced Argent in chief a Fleur de Lys also Argent between two Bezants all within a Bordure Gold And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Sable a demi Wolf Salient Sable holding between its paws an Ogress charged with a Fleur de Lys Argent Mantled Sable doubled Or."
The Grant of Arms also gives the rights to a badge, defined as "Within a voided Hexagon Sable charged with three Fleur de Lys Argent and three Bezants a Wolf salient Sable armed and langued Gules." A lapel badge of this design is worn by senior prefects.
Houses
Each pupil is allocated to one of the houses upon entry to the school. In 1981, four new houses replaced the previous six (Jephson, Kelly, McDowell, Nairne, Whiteley, Wilson), and in 2002 a fifth, Southwark, was added, when the school became five form entry before the new foundation building was opened in 2005. Stundents in the same year in the same house are in the same form, and have registration, form period and lessons in years 7 and 8 together. Having once faded almost to complete insignificance in the life of the school, there is now renewed interest in putting the houses back at the heart of school life. House points are awarded for academic, sporting and extracurricular success; all members of the staff (including all ancillary staff, though not senior management) are allocated to Houses; all students wear a lapel badge of their house shield. House standards have been created for use on Sports Day; these are now kept on permanent display in the main school hall. The houses are also now used to differentiate whom uses the different school canteens: Brecon, Camberwell and Greencoat use the 'South Canteen' while Hayes and Southwark (with also the staff) use the 'North Canteen'.Greencoat currently has the highest number of house points from golden tickets and certificates due to academic work and is also the strongest house for sport, winning sports day for 2009.
There are currently five houses in the school, corresponding to the five forms of entry. They are:
Wilson's School is a boys' 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...
in Wallington
Wallington, London
Wallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated south south-west of Charing Cross. Prior to the merger of the Municipal Borough of Beddington and Wallington into the London Borough of Sutton, it was part of the county of Surrey.- History :...
, in the London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
, UK. Admission is based on performance in an entrance test with around 1,000 pupils being taught there.
It was founded as Wilson's Grammar School in Camberwell in 1615, moving to its present location on part of the site of the former Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
in 1975, changing its name in the process. The move was due to concerns over the size of the facilities, government policy being against grammar schools at the time, and the wish of Sutton Council to have an additional grammar school.
Wilson's became Voluntary Aided in 1997. It was designated as a specialist school in Mathematics and Computing
Mathematics and Computing College
Mathematics and Computing Colleges were introduced in England in 2002 as part of the Government's Specialist Schools Programme which was designed to raise standards in secondary education. Specialist schools focus specifically on their chosen specialism but must also meet the requirements of the...
in 2002 and in April 2007 added a second specialism in the Arts
Arts College
Arts Colleges were introduced in 1997 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, the performing, visual and/or media arts...
. Its academic performance places it among the best schools in the United Kingdom.
The school recently changed to an Academy in June 2011 though there will be no name change.
The school operates five houses: Brecon, Camberwell, Greencoat, Hayes and Southwark.
The main sport is Association Football, although others such as athletics and cricket are also played. Swimming and Water Polo were of importance before the conversion of the swimming pool into an additional exercise hall. The status of Badminton Academy was conferred on it in 2006.
Wilson's hosts a Combined Cadet Force and has achieved Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
status.
While information on pupils taught at the school before 1843 has been lost, Wilson's has a long list of noted Old Boys across the fields of entertainment, science, the military and the church.
A Short History of Wilson's School, from which much of the information below was taken, was first published in 1951; its most recent edition was in 1987.
Academic performance
According to information supplied by the Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
in January 2009, Wilson's had the 13th best GCSE results of all UK schools, including independents. They had the best state school results. and 33rd best A-Level results (based on average points per pupil; 17th based on average points per exam entry)
The school was subject to an Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report in June 2007, which rated the school as Grade 1 (outstanding) in all 38 of the target areas. The report begins:
- "Wilson's is an outstanding school that deserves its high reputation. This is how the school sees itself, a view shared by the vast majority of the large number of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire. One parent summed up the school well by noting of their son, 'Wilson's has helped him realise his potential and given him a life-long love for learning.'"
Foundation
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, now part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
but at that time a small village of cottages, homesteads, inns and larger buildings grouped around a village green. Wilson was born around 1550 in Cartmel, Lancashire, which had its own grammar school, from where he passed on to Cambridge University. No record remains of him taking a degree, although it is known that he went into the Church, being appointed Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at Ely in Norfolk in 1576. He subsequently became Vicar of the Parish of Camberwell, which was presented to him by the Queen
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...
in person. This would indicate that he favoured the settlement of the Church of England which Elizabeth I was resolved to make. His nephew Peter Danson became a governor of the new school at its founding. Danson was also vicar of Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
in Surrey, ironically only one mile from the present site of the school. A further member of the Wilson family, a namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
of Edward Wilson, is named in the Charter of the School as the Master.
At the time, the establishment of a grammar school in England required the assent of the crown. This was obtained after the first school buildings were constructed. The original Charter bearing this assent has since been lost, although in 1929 the governors of the school obtained a certified extract from the Patent Rolls
Patent Rolls
The Patent Rolls are primary sources for English history, a record of the King of England's correspondence, starting in 1202....
. This requirement for the agreement of the Crown explains the legend "Founded in 1615 by Royal Charter" that appears in various places beneath the school name. The Charter was granted by King James I, who had succeeded his cousin Elizabeth by this time.
The charter names the school as "The Free Grammar School of Edward Wilson, clerk, in Camberwell, otherwise Camerwell, in the County of Surrey."
Reconstitution
For five and a half years during the Second World War, Wilson's was evacuated to a Camp School at Itchingfield near Horsham, Sussex, and for the only period in its history became a boarding school. The whole compound stood around a broad elliptical area, set in large part to grass and the remainder, an asphalt quadrangle. Radiating from this central area, in spoke-like fashion, was a series of large cedarwood huts. These were the dormitories, ablution blocks and classrooms. Two larger buildings stood adjacent to the asphalted space, one the dining hall and the other the assembly hall which also functioned as the gym, cinema and church. The whole establishment catered for four hundred plus boys forming six houses, all named after past headmasters of the school, Nairn, Macdowell, Wilson, Kelly, Whiteley and Jephson. The Head Master of Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
was kind enough to allow Wilson's the use of the school's cricket pitches, swimming bath and other faciltiies, including the Great Hall for Speech Day.
In 1958, an elementary school in Camberwell known as the Greencoat School was closed after a 250-year history and part of its assets passed to Wilson's Grammar School. The funds were used to provide a new science facility, the Greencoat Building, whch was constructed opposite the main school site in Wilson Road. Two carved figures of a boy and a girl which are believed to have stood over the boys' and girls' entrances to the school were installed first in the Greencoat Building, and later in the Greencoat Courtyard in the new school at Wallington.
School Coat of Arms and Badge
From 1883 the school was accustomed to use as a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
the version of the Wilson shield used by Edward Wilson, probably without authority. In 1985 the then Chairman of Governors, Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, obtained a Grant of Arms from the College of Arms. The new officially authorised Arms introduced to the previous form a silver bar between the wolf and the objects above, together with a gold border. Additionally, a crest is added above the helm in the form of a black wolf holding a silver fleur-de-lys in his paws with a black and gold mantle.
The blazon reads: "Sable a Wolf Salient Or and a Barrulet enhanced Argent in chief a Fleur de Lys also Argent between two Bezants all within a Bordure Gold And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Or and Sable a demi Wolf Salient Sable holding between its paws an Ogress charged with a Fleur de Lys Argent Mantled Sable doubled Or."
The Grant of Arms also gives the rights to a badge, defined as "Within a voided Hexagon Sable charged with three Fleur de Lys Argent and three Bezants a Wolf salient Sable armed and langued Gules." A lapel badge of this design is worn by senior prefects.
Houses
Each pupil is allocated to one of the houses upon entry to the school. In 1981, four new houses replaced the previous six (Jephson, Kelly, McDowell, Nairne, Whiteley, Wilson), and in 2002 a fifth, Southwark, was added, when the school became five form entry before the new foundation building was opened in 2005. Stundents in the same year in the same house are in the same form, and have registration, form period and lessons in years 7 and 8 together. Having once faded almost to complete insignificance in the life of the school, there is now renewed interest in putting the houses back at the heart of school life. House points are awarded for academic, sporting and extracurricular success; all members of the staff (including all ancillary staff, though not senior management) are allocated to Houses; all students wear a lapel badge of their house shield. House standards have been created for use on Sports Day; these are now kept on permanent display in the main school hall. The houses are also now used to differentiate whom uses the different school canteens: Brecon, Camberwell and Greencoat use the 'South Canteen' while Hayes and Southwark (with also the staff) use the 'North Canteen'.Greencoat currently has the highest number of house points from golden tickets and certificates due to academic work and is also the strongest house for sport, winning sports day for 2009.
There are currently five houses in the school, corresponding to the five forms of entry. They are:
 | BRECON takes its name from the Brecon Beacons, originally the venue for the field-study trips taken by the majority of Year 7 students (which was changed in 2008 to Abergavenny Abergavenny Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches... due to high maintenance costs) and Geography students. Colour: red. Motto: Y DDRAIG GOCH DDYRY CYCHWYN ("The Red Dragon goes on and on" - the unofficial national motto of Wales). |
 | CAMBERWELL This house is named after the school's original location in south-east London; the phoenix refers to the school's rebirth in 1883 and again in 1975. The current head of house is Mrs K Gill Colour: blue. Motto: VIVAT REDIVIVA ("Live Again Live Forever") |
 | GREENCOAT named after the Greencoat School. The Greencoat Courtyard houses the sculpted figures of two schoolchildren from Greencoat School. Colour: green. The current head of house is Mr J Parkinson Motto: VIROR VIRES VIRTUS ("Green our strength and courage") |
 | HAYES takes its name from the school's alumni sports club, the Old Wilsonians' Association, located in Hayes, Kent. Colour: yellow. Motto: OMNIBUS QUISQUE CUIQUE OMNES (" All For One And One For All") |
 | SOUTHWARK refers to the Church of England Church of England The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St... 's Diocese Diocese A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance... of Southwark Southwark Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north... , with which the school has historical links and which has representatives on the school's Board of Governors. The design is taken from a mediaeval ceiling boss in Southwark Cathedral that shows the Devil eating Judas Iscariot. Colour: purple. Motto: MODO MODO INCEPTUM ("We have only just begun")The current Head of House is David Alderson. |
Uniform
In exceptionally hot weather, with the permission of the Head, the blazer and tie may be removed and shirt sleeves rolled up.
Traditionally, Sixth Form students were differentiated from the lower years by wearing a black tie variant featuring a repeated small version of the school crest. There was also a prefect tie issued which reverted to stripes - in this case a black tie with alternating blocks of silver white flanked by two thin yellow bands.
Currently however, Sixth Form students are permitted to wear lounge suits or dark jackets, collar and tie with the option of jumpers if necessary.
Music and drama
Music plays a vital role in the cultural life of the school.Musical ensembles range from those for more advanced players (including Senior Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble, and Wind Band) to a range of smaller ensembles catering for every instrumentalist. There is a Senior Choir and a Junior Choir (which combine for school events to form an ensemble of up to 90 singers) as well as a Chamber Choir. From September 2011, the Music Department will have three full time staff and a team of fourteen peripatetic teachers (many of whom run and support ensembles). There are concerts and performances throughout the year, including events held jointly with Wallington High School for Girls.
Collaboration between Music and Drama departments has yielded a range of productions involving junior students in recent years (including musical versions of A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
and Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in early 2010). A senior musical production of High Society
High Society (musical)
High Society is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Cole Porter.Based on the Philip Barry play The Philadelphia Story and the 1956 musical screen adaptation with Porter's songs, High Society, the plot centers on pretentious Long Island socialite Tracy Lord, who is planning...
will take place in December 2011.
There is generally one senior drama production per year, produced under the company name Shock Tactics. This goes back to 1997 when the then Headmaster bowed to pressure from a small number of parents who objected to the play ’Tis Pity She’s A Whore by John Ford
John Ford (dramatist)
John Ford was an English Jacobean and Caroline playwright and poet born in Ilsington in Devon in 1586.-Life and work:...
being produced in school; the production team responded to the ban by taking the show out to a local theatre and performing not as Wilson’s School but as ‘Shock Tactics’. The following year at the same theatre they presented Ghetto by Joshua Sobol. Since then, productions have returned to the school, but the Shock Tactics moniker has remained, despite producing less controversial material.
Every seven or so years the staff perform in a full-scale Christmas pantomime. The last one was Sinbad the Sailor in 2009.
Sport
The original School statutes state that "The scholars play to be Shooting in long bows; chess; running, wrestling and leaping, &c..."Football
In more modern times, the school's main sport is Association Football. Wilson's has six teams at Under 19 level and two teams for every age group from Under 12s (the Under 12s also have C,D E and F teams) to Under 16s. Football is compulsory in physical education throughout much of the season during a pupil’s early years at the school. In 2007 the 1st XI won the U19 Surrey Cup but lost to Millfield School in the semi-finals of the National Championship.
Cricket
The school has always had a good standard of cricket. There is a team for every year group up until year 11 when there is a first, second and often a third team. The school competes against local schools on Saturdays and there is first team tour every two years. Notable players in the school at present include Muhammad Raza, Dan Kenton(left for university), Sameer Khan, Sachin Duggal and Sam Wright.
Athletics
Alongside cricket, athletics is also popular. During the summer term, the school partakes in many track and field events; these include 100m to 1500m races, hurdles, javelin, shot put, long jump, high jump, triple jump and discus. Year 11 pupil, Jacob Paul completed 400 metre hurdles in a rapid time at the English schools athletics event and this earned him a place in the GB squad.
Badminton
The school was designated an Academy School by Badminton England
Badminton England
BADMINTON England is the governing body for the sport of badminton in England. It aims to govern, encourage and develop the sport for all throughout England....
in February 2006. The six boys considered best in Badminton from years 8 to 12 receive specialist coaching and there is an after-school club for years 7 and 8 on Mondays and for years 9 and above on Fridays. The school is home for the Chadacre Badminton club, one of the top clubs in the county at senior level.
Swimming and Water Polo
Swimming was first brought in as an organised activity in 1883, using private facilities in Peckham and then Kennington, as no public baths were available in Camberwell until 1892. Masters of this early era include Mr M. Holbein, a channel swimmer, and Mr Cavill, credited by many of being the first to bring the front crawl
Front crawl
The front crawl, forward crawl, or freestyle is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is nearly universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, hence the synonymously used term "freestyle". It is one of two...
to Britain from Australia.
However, it was not until the establishment of the new premises in Sutton, which included a half-Olympic sized swimming pool, that the school gained a national reputation for watersports. This was largely due to the keen involvement of the coach of a local club, who fed budding Wilson's water polo players through to develop their skills at Sutton and Cheam, a local club. By 1976, the school was competing internationally in swimming and provided half of Sutton's team for a gala in Berlin for that year and the next. Four boys were representing the country and the school came second in the 1977 English School Swimming Association Trials.
During this time, several water polo internationals were produced, including members of Welsh and English teams. More recently, the under 14 side came third in the National Schools Competition at Grantham in 1999. In 2000 the under-15 side won the London League. In 2001 Wilson's took a bronze medal at the under-14 national competition. Ex-pupil Kieran Bayles has represented England Schools under-16s and toured with the English under-19s in Malta, despite being two years under age. He played in the European Championship Qualifiers in Portugal.
Since the conversion of the pool to a sports hall in 2005, training and competition in swimming and water polo declined.
Table Tennis
This is taught by Mr Henderson, an external table tennis coach, regarded as one of the top table tennis coaches in the south of England. He is the Chairman of the Surrey Schools and was county player himself. The under-19s are ranked fourth nationally, having won the Surrey Cup, the National Schools Area Tournament and were runners up in the National Regional Tournament.
Rugby Union
Rugby was first introduced to the school in 1886, although it has not been continuously played since then. It was revived in 1921, in the 1960s, 1980s and has continued since a further revival in the mid-1990s. This reflects its status as a secondary game in the school; indeed, the existence of the 1st XV and other teams has not always been well known in the school. In the academic year 2008-2009 Wilson's entered three teams to the Mitcham Bulls League (Yr8, Yr10 and the 1st XV comprising mostly Lower sixth and Yr 11 students). All three leagues were won, and between them only 2 games were lost all season.
Rugby League
Rugby League is not played at the school, but the Rugby Union teams are often entered into Rugby League tournaments, with mixed success. The best result was when the 1st XV (playing League) reached the finals of a competition for the South of England but lost to a last minute drop goal: which was ironic, since a criticism of Union is that kicking and drop-goals are too important.
Sports day
On the 2011 sports day, the House of Greencoat won followed closely by Southwark with only fifteen points between them.Combined Cadet Force
Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
was established in 1910 as an Army Officer Training Corps on the original Camberwell site by a teacher, Captain Edmonds. It continued to flourish after the school's move to Wallington under the leadership of Maj. C. Burton, and is now a Combined Cadet Force with Army and RAF sections, the latter introduced in 1964. The Officer team of the CCF is currently headed by Major C. Burton. The corps is inspected every two years, goes on annual Army and RAF camps, and is regularly appraised at a standard well above the average for school CCFs. In 2011 Wilson's School CCF (RAF) reached the National Final of the Air Squadron Trophy and gained third place winning RAF Knowledge and placing second in Drill despite this being their first time qualifying for National Finals.
Chess Club
Wilsons school also runs a successful chess club, which runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. In 2008 it won the plate in the national cup. It runs several chess teams, and in 2010 the first got through to the final four in the National Cup. It contains several players who play for England in their age groups and annually runs the British Land UK chess tournament.Maths activities
As well as doing GCSE, AS and A level maths, Wilsons runs a Hans Woyda team, enters the Team Maths Challenges as well as the Junior, Intermediate and Senior maths challenges, with several pupils from each year getting through. It also runs maths masterclasses for pupils around the area in years 6 and 9.KD Clubs
In Autumn 2009, Kes Daood, the founder of WASA, created a club solely for setting up other clubs in Wilson's School. This was named KD clubs and as of March 2010, has consisted of: WASA, Lower School Debating, Upper School Debating, Additional debating, Book Club, Medical Club, Free-thinkers club. Prayer club is now part of KD clubs however was founded by Sameer Khan.WASA
On March 2008, a group of year 9 pupils started WASA, Wilson's Aeronautics and Space Association. It was set up mainly by Kes Daood, who is a member of PARS and currently runs the club with 14 other members. WASA continues to develop and has had 14 successful launches since March. WASA was postponed to the spring term in Autumn 2009 because of bad weather, 28.Eco-Schools
Wilson's has achieved Eco-SchoolsEco-Schools
Eco-Schools is an international program of environmental and sustainable developmental education for schools. Foundation for Environmental Education is the founder of the programme and Eco-Schools is just one out of their five programmes....
status (bronze). The goal is for the project to grow within the school and involve all students with representatives from every year group which is one of their ongoing projects, however, only Year 9 pupils are in the group, most likely because the co-ordinator of Eco-Schools, Stephen Phillips, is the current head of year 9.
Old Boys
Class lists from 1615 to 1843 have been lost, making it impossible to record with absolute certainty those who rose to fame in that period. However, A Short History notes that James Tyrrell, grandson of Archbishop Usher and author of A General History of England and other works, is known to have been a pupil in the middle of the seventeenth century.Noted Old Boys include:
Entertainment and Sport
- Sir Michael CaineMichael CaineSir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
(Maurice Joseph Micklewhite), actor. Caine wrote of his dislike of his time at Wilson's, which was still in Camberwell during that period, in his autobiography "What's It All About?". However, he also states that his English teacher, Eric Watson "took the trouble to guide my rebellious mind into the area of literature." - Simon FurmanSimon FurmanSimon Christopher Francis Furman is a comic book writer, particularly associated with of a number of notable Transformers comics for Marvel UK, Marvel US, Dreamwave, and most recently, IDW...
, comic book writer - Stephen Jenkins, stage name Stephen BeckettStephen BeckettStephen Beckett is an English actor, known for portraying Dr Matt Ramsden in Coronation Street and Mike Jarvis in The Bill.-Background:...
, actor with regular roles in Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
and The BillThe BillThe Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... - Andrew KazamiaQuadriga ProductionsQuadriga Productions is a production company set up in 1999 by actor/director/writer Andrew Kazamia.They have produced two award-winning short films and currently have three feature films in pre-production/production.-Filmography:* Trust Me...
, actor with a regular role in London's BurningLondon's BurningLondon's Burning was a British television drama programme produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network that focused on the lives of members of the London Fire Brigade, principally those of the Blue Watch at a fictional fire station called Blackwall.It was broadcast between 1986 and...
, playwright and film-maker - Tom AbbottTom AbbottTom Abbott is a broadcaster and sports commentator, best known for his work with The Golf Channel. He currently presents and commentates the network's European and LPGA Tour coverage, as well as anchoring Golf Central and reporting for Live From...
, presenter and commentator for US television network The Golf ChannelThe Golf ChannelGolf Channel, known as The Golf Channel before the July 2008 dropping of The, is an American cable television network with coverage focused on the game of golf. Founded in Birmingham, Alabama, the American headquarters and studio are currently located in Orlando, Florida...
. - Chris Cohen, comedy songwriter who works for ESPN and Chelsea FC TV
Arts, Humanities and Politics
- John GallianoJohn GallianoJohn Charles Galliano CBE, RDI is a Gibraltan-born British fashion designer who was best known as head designer of French haute couture houses Givenchy and Christian Dior , and his own self titled fashion house.-Family:He was born in Gibraltar to a Gibraltarian father, Juan Galliano, and a...
, CBECBECBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, RDIRoyal Designers for IndustryRoyal Designer for Industry is a distinction established by the British Royal Society of Arts in 1936, to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers. It is awarded to people who have achieved "sustained excellence in aesthetic and efficient design for...
, fashion designer - Harry GolombekHarry GolombekHarry Golombek OBE , was a British chess International Master and honorary grandmaster, chess arbiter, and chess author. He was three times British chess champion, in 1947, 1949, and 1955 and finished second in 1948. He became a grandmaster in 1985.He was the chess correspondent of The Times...
, OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
Grandmaster - Roy PorterRoy PorterRoy Sydney Porter was a British historian noted for his prolific work on the history of medicine.-Life:...
, historian - Peter Walcot, Professor of Classics
- Aaron PorterAaron PorterAaron Ross Porter is the former President of the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom; he was elected with a 65% majority and took office in June 2010 for one year.-Background and positions held :...
, President, National Union of Students of the United KingdomNational Union of Students of the United KingdomThe National Union of Students is Britain’s confederation of students’ unions. Around 600 students’ unions are in membership, accounting for more than 95 per cent of all higher and further education unions in the UK. Through their member students’ unions, NUS represents the interests of more than...
, 2010-11 - Sir Norman Reid, former director of the Tate GalleryTate GalleryThe Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
- Mark StoneMark Stone (opera singer)- Biography :Born in London 12 June 1969, he studied at Wilson's School, Wallington before going up to King's College, Cambridge to read Mathematics. After graduating in 1990 he worked as a Chartered Accountant and an investment banker before studying singing at the Guildhall School of Music and...
, opera singer - Tim Rayment, writer, the Sunday Times Magazine
- Ben Webster, writer, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
- Ben Ashford, writer, The SunThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
- Dom Foulsham, writer, Music WeekMusic WeekMusic Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
, Record MirrorRecord MirrorRecord Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, and writer/producer, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel... - Richard Cook, LBIPP Photographer, British Institute of Professional PhotographyBritish Institute of Professional PhotographyThe British Institute Professional Photography is a not-for-profit organisation, which fills the role of qualifying body for professional photographers in the United Kingdom...
- Matthew ToddMatthew ToddMatthew Todd is a playwright, stand up comedian and journalist. He is the author of the critically acclaimed play Blowing Whistles and is currently the editor of the UK gay magazine Attitude and was nominated by the British Society of Magazine Editors as Best Editor of the year 2009, 2010 and 2011...
, editor of Attitude Magazine and playwright - Colin ButtsColin ButtsColin Butts is an English writer and author, mainly in popularist youth orientated works.Butts founded Tuesday Morning Publishing to publish his own novel Is Harry On the Boat? in 1997, and sold 20,000 copies from his garage. It was then taken on by Orion Publishing and went on to become a...
, writer, Is Harry on the Boat?Is Harry on the Boat?Is Harry on the Boat? was a 2001 British made for TV film, based on the lives of holiday reps in Ibiza. A television drama series then followed, airing on Sky One from 2002 to 2003.-Background:It's based on the book of the same name by Colin Butts...
Military
- Capt. Harold AutenHarold AutenCommander Harold Auten VC DSC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, VCVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, DSCDistinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
, RD, "Q-ShipQ-shipQ-ships, also known as Q-boats, Decoy Vessels, Special Service Ships, or Mystery Ships, were heavily armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the chance to open fire and sink them...
" commander in the First World War, author of ""Q" Boat Adventures" and later executive Vice-President of the Rank Organisation - Sir Alan CobhamAlan CobhamSir Alan John Cobham, KBE, AFC was an English aviation pioneer.A member of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I, Alan Cobham became famous as a pioneer of long distance aviation. After the war he became a test pilot for the de Havilland aircraft company, and was the first pilot for the newly...
, KBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, AFCAir Force Cross (United Kingdom)The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
, pioneer aviator (first flight from Britain to Australia in 1926 and pioneer of air-to-air refuelling). Curiously, his flight to Australia was from Croydon AirportCroydon AirportCroydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary between what are now the London boroughs of Croydon and Sutton. It was the main airport for London before it was replaced by Northolt Aerodrome, London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport...
, the site of which is the present location of the School. - H. E. Funnell, DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, Merito de Guerra - H. Harbord, DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
- Major-General H. A. J. Sturge, CBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, former Vice-Chairman of the Governors
Science
- Stephen Barker, MB BS BSc MS FRCS, Senior Lecturer in Surgery and Consultant Vascular Surgeon, University College London
- Nick Losseff, MD FRCP, neurologist
- Paul Deegan, mountaineer and environmentalist
- Sir Lewis FermorLewis Leigh FermorSir Lewis Leigh Fermor OBE FRS was an English geologist and the first president of the Indian National Science Academy...
, OBE DSc FRS - Sir James JeansJames Hopwood JeansSir James Hopwood Jeans OM FRS MA DSc ScD LLD was an English physicist, astronomer and mathematician.-Background:...
, OMOrder of MeritThe Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
MA DSc ScD, astronomer - George Barker JefferyGeorge Barker JefferyGeorge Barker Jeffery was a leading mathematical physicist in the early twentieth century. He is probably best known to the scientifically literate public as the translator of papers by Einstein, Lorentz, and other fathers of relativity theory .-Career:Jeffery was born in 1891 and educated at...
, mathematician - John Stevens HenslowJohn Stevens HenslowJohn Stevens Henslow was an English clergyman, botanist and geologist. He is best remembered as friend and mentor to his pupil Charles Darwin.- Early life :...
. botanist and geologist - Dr George Druce Lander, FRS, chemist
- R. H. J Swan, FRCS, eminent surgeon of Guy's and the Royal Cancer Hospital
Law
- Trevor Hunter, QCQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
and County Court Judge - Alexander Walker, Assessor of the City of Glasgow
Industry and Government
- Lt. Col. W. R. Bowden, Founder Master of the Worshipful Company of Marketors
- F .L. Brown, CMG, MC and barMilitary 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....
, secretary to the Duke of WindsorDuke of WindsorThe title Duke of Windsor was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1937 for Prince Edward, the former King Edward VIII, following his abdication in December 1936. The dukedom takes its name from the town where Windsor Castle, a residence of English monarchs since the Norman Conquest, is...
during the Duke's period as Governor-General of the BahamasGovernor-General of the BahamasThe Governor General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas is the viceregal representative of the Bahamian Monarch . As Her Majesty the Queen cannot reside in all of her realms she appoints representatives to carry-out her duties as Queen of the Bahamas...
. - Mr Deputy C. G. Dickson, former Sheriff of the City of London
- Charles Samuel Garland, MP and industrialist
- B. A. Glanvill, JP, former mayor of Bromley and High Sheriff of Kent
- Roger Lambart, 13th Earl of CavanRoger Lambart, 13th Earl of CavanRoger Cavan Lambart, 13th Earl of Cavan is an hereditary peer.He was educated at Wilson's School, Surrey, St Clare's International School and at King's College London....
- Ernest PartridgeErnest PartridgeErnest Partridge was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.At the 1951 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for the marginal Battersea South constituency, gaining the seat from Labour incumbent Caroline Ganley...
, MP and industrialist
Church
- The Rt. Revd. Dr. Brian Colin CastleBrian Colin CastleBrian Colin Castle is the current Suffragan Bishop of Tonbridge.Castle was educated at Wilson's School and University College London and ordained in 1978 after a period of study at Cuddesdon...
, Bishop of TonbridgeDiocese of RochesterThe Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
and Governor of Sevenoaks SchoolSevenoaks SchoolSevenoaks School is an English coeducational independent school located in the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is the oldest lay school in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1432. Almost 1,000 day pupils and boarders attend, ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. There are approximately equal numbers of... - The Very Revd. Dr Walter Robert MatthewsWalter Robert MatthewsThe Very Reverend Walter Robert Matthews, KCVO, CH, DD was an Anglican Dean from 1918 until 1967. Born in 1881 he was educated at Wilson's School and King's College London. He was ordained in 1907 and began his career with curacies at St Mary Abbots, Kensington, and St Peter, Regent Square. After...
, CH, KCVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, DDDoctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, DLittDoctor of LettersDoctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
, former Dean of St Paul's CathedralSt Paul's CathedralSt Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother... - The Rt. Revd. H. A. Wilson, CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DDDoctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, former Bishop of ChelmsfordChelmsfordChelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
Notable Governors
An exhaustive list is to be found in Appendix A of "A Short History of Wilson's School". The following are particular highlights from this. Dates are of their governorships.- Hugh BoulterHugh BoulterHugh Boulter was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Primate of All Ireland, from 1724 until his death. He also served as the chaplain to George I from 1719.-Background and education:...
, DD, 1708-1722, Chaplain to George I, Bishop of BristolBishop of BristolThe Bishop of Bristol heads the Church of England Diocese of Bristol in the Province of Canterbury, in England.The present diocese covers parts of the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire together with a small area of Wiltshire...
, Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
. - Sir Edmund Bowyer, 1615-1626, a friend of the founder, Edward Wilson. His son, Edmund Bowyer the younger, was also a governor 1634-1681.
- William Cooper, 1651-1662, Chaplain to Princess Elizabeth of Bohemia.
- Rev. Dr. George D'Oyly, 1820-1846, theologian, biographer and the main founder of King's College LondonKing's College LondonKing's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. - Jonathan Dryden, 1650-1653, second cousin to the poet John DrydenJohn DrydenJohn Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
. - Edmund GibsonEdmund GibsonEdmund Gibson was a British divine and jurist.-Early life and career:He was born in Bampton, Westmorland. In 1686 he was entered a scholar at Queen's College, Oxford...
, DD, 1703-1717, Bishop of LincolnBishop of LincolnThe Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
and later bishop of LondonBishop of LondonThe Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
. - George HooperGeorge HooperGeorge Hooper was a learned and influential high churchman of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. He served as bishop of the Welsh diocese, St Asaph, and later for the diocese of Bath and Wells, as well as chaplain to members of the royal family.-Early life:George Hooper was born...
, DD, 1675-1703, Bishop of St AsaphBishop of St AsaphThe Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph.The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of St Asaph in the town of...
, later bishop of Bath and WellsBishop of Bath and WellsThe Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
. Chaplain to Charles IICharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
and Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford University. - Guy MorganGuy MorganMunden Guy Morgan is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'8" guard from Wake Forest University, Morgan was selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 1982 NBA Draft. He played eight games for the Pacers during the 1982-83 NBA season, scoring 15 points.-Note:...
, 2010-Present, Local-Hero and Renowned Tibetan Monk. - Wilfred H. Hore, TD, DL, MA, BSc, 1978-1984, Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Surrey and former Headmaster of Guildford Royal Grammar School.
- William Dalrymple MaclaganWilliam Dalrymple MaclaganWilliam Dalrymple Maclagan PC was Archbishop of York from 1891 to 1908, when he resigned his office, and was succeeded in 1909 by Cosmo Gordon Lang, later Archbishop of Canterbury...
, 1869-1875, Rector of Newington and later Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, author of hymns. - Richard Meggott, DD, 1672-1677, a Chaplain in Ordinary to Charles II.
- Sir Perceval Nairne, 1880-1921. One of the houses of the reconstituted school in Camberwell was named after him.
- John Nicholls, 1960-1968, Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II.
- Beilby Porteous, DD, 1767-1777, Rector of Lambeth and later Bishop of Chester and then London.
- William Bramley Taylor, 1901-1902, surgeon, churchwarden of Camberwell and Master of the Apothercaries' Company.
- Richard van Spangen, 1729-1754, sculptor, carver of the font in Dulwich CollegeDulwich CollegeDulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
Chapel. - Christopher Wordsworth, DD, 1816-1820, Master of Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, CambridgeTrinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, younger brother of the poet William WordsworthWilliam WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
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