The King's (The Cathedral) School

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The King's School, Peterborough is a Voluntary Aided Church of England comprehensive secondary school in Peterborough, England. It is one of seven schools established, or in some cases re-endowed and renamed, by King Henry VIII in 1541 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries for the education of "poor boys".

The school became comprehensive and coeducational in 1976.

History

The King's School is a voluntary aided Church of England secondary school, with a large sixth form. It was founded as the Cathedral School to educate the cathedral choristers and this close link with the cathedral is still valued and maintained today.

Over 900 pupils attend The King's School, of whom approximately 300 are in the sixth form, for which there is a minimum examination qualification for entry of five C grades at GCSE level.

The King's School's strong record of success since 1976 was recognised in June 1999 with the award of Beacon status. Pupils of all abilities are encouraged to achieve their highest academic potential - bringing claims from many students that the highly pressured atmosphere may bring academic success at a significant price. The school also has specialist Science status, which means that the school gets a grant of a certain amount of money from the Government for expansion of the sciences in the school.

Other aspects of development are not neglected: there is plenty of opportunity for participation in music, drama, outdoor activities, sport and social events, as well as a range of clubs and societies, catering for leisure pursuits. Pupils are expected to develop a sense of responsibility for their conduct and behaviour and to become aware of the needs and rights of others (whether they achieve this or not is questionable). The size of the school enables each pupil to find a sense of both identity and security: new pupils soon settle in and become part of the school's extended family.

The school considers itself very much up-to-date, and tries to offer pupils a thorough preparation for life in the 21st century.

A plaque commemorating the King's School students who died in action during World War I was placed in Flanders during an annual GCSE class trip to the Flanders battlefields in 2005. The ceremony included a live performance of the Last Post on trumpet, performed by student James Gemmell (16).

The people at King's (perhaps more specifically, the teachers who have been at the school for a while, and those who have been at King's since the first year of secondary school) are proud of the school's good reputation and work to maintain it. There is a rivalry between King's students and other students throughout Peterborough. There is a strong rivalry with Deacon's School in Peterborough, also - this could in part be due to the fact that the two are less than ten minutes' walk from one another.

The school is a comprehensive - however, twelve places are given away according to an entry examination and three are given away according to ability in music. The other places are allocated to students going down a list of criteria, including religion and siblings. Having been accepted through one of the twelve exam places is, at the beginning of the first year, usually something that people are very proud of.

Houses

The school is divided into four houses: St. Chad's House, St. Oswald's House, St. Peter's House and School House. Originally there were six houses in total, with Tudor House and Thompson House both closing in 1946. Allocation is supposedly random however siblings generally follow through the same House. The Houses are led by a male and female House Captain and House Vice Captain, along with House Master and House Mistress being teachers. Teachers are allocated to houses and play the role as "House Staff." The Houses compete in several events over the year, including "inter-house" events in all games sports, an annual Sports Day, and House Music - a huge event that occurs in the Autumn term and sees all four houses present four pieces of a mix of popular and traditional music, and comparing.

The programme for the evening has changed over the years and now consists of the following items which each house must perform: An Orchestral piece, A Lower School Choir piece, A Senior Choir piece (of which there is a separate trophy) and a Finale.

There is often a sense of loyalty found, but this is only in the interest of competition, and relationships between the House Captains are supportive and jovial.

Scholae Regiae Carmen

The Scholae Regiae Carmen is the song of the school, it was written by W.C.C. Cooke who was an assistant master of music from 1903 to 1907 when he left to join the staff of Calday Grange Grammer School, later to become Headmaster of Northampton Grammer School. The music was composed by A.E. Armstrong whose son, Sir Thomas Armstrong was once principal of the Royal Academy of Music. A.E. Armstrong joined the staff of the school as a part time music master when E.J. Cunningham was Headmaster and continued to serve until the outbreak of the second world war in 1939. The song has since fallen into disuse as it was written when they school was still boys only, and the vast proportion were choristers. The lyrics are as follows:

'Schola Regia! he, thy founder, monarch of the bye gone so they sing his royal foresight, and they sing thy might and They have shown thy lessons master'd, where the green-sward calls to days, Founded thee that wit and wisdom thro' the years might tell his worth; He who framed the noble project, thou who gav'st their knowledge play, and the world's wide field has proved them worthy fighters in life's praise. That thy sons might write their titles, clearly on the scroll of birth. Wistful thoughts of long-past boyhood, careless joys that school days fray. They have learnt the worth of honour, learnt to choose the good and fame. Known for learning and for valour. Brining honour to his name. Know, link thee closer to their memories as the seasons come and go. Pure, Rules thou gavest ne'er for, got ten are their heritage secure'

(Chorus)

'Schola Regia! from the nations, from the counties scatter'd wide: Hear thy sons, for ever loyal, tho' the sundering seas divide. Hear thy sons now, past and present, raise the loving paean high; Home, abroad, they still must praise thee, Schola Regia, till they die.'

Literature

W.D. Larrett, a former deputy headmaster of the school published, with the aid of the old Petriburgian Association 'A History of The King's School Peterborough' in 1966. The book covers the schools beginnings in the cathedral precincts, through the war period culminating after the school received much needed extensions which house the science and geography departments. In 2005, the 1966 edition was restored and updated by Denham Larrett. A much earlier history of the King's School was published in 1905 by A.F. Leach, a distinguished historian who spent several months in Peterborough examining the cathedral records and documents, this history ends in 1904 when E.S.T Badger becomes Headmaster.

The school retains an vast archive of documents charting the history of the King's School, most notably recent extensive research into the lives of King's School students who served in the first and second world wars, this research ultimately culminated in the war memorial plaque in Flanders which has been mentioned previously.

Scandals

Timothy Coldwell was the Head of Physics at The King's School for a period, but was arrested on charges of making indecent images of a child and later admitted to having done so. [1]

Gavin Lister, another teacher (this time in PE) was charged with engaging in sexual activity with a girl between the ages of 13 and 15, and later pleaded guilty on those charges. [2]

An English Teacher was suspended in Jan 2005, over and apparent Police Investigation. Pupils were later informed that he left the school of his own accord to 'pursue other carrer interests'

Notable Alumni

• Sir Thomas Armstrong, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music
• Peter Boizot, founder of Pizza Express
• David Lammy, MP for Tottenham since 2000
• Brian J. Ford, scientist and writer
• Andy Bell, member of the pop group Eurasure
• Gray Jolliffe, 'Wicked Willie' cartoonist

See also

• The King's School, Canterbury
• The King's School, Chester
• The King's School, Ely
• The King's School, Gloucester
• The King's School, Rochester
• The King's School, Worcester

External links

• The King's School website
• Pupil's website