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The John Fisher School

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The John Fisher School
Address
Map
Peaks Hill

Purley
,
Surrey
,
CR8 3YP

England, UK
Information
Typefaith school voluntary-aided
Selective School 1992-1999
Independent School 1929- 1977
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1929[1] (Founded in 1899 as Falconbury School)
FounderPeter Amigo
Local authorityLondon Borough of Sutton
SpecialistSports College[2]
Department for Education URN103009 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherMark J. Scully
GenderMales
Age11 to 18
Enrollment1031[3]
HousesFisher   Bede  
More   Becket   Challoner   Newman  
Colour(s)Yrs 1–5 Royal Blue and Gold
   Yrs 6–7 Black and Gold
  
PublicationThe Kingfisher
The Fishtickler
Newsletter
The Student Voice
Websitehttp://www.johnfisherschool.org/

The John Fisher School is a Roman Catholic voluntary-aided boys' faith school in the rural outskirts of Croydon, England based at Peaks Hill, Surrey.[4] It became a non-selective school in 1999. The school has grown since the end of selection from 700 pupils to over 1000. In May 2012, it launched its new website, www.johnfisherschool.org.

A former independent day and boarding school, it was originally founded at the end of the 19th century as Falconbury School.

Admissions

John Fisher was a small highly selective school from January 1992 until September 1999. John Fisher no longer selects its boys but instead takes candidates using a religious observance points system; because of this boys come from all parts of London and SE England to attend. John Fisher does not operate a catchment area.

Prior to September 1999, candidates were selected for entry.

The assessment consisted of a candidate and parent interview, a religion test, a written statement by the boy stating why he would like to attend the school and a report from the boy’s current school.

A smaller number of boys were selected for academic, musical and sports aptitude, in conjunction with an interview. All exhibitions and scholarships were disbanded in 1999.

1999 The End of Selection: A More Inclusive School

Since September 1999 the school banned all means of selection; during the 1990s there was evidence to suggest bright pupils from middle-class families benefited from the selection policy. Today the school takes more boys from London boroughs such as Lambeth and Southwark as well as its traditional heartlands of Reigate and Banstead, Caterham, Croydon, Sutton, Bromley, Epsom, East Grinstead and Crawley. 44% of boys live 4-10+ miles from the school. All scholarships ceased in September 1999. At present around 20% of boys are from ethic minority groups.

Academic Performance and reputation

It is the top performing Catholic boy's school in Croydon and Surrey; consistently in the top 7-10% of schools nationwide.[citation needed] John Fisher tends to rank anywhere between 700-1100 most years in the FT's nationwide tables, placing it ahead of several Grammar and Independent Schools; during the 1990s selection policy it used to rank between 400-500.[citation needed]

5 GCSE's A*-C

2011-88% (73% inc Eng & Mat)

2010-84% (72% inc Eng & Mat)

2009-85% (73% inc Eng & Mat)

2008-89.5% (78% inc Eng & Mat)

A Levels A*-B

2011-54.5%

2010-49.8%

2009-52.8%

2008-37.00%

In league tables it is often placed ahead of several Grammar and Independent schools.

Old Boys Association

The John Fisher Old Boys Association (JFOBA) is an exclusive members club for past pupils and teachers of The John Fisher School in Purley, Surrey. Membership of the Association is available to all former pupils of the John Fisher School and those members and former members of the School Staff who are invited to be Honorary Members. Unlike some Old Boys' Networks JFOBA does not limit membership to those pupils who attended the school at a certain time (for example in one of its Grammar or Selective periods).

History

The John Fisher School was founded by Peter Emmanuel Amigo, Archbishop of Southwark, in 1929 at Duppas Hill in Croydon, and moved in 1931 to its current premises in Peaks Hill, Purley.[1] It is the only currently-open school named after Saint John Fisher that was founded before his canonization in 1935. This is indicated by the absence of "Saint" from the school name.

At the start of the 1970s the John Fisher School was a diocesian grammar school with an intake of fee-paying and non-fee-paying children. It had a small number of boarders until 1970 when a decision was made to end this facility.

In 1977 it became an all-ability comprehensive school maintained by the London Borough of Sutton.

In 1992, following much discussion and a vote by parents, John Fisher was incorporated as a Grant Maintained School and operated a selection policy. Selection into the school was via an interview process involving candidates & their parents (to assess whether the boy and his family's ambitions and ethos were in harmony of those of the school) or by examination (for a minority of academic places). Also, a small amount of boys were selected on the basis of musical ability or for sporting promise. Despite the school selecting all of its pupils it was nominally comprehensive because not all boys were selected purely on academic ability. GM Catholic schools that examined candidates & interviewed potential pupils & their parents were often controversial.[5]

In September 1999, the school stopped all forms of selection and became a voluntary-aided comprehensive school once more. In 2003, John Fisher School became a specialist sports college[1] and construction began on a £1.2 million sports hall opened by Sir Bobby Robson.

Headmasters

(Prior to Terence King's appointment all Headmasters were Catholic priests)

  • 1981-1993 Mr Terence King(went on to become Conservative Councillor for Windlesham in Surrey Heath)
  • 1993-2005 Mr Robin Gregory
  • 2005-2006 Mr Pat Liddiard, (Acting Headmaster)
  • 2006- Mr Mark Scully

The John Fisher School Chapel

The school chapel
The school chapel with the school's main building in the background

The school has its own chapel where Holy Mass is offered Sunday mornings throughout the year and certain weekdays during term time. Benediction, Stations of the cross and the Holy Rosary are fequently held there. The present school chaplain is Fr. James Clark, an old boy of the school. Outside of term and on Sundays through the year the chapel is served by priests from St John The Baptist, Purley. The school's renowned chapel choir practice most evenings throughout the school year and before school most mornings. The school has always had a strong reputation for nurturing choristers and during the school's selective admissions stage some boys were selected for musical ability. The chapel choir compete in Local and National competitions; they have performed at the BBC proms.

Rugby union

The 7s team reached 3 consecutive national finals between 1997-1999 winning 2 and losing the '99 final against Stonyhurst. They also lost the 2008 final; being whitewashed 19-0 by Sedbergh School. (http://www.ns7.co.uk/tables.htm) The school's U15s reached the final of The Daily Mail Cup in 2000/2001 season (http://www.schoolsrugby.co.uk/tnt_DailyMailArchive3.asp) John Fisher enjoys a rugby rivalry with Whitgift School; a public school in South Croydon. Matches are hotly contested and often close. The teams regularly meet in the final rounds of The Daily Mail Cup. Other notable rivalries include The London Oratory School and Dulwich College.

Finals Down The Years

  • 1976 Junior Schools Festival Final Dulwich College 6-4 John Fisher
  • 1997 National Schools Sevens Final John Fisher 28-24 Durham School
  • 1998 National Schools Sevens Final John Fisher 24-5 Millfield (Fisher win the title back to back)
  • 1999 National Schools Sevens Final Stonyhurst 19-12 John Fisher
  • 1999 Junior Schools Festival Final Dwr-y-Felin 17-12 John Fisher
  • 2000/2001 U15 DMC Final Epsom College 17-12 John Fisher
  • 2008 National Schools Sevens Final Sedbergh School 19-0 John Fisher
  • 2009 St Joseph's Festival Final John Fisher 15-8 Bedford School

Honours

  • National Schools Sevens Junior Festival Finalists '76 and '99
  • National Schools Sevens Open Champions '97 and '98
  • National Schools Sevens Open Finalists '99 and '08
  • U15 Daily Mail Cup Runners-Up 2000/2001
  • World Rugby Magazine's Team of the Month May 2009
  • Evening Standard's Team of the Year 2009
  • De La Salle Cup Winners '09

Senior Rugby Tours

In 2011 John Fisher toured South Africa for the 4th time; in 2013 John Fisher will tour New Zealand for the first time.

1987 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

1989 – Italy (Treviso, Padua, Calvisano)

1991 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

1993 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

1995 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

1997 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

1999 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

2001 – Canada (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal)

2003 – Canada (Vancouver, Calgary)

2005 – South Africa (Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Durban, Cape Town)

2007 – South Africa (Cape Town, Durban)

2009 – South Africa (Cape Town, Durban)

2011 – South Africa (Cape Town, Durban)

2013 - New Zealand (North Island)

Controversies

Since the end of its selective admissions process the school has come under fire for "its controversial points admission system which favours children from families who are the most active in the church." The John Fisher School was investigated by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) after complaints from a parent. Objections to the OSA included "governors could manipulate what was considered a bona fide parish activity to 'exclude those they do not wish to admit from the school'" and "that governors were using surnames to reject single parents". The OSA did not endorse the latter claim but made "the strongest recommendation" that the current system be scrapped. This is the second time the School's admission policy has been investigated by the OSA following complaints.[6]

Notable visitors and staff

Notable alumni

Arts and media

Military

Science


Sport

References

  1. ^ a b c The John Fisher School - History of the school, accessed 26 April 2009.
  2. ^ Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, accessed 26 April 2009.
  3. ^ Ofsted Inspection Report, December 2008, accessed 26 April 2009.
  4. ^ http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/home/article-363252-purleys-golden-gates.do
  5. ^ Lightfoot, Liz (9 September 2006). "Admissions code bans faith school selection by interview". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  6. ^ Truman, Peter (2008-07-30). "School admissions system rapped as far too complex". Croydon Guardian. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ The Times, Bill Nighy talks Pirates of the Caribbean, 12 May 2007. Accessed 26 April 2009.
  8. ^ thisiscornwall.co.uk, College team ready for cup semi-final test, 12 March 2009. Accessed 26 April 2009.
  9. ^ The John Fisher School Newsletter Winter 2008, accessed 26 April 2009.
  10. ^ Cricinfo, Player profile: Tim Murtagh, accessed 26 April 2009.
  11. ^ Cricinfo, Player profile: Chris Murtagh, accessed 26 April 2009.
  12. ^ Croydon Guardian, Rooney wants British record, 3 November 2008. Accessed 26 April 2009.
  13. ^ England Rugby, Paul Sackey England Profile, accessed 26 April 2009.
  14. ^ a b Sackey and Skivington support schoolboys, 3 February 2009. Accessed 26 April 2009.
  15. ^ http://www.scotlandrugbyteam.org/content/view/597/86/. Accessed 7 December 2009.
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