St Peter's School, York

St. Peter's School

Motto	Super Antiquas Vias
Established	AD 627
Type	Independent school Day and boarding
Headmaster	Mr Leo Winkley
Founder	St. Paulinus of York[citation needed]
Location	St. Peter's Clifton, York North Yorkshire YO30 6AB England, UK
Local authority	York
Students	circa 600
Gender	Co-educational
Ages	3–18
Houses	Dronfield (girls' boarding) The Rise (girls' boarding) Linton (boys' boarding) The Manor (boys' boarding) Clifton (day house) The Grove (day house) Queen's (day house) School House (day house) Temple (day house) Hope (day house)
Colours	Brown, Blue, White
Website	Official Website

St Peter's School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school, (also known as a public school) located in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse. Founded by St Paulinus of York in AD 627, it is the third oldest school in the United Kingdom.

History

St. Peter's School Crest

Founded in the English city of York by St Paulinus of York in the year AD 627, the school was originally based at York Minster. An early headmaster Alcuin (Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus), went on to be Chancellor to the Emperor Charlemagne, and founded several of the earliest schools in mainland Europe. It is the third oldest school in the UK.

Structure

St Peter's offers a continuity of education from the Clifton Pre-preparatory School (ages 3–8), to St Olave's School (ages 8–13) and through to St Peter's School (ages 13–18).

Campus

The school has a large campus near to the centre of the city of York, stretching to the banks of the River Ouse.

The main front of the school faces along Bootham; this is the oldest part of the site and comprises the Memorial Hall, Alcuin Library and Chapel, as well as dining facilities. Temple House and School House, the Department of Politics, the Department of Business, and the Department of Economics are also based in these buildings, accessed from an area known to the school community as the 'monkey cage'. Behind here is the Scott Block (Maths), Old Science Building (Chemistry), New Science Building (Physics, IT, and DT), Shepherd Rooms (Languages), The Grove and Clifton House. The Music School, the Dame Judi Dench Drama Centre, Hope House, and Queen's Building (History, Religious Studies, Geography, and Latin) are also located along the top of the Campus.^{[citation needed]}

Boarding Houses Wentworth and Rise border the main campus, while Linton, Dronfield and Manor are located across the road from the main school front accessible by footbridge. In the 2000s the school expanded its site under Headmaster Andrew Trotman to include the new lower campus, formally the site of Queen Anne's, a state school that had been recently closed. The move was not without its challenges, including the distance between the old and new sites and the dissection of a public footpath.^{[citation needed]}

In September 2001, St Olave's, the prep school, moved from the White House, Chilman Building and its half of the Queen's Building to the newly acquired Queen Anne site. The pre-prep, Clifton Prep moved from its original 19th-century building on The Avenue to occupy the buildings previously used by St Olave's. The Lower Campus now contains St Olave's prep school and the senior school Biology and Art Departments.

Academic

The school has a history of high academic achievement across all age ranges. The curriculum is broad from a young age, offering a solid grounding in the sciences as well as in English and maths.

Language-learning is also encouraged from a young age, so too the teaching of Latin, compulsory for the first four years of study and also offered at GCSE and A-level. Religious Studies is a compulsory GCSE subject.

Sport

St Peter's largest sporting rival is Ampleforth College, over whom the school has enjoyed great success in recent years. Internally the school also has sporting competitions between Houses, as well as swimming galas, cross-country running and a full summer Sports Day.

A wide range of activities are available at the school in order to encourage enjoyment of physical activity. These include Rugby, Football, Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Cricket, Rowing, Athletics, Basketball, Badminton, Cross-Country, Climbing, Squash, Swimming, Weight training, Trampolining, Water polo and Aerobics.

The school's privileged position on the banks of the River Ouse means there are extensive sporting fields. The main 1st IV Rugby, 1st XI Hockey, and Men's Cricket Pavilion pitches are located just behind the main school buildings. There are further pitches for Rugby (named River Side Near and River Side Far), hockey (The Paddock), and cricket (Colts Pitch). There are also the Queen Anne Fields used for the summer athletics track and field events but also as a further space for winter sports. In addition there are modern gymnasiums, an indoor swimming pool, 2 multi-sport indoor centres, tennis courts, multi-use astroturf pitches, a rifle range, and a boathouse.

The school's commitment to sport is shown by the employment of professional coaches for all sports. For 27 years, cricket was coached by Keith Mohan. St. Peter's has a particular strength in rugby and is seen as one of the top rugby schools in the North of England. In 2002 the school's U15 rugby team won the national Daily Mail Cup competition and the U18 team were narrowly beaten in 2005 in the final against Exeter College, Exeter.^{[citation needed]}

The school is also widely acknowledged as an up-and-coming rowing school with improvements made every year. St Peter’s School Boat Club was founded in the 1850s and is one of the oldest school rowing clubs in the world. It has enjoyed considerable success at international level with over 28 GB ‘vests’ earned by Peterites since 1998. On the domestic scene it has had 9 medals at The National Schools' Regatta, 12 medals at The National Championships, and 25 appearances at Henley (both Men's and Women's), all since 1991.

Music

As chapel life is so central to the school, the choir is a popular outlet for pupils' musical talents. The School Choir averages 170 members a year, but there is also a more selective Chapel Choir as well as an elite Chamber Choir. Highlights of the choral calendar include the Carol Service at York Minster, as well as visits to the Minster and further afield to sing Evensong.

The school offers Barbershop Quartets, a Brass Group, Chamber Groups, a Choral Society, a Close Harmony Group, String Orchestras, String Quartets, Swing Band/Traditional Jazz, a Symphony Orchestra, Senior Wind Band, Woodwind, Quintets and Quartets.

Concerts are put on regularly, with the Cabaret Concert a popular example. Sometimes (e.g. Verdi's Requiem), concerts are performed in York Minster.^{[citation needed]}

There is also a yearly music competition, with pupils encouraged to perform and compete for their category in front of experienced and respected judges who can offer them positive feedback.

Individual music lessons are available to all pupils of the school for an additional fee, and members of the prep school are encouraged to pick up an instrument in their first year with compulsory group lessons on stringed instruments.

A musical is performed every two years, with the help of the Drama Department. The latest musicals performed were: "My Fair Lady" (in 2008), and "Dream a Little Dream" (in 2010).

A music trip is also held every year. Previous destinations have included: Budapest, Italy, Prague, New York and Bavaria.

Art

In addition to art as a subject, there is the Whitestone Gallery, located at the school, close to the Art Department on the Lower Campus, in which many exhibitions are held, including the pupils' own work and the work of visiting artists.

Extra-Curricular

Duke of Edinburgh Award

The School encourages students to partake in this award scheme.

Community Service

St Peter's asks students to contribute to their local community and rewards those who achieve 50/100/200 hours through enrollment in the Millennium Volunteers Program.

Combined Cadet Force

The CCF, or Combined Cadet Force, is available to students for either Army or RAF, but not Navy. The school has a high number of students from military families.

Expeditions

There is a school expedition every year, in addition to the field trips, academic holidays and sports tours organised for pupils.

Exchange

St. Peter's has an exchange programme with Selborne College and Clarendon High School for Girls in East London, South Africa.

Headmasters

• 2010-date Leo Winkley
• 2004-2009 Richard Smyth
• 1995-2004 Andrew Trotman
• 1989-1995 Robin Pittman
• 1984-1985 David Cummin (interregnum)
• 1979-1984 Peter Hughes
• 1967-1979 Peter Gardiner
• 1937-1967 John Dronfield
• 1913-1936 Stanley Mease "Sam" Toyne
• 1900-1912 Edward Cunliffe Owen
• 1864 Richard Elwyn
• William Hey
• John Pulleyn
• 767-780 Archbishop Aethelbert
• c. 750 Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus (Alcuin)
• 633-648 School closed
• 627-633 James the Deacon

The houses at St Peter's

The house system is a long standing tradition throughout the school's history. As the houses are physical, located in various buildings and parts of buildings throughout the school campus, a strong sense of community is developed, bringing pupils of all ages together to compete in inter-house competitions. An example of the inter-house competitions is the strongly-contested house rugby competition.

Each house has its own associated colour that is the basis of house sports kits and House Colours. "House Colours" are an award that is given in the form of a tie (formerly a badge for female students as they did not wear ties when they were first admitted) to pupils who provide an outstanding contribution to house activities.

The school has ten day and boarding houses:

Girls' boarding houses:

• Dronfield
• The Rise

Boys' boarding houses:

• Linton
• The Manor

Day houses:

• Clifton
• The Grove
• Queens
• Temple
• School
• Hope

Boarding

St Peter's and its prep school, St Olave's, under headmaster Andy Falconer, have received an overall quality rating of 'Outstanding' in their 2007 Ofsted Boarding Inspection.^{[citation needed]}

In order to be classed as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, a school's boarding provision must be "of exceptionally high quality". In the inspection report, St Peter’s and St Olave’s were judged to "provide an outstanding quality of care for boarding pupils. Boarders’ health and well-being are actively safeguarded and promoted by the school. Relationships between boarders and staff are excellent and boarders have a highly positive experience of school life".

Religion

The school has a Chapel with compulsory services 3 mornings a week. Eucharist is also held once a term and there are special services to mark Festivals in the Christian calendar. A service is held on Remembrance Sunday during which all pupils place poppies on the book of remembrance in the Ante-chapel (which contains names of alumni killed in conflict). The school's Christmas Carol Service is held in York Minster.

Religious education is compulsory at the school until Sixth Form,^{[citation needed]} and is taught by both academic staff and the school's two Church of England clergy. The school remains predominantly Christian in demographics and in teaching

York Minster

York Minster has a long connection with St Peter's, as the school's founder was an Archbishop of York. This relationship is also evident in the school's name, which mirrors the formal title of the Minster, The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter. At its foundation, the school was probably housed next to the earliest cathedral building.

At the end of each academic year a Commemoration and Prizegiving service is held in the Minster and a Carol Service is also held there at Christmas. The school choir often sings in the Minster and in the 2006/2007 year they participated in Verdi's Requiem, which brought together the wider York community.

Traditions

• Morning Prayers - all members of the school attend a chapel service - the senior school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, the prep school on Tuesday and Thursday. There is also a Sunday service for boarders.

• Eucharist - a whole school Eucharist service takes place each term and at other significant Christian festivals.

• Uniform - the school has a distinctive uniform featuring the "cross keys" of St Peter for all pupils (except members of the Sixth Form) which must be purchased from the school's online shop. The old woollen blazer was later replaced with a more modern cotton jacket. Other changes to the uniform have also taken place, including the removal of ties for female pupils, who now wear an open blouse. In Sixth Form, dark suits must be worn.

• Gowns - the school has a tradition of gowns which reflect pupils' authority or commitments. These are worn during public events such as services at York Minster and during school events (including Chapel and Assembly). The Head Boy and Head Girl wear brown, followed by the Head Master's Prefects who wear navy. These are issued during the 'gowning' at First Assembly each academic year. Members of the Chapel Committee and choirs wear red gowns, which are fuller depending upon level (Chamber Choir; Chapel Choir; School Choir).

• Meritorious & Distinction Achievement - high academic achievement can be commended by teachers. If recommended, a pupil must take their work to the Head Master's Study, where he will review it and ask for a signature to go down in the recording book which is then stored in the school archives. Awards are read out and applauded at assembly. Merits are the most common, with Distinctions being an exceptional and noteworthy occurrence.

• Capping - is the practice of reward for exceptional sporting achievement and is awarded at the end of the relevant sports season.

• 5 November - on Guy Fawkes Night, the school does not partake in the common tradition of burning a 'Guy' on the bonfire, as Guy Fawkes was an Old Peterite (alumnus). There is, however, a long tradition of putting on a firework display for the Boarders.

• Fagging - the tradition of younger pupils serving older pupils was abolished in 1977.

Friends of St Peter's

Membership of this association is open to all staff, parents and guardians, past and present, former “Friends” and Old Peterites. The committee consists of representatives from the Houses and four members of staff, elections take place in the Summer term. The Headmaster is the President. The Friends run a variety of social and fund-raising events for the benefit of members and the school.

Old Peterite Club

School Alumni are known as Old Peterites. Every member of the school becomes a member of the Old Peterite Club (or OP Club). This keeps alumni updated with developments and achievements at the school as well as taking an interest in the further success of individuals in later life. There are often events organised to allow Old Peterites to meet at balls and dinners. The current President of the Old Peterite Club is Mark Hepworth.

Notable alumni

Current members of the school are known as 'Peterites' (and 'Olavites' for St Olave's Junior School) with alumni referred to as 'Old Peterites', or OPs for short. Notable OPs include:

Sport:

• Jonathan Bairstow - first class cricketer for Yorkshire and England.
• Sam Bond - professional bodybuilder at TV personality on Gladiators.
• Oli Denton - professional rugby union player for Leeds Carnegie.
• Tom Denton - professional [rugby union]] player for Leeds Carnegie.
• Frank Mitchell - first class cricketer for Yorkshire.
• James Thompson (racing driver) - auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's World Touring Car Championship coverage.
• Peter Wackett - professional rugby union player for Leeds Carnegie.
• Norman Yardley - English cricketer.

Academics & Historians:

• Alcuin (Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus), former Head Master, went on to be Chancellor to the Emperor Charlemagne.^{[citation needed]}
• Frederick Henry Marvell Blaydes - renowned classical scholar.
• Henry Dodwell - an Anglo-Irish writer, scholar, theologian and controversialist.
• William Fishburn Donkin - Professor of Astronomy, University College, Oxford
• Christopher Hill - English Marxist historian and textbook author
• C. Northcote Parkinson - naval historian and author of some sixty books, the most famous of which was his bestseller Parkinson's Law.
• Francis W. Pixley - accountant, barrister and author; was Deputy Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire.

Artists and media figures:

• John Barry (composer) - best known for composing 11 James Bond soundtracks.
• Laurence Eusden - became Poet Laureate in 1718.
• Harry Gration - broadcaster with the BBC.
• Justin Hill - English novelist.
• Mark Simpson - journalist, writer, and broadcaster specialising in pop culture, media, and masculinity credited with coining the word metrosexual
• Jimmy Thompson (actor) - actor, writer, and director.
• Greg Wise - English actor.

Political figures:

• Alcuin (Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus), former Head Master, went on to be Chancellor to the Emperor Charlemagne.
• James Clappison - British politician and barrister. He is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hertsmere.
• John Healey - British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Wentworth and Dearne since 1997, and former Minister of State for Housing and Planning.
• Sir John Rodgers, 1st Baronet - most nobale British Conservative politician.
• John Wright - conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot.
• Neil Carmichael - Conservative Member of Parliament for Stroud.

Religious figures:

• George Forrest Browne - clergyman, became Bishop of Bristol.
• Maurice Harland - 20th century Bishop of Durham.
• Robert William Bilton Hornby - an antiquarian, priest, and Lord of the Manor of Heworth York.
• Henry Herbert Williams - of an ecclesiastical family and Bishop of Carslile.

Armed Forces:

• Frank Bingham - army officer who died in World War I.
• Walbanke Ashby Pritt - British World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He flew with the Royal Flying Corps in 1917/1918; flying Sopwith Pups.

Business leaders:

• Gordon Gibb - prominent business man, owner of theme park Flamingo Land Resort and former director of Bradford City Football Club.
• Joseph Terry - confectioner who presided over Joseph Terry & Sons Ltd.
• Frank Pick - manager in transport sector including Underground Group and London Passenger Transport Board.

Terrorists:

• Guy Fawkes - Conspirator of the Gunpowder Plot.

See also

• The Minster School, York
• List of the oldest schools in the world

References

• "A history of St Peter's school", Published in the year of the school's 1350th anniversary. Hamilton, D.M. (ed), 1977

External links

• St Peter's website
• St Olave's website
• Clifton Pre-prep website
• Old Peterite Club
• Boat Club website