Bancroft's School
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| Bancroft's School | |
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| Motto | Unto God Only Be Honour and Glory |
| Established | 1737 |
| Type | Independent |
| Religious affiliation | Church of England |
| Head | Mrs M.E. Ireland |
| Chaplain | Rev. I Moore |
| Chairman of Governors | Major General A W Lyons, CBE |
| Founder | Francis Bancroft |
| Location | High Road Woodford Green Essex IG8 0RF England |
| LEA | Redbridge |
| Staff | c.90 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Ages | 7 to 18 |
| Houses | North, East, West and School |
| School colours | Red, Green, Yellow and Blue |
| Website | Bancroft's School Web-site |
| Coordinates: | |
Bancroft's School is a co-educational independent school in Woodford Green, London, with around 950 pupils aged between 7 and 18. 200 pupils in the Prep Department, and around 750 pupils in the senior school.
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[edit] History
The school was founded in 1737, following the death of its founder Francis Bancroft[1], who left a sizeable sum of money to the Drapers' Company, which continues to act as trustee for the school. Bancroft's began in the Mile End Road in London's East End as a small charitable day school for boys, with an attached almshouse for 24 elderly gentlemen, and over the next 250 years it evolved steadily to its present form; it is now one of the country's leading coeducational schools.
Mrs Mary Ireland became the new headmistress in January 2008. She last worked at Christ's Hospital School, where the head before last now works.
The foundation was originally known as Bancroft's Hospital and until the late 19th century also acted as home for the almsmen. The school then moved to a new site in Woodford Green and the original buildings were demolished; the site is now occupied by Queen Mary College, one of the colleges of the University of London.
The new school in Woodford Green occupies four and a half acres, and the main buildings were designed by Arthur Blomfield, who was also responsible for Selwyn College in Cambridge. Originally there were just one hundred pupils, including sixty boarders, but the numbers grew steadily during the twentieth century, until there were nearly one thousand on the roll. The buildings were also extended, with the Science Block (1910), a new Assembly Hall (1937), the Adams Building (1964), a new Gymnasium Block (1975), the Courtyard Building (2006), and a new Sports Block (2007).
Following the loss of Direct Grant status in the 1970s, the Governors decided on three courses of action. These were to discontinue boarding, to admit girls for the first time, and to build a new Preparatory Department. These were all completed by 1990; the School now takes half its pupils from age 7, and half the pupils are now girls. In 1997 the Government abolished the Assisted Places Scheme, which helped children from poor families to attend the school; the Governors replaced these by Francis Bancroft Scholarships, which were supported by the Drapers' Company, and by the residue of Francis Bancroft's original will. These awards are means-tested, and can be worth the entire school fee.
In 2004 a new building programme began. The Courtyard Building, consisting of new kitchens, further teaching rooms, and a new Sixth Form Centre, was opened by Chris Woodhead in February 2006, and a new Sports Hall was completed at the beginning of the Summer Term 2007. A conversion of the old gymnasium into a Drama Centre has just finished with students enjoying the new facilities available.
[edit] Years
The preparatory school has four years which are known as:
- Alpha (Year 3); Beta (Year 4); Prep One (Year 5); Prep Two (Year 6)
The senior school has its own naming system, in ascending age order:
- Thirds (Year 7); Removes (Year 8); Lower Fourths (Year 9); Upper Fourths (Year 10); Fifth Form (Year 11); Lower Sixth (Year 12); Upper Sixth (Year 13)
[edit] Curriculum
At GCSE, all pupils take the following common core: English, English Literature, Mathematics, French, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. To this are added three optional subjects from: Art, DT, Electronics, Music, Spanish, German, Latin, Ancient Greek, Greek Civilization, Religious Studies, Geography and History.
The school opts for the IGCSE exam in Mathematics. About half the pupils take this a year early, and go on to take Additional Maths in the Fifth Form. A similar proportion take French a year early, and then go on to start the AS course.
At A level the school offers: Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Critical Thinking, Design Technology, Economics, Electronics, English Literature, French, Geography, German, Greek, History, Latin, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Studies and Spanish. There are also courses to AS level in Government and Politics, Music Technology and the Certificate in Financial Studies.
As of September 2007, drama has been added to the curriculum for the first two years of the senior school and will be available as a subject option for AS and A2 level from September 2008 in the sixth form.
[edit] School Song (Latin and Translation)
Floreat Bancroftia,
Floreamus pueri,
Vivat et memoria,
Fundatoris nostri.
Nobis in aeternum,
Magni sint honores,
Floreat Bancroftia,
Floreant rectores.
Flourish Bancrofts,
Flourish boys,
Long live the memory,
Of our founder.
For us into forever,
May our honour be great,
Flourish Bancrofts,
Flourish teachers.
[edit] Notable alumni
| Name | Birth | Death | Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connop Thirlwall | 1797 | 1875 | Bishop of Saint David's, 1840–1874, and historian |
| Sir Allan Powell | 1876 | 1948 | Chairman of Governors of the BBC, 1939–1946 |
| Henry Mess | 1884 | 1944 | Social worker and sociologist |
| Sir Reader Bullard | 1885 | 1976 | Ambassador to Iran, 1943–1945 |
| Robert "Eddie" Cruickshank | 1888 | 1961 | World War I Victoria Cross |
| Sir Leslie Peppiatt | 1891 | 1968 | Solicitor |
| Gilbert Waterhouse | 1893 | 1916 | Trench poet |
| Sir Wilfrid Sheldon | 1901 | 1983 | Paediatrician |
| Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Charles Newman | 1904 | 1972 | World War II Victoria Cross |
| Flt Lieutenant Leslie Brodrick | World War II List of Allied airmen from the Great Escape | ||
| Sir Frederick Warner | 1910 | Chemical engineer | |
| Denis Quilley | 1927 | 2003 | Actor |
| John Bromley | 1934 | 2002 | Sports broadcasting executive |
| Sir Neil Macfarlane | 1936 | Member of Parliament for Sutton and Cheam1974–1992 | |
| Martyn Turner | 1948 | Political cartoonist | |
| David Pannick | 1956 | Barrister | |
| Michael Richard Lynch | 1965 | The first British-based internet billionaire entrepreneur | |
| Alan Davies | 1966 | Comedian and actor | |
| Martin Fitzpatrick | 1967 | Head of Music ENO | |
| Hari Kunzru | 1969 | Novelist | |
| Samantha Smith (tennis) | 1971 | Former British No. 1 ladies tennis player | |
| Peter Erskine | Chief Executive Officer, O2 plc | ||
| Joe Lovejoy | Chief Football Writer, The Sunday Times | ||
| Russell Lissack | 1981 | Lead Guitarist, Bloc Party |
[edit] The Old Bancroftian Association
The Old Bancroftian Association (OBA) started in 1892 when the Old Bancroftians' Football Club was formed, although there were already a few unofficial groups which had been around since the 1860s. The first meeting was held in 1896 at the Haunch of Venison in Fleet Street. However, a constitution was not agreed until 1909, where the first President, H.C Playne[2] (who was also the school's Head Master), was appointed. The idea of the association was to keep young and old members together.
The association grew rapidly over the years and in 2005 membership for life was introduced for all Bancroftians, by which time there were 3175 members[3].
Currently the association provides many services for former members of the school including reunions and various sports teams, including cricket, rugby and golf.
