St. Edward's School, Oxford
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| St. Edward's School, Oxford | |
| Motto | Pietas Parentum (Latin: "Fillal Affection") |
| Established | 1863 |
| Type | Public School |
| Warden | Andrew Trotman |
| Head of Governers | Sir Bob Reid |
| Founder | Rev Thomas Chamberlain |
| Location | Woodstock Road Oxford Oxfordshire England  |
| Staff | c.100 |
| Students | 656 Boys:426, Girls:230 |
| Gender | Male and Female |
| Ages | 13 to 18 |
| Houses | 11 |
| School colours | Yellow and Blue |
| Publication | St. Edward's Chronicle |
| Old Pupils Network | OSE Society |
| Website | www.stedwardsoxford.co.uk |
St Edward's School (also colloquially known as "Teddies") is a co-educational independent boarding school often referred to as a public school located in Oxford, England. The school is located on the Woodstock Road in the north of the city close to the suburb of Summertown. St. Edward's is widely regarded as one of the top co-educational public schools in the country and the top co-educational school in Oxfordshire. In 2007 it was voted by the Country Life Magazine as one of the top ten schools in the UK to educate your child at.[1]
The school has 11 boarding houses which have an average of 60 members. The school is part of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Oxfordshire Independent and State School Partnership. At the start of the 2006-7 academic year the school had 657 pupils paying at least £24,045 per year. The school teaches the GCSE and A-Level syallbuses. From 2008 the school will also teach the International Baccalaureate following the trend set by other public schools.
Contents |
[edit] History
The school was founded in 1863 by the Rev. Thomas Chamberlain, student of Christ Church, Vicar of St Thomas the Martyr, in Mackworth Hall then standing on New Inn Hall Street in central Oxford.
Following a storm in 1873 which damaged the school buildings and in anticipation of growing numbers, the school was moved to Summertown by the Rev. A. B. Simeon, first Warden. At the time the school was located on the boundary of Oxford surrounded by agricultural fields. This gave Warden Simeon the chance to purchase a large amount of land for the school. The school remains on the 100 acre site today, with the Woodstock Road separating the Quad from the playing fields.
It was Warden Simeon's "dream" to create a public school that had monastic-style buildings built around a Quad. The Quad is the second largest Quad in the City of Oxford, being beaten only by the Quad at Christ Church.
During the First World War more St. Edward's pupils, pro rata, went to serve their country than from any other independent school in the UK. In Chapel the names of those former pupils who had lost their lives on the front line were announced. The walls of the chapel are lined with plaques remembering those former pupils who died in the First World War, Second World War and subsequent wars since.
The school flourished under the guidance of Warden Kendall from 1925 to 1954. In the 1930's the school built a subway underneath the Woodstock Road following the death of a pupil who was run over by a car. The subway was the first subway to be built in Oxford and is still used today, the walls of which are painted in the school colours.
During the Second World War air raid shelters were dug into the grass of the Quad. The School was presented with a stained glass window by the RAF at the end of the War in recognition of “the superb contribution to the war effort made by former pupils of the School”
The school reached another milestone in 1982, when it admitted its first girl. The girl joined in the Lower Sixth year. The 11th Warden, David Christie, brought about the largest change to the school when he fully developed the idea of allowing girls to join for the last two years (known as the Sixth Form).Following the success of a co-educational sixth form, in 1997 the whole school became fully co-educational. Holly Branson, daughter of Sir Richard Branson, became the school's first ever female head prefect/head of school in 1999.
There is currently a large mural in the school dining hall that depicts life at St. Edward's. Included in the painting are a number of the characters from The Wind in the Willows which was written by former pupil Kenneth Graham.
[edit] Recent history
The turn of the millennium brought about a large change in the schools buildings and facilities. In quick session two brand new boarding houses were built, in September 1999 Kendall House opened its doors thus the Kendall Quad was formed. At the same time Corfe became the first girls boarding house to be located on the playing fields side of the school. In 2000, the Esporta/St. Edward's Health and Raquets Club opened, this development saw major redesigning and landscaping take place as St. Edward's arguably obtained the best gym and sport centre facilities of any school in the UK. In 2001, the second new boarding house was opened, when Avenue House became the second girls house to be on the field side of school. A 2nd all weather astro turf pitch was opened in 2002.
In September 2004 Andrew Trotman became the 12th Warden of the school and Seagars moved out of the building it shared with Cowell's into a brand new boarding house located on the site of the old Oakthorpe Road entrance.
In 2005, the school was involved in a fee fixing scandal and fined by the Office of Fair Trading.[2]
July 2007 marked the official opening of the North Wall Arts Centre. The centre has been built on the site of the old school swimming pool, which was the oldest swimming pool in the country. The North Wall Arts Centre will be run by Nick Quartley and will host events by both the school and public organisations. The North Wall is central to the school, strengthening its links with the local community, which has been seen by many as vital given the current political debate on the charitable status of public schools.[3]
August 2007 saw the school start building work on a brand new science building that will house the Biology and Sport Science departments. The current science block will be refurbished and will continue to house Chemistry and Physics.
[edit] Year groups
The school has five year groups. Pupils typically arrive at the school at 13 years old, having taking their Common Entrance Examination to gain a place at the school. Pupils at the school are aged between 13 and 18 years old. The year groups are as follows:
- Shells
- The bottom year of the school. The pupils are known as Shells (as they are at Radley College and Harrow School) because when the school first started pupils would be made to sit in a shell shape formation around the edge of the Old Library. Once the Shells were deemed clever enough to change years, they left the shell shaped formation and joined other pupils sat in small groups in the centre of the Old Library. Today the name Shell remains. Pupils in this year are 13-14 years old. They undertake a wide ranging curriculum and at the end of the first year they pick the subjects they wish to under take to GCSE level. During the Shells pupils get to try out all the extra curricular activities on offer at the school in Shell Circus. Activities include clay pigeon shooting, diving, swimming and rowing.
- 4th Form
- The 4th Form is the first year of the GCSE course proper. Pupils undertake the GCSE courses in English Literature, English Language, Maths and Science. Pupils are allowed to select the other subjects they do from a list that includes French, Spanish, German, Latin, Classical Civilisation, Drama, Physical Education, Geography and History. Pupils must do at least one foreign language. Pupils do undertake Religious Studies but do not take the Religious Studies GCSE due to the school believing that pupils get a better religious education through chapel. During the Forth Form pupils also undertake a compulsory year in the Combined Cadet Force or a year undertaking community service projects.
- 5th Form
- The 5th Form is the final year of the GCSE course. It is also the most senior year in the lower school. Pupils take mock GCSE examinations in December before undertaking their public GCSE exams in the summer.
- Lower Sixth
- The Lower Sixth is regarded as one of the best years in the school. Traditionally being in the Sixth Form meant extra privileges in the school. For example male pupils used to be able to wear a much more relaxed school uniform of a dark coloured suit. During this years pupils begin their A Level studies. In the Lower Sixth pupil numbers increase as new pupils arrive to undertake their A Level studies at the school. Pupils take their A/S Level examinations in the summer term before starting their applications to university.
- Upper Sixth
- The final year in the school. Pupils in this year are undertaking the final year of their A Level studies. Pupils are normally at least a House Prefect, which means they are in charge of running certain house run events. At the end of the year the pupils take their final A Level exams. Upper Sixth boys and girls are given a bit more freedom than the lower years; for example they are allowed into Oxford without Housemaster/mistress permission and a chit.
[edit] St. Edward's Houses
There are 11 Boarding Houses which are home to approximately 50-60 boys or girls. Each house is run by Housemaster or mistress who is a member of the teaching staff at the school and lives in the boarding house with their family. Each house also has a set of House Tutors who supervise Prep (homework) during the week and also tutor members of the house. A pastoral house matron also lives in each boarding house looking after pupils' medical (and often social) needs.
The school does have a very small number of day pupils around 120. Teddies does not differentiate between day pupils and borders. Day pupils are expected to be in school from 8.30am until 9.00pm every week day and from 8.30am until the end of afternoon commitments on a Saturday. Day pupils are treated exactly the same as boarders. The school does not have day houses, all day pupils have a room within a boarding house and in most cases have their own bed and wardrobe. This policy means that the school does not have a day/boarder divide. So unclear is the day/boarder divide that often teachers do not know who is a day pupil and who is not.
When only the Sixth Form was fully co-educational, girls were members of boys houses but slept in what is now Oakthorpe. Houses are identified internally by a lettering system which is based on when the house was established. So the first house, Cowell's is the letter "A", Sing's is "B", Field House is "C" and so on. Certain letter such as L and I have been left out.
[edit] Cowell's
- House Colour: Red
- House Letter: 'A'
- Housemaster: Nick Coram-Wright (2004-)
Named after a former long serving teacher, Cowells is a quad based house. The building that Cowell's currently occupies was shared with Segar's up until 2004 when Segars moved into a brand new building next door. Upon Segars moving, the building was refurbished and Cowell's house was expanded to occupy the upper two floors of the building. The English Department occupies the ground floor.
[edit] Sing's
- House Colour: Golden Sunshine with a hint of Buttercup Yellow
- House Letter: 'B'
- Housemaster: David Corran (2006-)
Sing's is located on the playing fields of the school. It is was built in the 1960s and is attached at one end to Field House. Sing's House overlooks St. Edward's Avenue and the Avenue playing field. Until September 2003, Field House and Sings had a joint house matron. There are plans to extend Sing's house in the summer of 2007.
Sings is an 'old shell' on the outside but as soon as you step inside, there is a complete new view, friendly and warmth brings many to the house.
[edit] Field House
- House Colour: Eton Blue
- House Letter: 'C'
- Housemaster: Richard Murray (2003-)
One of the only houses in the school whose official name includes the word House. Field House was originally located off the school grounds further up the Woodstock Road on what was then the farmer fields surrounding Oxford. Pupils in Field House use to have to walk the mile down the Woodstock Road to school. In the mid 1960's, the school sold the original Field House and moved the boys into a new purpose built building on the school playing fields. Presumably due to its situation, Field House has always had a particularly strong sporting tradition, maintained to this day, with the steeplechase team of 2006/7 winning the event by a record 275 points over the nearest house (Kendall). However, Field House has been strong in all areas, winning the "House Challenge" General Knowledge competition in 2006, and being placed in both classifications of the house singing competition in 2007. The original Field House today is a block of flats but is marked on the Woodstock Road by Field House Drive. Until September 2003, Field House and Sings had a joint house matron. Former housemasters include Robert Aldred, Geoffery Boult (OSE and current headmaster of Giggleswick School). James Quick (current headmaster of the preparatory school of Gresham's School) became the first person to have been housemaster of two St. Edward's houses, having been Apsley housemaster from 1994-2000. In his first speech to the Field House boys in September 2001 he stated his pride at being housemaster of the best house in the school this of course won cheers from the boys who were partly concerned that he would have preferred to have gone back to being Apsley housemaster.
[edit] Macnamara's
- House Colour:
- House Letter: 'D'
- Housemistress: Sarah Sephton (2006-)
Macnamara's (or Mac's as it is affectionately known) was originally a boys house. It is connected to Tilly's and is located in the Quad. In 1997 the house was changed into a girls house upon the school becoming full co-educational.
[edit] Apsley
- House Colour: Pink
- House Letter: 'E'
- Housemaster: Richard Pleming (2006-)
Apsley was originally located up the Banbury Road. Today a block of flats called Apsley House occupies the original site. The house now sits in the quad opposite Tilly's and Mac's above the school dining hall and Warden's offices. In 1997 the Warden's residence was moved to a property on the Woodstock Road and as a result Apsley was extended. In terms of sport, Apsley has recently been successful. In 2005 it housed 6 people playing for the 1st XV Rugby, and in 2007 it housed the Captain of cricket, Edward Fremlin-Key. Apsley's heads of house for the year 2006/7 were Andrew Jordan and Tom Ellis.
[edit] Tilly's
- House Colour: Green
- House Letter: 'F'
- Housemaster: Phil Jolley (1999-)
Tilly's is named after Warden Tilly. It is located in the Quad and is attached to Mac's. It has recently been refurbished. Tilly's traditionally has a very strong rivalry with the boys of Field House due to them both being extremely strong in sports competitions and due to the quad houses/field houses rivalry. There is also a history of a rivalvry with Apsley, as to see who "owns" the Quad. There has also been an ongoing tradition in Tillys that for the last 26 years, there has always been a hooker for the 1st XV (for rugby). This tradition has been carried on for the past years, except for in 2005, when there was a hooker from Apsley. The last hooker in the 1st XV was Nick Gleave.
[edit] Segar's
- House Colour: Purple
- House Letter: 'G'
- Housemaster: David Gibbon (2007-)
Segar's was originally located in the same building as Cowell's but in 2004 the house moved into a brand new building next to the Cowell's/Segar building. The new Segar's Building was built on the site of the old Oakthorpe Road back entrance to the school. David Gibbon took over as Housemaster from Andrew Wright in September 2007, he was previously Head of Mathematics at the school.
[edit] Corfe
- House Colour:
- House Letter: 'K'
- Housemistress: Susan Norton (2005- )
Corfe is named after Corfe Castle which has strong ties with Saint Edward the Martyr. It was extended in the 1990s. It was originally a boys' boarding house although in 1999 it closed it doors to boys. In a rather surprising move, the name Corfe stayed with the boarding house rather than the cohort of boys who had lived in it. So for a time between 1999 and 2004, some boys in the school had been members of both Corfe and Kendall House (the newly built house the boys moved into). To complicate matters, the letter "H", which was used to identify Corfe in short hand became the short hand for Kendall House. Thus the shorthand letter followed the boys but the name of the house didn't. Today Corfe is one of two girls houses located on the playing fields and is identified by the letter "K".
[edit] Oakthorpe
- House Colour: Light Blue
- House Letter: 'J'
- Housemistress: Judy Young (1999-)
Oakthorpe was the first purpose built girls' house at the school. It was opened in 1997 prior to the first year of full co-education and takes its name from its situation on Oakthorpe Road.
[edit] Kendall House
- House Colour: tartan
- House Letter: 'H'
- Housemaster: James Cope (2007-)
Kendall House was opened in 1999 to accommodate the boys of Corfe who had moved out to make way for the girls to move into Corfe. Upon its compleition it formed the Kendall Quad on the playing field side of the school, with Field House and Sing's forming the other sides of the quad. Kendall over looks Upper One, the schools premier rugby pitch. Kendall is identified by the letter "H". James Cope became Housemaster in 2007 having previously been the school's Head of Geography.
[edit] Avenue House
- House Colour:
- House Letter: 'M'
- Housemistress: Joanna Wright (2003-)
Avenue House was opened in 2001. It was originally built in two phases with the second phase opening in 2004. It is situated on St. Edward's Avenue hence its name. It is a girls' house and is situated on the school playing fields. It is connected to Corfe. For a time, prior to the opening of the second phase, some girls were housed in the former school medical centre, Cooper Lodge. Cooper Lodge has, since the opening of the full house, been turned into the Junior Common Room (JCR) and staff accommodation.
[edit] Sport
The school has an excellent reputation as one of the country's leading public schools at sport. The main school sports are athletics, cricket, hockey, netball, rowing, rugby and tennis. The school has over 90 acres of playing fields in the heart of North Oxford on land that is considered to be prime real estate.
The school only has two "real" inter house events, the School Steeplechase and School Sports Day. The Steeplechase is the school's annual cross country race, it is held once a year and the whole school is expected to take part. The Sixth Form race in the Senior Seeplechase which is a 4 mile race across Port Meadow the floodplain of the River Thames. The lower school compete in the junior race along the Oxford Canal path. School Sports Day is held in June.
The school has a regular fixture list against other major UK public schools. Some of the fixtures on the fixture list have been played on the same weekend each year for decades. In boys' sports the schools main rivals are Radley College and Marlborough College.
In rowing the school has won The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta as well as having had a number of rowers row for Great Britain at junior level before going on to compete in the annual Oxbridge boat race or at Ivy League Universities.
Recent successes in hockey have included making the National Finals in both boys' and girls' hockey.
St. Edward's is regarded as a very strong rugby school. The last 1st XV were only beaten in one game, becoming the first team to do so since 1998 and there are some 6 former or present pupils in their respective age group's England development squads/teams including James Forrester. The school has in recent years had an 82% success rate in Rugby Sevens. The school continues to produce extremely high standard rugby.
A book about sport at the school, "Come on Teddies" has been published recently.
- Facilities
Sports facilities include:
- Indoor Sports Hall
- 2 All Weather Astro Turf Pitches
- Golf Course
- Boat House located on the River Thames in the nearby village of Wolvercote
- Purpose Built Netball Courts
- Basketball Court
- Indoor Rifle Range
- Clay Pigeon Shooting area
- 15 Rugby Pitches
- 8 Cricket Pitches
- Swimming Pool (within Esporta/St. Edward's Sports Centre)
- Indoor Tennis Courts (within Esporta/St.Edward's Sports Centre)
- Squash Courts
- State of the art gym (within Esporta/St. Edward's Sports Centre)
The school is home to an Esporta Health Club. This was built on the site of the school's former sports centre (The Douglas Bader Sports Centre) and outdoor swimming pool in 1999 and opened in 2000. Within the club the school has its own sports hall, named the Douglas Bader Sports Hall. As part of the agreement between St. Edward's and Esporta, pupils have free access to the club's gym. The relationship between St. Edward's and Esporta has at some stages been very strained, especially just after the centre opened.
- Overseas Tours
The school also go on an overseas tour once a year. Tours have operated since 1996. Recent tours have included:
- 2006- South America- Rugby and Girls' Hockey
- 2005- Sri Lanka- Cricket
- 2004- South Africa- Boys' Hockey
- 2003- Australia- Rugby and Girls' Hockey
- 2002- Barbados- Cricket and Girls' Netball
- 2001- South Africa- Rugby
- 1999- Australia- Boys and Girls' Hockey
- 1998-
- 1997-
- 1996- South Africa- Rugby
Teddies also host touring schools. The most notable of these is The King's School, Sydney who come to St. Edward's to play rugby once every two years when on their UK tour.
[edit] Military links
The school has very strong links with the armed forces, in particular The Royal Air Force. A large number of former pupils have gone on to serve in the forces, most notably Second World War heroes Arthur Banks, Douglas Bader, Guy Gibson and Adrian Warburton. In the Old Library the school has on display a stained glass window presented to them by the Royal Air Force to thank them for their role in the education of Second World War heroes. To this day the school maintain a strong Combined Cadet Force, which despite now being optional, is more popular than ever. The school also has a scholarship fund to assist those who are in the armed forces.
[edit] Teddies jargon
- Ad Itinerarium
- Itinerarium as it is shortened to, is the final chapel service of each term. It is normally held just after 10am on the last Saturday morning of each term. In this service pupils sing the school anthem, Jerusalem as well as the school song. Pupils will normally pray for a happy vacation period and for all those OSE around the world. A collection happens at the end of the service for a charity or a good cause.
- APT (Academic Priority Time)
- APT is a time set aside in the day, typically 5.45-6.30pm, when pupils can gain extra help on class work. Some members of staff use APT to explain something to pupils who had been disruptive in an earlier class. In the lower school APT is generally seen as a punishment, where as in the upper school it is seen as a useful tool for revision.
- Chambers (Upper and Lower)
- Upper and Lower Chambers are classrooms located next door to the school chapel.
- Chit
- A note from a housemaster or house tutor. Chits are given by a housemaster for a number of reasons. Pupils can receive: a late work chit to give to their teacher, a chit to allow them to visit Oxford, a chit for purchasing something from the school shop, school outfitters or local shops in Summertown which is added to the cost of the school fees.
- Cloisters
- The Cloisters are a part of the quad located between the Chapel and the Old Library. Traditionally this is where pupils would leave their books prior to attending lunch. The Cloisters are also home to the school noticeboards. There are notice boards for Games, Community Service, Music as well as announcements from the Warden and Sub Warden.
- Day Room
- The day room is the room within the boarding house where Shells must undertake prep. The day room is supervised by a House Prefect. In the fourth form pupils work at the studies in their rooms.
- Exeat
- Is what the school calls half term. Half term normally begins on a Saturday afternoon at 1pm and finishes the following Sunday at 9pm. It is the Latin for "he may go out".
- Fisher Field
- The school's first all weather astro turf pitch. It was named after Warden Fisher.
- Forum
- Upper school forum is a weekly hour long speech by an external visitor on something of interest. Past speakers have included Sir Richard Branson as well former politicians, current MPs and world leading scientists.
- Full School Uniform ("7.20")
- A full school uniform is given as a punishment to pupils who arrive late to lessons or who are not dressed correctly. Amongst pupils it is often known as a "7.20". A "7.20" involves reporting to the sub warden at 7.20pm in the evening prior to prep in full school uniform.
- Gaudy
- Gaudy is the school's annual prize giving ceremony. It was traditionally held on the first Saturday of the Summer Term Exeat but in 2002 was moved to the last day of the Summer Term. Gaudy is one of the only occasions on which pupils may walk on the quadrangle grass. Gaudy begins with a chapel service, this is followed by the prize giving ceremony in a marquee on the quad. Pupils then lunch with their parents prior to visiting various displays of work in classrooms. In the afternoon the school's 1st XI cricket team play the Martyrs (Old Boys).
- Grey Book
- The Grey Book is a list of all pupils and staff. Pupils are listed in year group order, house order and form order. It is only issued to staff.
- Horsebox
- A horsebox is the name given to a desk in the dayroom used by Shells. It has a lockable cupboard as well as shelves for storing books.
- House Gated (or Gated)
- A term used when a pupil has been caught breaking the school rules and their punishment is to be house gated. Typically a house gating lasts 48 hours and means that the pupil must be in house at all times, except during lessons, chapel and meal times.
- "In House"
- Has two meanings. Pupils are required to be "in house" during times such as prep or during study periods. Pupils also say on a Friday if they are "in house" or "out" for Sunday. If "in house" they are not going home to visit their parents and thus are the responsibility of the school.
- JCR
- The Junior Common Room is the common room for the Sixth Form. It use to have an alcoholic license that allowed pupils, under supervision, to purchase alcohol on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings.
- Martyrs
- Old boys and girls who play sport together.
- North Wall
- The North Wall is the name given to the buildings that border South Parade.
- OSE
- OSE are old boys and girls of the school.
- Piggeries ("Pigs")
- Pigs is the school name for the playing fields known as Piggeries One and Piggeries Two. The fields were originally used by pigs.
- Prep
- Prep is the time set aside in the day for what is more commonly known as homework. Prep runs from 7.30pm-9.00pm during which time all pupils must be in their study "in house" working. Pupils are allowed to the library during this time but they must be signed out. Second Prep runs from 9.15pm-10.00pm. Second Prep is a lot more relaxed with pupils only required to be "in house"
- Senior Academic Tutor
- The Senior Academic Tutor is the most senior member of staff concerned primarily with pupils' academic performance.
- Shell
- A Shell is a first year. Shells are 13-14 years old.
- Shell Circus
- Activities undertaken by the Shells. Shell Circus takes place on a Wednesday afternoon and introduces the new pupils to all the activities on offer at the school.
- Special Gaudy
- Special Gaudy is held during the Winter Term. Old boys and girls from specific cohorts are invited back to the school. The day normally starts with a chapel service, followed by lunch and a speech by the Warden. Former pupils are then invitied to watch the afternoon's inter-school rugby match.
- Sub Warden
- The Sub Warden is the deputy headmaster
- Super House Gating
- Super House Gating is issued by the Sub Warden. It is a form of punishment and the duration of the super house gating will be dependent on what the pupil has done. Super House Gating involves getting a card signed every 45 minutes by a member of staff; the pupil must also be in house at all times and traditionally wasn't allowed into the house TV or games rooms. The pupil would be expected to attend all school meals including afternoon tea (which is optional when not super house gated).
- Theme
- Theme is held on a Sunday morning for pupils who wish not to attend chapel. It lasts for an hour and is conducted by a member of staff on a topical issue.
- "To The Warden"
- This term is normally written on outstanding pieces of work by a teacher. The pupil is then expected to go to the Warden's office at 8.15am on either a Tuesday or Thursday to show him the work. The Warden will congratulate the pupil and write a letter home to their parents.
- Upper One
- The school's most important pitch. It is where the 1st XV rugby team train and play. It is the only playing field that can be viewed from the Woodstock Road. Upper Two, located next to it, is the 1st XI cricket pitch.
- Warden
- The Warden is the headmaster.
- Work Block
- The Work Block is the main academic building in the school. It was originally home to the English, History, Geography, Politics and Economics departments. In 2004 the Work Block was reorganised and the Classics department moved in to take the place of the English department.
[edit] OSE
Former pupils of St. Edward's are known as OSE. The St. Edward's Society (OSE) exists to maintain traditions and to promote the interests of the School, and to encourage mutual help between those who are and those who have been its members. It consists of past and present Wardens and members of the Masters' Common Room and all former pupils.
The society is run by Kay Bennett with David Wippell (a former housemaster and former head chaplain) as the Hon. Secretary of the society. Each year a new OSE President is elected. The OSE Society organise Special Gaudies for former pupils. Special Gaudies are held twice a year and are used as a means for former pupils to visit the school and see what has changed. The OSE Society also runs the very successful "OSE Undergraduate Evenings"; these evenings take place in notable university cities throughout the year, hosted by the Hon. Secretary.
All members of the society may wear the society tie which is blue, with a gold cup and dagger on it. Former pupils are entitled to wear the Rhubarb Tie.
Notable OSE include:
- Group Captain Douglas Bader, WWII fighter pilot
- Arthur Banks, WWII pilot awarded GC
- Pippa Bennett-Warner, actress
- John Berger, art critic, novelist, painter, and author
- Nicholas Budgen, Conservative MP
- Peter Carter-Ruck, lawyer
- Brian Cleeve, author and broadcaster
- John Davies, businessman and cabinet minister
- Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, DSO, OBE and CBE, founder of de Havilland Aircraft Company.
- George Fenton, Oscar nominated film composer
- James Forrester, England rugby union international
- Guy Gibson VC, Dambusters hero,
- Kenneth Grahame, author
- Teddy Kempner, actor
- David Lewis, Lord Mayor of the City of London.
- Norman Miscampbell, Conservative MP
- Georgia Moffett, actress
- Simon Nicholls, BBC comedy producer
- Lord Laurence Olivier, Oscar winning Actor, Director and Producer.
- Hugh Padgham, record producer
- Nicholas Pumfrey, judge
- Georgina Rylance, actress
- Louis Strange, WW1 pilot[4]
- Jon Snow, Channel 4 newscaster
- Stephen Tumin, judge
- William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire
- Adrian Warburton, DSO and Bar, DFC and Two Bars, highly decorated World War II British pilot
[edit] International links
The school has built up links with a number of schools around the world, these include:
- The Gilman School Baltimore, USA.
- Gilman and St. Edward's operate a scholarship known as the Hardie Scholarship. One Lower Sixth boy from St. Edward's studies at Gilman during March/April and a Junior from Gilman studies at St. Edward's during June. The scholarship was created by Thomas G Hardie II and his wife Dee Hardie in the 1970's. Mr Hardie died on June 7th 2007. Gilman and St. Edward's have confirmed the scholarship will continue. The ties between Gilman and Teddies were further strengthened in 2003 when the Gilman School choir sung at Teddies as part of their UK tour and again in 2007 when the Teddies choir sung at Gilman as part of their US Tour. St. Edward's will hold a joint concert with Gilman in March 2008 to celebrate the life of Mr Hardie.
- Roland Park Country School, Baltimore, USA.
- In 2004 St. Edward's established an exchange programme with Roland Park. The programme runs at the same time as the Harry Hardie Scholarship, with one lower sixth girl from St. Edward's studying at Roland Park and a Junior girl from Roland Park studying at St. Edward's.
- The Doon School, India.
- An exchange programme was set up in 2002 which saw a lower sixth boy study at Doon School and a lower sixth boy from Doon study at Teddies.
- The King's School, Sydney
- King's traditionally play Teddies once every two years during their UK Rugby tour. 2003 was the first time Teddies played King's in Sydney.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- St Edward's School website
- The North Wall Arts Centre
- St. Edward's School Esporta Health and Racquets Club
