Christ's Hospital

Christ's Hospital

Christ's Hospital quad
Established 1552
Type Independent boarding school
Religion Church of England
President The Duke of Gloucester
Headmaster Simon Reid
Deputy Heads Marlene Fleming and Jon Perriss
Chairman of the Council of Almoners Garry Johnson
Founder King Edward VI
Location Horsham
West Sussex
RH13 0YP
United Kingdom
51°02′39″N 0°21′47″W / 51.044167°N 0.363056°W / 51.044167; -0.363056Coordinates: 51°02′39″N 0°21′47″W / 51.044167°N 0.363056°W / 51.044167; -0.363056
DfE URN 126107 Tables
Students 870: 435 girls & 435 boys (2015)[1]
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–18
Colours

Blue & Yellow

         
Publications Housey!
The Blue
The Broadie
Patron Queen Elizabeth II
Former pupils Old Blues
School Song Votum
The Foundation Hymn
Website www.christs-hospital.org.uk

Christ's Hospital, known colloquially as the Bluecoat School, is an English co-educational independent day and boarding school located in Southwater, south of Horsham in West Sussex. It is a charity school whose fees are calculated on a means test.

History

Christ's Hospital's buildings in London in 1770

Christ's Hospital was established as a school in November 1552 at the instigation of King Edward VI. The king's patronage of the school was confirmed by a Royal Charter granted on 26 June 1553, eleven days before his death.[2][3] The school was founded at Newgate Street, London, on the site of a Grey Friars (Franciscan) friary, with a preparatory school in Hertford, Hertfordshire which had supplementary schools at Ware and Broxbourne.[4]

In 1902 the Newgate Street and Hertford schools relocated to its present location south of Horsham in West Sussex. A new railway station adjacent to the new site was partially sponsored by the school and also opened in 1902. A girls' school was founded in Hertford after the boys' school moved to Horsham. The girls' school was incorporated into the Horsham site in 1985 when the Hertford site was closed.

The trustees of the foundation are the Council of Almoners, chaired by the Treasurer of Christ's Hospital, who govern the foundation according to a Scheme of Administration granted by the Charity Commission. The historic Court of Governors survives as a formal institution consisting of over 650 benefactors but its powers have since the 19th century been largely transferred to the smaller Council of Almoners.

In 2007 Christ's Hospital was separated into two related registered charities: Christ's Hospital Foundation[5] and Christ's Hospital School.[6]

Uniform

The composer Constant Lambert as a pupil, wearing the traditional uniform (painting by his father, George Lambert)

The school's Tudor uniform consists of belted, long blue coats with knee-breeches, yellow socks, and bands at the neck. The uniform has been in place since 1553.[7] The nickname "Blue-coat School" comes from the blue coats worn by the students – however, the nickname used within the school community itself is "Housey" and the long coat is called a "housey coat".[8]

By 2011 students and alumni stated that they see the uniform as an important way of giving the school a unique identity and unifying the school. Around that time the administrators had discussed the idea of updating the uniform. A few of the school's 800 students voted; over 95% voted in favour of keeping the original uniform.[9][10]

Admissions

An early 19th-century picture of the Great Hall on St. Matthew's Day. The Verrio painting can be seen along the wall on the right.

In 2006 19% of children accepting places were assessed as being in "very high" need, 64% in "medium to high" need and 17% in "low" need.[11]

Admission of pupils is either by open competitive examination or by "show of skills" — in either case the suitability of candidates is judged according to criteria of need and parental income. Some of the means of entry are denoted on the uniform by a round metal plate (varying in design according to type of presentation) sewn on the breast of the housey coat.

External inspection

In late November 2012, Christ's Hospital underwent a whole school inspection carried out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The school was rated 'excellent' (the top grade) in the report released in January 2013. The optional term 'Exceptional' was not used. The report also noted: "The school is advised to make the following improvement. Ensure, through consistent monitoring by its academic leaders, the highest standards of teaching in all subject areas."[12]

School activities

The Quad and Front Avenue, from the Art School

Drama

An Arts Centre complex (architect: Bill Howell) was opened in 1974 including a theatre with Tudor style auditorium, music school extension, Octagon rehearsal/performance space and classrooms.

The Christ's Hospital Arts Centre served as a principal arts venue for Horsham and the surrounding area until the establishment of an arts centre in Horsham in the 1980s. A programme of performances continues to be open to the public.

Former pupils in theatre and film include Jason Flemyng, Leo Gregory,[13] James D'Arcy, Michael Wilding, and Roger Allam.

The Christ's Hospital Band participating in the Lord Mayor's Show in 2008

Model United Nations

Christ's Hospital Model United Nations programme attempts to develop global citizenship. Its team debates international affairs at conferences, and organises its own for students from other schools.[14][15]

Rock School

Christ's Hospital was featured in the first series of the reality television programme Rock School, in which Gene Simmons of Kiss helped a group of pupils form their own rock band.[16]

Houses

Grecians East boarding house

The house system is incorporated with the boarding programme and most pupils are boarders. The school houses are named after notable Old Blues, primarily writers. Each house has an "A" and "B" side, each housing roughly 45 pupils. The houses are arranged from west to east as follows:

Old Blues

Staff

Notable members of staff have included:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CH AT A GLANCE | Christ's Hospital". Christs-hospital.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  2. ↑ "History of the School". Christ's Hospital. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  3. ↑ https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/royal-charters/chartered-bodies/ retrieved 24 Mar 2017
  4. ↑ http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/christ1.htm retrieved 27 Mar 2017
  5. ↑ Charity Commission. CHRIST'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, registered charity no. 306975.
  6. ↑ Charity Commission. CHRIST'S HOSPITAL SCHOOL, registered charity no. 1120090.
  7. ↑ Stow, John (1598). Thoms, William J., ed. A Survey of London, written in the year 1598 by John Stow (New edition, 1842 ed.). Whittaker. p. 119.
  8. ↑ "London Metropolitan Archives : Information Leaflet Number 29 : Records of Christ's Hospital and Bluecoats Schools" (PDF). Cityoflondon.gov.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  9. ↑ "Students Vote to Keep Tudor Uniform." British Heritage 32, no. 2 (May 2011): 10. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed 27 August 2011).
  10. ↑ "Belt up! Pupils vote to wear school uniform that's been in fashion since 1552". Daily Mail. London. 27 December 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  11. ↑ Council of Almoners Annual Review 2005/2006
  12. ↑ "Christ's Hospital - ISI - Independent Schools Inspectorate". ISI.net. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  13. ↑ Hodgkinson, Will (11 November 2005). "How I found my inner hippy". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  14. ↑ "Christ's Hospital Model United Nations". Mun.christs-hospital.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  15. ↑ "Host of awards at conference ceremony for pupils - West Sussex County Times". Wscountytimes.co.uk. 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2016-01-25.
  16. ↑ Archived 17 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  17. ↑ Christ's Hospital, G.A.T. Allan, Shepperton 1984, ISBN 0-86364-005-2

Sources

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