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Repton School

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For the school of the same name in Dubai, see Repton School Dubai.
Repton School
File:Reptoncrest.png
Location
Map
Repton
,
Derbyshire

England
Information
TypeIndependent day and Boarding School
MottoPorta Vacat Culpa
(Latin: "The gate is free from blame")
Religious affiliation(s)Anglican
Established
  • Bequest made: 1557
  • Land for school acquired: 1559
FounderSir John Port
Local authorityDerbyshire Council
Department for Education URN113009 Tables
Chairman of GovernorsSir Henry Every Bt
HeadmasterAlastair Land
ChaplainAdam Watkinson
StaffCarl Bilson
GenderCoeducational
Age13 to 18
Enrollment~600
Houses10
Colour(s)Navy and Yellow    
Preparatory SchoolRepton Preparatory School
Former pupilsOld Reptonians
Websitehttp://www.repton.org.uk

Repton School is a co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils in Repton, Derbyshire, England. The school has around 660 pupils aged between 13 and 18, of whom 451 are boarders.[citation needed]

History

Foundation and early years

The school was founded by a bequest of Sir John Port of Etwall, who died on 6 June 1557 leaving funds to found a Grammar School at either Etwall or Repton, provided the students pray daily for the souls of his parents and relatives.[1]

In 1559 Gilbert Thacker granted the buildings at the site of Repton Priory, excepting the Hall, for the establishment of the School to Port's trustees. Lawsuits soon began between the School and Thacker family concerning use of the approach to their home.[2]

17th Century and 18th Century

Relations with the Thacker family deteriorated in the ensuing century, and, in the 1650s and 1660s, the grandson of Gilbert Thacker and the school became embroiled in litigation. The Thacker family brought an action against the school in 1652, which was settled out of court. In 1642, the school brought an action against the Thacker family. The atmosphere around this dispute was occasionally ill-tempered: the wife of the headmaster and her servant, Anne Heyne, had one encounter that was physically violent, and on another on number of other occasions, storm water was diverted by the Thackers into the school's buildings. Eventually, in 1670 the a wall was built to keep the parties apart. At around this time the headmaster's lodgings moved into the hall.[2] Pupil numbers in the 1600s seem to have oscillated between 80 and 200. Since the school was free until 1768 it is unclear how they were taught.

Curiously, in this period, the headmaster, was free to keep - and did keep - cattle in a room within the School.[2]

A letter home from a pupil in 1728 relates to his father that the headmaster, George Fletcher, would withhold meals from the boys if they were unable to recite scripture, and begs that the father does not tell the headmaster that he has been advised of this situation.[2]

Flogging & fagging

There was a flogging bock, located in the Sixth Form library, subsequently moved to Pears Hall, at which pupils were birched. This was in use at the school frequently until 1840 and still in use at least as late as 1854. The writing of lines, or impositions, was a feature of disciplining the pupils in this period and later, and it was possible to have these impositions translated to canning by some housemasters.[2] Fagging was a part of life at the school from at least 1812. Fagging continued up to 1960s, and has since been abolished. [citation needed]

In the early centuries of the school's development a pupil role called "Cock of the School" emerged; the existence of the title was not, seemingly, officially sanctioned, but was certainly accepted within the student body. The title was conferred on a boy after fighting between likely candidates. Once a boy was incumbent in this role, the younger boys were regarded as being owned by him and custom required them to defer to and to do work for him. This custom was regarded as "ancient" in the 1830s.[2]. It is not known if the role persists.

Decline and Renewal in the 19th Century

There was something of a decline in the fortunes of the school in the 1700s and the 1800s, with, in 1833, numbers getting as low as 58. A boy in the school at the time later noted:

"even more than the paucity of its numbers, was the almost total absence of all those facilities... cricket ground we had none. Football was played upon the gravel, between the Arch, and the broken pillars...No gymnasium, no fives court, no racquet court...No French, no German, no Music, no Natural Science... No chapel, no master's house beyond the Arch, no bridge (at first) across the Trent, no railway.... Why did even 50 boys resort to Sir John Port's old School?" [2]

By the 1830s some of the reforms of Dr Arnold, for example excluding those who were unable to make satisfactory progress, were being implemented at the school.[2] However, the school declined further in the following decades.

This was finally arrested with the arrival at the school of Pears as headmaster. He worked hard to raise the school's status and reputation, having great struggles with the Charity Commissioners and the Clarendon Commission to accept the school as one of the great public schools.[2] However, Repton was not accepted by the commission for inclusion in their report (only nine schools were), and was therefore not considered for inclusion in the Public School's Act of 1864[3] was restricted to only the seven 'great' public schools.

Early 20th Century

A junior school, Repton Preparatory School, was founded in 1940. It moved to nearby Foremarke Hall in 1947. At the beginning of the 1970s, the school, initially boys only, started accepting girls in the sixth form [citation needed] and becoming fully coeducational around 1990.[citation needed]

Harold Abrahams CBE, the Olympic champion in the Paris Olympics of 1924 in the 100m sprint who was depicted in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire, joined Repton School in 1914. Recalling his time at Repton, Abrahams said he often felt bullied and alone in the face of anti-Semitisum.[4]

In the 1920s the poet Vernon Watkins was sent to Repton; his quiet, gentle character provoked regular bullying from older boys in his early years at the school, though in his last years he attained more popularity as he was able to show ability in tennis and cricket. After he died, in 1968, the school wrote that he was "perhaps the best poet Repton has had".[5]

Roald Dahl

The school was attended in the 1930s by the writer Roald Dahl. His unhappy experiences of the school are related in his semi-autobiographical book Boy, which describes an environment of ritual cruelty, fagging for older boys and beatings.[6] There are echoes of these dark experiences in Dahl's writings and his hatred of cruelty and corporal punishment.[7] There are some errors in Dahl's recollections (written some 40 years after the events related) which should be noted - specifically, a particularly violent headmaster's beating was attributed to Geoffrey Fisher, later the Archbishop of Canterbury, when the headmaster was in fact John Christie; furthermore the victim in that context was 18 at the time, and had himself abused younger boys.[8][8]

While at the school, Dahl and his schoolmates were Cadbury taste testers - this is thought to have inspired Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.[9] At school Dahl was not considered a talent - one of his English teachers wrote in his school report "I have never met anybody who so persistently writes words meaning the exact opposite of what is intended."[10]

Jeremy Clarkson

In the 1970s, broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson attended Repton. He was unhappy during his time at the school, later stating he had been a "suicidal wreck" having experienced extreme bullying. He alleged that this ranged over:

  • being thrown into a cold plunge pool,
  • night time beatings,
  • to being forced to lick the lavatories clean,
  • routine damage to his property,
  • defecation in his tuck box,
  • the cutting up of his clothing;[11]

Clarkson has stated that as he entered the sixth-form he was expelled for "drinking, smoking and making a general nuisance";[12] the school maintains he left by a consensus with the family.[13] The 'Stigg' character in Top Gear during the period Clarkson hosted it said to have bee named after the pejorative slang term used at the school for new boys, a private reference with the producer Andy Wilman who attended the school with Clarkson.[14]

Recent Events

The School is from time to time included in the Tatler 'Guide to Top Prep and Public Schools'.[15] The school has grown and invested over time; a recent highlight being, in 2013, the addition of a £9m Science Priory with a lecture theater and a reptile lab.[16]

However, there were also less happy events paralleling these successes. Work place stress resulted in a member of staff taking their own life in 2004, a Coroners Court was told.[17] While in 2011, the Headmaster contacted all parents following an incident in which some 13 and 14 year-old girls accessed alcohol, after which one was required to attend hospital.[18] Some years later, in in October 2014 the Magistrates' Court fined the school £10,000 after it pleaded guilty to charges brought under health and safety legislation following an incident of negligence in which a grandmother sustained serious back, head and hand injuries. The matter was pursued as criminal enforcement proceedings brought by the Health and Safety Executive.[19]

The following month, a boy at the school was arrested on suspicion of committing two rapes.[20] The matter did not progress to a criminal trial and was dropped.[21] However, the serving headmaster at the time stood down due to ill health.[22] An Acting Head held then office of headmaster between December 2014 and April 2016, with the current headmaster taking office in April 2016.[23]

In March 2016, a former Head of Physics was disqualified from teaching indefinitely by the National College for Teaching and Leadership, following a finding of inappropriate sexual touching and language directed at a female pupil, aged 16, while he was serving at the school.[24][25] There have been two registered complaints against the school in 2015/16.[26]

Inspections

The School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, with the most recent Integrated Inspection having taken place in March 2014, which found that the school "was exceptionally successful in achieving its aims... the quality of the pupils' achievements is excellent".[27]

An emergency inspection, at the request of the Department for Education, took place in January 2015, followed by a Monitoring inspection in November 2015; these focused on compliance with aspects of the Independent School Standard Regulations (ISSRs) and the National Minimum Standards for Boarding (NMS), in particular those concerned with safeguarding procedures and pupil welfare. The school did not meet certain national minimum standards at the first of these inspections, but successfully implemented an action plan in time to met all the standards and requirements at the second inspection at the end of 2015.[28]

Fees

Per year, fees currently stand at £33,066 for boarders, and £23,475 for day pupils.[29] There are scholarships available for drama, sport, art, music, academic capacity and 'all rounder talent'; there is also some bursary assistance.[30]

Buildings

Repton Priory was a 12th-century Augustinian foundation dissolved in 1538. After dissolution, the Thacker family lived at the Priory until 1553, when, fearing the priory would be recommissioned under Queen Mary I, Gilbert Thacker destroyed the church - a task almost entirely completed in a day[31][32] - stating: "He would destroy the nest, for fear the birds should build therein again."[31]

Accordingly only parts of the original buildings remained when the school was established:[33][34] footings of areas of the priory remain in some areas, uncovered during construction work in 1922; the bases of a cluster of columns of the former chancel and chapels; fragments of an arch belonging to the former pulpitum, moved to their current position in 1906;[34] and fragments of the door surrounds of both the chapter house and warming room.[33][35]

The largest portion of the priory to survive is known as "Prior Overton's Tower", which is post 1437; largely altered, it has been incorporated into a 19th-century building.[36]

The School Arch, formerly part of Repton Priory, it was moved to its current site in 1906.[34]

Houses and Pastoral Arrangements

A little over two thirds of students are boarders.[37] The school has 10 houses: 6 for boys and 4 for girls, the houses comprise

  • the Abbey,
  • the Cross,
  • Field House,
  • the Garden,
  • Latham House,
  • the Mitre,
  • New House
  • the Orchard,
  • the Priory
  • School House[38]

Although the school is in a low crime area, there are occasional incidents: for example in May 2015 a cache of laptops and mobiles were stolen from pupils in a boarding house,[39] while a further theft of a valuable chalice from the chapel occurred in March 2016.[40] In contrast to its twentieth century history, the school has now got strong anti-bullying policies [41]

There is a chapel which is Anglican in foundation.[42]

Sports and clubs

The school competes in various sports including football, Field hockey, athletics, Rugby union and tennis.[citation needed] Notable sporting former pupils include 1932 Wimbledon tennis finalist, Bunny Austin and several first-class cricketers.[43] In 2013 six former pupils played in the same international hockey match.[44] The school has a Combined Cadet Force and a music school, as well as various after school clubs.[45]

Motto

The school's motto, Porta Vacat Culpa ("the gate is free from blame"), is a quotation from Ovid's [[[Fasti (poem)|Fasti]]] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help).[46] 'The gate' (Porta) refers to the school's arch[47][non-primary source needed] and, by a synecdoche of [pars pro toto] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), the school itself, whilst also being a pun on the name of the school's founder, Sir John Port.[48]

Overseas Client Schools

To exploit the school's identity internationally, the management set up Repton International Schools Ltd (RISL) licensing its brand to off shore client schools via that wholly owned subsidiary company. The deals, according to 2014 and 2015 accounts bring between £250,000 and £300,000, less fees, expenses, tax (if applicable), and disbursement to RISL directors and staff, back to the school.[49]

Client schools comprise, in the UAE: Repton School Dubai, which opened in September 2007 and situated on a site in Nad al Sheba; [citation needed] Repton School Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2013 on Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi; and Foremarke Dubai opened in 2013 and is located in Dubiotech, Al Barsha South.

Further relationships are in develeopment in Hong Kong[50] and India.[51]

Social Action

In May 2016 the school made defibrillators on its site available to the local community.[52] Some of the staff at the school have been vocal about the issue of speeeding trafic in the vilage of Repton, and have participated in public speedgun enforcemtnt.[53]

Film and TV settings

The school has twice, in the 1930s and 1980s respectively, represented the fictional Brookfield School in a 1939 film and a 1984 BBC version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips.[54][55]

Around 200 students were extras in the 1939 film.[56]

Notable Old Reptonians

See also: Category:People educated at Repton School

Headmasters

  • Thomas Whitehead (1621–1639)[90]
  • Philip Ward (1639–1642)[90]
  • William Ullock (1642–1667)[90]
  • Joseph Sedgwicke (1667–1672)[90]
  • Edward Letherland (1672–1681)[90]
  • John Doughty (1681–1705)[90]
  • Edward Abbot (1705–1714)[90]
  • Thomas Gawton (1714–1723)[90]
  • William Dudson (1723–1724)[90]
  • George Fletcher (1724–1741)[90]
  • William Asteley (1741–1767)[90]
  • New House
    New House
  • The School Arch
    The School Arch
  • School building
    School building
  • Repton School
    Repton School

References

  1. ^ "John Port". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i ""Records and Reminiscences of Repton"". archive.org. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Text of the Public Schools Act, 1868". Education in England. Derek Gillard. 17 February 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2016. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Keyser, Amber J. (1 January 2015). Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 9781467763097.
  5. ^ Watkins, Meic (2004). "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, "Vernon Watkins" entry". Oxford DNB. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Roald Dahl's schooldays were filled with the ritual cruelty of fagging for older boys and with terrible beatings". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  7. ^ "WEB LINKS: corporal punishment in British schools". www.corpun.com. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  8. ^ a b Sturrock, By Donald. "Roald Dahl's schooldays". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  9. ^ http://www.roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/archive/archive-highlights/the-inventing-room
  10. ^ "Roald Dahl". 7 December 2014. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "Clarkson was suicidal at Repton after being bullied". MSN. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  12. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top-gear/11200881/Top-Gear-Jeremy-Clarksons-biggest-gaffes-and-bloopers.html
  13. ^ CItation needed
  14. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-31907458
  15. ^ http://www.tatler.com/guides/schools-guide/2015
  16. ^ http://www.repton.org.uk/Royal-Opening-for-Reptons-Science-Priory
  17. ^ http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Pressure-work-led-teachers-suicide/story-21473933-detail/story.html
  18. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1370746/9-000-term-Repton-school-forced-write-parents-girl-14-stomach-pumped-binge-drinking.html
  19. ^ http://m.burtonmail.co.uk/Repton-School-fined-pound-10-000-gran-seriously/story-23037095-detail/story.html
  20. ^ "Boy, 17, arrested on suspicion of two rapes at Repton School". Mail Online. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  21. ^ "Repton School rape case dropped". Derby Telegraph. 12 August 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  22. ^ "Repton School head teacher Robert Holroyd has to step down due to 'ill health'". Burton Mail. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  23. ^ http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/New-head-teacher-appointed-Derbyshire-school-post/story-26335832-detail/story.html
  24. ^ "Private school teacher is banned from classroom after groping pupil". Mail Online. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  25. ^ "Married father-of-four teacher banned for groping 16-year-old girl as she bent over in class". www.thesun.co.uk. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  26. ^ http://www.repton.org.uk/parents-information
  27. ^ March 2014 ISI Inspection. "Page on ISI Website hoisting all inspection reports since 2010 transfer of role from OFSTED". ISI. ISI.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ http://www.isi.net/school/repton-school-6835?results=true. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ^ "Repton Fees". Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  30. ^ http://www.repton.org.uk/scholarships-bursaries
  31. ^ a b 'Houses of Austin canons: The priory of Repton, with the cell of Calke', A History of the County of Derby: Volume 2 (1907), pp. 58-63. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40125 Date accessed: 08 June 2013
  32. ^ Repton Church: Our Church - Christianity in Repton http://www.reptonchurch.org.uk/index.htm
  33. ^ a b "Remains of Priory Church". Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  34. ^ a b c Pastscape - Detailed Result: PRIORY GATEWAY
  35. ^ "Repton". Pastscape. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  36. ^ English Heritage listing for "Repton Hall with Prior Overton's Tower, Repton School"
  37. ^ http://www.ukboardingschools.com/schools/repton-school/
  38. ^ "Repton Houses". Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  39. ^ "Repton School: police investigate laptops theft". Derby Telegraph. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  40. ^ "Derbyshire Constabulary - Rare chalice stolen from Repton School". www.derbyshire.police.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  41. ^ http://www.repton.org.uk/Mainfolder/Parents-Information/2015/Anti-Bullying-Policy-August-2015.pdf
  42. ^ "Chapel | Repton School". www.repton.org.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  43. ^ Repton Pilgrims 1st Class cricketers
  44. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/hockey/10478137/Repton-School-claim-hockey-history-as-six-former-pupils-play-in-GB-v-Germany-series.html
  45. ^ http://www.repton.org.uk/extra-curricular
  46. ^ Ovid's Fasti, book 2, line 204
  47. ^ Repton School website
  48. ^ article entitled "Pro Pelle Cutem, The Hudson's Bay Company Motto" by E. E. Rich in Manitoba Pageant, April 1961, Volume 6, Number 3
  49. ^ https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05859839/filing-history
  50. ^ http://www.reptoninternational.com
  51. ^ http://m.burtonmail.co.uk/Repton-School-open-satellite-school-India/story-29049140-detail/story.html
  52. ^ "Repton villagers give access to two defibrillators". Burton Mail. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  53. ^ "Campaigners from Repton and Milton gunning for speeders". Derby Telegraph. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  54. ^ Movies made in the Midlands, accessed March 2011
  55. ^ Repton, Derbyshire, accessed March 2011
  56. ^ 1930s: A year of tragedy and war worries, accessed March 2011
  57. ^ Harold Abrahams' Blue Plaque details
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  59. ^ Sir Harry Altham Biography at Cricinfo.com
  60. ^ BRYANT, MARC (16 May 2016). "Repton old girl is London Mayoress". Burton Mail. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  61. ^ Siddique latest off the impressive Repton production line
  62. ^ "Buckmaster, Walter Selby (BKMR891WS)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
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  64. ^ "Nerves get to Strictly Come Dancing star Tom Chambers". Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  65. ^ John Cornforth's obituary in the Daily Telegraph
  66. ^ "John Crawford (Cricketer of the Year)". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. John Wisden & Co. 1907. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
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  69. ^ http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Maj-Brian/640655985
  70. ^ Person Page 18417
  71. ^ 20 May 1932 - THE WORLD OF BOOKS REVIEWS
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  73. ^ http://www.rca.ac.uk/Default.aspx?ContentID=501861&GroupID=504103&CategoryID=36538
  74. ^ The Death of C.B. Fry | History Today
  75. ^ Biography - Sir Charles Henry Gairdner - Australian Dictionary of Biography
  76. ^ Debi Allen Associates - Clients - Graeme Garden
  77. ^ Davies, Gareth A (28 September 2010). "Johnny Gorman - the international in the classroom". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  78. ^ O'Grady, Jane (16 June 2004). "Sir Stuart Hampshire". The Guardian. London.
  79. ^ Jonathan Harvey - Short Biography - Music Sales Classical
  80. ^ The Home of CricketArchive
  81. ^ BBC Sport - Derby's Will Hughes - the Championship's latest sensation
  82. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1402852/Major-Peter-Oldfield.html
  83. ^ Basil Rathbone biography
  84. ^ Robinson, Patrick Horsetrader ISBN 0-00-638105-7 (paperback, 1993)
  85. ^ Robert Sangster's Times obituary
  86. ^ Warsop, Keith (2004). The Early FA Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs. SoccerData. pp. 126–127. ISBN 1-899468-78-1.
  87. ^ Georgie Twigg
  88. ^ http://www.georgietwigg.com
  89. ^ Ellie Watton
  90. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Robert Bigsby Historical and Topographical Description of Repton Woodfall and Kinder 1854
  91. ^ a b c d Repton Church Monuments
  92. ^ Dahl, Roald "Boy" ISBN 0-435-12300-9 (hardcover, 1986) (see also Boy: Tales of Childhood)
  93. ^ Repton School head teacher Robert Holroyd has to step down due to 'ill health'
  94. ^ [1]

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