Finchley Catholic High School
Encyclopedia
Finchley Catholic High School for Boys is in North Finchley, part of the London Borough of Barnet
.
.
It is a school for boys aged 11–18, with a mixed-sex Sixth Form - the girls being admitted specifically from nearby St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School
.
The sixth form is increasing in size, and 25% of the intake will be offered to girls as of the 2007-08 academic year.
), and immediately to the east of that stretch of the Northern Line which constitutes the school's western boundary. Lying adjacent to the postcode boundaries of Whetstone
(N20) and Woodside Park
(N12), it is roughly half-way between Woodside Park tube station
and Totteridge and Whetstone tube station
.
The school started as a private initiative, without anything like the kind of top-down diocesan control that would be normal nowadays. The only premises available were the parish halls. There was an increasing awareness of the need for good Catholic education and greater demand for it. Parents were no longer content to see their children leave primary school at fourteen and begin their lives as apprentices. The struggle for existence that had been hard, especially for those who had come to this country to avoid hunger, was being alleviated and parents were able to consider allowing their children to remain at school for longer. They were even willing and able to pay limited fees to the school.
In a short time demand outgrew accommodation, the school had to extend. The fees paid by the parents were barely enough to pay the staff. There was nothing left to purchase a new building. An appeal from the pulpit by the amazing Fr. Parsons began the collection that by Christmas of 1928 had produced enough money to purchase a building. Woodside Grange seemed an ideal site for the new school but it took the intervention of the Anglican Bishop of London to complete the purchase. The deal was finalized and the building taken over in September of 1929.
In 1939 the house received its last coat of paint and repairs (some have been done since but only to prevent accidents).
The whiteness of the paintwork acted as a point of aim for enemy planes. There is a note in Barnet Museum where the local defence force commander asked the school to camouflage the building since it was being used by German bombers to locate the railway and thus, central London
. By the end of the war the walls were a dirty khaki
colour. The changes in the education system led to the care of the house and grounds being split between the Governors, the Local Authority and the Archdiocese of Westminster. Each was charged with keeping one part of the house in good order.
So it went on, the school grew and the use of the house was restricted to the staff and A level pupils. Slowly the fabric deteriorated, walls lost plaster due to leaking plumbing, leaking roofs caused ceilings on the upper floors to collapse, dry rot was allowed to eat into the timbers of the structure and all the while the owners ignored the building. Some wanted to pull it down while others thought it would stand forever. The matter came to a head in 1968 when the ceiling of the library collapsed, with students in the room. The impetus was sufficient to plunge the legs of the table through the floor. This brought home to the school just how bad was the condition of the building. The collapse was due to the removal of the partitions on the upper floor, weakening the structure. The school planners had not realized that the partitions were structural and held up the floor. Instead of investing a few thousands in repairs it was decided to spend a few hundreds on painting the interior to hide the rotting plaster and sagging floors.
The decision to demolish the house was taken by two council workmen who, when sent to repair the porch found that it was covered in valuable lead, and might require some skill to repair. They announced that it was unsafe and took a hammer to it. There were serious rumours - fortunately false - that the cast iron banisters from the great stair had been sold off. Rumours have it that a member of the local council had demolished his own stairs awaiting the arrival of these. That was in the summer of 1972 when the school had ceased to be a grammar school and had become a comprehensive. The new dynamic image did not allow for beauty. Fortunately an ex-pupil of the school saw the damage being done and wrote to the local and national newspapers. The stink thus caused led to a temporary preservation order being placed on the house. Eventually Reginald Maudling
asked a parliamentary question on the matter. When asked about the removal of the building from the list of buildings of architectural merit, the Minister of the Environment, Anthony Crosland
, replied that the member for Chipping Barnet had been misinformed. This was countered with a photocopy of the document being slapped onto the dispatch box and the government decided to put the building back on the list and listed Grade II.
(opening prayer) of the Mass
of Pentecost
.
The school newsletter, "The Albanian", is named after the school's patron saint, St Alban, Britain's protomartyr. It is sent out six times a year (every half term) to all parents, governors and other key members of the school community.
(years 7, 8 and 9); and, as in all Catholic schools in England, the GCSE is compulsory (Key Stage 4
- years 10 and 11), also being taught twice weekly.
Products with the Fairtrade Certification Mark are encouraged, and the school has an action group dedicated to making Barnet
a Fairtrade borough.
Every year, during Lent
, pupils raise money for charities such as CAFOD
(Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), and various local and national charities, including the neighbouring (and non-denominational) North London Hospice.
, where it was the first-ever performance in the Auschwitz camp itself. Music includes partisan music, and other music with Yiddish and Hebrew lyrics.
As well as "Remember" the school has performed many other plays, including 'Twelve Angry Men
' and other classics.
. It is currently working on making a green energy supply to run an oxygenating system for the school pond, in the form of a wind turbine.
or German
are compulsory throughout Key Stage 3
, and optional at GCSE. French is also taught up to A2 level. There are after-school lessons in Latin
, which is available up to GCSE.
Project) is held on the school premises under the auspices of Barnet. Pupils from FCHS help there every Wednesday 15:30 - 18:00. Activities are I.T. based, but sports and art are also practised commonly as well. It is a strong base with linking people on the autistic spectrum and the school. Over 200 families affected by autism
attend the club.
There are two other buildings of note.
(blue), Feckenham
(gold), Fisher (white), Challoner (red), More (orange) and Alban (purple). Purple is not always included, but sometimes another form is made to accommodate more pupils, typically every other year.
The forms (houses) each have their own letter, which together make up the initials of the school. This is FRCHSB, standing for Finchley Roman Catholic High School for Boys, and each letter is for a different form.
At the beginning of the 2006-07 school year, another tie colour, orange, was introduced due to a complication about the number of pupils admitted that year.
As stated by the school:
In 2006 the applications of many of the applicants were lost in the post. After the appeals of many parents, the school decided to take an additional class of boys. As the school was celebrating its 80th anniversary, it was decided to commemorate this house to Alban hence the 'More Alban'. This event has only happened once.
London Borough of Barnet
The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 331,500 and covers . It borders Hertfordshire to the north and five other London boroughs: Harrow and Brent to the west, Camden and Haringey to the south-east and Enfield to the...
.
Admissions
Finchley Catholic High School is, as its name declares, a faith school; it is also - up to the end of Year 11 - exclusively for boys. These considerations aside, it aspires to an inclusive and community-focused ethos, of which staff and pupils are very proud; and since 2002 has been designated a specialist status Business & Enterprise College by the Specialist Schools and Academies TrustSpecialist Schools and Academies Trust
The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation with headquarters in the United Kingdom, dedicated to raising standards and achievement in secondary schools in England and internationally...
.
It is a school for boys aged 11–18, with a mixed-sex Sixth Form - the girls being admitted specifically from nearby St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a Voluntary aided, Catholic Grammar School for girls, situated in North Finchley, London. The school was founded in 1908, when it became the first Roman Catholic school in Finchley. It was founded by, and is now under the trusteeship of, the Congregation of...
.
The sixth form is increasing in size, and 25% of the intake will be offered to girls as of the 2007-08 academic year.
Location
The school is situated to the west of FinchleyHigh Road (A1000A1000 road
The A1000 is a main road in the United Kingdom, running north from Highgate, North London for approximately to Welwyn where it joins the A1 motorway. It incorporates part of the main medieval route out of London, and runs through Finchley, Whetstone, Chipping Barnet and Monken Hadley...
), and immediately to the east of that stretch of the Northern Line which constitutes the school's western boundary. Lying adjacent to the postcode boundaries of Whetstone
Whetstone, London
-Buses:* 34 - Barnet Church to Walthamstow Central bus/tube/railway station* 125 - Winchmore Hill to Finchley Central* 234 - Barnet to Highgate Wood * 251 - Edgware bus/tube station to Arnos Grove tube station...
(N20) and Woodside Park
Woodside Park
Woodside Park is a suburban residential development in the London Borough of Barnet, in postal district N12.It is very varied in character. The area to the east of the tube station consists predominantly of large Victorian and Edwardian houses, many of which have been converted into flats...
(N12), it is roughly half-way between Woodside Park tube station
Woodside Park tube station
Woodside Park tube station is a London Underground station in Woodside Park, north London.The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between West Finchley and Totteridge and Whetstone stations, and in Travelcard Zone 4...
and Totteridge and Whetstone tube station
Totteridge and Whetstone tube station
Totteridge and Whetstone tube station is a London Underground station in north London. The station is the penultimate one on the High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between Woodside Park and High Barnet stations, and in Travelcard Zone 4...
.
History
Finchley Catholic Grammar School was founded in 1926 by the redoubtable Canon (later Monsignor Canon) Clement Henry Parsons (1892-1980), parish priest of the local Catholic church of St. Alban's, Nether Street, North Finchley. He later founded the Challoner School (a fee-paying grammar school for boys who had not passed their 11+); as well as St. Alban's Catholic Preparatory School ("The Prep" - now absorbed into Woodside Park International School) as a feeder primary for the Grammar and the Challoner Schools. 1971 saw its two institutional forbears, Finchley Catholic Grammar School ("Finchley Grammar") and the Challoner School, merge to become Finchley Catholic High School).The school started as a private initiative, without anything like the kind of top-down diocesan control that would be normal nowadays. The only premises available were the parish halls. There was an increasing awareness of the need for good Catholic education and greater demand for it. Parents were no longer content to see their children leave primary school at fourteen and begin their lives as apprentices. The struggle for existence that had been hard, especially for those who had come to this country to avoid hunger, was being alleviated and parents were able to consider allowing their children to remain at school for longer. They were even willing and able to pay limited fees to the school.
In a short time demand outgrew accommodation, the school had to extend. The fees paid by the parents were barely enough to pay the staff. There was nothing left to purchase a new building. An appeal from the pulpit by the amazing Fr. Parsons began the collection that by Christmas of 1928 had produced enough money to purchase a building. Woodside Grange seemed an ideal site for the new school but it took the intervention of the Anglican Bishop of London to complete the purchase. The deal was finalized and the building taken over in September of 1929.
In 1939 the house received its last coat of paint and repairs (some have been done since but only to prevent accidents).
The whiteness of the paintwork acted as a point of aim for enemy planes. There is a note in Barnet Museum where the local defence force commander asked the school to camouflage the building since it was being used by German bombers to locate the railway and thus, central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
. By the end of the war the walls were a dirty khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
colour. The changes in the education system led to the care of the house and grounds being split between the Governors, the Local Authority and the Archdiocese of Westminster. Each was charged with keeping one part of the house in good order.
So it went on, the school grew and the use of the house was restricted to the staff and A level pupils. Slowly the fabric deteriorated, walls lost plaster due to leaking plumbing, leaking roofs caused ceilings on the upper floors to collapse, dry rot was allowed to eat into the timbers of the structure and all the while the owners ignored the building. Some wanted to pull it down while others thought it would stand forever. The matter came to a head in 1968 when the ceiling of the library collapsed, with students in the room. The impetus was sufficient to plunge the legs of the table through the floor. This brought home to the school just how bad was the condition of the building. The collapse was due to the removal of the partitions on the upper floor, weakening the structure. The school planners had not realized that the partitions were structural and held up the floor. Instead of investing a few thousands in repairs it was decided to spend a few hundreds on painting the interior to hide the rotting plaster and sagging floors.
The decision to demolish the house was taken by two council workmen who, when sent to repair the porch found that it was covered in valuable lead, and might require some skill to repair. They announced that it was unsafe and took a hammer to it. There were serious rumours - fortunately false - that the cast iron banisters from the great stair had been sold off. Rumours have it that a member of the local council had demolished his own stairs awaiting the arrival of these. That was in the summer of 1972 when the school had ceased to be a grammar school and had become a comprehensive. The new dynamic image did not allow for beauty. Fortunately an ex-pupil of the school saw the damage being done and wrote to the local and national newspapers. The stink thus caused led to a temporary preservation order being placed on the house. Eventually Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling
Reginald Maudling was a British politician who held several Cabinet posts, including Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had been spoken of as a prospective Conservative leader since 1955, and was twice seriously considered for the post; he was Edward Heath's chief rival in 1965...
asked a parliamentary question on the matter. When asked about the removal of the building from the list of buildings of architectural merit, the Minister of the Environment, Anthony Crosland
Anthony Crosland
Charles Anthony Raven Crosland , otherwise Tony Crosland or C.A.R. Crosland, was a British Labour Party politician and author. He served as Member of Parliament for South Gloucestershire and later for Great Grimsby...
, replied that the member for Chipping Barnet had been misinformed. This was countered with a photocopy of the document being slapped onto the dispatch box and the government decided to put the building back on the list and listed Grade II.
Traditions
Its motto, "Da Nobis Recta Sapere"(Grant that we may be truly wise) comes from the collectCollect
In Christian liturgy, a collect is both a liturgical action and a short, general prayer. In the Middle Ages, the prayer was referred to in Latin as collectio, but in the more ancient sources, as oratio. In English, and in this usage, "collect" is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable...
(opening prayer) of the Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
of Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
.
The school newsletter, "The Albanian", is named after the school's patron saint, St Alban, Britain's protomartyr. It is sent out six times a year (every half term) to all parents, governors and other key members of the school community.
Ethos
The school has a Roman Catholic ethos. Religious education is taught twice a week in Key Stage 3Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
(years 7, 8 and 9); and, as in all Catholic schools in England, the GCSE is compulsory (Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4 is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs, and other exams, in maintained schools in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland—normally known as Year 10 and Year 11 in England and Wales, and Year 11 and Year 12 in Northern Ireland, when pupils are...
- years 10 and 11), also being taught twice weekly.
Products with the Fairtrade Certification Mark are encouraged, and the school has an action group dedicated to making Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
a Fairtrade borough.
Every year, during Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
, pupils raise money for charities such as CAFOD
CAFOD
The Catholic Agency For Overseas Development, previously known as the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, is a United Kingdom-based international aid agency working to alleviate poverty and suffering in developing. It is funded by the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government...
(Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), and various local and national charities, including the neighbouring (and non-denominational) North London Hospice.
Sport
There is an extensive range of clubs offered in FCHS, including football and rugby teams. Facilities include a new full size astroturfed pitch and playing fields in nearby Southover (Woodside Park Garden Suburb).Music & drama
The standard of Performing Arts at FCHS has increased dramatically over the past few years. The show "Remember" written by Mark Sell and Lena Santos, and performed by students of FCHS and St. Michael's, has been a major success. It is about the remembrance of the Holocaust, and has been to PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, where it was the first-ever performance in the Auschwitz camp itself. Music includes partisan music, and other music with Yiddish and Hebrew lyrics.
As well as "Remember" the school has performed many other plays, including 'Twelve Angry Men
Twelve Angry Men
Twelve Angry Men may refer to:* Twelve Angry Men , a 1954 teleplay by Reginald Rose* Twelve Angry Men , a play adapted by Rose from his teleplay* 12 Angry Men , an adaptation of the play, directed by Sidney Lumet...
' and other classics.
Science & engineering
The school offers a government-funded Engineering Club to Key Stage 3Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
. It is currently working on making a green energy supply to run an oxygenating system for the school pond, in the form of a wind turbine.
Languages
FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
or German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
are compulsory throughout Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
, and optional at GCSE. French is also taught up to A2 level. There are after-school lessons in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, which is available up to GCSE.
SNAAP
The SNAAP club (St. Nicholas Academy for AutismAutism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
Project) is held on the school premises under the auspices of Barnet. Pupils from FCHS help there every Wednesday 15:30 - 18:00. Activities are I.T. based, but sports and art are also practised commonly as well. It is a strong base with linking people on the autistic spectrum and the school. Over 200 families affected by autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
attend the club.
School buildings
The school's buildings vary in age and quality.- The 'White House', built around 1870 by Cubitt, is the school's oldest building. Grade II listed, it houses the school's reception, main offices, a small chapel and a medical centre.
- The Bourne Block, completed in 1936, is the largest building and houses most of the classrooms, as well as the Sixth Form common room and a newly-built business centre.
- The Challoner Block, completed in 1954, originally housed the separate Challoner School, until it became part of FCHS in 1971. It contains the second largest number of classrooms.
- Bampfield House, a private residence built before 1920, was acquired in the early 1950s as a dormitory block for the Challoner School. FCHS used it as a music and drama centre until the construction of the Performing Arts Centre (see below).
- The School Hall, built in 1956 and originally used solely as a chapel, now functions as an assembly hall.
- The Stephenson Block, (named after the late chemistry teacher, "Mo" Stephenson), also known as the '1971 Block', houses the ICT and art rooms, a small library and the recently-renovated cafeteria.
- The Performing Arts Centre, built in 2004 and opened by local girl Emma BuntonEmma BuntonEmma Lee Bunton is an English pop singer/songwriter and TV and radio presenter. She was a member of the 1990s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member. In 2010, she joined the judging panel on ITV's Dancing on Ice...
("Baby Spice"), replaced Bampfield House as a multi-purpose music and drama centre, including three music rooms and a drama studio. It also houses a seminar room for conferences.
There are two other buildings of note.
- Challoner Lodge, built around 1930 as a house for the founder's aged widowed mother, is now the school keeper's residence.
- Parsons Lodge, originally the coachman's lodge for the 'White House' and also Grade II listed, was recently converted into two private flats.
- There is another structure, which could be mistaken for a neglected gatehouse, but is in fact the school's very own electricity substation (strictly out of bounds!).
School houses
The school is made up of 5 (sometimes 6) houses, which are represented by each year's form classes, which in turn are represented by the colour of stripes on their ties. These are named after prominent Catholics (mostly with some personal connection to Finchley): Bampfield (green), BourneFrancis Bourne
Francis Alphonsus Bourne was an English prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Westminster from 1903 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911.-Early life:...
(blue), Feckenham
John Feckenham
John Feckenham , also known as John Howman of Feckingham and later John de Feckenham or John Fecknam, was an English churchman, the last abbot of Westminster.-Under Henry VIII and Edward VI:...
(gold), Fisher (white), Challoner (red), More (orange) and Alban (purple). Purple is not always included, but sometimes another form is made to accommodate more pupils, typically every other year.
The forms (houses) each have their own letter, which together make up the initials of the school. This is FRCHSB, standing for Finchley Roman Catholic High School for Boys, and each letter is for a different form.
At the beginning of the 2006-07 school year, another tie colour, orange, was introduced due to a complication about the number of pupils admitted that year.
As stated by the school:
- F(inchley) is Green Tie. Bampfield
- R(oman) is Blue Tie. Bourne
- C(atholic) is Gold Tie (often referred to as Yellow - Yellow and Gold being heraldically equivalent). Feckenham
- H(igh) is White Tie. Fisher
- S(chool) is Red Tie. Challoner
- B(oys) is Purple Tie.
- A(lban) is Orange Tie.
- F, R, C, H and S are the only ties which appear in each year group. Once every 2 years, it seems a new year 7 group get purple (B).
In 2006 the applications of many of the applicants were lost in the post. After the appeals of many parents, the school decided to take an additional class of boys. As the school was celebrating its 80th anniversary, it was decided to commemorate this house to Alban hence the 'More Alban'. This event has only happened once.
Notable old boys
- Dom Aidan Bellenger, currently Abbot of Downside AbbeyDownside AbbeyThe Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery and the Senior House of the English Benedictine Congregation. One of its main apostolates is a school for children aged nine to eighteen...
; former Head Master of Downside SchoolDownside SchoolDownside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
- Declan DanaherDeclan DanaherDeclan Danaher is a rugby union footballer who plays at back row for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership.-Club career:Danaher joined London Irish in 1999, making his debut against Gloucester Rugby in May 2000....
, rugby player, back row London IrishLondon IrishLondon Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top... - Tony GallagherTony GallagherTony Gallagher is a British newspaper editor.-Career:Gallagher attended Finchley Catholic High School and Bristol University and then City University London before becoming a journalist at the Southern Evening Echo in Southampton and then South West News press agency back in Bristol...
, editor since 2009 of the Daily Telegraph - Giuliano GrazioliGiuliano GrazioliGiuliano Stephano Grazioli is a former English footballer of Italian descent who played as a striker from 1995 until 2009, notably for Barnet where he is currently employed as Assistant Manager....
, former striker and current assistant manager of Barnet F.C.Barnet F.C.Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet.... - John Griffin, founder of London-based minicabs company Addison LeeAddison LeeAddison Lee is a London-based private hire company, currently the largest taxicab company in the United Kingdom.-John Griffin:Co-founder John Griffin was born in Ireland to a civil engineering contractor father...
- Martin Ivens, deputy editor and political columnist for the Sunday Times
- Dennis KellyDennis KellyDennis Kelly is a London-based writer for both the theatre and television. Oberon plays have published a volume of Dennis Kelly Plays; Debris, After the End, Osama the Hero and Love and Money...
, theatre and television writer - Damian McBrideDamian McBrideDamian McBride is a former civil servant and former special advisor to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. McBride began his civil service career at HM Customs and Excise...
, former adviser to prime minister Gordon BrownGordon BrownJames Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
; now working for the School as Business and Community Manager - Fr. John McDonald, former chaplain to the Catholic Stage GuildBritish Catholic Stage GuildThe British Catholic Stage Guild, the main organisation for Roman Catholics in British entertainment, was founded in 1911. The aim of the Guild, as laid out in the 1931 Year Book, was "to establish and encourage spiritual, artistic and social intercourse among [Roman] Catholics connected with the...
- Seán MilliganSpike MilliganTerence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
, son of Spike MilliganSpike MilliganTerence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
(famous comedian, who as co-founder of the Finchley Society, helped to get the main school building its Grade II listing) - Paul RinconPaul RinconPaul Rincon is a British journalist specialising in science and technology. He currently works as a science journalist for BBC News, where he has reported across online, radio and television platforms...
, BBC News, broadcast journalist, specialist in science & technology - Chas SmashChas SmashCathal Smyth, also known as Chas Smash is an English musician, best known as the backing singer and dancer in the ska/pop band Madness. He also plays trumpet, acoustic guitar and various percussion instruments...
, backing singer and dancer in British band MadnessMadness (band)In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
, also co-wrote one of their trademark hits, "Our House".
Finchley Grammar School
- Prof Christopher Bliss, Nuffield Professor of International Economics from 1992-2007 at the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and brother of Jill Paton WalshJill Paton WalshJill Paton Walsh, CBE, FRSL is an English novelist and children's writer.Born as Gillian Bliss and educated at St. Michael's Convent, North Finchley, London, she read English Literature at St Anne's College, Oxford... - James Bredin, former BBC news and documentary producer, Managing Director from 1964-82 of Border TelevisionBorder TelevisionBorder Television is the ITV franchise holder for the Border region, spanning the England/Scotland border and covering Dumfries & Galloway region, a small part of the south-west area of Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, parts of north and west Northumberland and the majority of Cumbria...
, and directed ITN's first broadcast in 1955 - Kevin Burns CMG, High Commissioner to Barbados and Eastern Caribbean States from 1986-90, and to Ghana (concurrently Ambassador to TogoTogoTogo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
) from 1983-86 - Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Robert Chapple CB, Principal Medical Officer of the RAFRAF Support Command-History:It was formed on 31 August 1973 by the renaming of Maintenance Command, with No. 90 Group being added to it. Its responsibilities included all logistical and maintenance support requirements of the RAF...
from 1991-94 - Tony Chanmugam, Finance Director of BTBT GroupBT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
since 2008 - Sir Frank Claringbull, mineralogical crystallographer (who worked with Lawrence BraggWilliam Lawrence BraggSir William Lawrence Bragg CH OBE MC FRS was an Australian-born British physicist and X-ray crystallographer, discoverer of the Bragg law of X-ray diffraction, which is basic for the determination of crystal structure. He was joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915. He was knighted...
), Director of the Natural History MuseumNatural History MuseumThe Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
from 1968-76, President from 1965-7 of the Mineralogical Association, and President from 1972-90 of the Gemmological Association of Great BritainGemmological Association of Great BritainThe Gemmological Association of Great Britain, also known as Gem-A, is an international gemmology education and qualifications body based in the UK.-History:...
- Terry ForrestalTerry ForrestalTerence Julian Forrestal was an English actor, stuntman and BASE jumper.Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. He was the son of Irish emigrants and attended Finchley Catholic Grammar School in England. He served in the British Armed Forces in Northern Ireland, among other places.He was a...
, stuntman extraordinaire; former soldier - Sir John HegartyBartle Bogle HegartyBartle Bogle Hegarty is a British advertising agency, responsible for some notable advertising campaigns of the last 30 years. The company was founded by John Bartle, Nigel Bogle & Sir John Hegarty in 1982. Sir John Hegarty and Nigel Bogle still lead it today, together with worldwide CEO Simon...
, founder of global advertising agency Bartle Bogle HegartyBartle Bogle HegartyBartle Bogle Hegarty is a British advertising agency, responsible for some notable advertising campaigns of the last 30 years. The company was founded by John Bartle, Nigel Bogle & Sir John Hegarty in 1982. Sir John Hegarty and Nigel Bogle still lead it today, together with worldwide CEO Simon... - Jerry LordanJerry LordanJerry Lordan , born Jeremiah Patrick Lordan in Paddington, west London, was an English songwriter, composer and singer.-Career:...
, composer of hits "Apache" and "Wonderful Land" for The ShadowsThe ShadowsThe Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'... - Prof David Luscombe, Professor of Medieval History from 1972-95 at the University of SheffieldUniversity of SheffieldThe University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
- Troy Kennedy MartinTroy Kennedy MartinTroy Kennedy Martin was a Scottish-born film and television screenwriter best known for creating the long running BBC TV police series Z-Cars, and for the award-winning 1985 anti-nuclear drama Edge of Darkness...
, screenwriter; co-creator of 1960s British TV hit series Z-CarsZ-CarsZ-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
, scripted 1960s classic The Italian JobThe Italian JobThe Italian Job is a 1969 British caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. Subsequent television showings and releases on video have established it as an institution in the United Kingdom.... - Eric MerrimanEric MerrimanEric Hugh Peter Merriman was a prolific British radio and television writer, who provided material for comedians including Frankie Howerd, Terry Scott and Morecambe and Wise....
, radio comedy writer - Lawrence Middleton CMG, Ambassador to the Republic of Korea from 1986-90
- Declan O'Farrell CBE, Chief Executive (1994-2003) of MetrolineMetrolineMetroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
- Prof Patrick O'Sullivan OBE, Haden-Pilkington Professor of Environmental Design and Engineering at UCLUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
- Nicholas J. PhillipsNicholas J. PhillipsNicholas John Phillips was an English physicist, notable for the development of photochemical processing techniques for the color hologram...
, UK hologram pioneer - Sir Hugh RossiHugh RossiSir Hugh Alexis Louis Rossi, KCSG, KHS, FKC is a former British Conservative politician.Rossi was educated at Finchley Catholic Grammar School - since 1971 Finchley Catholic High School - and King's College London and set up his own solicitor's practice in the West End, London...
, Conservative MP for HornseyHornsey (UK Parliament constituency)Hornsey was a parliamentary constituency covering what is now the Hornsey district of North London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from the 1885 general election until it was abolished for the 1983 general election...
, then Hornsey and Wood Green, 1966-92 - Prof Thomas Wiedemann, historian, former Professor of Latin from 1995-2001 at the University of NottinghamUniversity of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...