| Established | 1881 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 1966 |
| Type | Grammar school |
| Location | George Street Oxford Oxfordshire England |
| Local authority | City of Oxford |
| Gender | Boys |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website | COS |
The City of Oxford High School for Boys (a.k.a. Oxford High School for Boys and City of Oxford School) was founded in 1881 by Thomas Hill Green to provide Oxford boys with an education which would enable them to prepare for University.
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It was administered by the City of Oxford Education Committee, with around 400 boys enrolled. The school finally closed in 1966, when it was combined with what was then Southfield Grammar School to form a Grammar school (the present Oxford Spires Academy).
The Victorian stone building, bearing the arms of both the City and University, was designed by Sir Thomas Jackson in Oxford, England, and still stands at the corner of George Street and New Inn Hall Street. Additional classrooms were later added in the playground, a space that was contained on the south side by an extensive length of the city's mediaeval wall. The school remained here until 1966, when it moved to the Southfield Grammar School site (now occupied by Oxford Spires Academy) in Glanville Road off Cowley Road. The George Street building for some years housed the Classics Department of Oxford University, but was transferred to the History Faculty in the summer of 2007.
The school's playing fields were in North Oxford, along and beside Marston Ferry Road and which later housed the Old Boy's Rugby Club.
The George Street building has the following inscription on it:
During the late 1940s, the headmaster was F. C. ("Fred") Lay; he was succeeded by Mr R.W. Bodey in the 1960s. Other teachers included a Mr F. Rowland, Mr B. Vaughn, Mr E. J. Wright, Mr K G Rook, Mr C W Busby, Mr Coleman, Mr Lee, Mr M.J. Soulsby, Mr F.W. Sutton, Mr B.A. Field, Mr I.H.Taylor, G. Wright, B.C. Atkin, Len Bielby and Mr R. Atkinson. Mr Eddie Swire
The school motto "Labor Vincit Omnia" ('tis work that conquers all) was carved above the prefects' door, and became the basis for the school song that every boy knew by heart:
Each November the School Speech Day took place in Oxford Town Hall. First there was a church service in St. Mary's church in the morning, then the main event in the afternoon started with a procession of staff in Academic robes and hoods. In December there was a school carol service in the University Church.
The boy's blazers were chocolate brown, as were the caps. In later years Sixth formers wore blue blazers. The striped tie was brown with red and blue diagonal piping. On entry to the school, every boy became a member of one of the four school houses: Lawrence, Jolliffe, Kerry or Salter.
The former pupils of the City of Oxford High School now have their own Old Boys Association, called the City of Oxford School Association (COSA).
Still based at the Glanville Road site, Oxford Community School gained Business and Enterprise Status and in January 2011 became the Oxford Spires Academy.
Lawrence gave his name to one of the four school houses. Large photographs of Lawrence and Drinkwater were displayed to the right and left of the main hall, to inspire pupils during morning assembly — Lawrence is now above the main staircase.