The King's School, Chester
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Coordinates: 53°10′01″N 2°54′00″W / 53.167°N 2.900°W
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| Motto | Rex dedit, benedicat Deus (The King gave it, may God bless it) |
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| Established | 1541 |
| Type | Independent day school |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Headmaster | C D Ramsey MA (Cantab.) |
| Chairman of the Governors | D S Hempsall MA PhD FRSA |
| Founder | King Henry VIII |
| Location | Wrexham Road Chester Cheshire CH4 7QL England |
| Local authority | Cheshire West and Chester |
| Students | 900 (approx.) |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 7–18 |
| Houses | 4 |
| Colours |
Green, blue and white |
| Former pupils | Old King's Scholars |
| Affiliation | HMC |
| Website | www.kingschester.co.uk |
The King's School, Chester is a British co-educational independent school for children. It is situated outside the city of Chester, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The King's school comprises a junior school (years 7-11) a senior school (years 11-14) and a sixth form in which the students choose for their A-level subjects.[1] Different subjects are taught to GCSE and A-level standard.
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Motto and the school badge [edit]
The school motto is "The King gave it, may God bless it", which was given by John Saul Howson, D.D., Dean of Chester. John Saul Howson was the chief instrument in the building and endowing of the King's School, and in its reorganization on a broader basis.[2]
The School uses the arms of King Henry VIII on their school badge.
Traditions and student activities [edit]
Academia [edit]
The school's academic reputation has increased with the passage of time due to good results of their students in GCSE and A level. In 2011, more than 28 per cent of A-level results were at A* grade, and 67.2 per cent at A*/A grade. In addition, 94.9 per cent of GCSE grades were at A*/B and a third of all King's pupils gained all A/A* grades. After The King's School's A-Level and GCSE results were released, The Daily Telegraph published its A-level and GCSE independent-school league tables which placed King's as the top-performing school in Cheshire and the second highest in the North West for A-level results[3] and third for GCSE results.[4] The majority of school-leavers go on to the top universities in the country, including Cambridge and Oxford.[5]
In September 2011, King's adopted a new curriculum alongside its shift from an eight-period to a five-period day. This involved substantial changes, introducing 'enrichment' lessons and replacing the GCSE courses with IGCSE.[6]
Extra-curricular activities [edit]
The school's pupils engage in a wide range of over 130 extra-curricular clubs and activities, including music and drama, as well as educational trips abroad, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, and a Combined Cadet Force contingent. The school's sporting activities are described in a separate section. The school has a Music School, equipped with a recording studio, a recital room, and seven music practice rooms. It has 26 different music ensembles, choirs and orchestras.
Annual productions of musical theater at King's have occurred for much of the past half-century in the latter half of the Lent (Spring) term. Under the headmastership of Roger Wickson, there were biennial productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, in which he played a starring role in addition to producing and directing. Notable shows in the past five years include West Side Story, Assassins, Into The Woods, Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Goodand Les Misérables. Since opening the Vanbrugh Theatre, drama productions have increased, with a sixth-form drama production of Waiting for Godot, Vanbrugh's "The Country House", "Macbeth", "Sheherazade", "Jekyll and Hyde", and an improvised drama evening "Cooking up a recipe for Drama".[7]
Trips abroad are arranged by several departments on a regular basis. In addition to annual foreign language exchange visits, these include the art, history, physics and physical education departments. An international expedition is also undertaken most years, with recent destinations; Peru, Madagascar, Jordan and Canada. The school encourages the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme, and students regularly gain their Bronze, Silver and Gold awards during their time at the school, or shortly afterwards.
The King's School's Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a voluntary contingent within the CCF of the Ministry of Defense, originally formed during the First World War. It consists of the mandatory Army Section, with an additional RAF Section. Notable achievements of the contingent include the Award of International Air Cadet Exchange in 2005. Numerous Gliding scholarships, Leadership and Personal achievements have been gained including two Geoffrey de Havilland Flying Foundation Medals in recent years. For example, in 2005, individual cadets were awarded a RN Special Flying Award (Powered) and an RAF Flying Scholarship. In 2009 and 2010 three more RAF Flying Scholarships were awarded to cadets from the contingent. The contingent participate annually in the Welbeck Pentathlon Competition, and has had outstanding achievements in 2005 (Jnr Team 1st Place, Snr Team 2nd Place), 2003 (Snr Team 1st Place, Jnr Team 2nd Place) and 2002 (Jnr Team 1st Place). The contingent has also won The King's and Cheshire Cups several times. In 2011, the contingent sent teams to the National Cadet Orienteering Championships, where the Senior Girls' team were placed runners up and one cadet became Senior Girls' National Champion by a margin of about 5 minutes. [8]
Publications [edit]
The Herald is the school's magazine and is published on a termly basis for parents and pupils. Its articles are about current pupils, teachers and former pupils.[9]
Sports [edit]
| King's School Chester Rowing Club | |
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| Location | The Groves, Chester |
| Coordinates | 53°11′20″N 2°52′52″W / 53.189°N 2.881°W |
| Home Water | River Dee |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Affiliations | British Rowing |
| Website | sites.kingschester.co.uk/rowing |
| Notable Members | |
Football [edit]
In 2011/12 King's won three of the six Chester and District football championships.[citation needed]
Hockey [edit]
In the 2011/12 season, the girls' hockey teams won the: U19 Cheshire championship and runners up in the North West competition; U15 and U16 Cheshire and District championships; U14 runners up in Chester and District finals and County finals; U13 runners up in Chester and District Indoor competition; U13 Semi finalists in the Cheshgire National Mini hockey competition, The boys' teams has success with the U19s being crowned Cheshire champions; U13 winning the Cheshire, North West and North Championships; U14 winning the County championship. Former pupil James Fair competed at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and has been selected for the London 2012 Olympics.[10]
The 2006/2007 hockey season saw the appointment of former England captain Russell Hornby. The School has in the past employed Pakistani Captain Ali Ghanzafar as coach for the 1st XI, thanks largely to Russell Hornby, an ex team mate of Ghanzafar's from Bowdon Hockey Club. In 2011 King's appointed hockey coach, Simon Egerton, who is a member of the England hockey team.[11]
Rowing [edit]
The school's boat house is situated on the River Dee in the centre of Chester, and stores 100 boats. A dozen former pupils have rowed for Oxbridge, most recently Mike Thorp (Cambridge 2011 and 2012) and there have been six King's Olympic rowers Olympic rower. Jim Walker (Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996), Stephen Peel (Seoul 1988), Arnold Cooke (Tokyo 1964), Simon Cottle (Athens 2004),Tom James (BeIjing 2008)2008 Olympic gold medallist Tom James, who also won the 2007 Boat Race whist President of the Cambridge University Boat Club and Olivia Whitlam (BeIjing 2008).
In 2012, King's has 4 former pupils at the London Olympics: Tom James, Olivia Whitlam, Chris Bartley and James Fair (Hockey).[12]
King's also has some other notable rowers : Peter Rudge, and The five times British Indoor Rowing Champion and 2006 World Indoor Rowing Champion, Graham Benton, was also a pupil at the school though he never rowed during his time there.
The King's School Rowing Club was founded in 1887. Rowing is offered as part of the sports curriculum in the third year, and forms part of the curriculum from then on for those who wish to participate. The school competes nationally at a high level and the 1st VIII has won the International Belgian Junior Championships for the past two years while on training camps to Ghent, Belgium.[citation needed]
Facilities and development [edit]
Since 1950, The King’s School has been based at its Wrexham Road site on the outskirts of Chester. It has a Sixth Form Centre, a library (the Wickson Library) and a music school (the Tim Turvey Music School). Sports facilities include a swimming pool, all-weather sports pitches, grass sports pitches, a cricket pavilion, and a boat house on the River Dee. During the summer of 2011, there was a £1.2 million renovation of the school hall, creating the Vanbrugh theatre - (named after former pupil, Sir John Vanbrugh, theatre architect and dramatist) which has retractable raked seating. The project was part-funded by a legacy from former pupil Roger Snelson, and the theatre was opened by former pupil Ronald Pickup.[13]
After the school became co-educational, a major redevelopment and enlargement program was undertaken,[14] including:
- changing rooms and toilets (2002)
- classrooms for the Junior School (2002)
- all-weather pitch with floodlighting (2003)
- Tim Turvey Music School (named after the former headmaster) (2007)
- refurbishment of science labs (2007-2008)
- language lab (2008)
- extension of kitchen facilities (2008)
- redevelopment of the old library into offices and a classroom (2008)
- redevelopment of the old Headmaster's house into offices and change of use of the "Tower" (where the offices used to be) to house the Economics and Business Studies Department (2009)
- Vanbrugh Theater (2011)
- Sixth Form Centre development (2012)
- Modernization of science lab (2012)
- additional classrooms (2012)
Headmaster [edit]
The school's current headmaster (since 2007) is Chris Ramsey, a graduate of Modern and Medieval Languages from Cambridge University. Chris Ramsey previously served as Head of Modern Languages at Wellington College, Berkshire and Headmaster of King's College, Taunton.
Previous headmasters [edit]
- 2000–2007 Tim Turvey, biologist
- 1981–2000 Roger Wickson, classicist and historian
- 1964–1981 Arthur Reginald Munday, classicist
- 1947–1964 Reverend Canon Leslie Francis Harvey
Notable alumni [edit]
Post-1900 [edit]
- Tom James, Olympic gold medal oarsman[15][16]
- Graham Benton, British and World Indoor Rowing Champion[15]
- Olivia Whitlam, Olympic rower[15]
- James Fair, England and Great Britain hockey goalkeeper[15]
- Lieutenant General Sir James Dutton, former Commandant-General, Royal Marines[15]
- Matthew Hancock, former chief of staff to George Osborne, and Member of Parliament for West Suffolk[15][17]
- Patrick Mercer, Member of Parliament for Newark[15][18][19]
- Sir Glyn Smallwood Jones, colonial administrator and last Governor of Nyasaland[15]
- Steve Leonard, television vet and BBC presenter[15]
- Mike Parry, journalist and radio presenter[15][20]
- Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent with Sky News
- Martin Lewis, financial journalist and founder of the MoneySavingExpert.com consumer finance website[15][21]
- Andrew Lilico, economist and member of the Shadow Monetary Policy Committee[15]
- Rob Eastaway, mathematician and ex-puzzle writer for New Scientist[15]
- Hagan Bayley FRS, scientist and Head of Chemical Biology at the University of Oxford[15]
- Michael Burdekin OBE, FREng, FRS, civil engineer and Emeritus Professor of the University of Manchester[15][22]
- Sir John Carroll, mathematician, physicist and former Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen[15]
- Rob Leslie-Carter, Engineer
- Arnold Frederic Wilkins OBE, radar pioneer[23]
- George Drewry Squibb, lawyer[15][24]
- Trevor Kletz, safety engineer and author on industrial safety[15]
- David Whitley, Author of The Midnight Charter[15][25]
- Ronald Pickup, actor[15]
- Nickolas Grace, actor[15]
- Hugh Lloyd, comedy actor[15][26]
- George Guest, organist and choirmaster at St John's College, Cambridge[15][27]
- Graham Scott, international concert pianist and Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music[15]
- Godfrey Ashby, former Bishop of St John's, South Africa
Pre-20th century [edit]
- Sir John Vanbrugh, architect and dramatist[15][28]
- Randle Ayrton, film and stage actor, producer and director[15]
- Lord Bradbury of Winsford GCB, civil servant and chief economic advisor to the government during World War I[15]
- Thomas Brassey, civil engineer[15][29]
- Edward Brerewood, mathematician, logician and antiquary[15]
- Charles Burney, music historian, musician, composer and philosopher[15]
- John Byrom FRS, poet and developer of geometric shorthand[15]
- Randolph Caldecott, illustrator[15]
- William Chaderton, academic, clergyman and former Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge[15]
- John Churton Collins, literary critic and former Professor of English Literature at the University of Birmingham[15]
- Piers Claughton, clergyman and former Archdeacon of London[15]
- Thomas Claughton, first Bishop of St Albans and former Oxford Professor of Poetry[15]
- George Cotton, clergyman and educator, known for establishing schools in British India[15]
- Sir Peter Denis, 1st Baronet, naval officer and Member of Parliament[15]
- John Downham, clergyman and theologian[15]
- Joseph Everett Dutton, pathologist, physician and tropical medicine specialist[15]
- Thomas Falconer, clergyman and classical scholar
- Thomas Francis, physician, former president of the Royal College of Physicians and former Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Oxford[15]
- Christopher Goodman, clergyman and writer[15]
- William Lee Hankey, painter and illustrator[15]
- General Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill, former Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces[15]
- George Lloyd, clergyman[15]
- Bert Lipsham, England International footballer and FA Cup winner with Sheffield United in 1902.
- John Smyth MacDonald FRS, physiologist[15]
- George Ormerod, antiquary and historian[15]
- Sir Ralph Champneys Williams, colonial Governor of the British Windward Islands and Newfoundland and Labrador[15]
- Thomas Wilson, clergyman[15]
The Chester Association of Old King's Scholars (CAOKS), founded in 1866, exists to maintain links between former students. It is one of the longest established alumni associations in the country. The school has recently established OAKS (Organization of Alumni of The King's School) to maintain relations with former pupils. OAKS is free to join and open to all alumni.[30]
References [edit]
- ^ "The King's School Chester - Junior School". Kingschester.co.uk. 2011-10-15. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- ^ "Howson, John Saul (DNB00) - Wikisource". En.wikisource.org. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Payne, Sebastian (20 September 2011). "A-level results 2011: independent schools". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Payne, Sebastian (20 September 2011). "GCSE results 2011: independent schools". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Merola, Antonia (18 August 2011). "A-levels: The King's School Chester". Chester Chronicle. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ http://www.kingschester.co.uk/uploads/file/KingsCurriculum2011.pdf
- ^ "The King's School Chester - developments". Kingschester.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- ^ http://www.kingschester.co.uk/ccf
- ^ "The King's School Chester Herald, Spring 2012". Kingschester.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ 15541 days ago. "James Fair". Team GB. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- ^ "King’s hockey coach wins European Indoor Gold Medal with national team". The King's School Chester. 1 February 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
- ^ Rowing. "London 2012 Olympics: BOA announces Team GB rowing squad of 48 for Games". Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- ^ "Actor Ronald Pickup opens the Vanbrugh Theatre at The King's School in Chester". Chester Chronicle. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "The King's School Chester - developments". Kingschester.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw "Inspirational Alumni Members". The King's School Chester. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
- ^ "Profile: Tom James". BBC Sport. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "Members of Parliament | Matthew Hancock MP". The Conservative Party. 20 March 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "Profile: Patrick Mercer". BBC News. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 25 November 2008.
- ^ "Members of Parliament | Patrick Mercer OBE MP". The Conservative Party. 11 September 2001. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Wheelock, Paul (30 April 2009). "Chester City FC: Mike Parry’s on a mission". Chester Chronicle. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Paul Taylor (21 February 2007). "Mr Supersaver's on a mission". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ The Steel Construction Institute (2012). In Owens, Graham W.; Davison, Buick. Steel Designers' Manual (7th ed. ed.). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. xix. ISBN 978-1-4051-8940-8.
- ^ Watson, Raymond C. (2009). Radar Origins Worldwide:History of Its Evolution in 13 Nations Through World War II. Victoria BC, Canada: Trafford Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-4269-2110-0.
- ^ Dickinson, P. L.; Ireland, G. K. (12 January 1994). "Obituary: George Squibb". The Independent (London). Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "The King's School Chester - news archive". Kingschester.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "Obituary: Hugh Lloyd". The Daily Telegraph (London). 14 July 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ Gummer, John (4 December 2002). "Obituary: George Guest". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
- ^ "Sir John Vanbrugh (British dramatist and architect) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
- ^ Helps, Arthur (2005) [1888]. Life and Labours of Thomas Brassey, 1805–1870. Elibron Classics. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-4021-0563-0.
- ^ "The King's School website". Kingschester.co.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
