Hall Cross School
Encyclopedia
Hall Cross School, founded in 1350, is a co-educational comprehensive school
in Doncaster
, South Yorkshire
, England
.
(in the Town Fields
area) and the Lower School in the north of Bessacarr
, near the Dome. Hall Cross School has specialist
status as a Science College
. The total number of pupils who attend the school is over 2,000. It features as an integral part of the community, providing access to facilities for many primary schools, which also form part of its large catchment area. The headteacher of the school is Pippa Dodgshon.
It is named after the Hall Cross on Hall Cross Hill, on the opposite side of the main road through Doncaster.
decorated with flowers cut into the massive oak beams which may in fact be stained pine. The building also features a tower at one corner. Inside, the library features two massive Gothic style glass windows at either end, one of them being stained glass, designed and executed by former pupil C. Rupert Moore, which was unveiled in 1938 as a tribute to "Old Boys" from the school who died in World War I. The library features a large amount of Victorian plaques, dedicated to past headteachers of the school, men from the school who died in both wars, and other various things. The most recently added one commemorating when Prince Charles visited the school in 1989. By number of books, the library is the biggest school library in Doncaster, and is largely used by the 6th form.
Christchurch house is the school's equivalent of a "6th form block". It is a large detached Victorian Townhouse which overlooks the local church that the house is named after. The house features a grand wooden staircase, stained glass skylights, and a statue of the Venus de Milo which originally resided in the Girls' School, built in 1918. When the school was disbanded, the statue was moved to Hall Cross.
The object of the Club is to maintain connections between past members of the School with one another and the School, and generally promote the welfare of the foundation.
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Admissions
The school is split over two sites, with the Upper School located in the centre of DoncasterDoncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
(in the Town Fields
Town Fields
Town Fields is a large area of public land in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England that has belonged in the public domain for many hundreds of years....
area) and the Lower School in the north of Bessacarr
Bessacarr
Bessacarr is a large village, located in the south-east of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the most affluent areas in the region. Due, in part, to its respected reputation, Bessacarr has expanded hugely since the Second World War, and is now one of the largest villages in the...
, near the Dome. Hall Cross School has specialist
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
status as a Science College
Science College
Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, science and mathematics...
. The total number of pupils who attend the school is over 2,000. It features as an integral part of the community, providing access to facilities for many primary schools, which also form part of its large catchment area. The headteacher of the school is Pippa Dodgshon.
It is named after the Hall Cross on Hall Cross Hill, on the opposite side of the main road through Doncaster.
The Library and Christchurch House
The library building is the oldest building on the Town Centre site, it was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and was built in 1869. Downstairs it features a plaque which can still be seen to this day, dedicating the building to Queen Victoria. The library is a classic example of Victorian Gothic Revival, featuring a large Hammerbeam roofHammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof, in architecture, is the name given to an open timber roof, typical of English Gothic architecture, using short beams projecting from the wall.- Design :...
decorated with flowers cut into the massive oak beams which may in fact be stained pine. The building also features a tower at one corner. Inside, the library features two massive Gothic style glass windows at either end, one of them being stained glass, designed and executed by former pupil C. Rupert Moore, which was unveiled in 1938 as a tribute to "Old Boys" from the school who died in World War I. The library features a large amount of Victorian plaques, dedicated to past headteachers of the school, men from the school who died in both wars, and other various things. The most recently added one commemorating when Prince Charles visited the school in 1989. By number of books, the library is the biggest school library in Doncaster, and is largely used by the 6th form.
Christchurch house is the school's equivalent of a "6th form block". It is a large detached Victorian Townhouse which overlooks the local church that the house is named after. The house features a grand wooden staircase, stained glass skylights, and a statue of the Venus de Milo which originally resided in the Girls' School, built in 1918. When the school was disbanded, the statue was moved to Hall Cross.
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is one of the most important days in the school calendar. The school has held a ceremony every year since 1918 to remember those who attended the school and died in battle. The service begins at 9am. Speeches are made by the Head Teacher who gives thanks to those who died in conflict. Two poppy wreaths are then carried down the corridor to the library by the Head Boy and Head Girl. They are then laid by the World War one and World War two plaques respectively,, whilst the Last Post is played on the trumpet, with the sounds carrying through to the library.Former teachers
- H. J. BlackhamH. J. BlackhamHarold John Blackham was a leading British humanist and writer on philosophical and historical subjects....
(taught divinity in the early 1930s) - Squadron LeaderSquadron LeaderSquadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Ernest KinghornErnest KinghornErnest Kinghorn was a British Labour Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1945 to 1951.Kingjorn was born in Leeds, and became a teacher after studying at the universities of Leeds, Basle and Lille...
, Labour MP from 1945-51 for Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)Great Yarmouth is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
(taught languages) - Prof Roy Niblett CBE (taught English from 1930-4)
Alumni
- Louis Tomlinson member of One Direction in the X Factor Final
- David FirthDavid FirthDavid Firth is an English animator, video artist, amateur filmmaker, and musician. As a cartoonist Firth's work is largely distributed via the Internet...
, the animator behind Salad FingersSalad FingersSalad Fingers is a post-apocalyptic psychological horror Flash cartoon series originally created by British cartoonist David Firth in July 2004 which gained rapid internet popularity in 2005...
and all animations on the fat-pie website. - Barry MiddletonBarry MiddletonBarry John Middleton is an English field hockey player. He was a member of the Great Britain squad that finished ninth at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and fifth in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the England Squad that won the 2009 Eurohockey Nations Cup and gained silver at the 2010...
, the England international hockey player.
Doncaster Grammar School for Boys
- Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron GrimthorpeEdmund Beckett, 1st Baron GrimthorpeEdmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe, Q.C. , known previously as Sir Edmund Beckett, 5th Baronet and Edmund Beckett Denison was a lawyer, horologist, and architect...
(briefly) - Rodney BickerstaffeRodney BickerstaffeRodney Bickerstaffe has been president of the UK National Pensioners Convention and was leader of Britain's largest trade union, UNISON until 2001....
, former leader of Britain's largest trades union, UNISON. - Prof Thomas Charlton, Jackson Professor of Engineering from 1970-9 at the University of AberdeenUniversity of AberdeenThe University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, and Professor of Civil Engineering from 1963-70 at Queen's University Belfast - Lord Ronald Dearing CB, former Chairman of the Post Office, Chancellor from 1993-2000 of 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...
, and known for the Dearing ReportDearing ReportThe Dearing Report, formally known as the reports of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education is a series of major reports into the future of Higher Education in the United Kingdom, published in 1997. The report was commissioned by the UK government and was the largest review of...
which laid the foundations of tuition fees (top-up feesTop-up feesTuition fees were first introduced across the entire United Kingdom in September 1998 as a means of funding tuition to undergraduate and postgraduate certificate students at universities, with students being required to pay up to £1,000 a year for tuition...
) at universities - Sir Eric DentonEric James DentonSir Eric James Denton CBE, FRS, was a British marine biologist who won the Royal Society's Royal Medal in 1987. He was the Director of the Marine Biological Association Laboratory in Plymouth between 1974 and 1987.-References:...
CBE, marine biologist, Royal Society Research Professor from 1964-74 at the University of BristolUniversity of BristolThe University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is... - Sir Thomas Easterfield (1866 –- 1949), chemist.
- Percy EllandPercy EllandPercy Elland was an English newspaper editor.Born in Doncaster, Elland attended Doncaster Grammar School before entering journalism. In 1952, he became editor of the Evening Standard, serving until 1959, but making few changes to the title...
, Editor of the Evening StandardEvening StandardThe Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
from 1950-9 - Rev Henry Ellershaw, Master of University College, DurhamUniversity College, DurhamUniversity College, commonly known as Castle, is a college of the University of Durham in England. Centred around Durham Castle on Palace Green, it was founded in 1832 and is the oldest of Durham's colleges. As with all of Durham's colleges, it is, independently of the University, a listed body...
from 1919–30 - Prof Robert Fox, Professor of the History of Science from 1988-2006 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...
- Ian Glasby, UK Ambassador to Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoThe Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
from 1988–90 - Derek Hirst (1930–2006), painter.
- David Holmes CB, Chairman from 1998-9 of British Airways Regional (became part of BA ConnectBA ConnectBA Connect was a fully owned subsidiary airline of British Airways. Headquartered in Didsbury, Manchester, England, it operated a network of domestic and European services from a number of airports in the United Kingdom on behalf of British Airways...
in 2002 and sold to FlybeFlybeFlybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
in 2007), and from 2003-9 of the RAC FoundationRAC FoundationThe RAC Foundation is a motoring advocacy group that 'explores the economic, environmental, mobility and safety issues relating to roads and motor vehicles and campaigns to secure a fair deal for responsible road users'... - Paul Kent, biochemist and Master from 1972-82 of Van Mildert CollegeVan Mildert CollegeVan Mildert College, commonly known as Mildert, is a college of the University of Durham in England. Founded in 1965, it takes its name from William Van Mildert, Prince-Bishop of Durham from 1826 to 1836 and a leading figure in the University's 1832 foundation.Van Mildert College occupies grounds...
- Kevin MarshKevin Marsh-Early life:He was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in 1954 to John and Elizabeth Jill Marsh. He attended Doncaster Grammar School from 1966-73 and became Captain of School, as well as Captain of Cricket. He read Classics and English at Christ Church, Oxford and gained an MA in 1978. He also...
, BBC executive, Editor from 2002-6 of the Today programme - Prof Roger NeedhamRoger NeedhamRoger Michael Needham, CBE, FRS, FREng was a British computer scientist.-Early life:He attended Doncaster Grammar School for Boys in Doncaster ....
CBE, Professor of Computer Systems from 1981-98 at the University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, Head of the University of Cambridge Computer LaboratoryUniversity of Cambridge Computer LaboratoryThe Computer Laboratory is the computer science department of the University of Cambridge. As of 2007, it employs 35 academic staff, 25 support staff, 35 affiliated research staff, and about 155 research students...
from 1980–95, and invented important algorithms (Needham-Schroeder protocolNeedham-Schroeder protocolThe term Needham–Schroeder protocol can refer to one of two communication protocols intended for use over an insecure network, both proposed by Roger Needham and Michael Schroeder. These are:...
) for computer security - Prof David Parker, Queen Victoria Professor of Law from 1978-87 at the University of LiverpoolUniversity of LiverpoolThe University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
- Ronald Peet CBE, Chief Executive of Legal & GeneralLegal & GeneralLegal & General Group Plc , commonly known as Legal & General, is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its products include life insurance, general insurance, pensions and investments. It has operations in the United Kingdom, Egypt, France, Germany,...
from 1972–84 - Prof John Richmond] CBE, Professor of Medicine from 1973-89 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...
. - Rev Prof Christopher RowlandChristopher Rowland (theologian)Christopher Charles Rowland is a British priest and theologian, who has been Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford since 1991.-Life:...
, Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy ScriptureDean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy ScriptureThe position of Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture was established at the University of Oxford in 1847. The professorship was instituted by John Ireland, Dean of Westminster from 1816 until his death in 1842, who acquired considerable riches during his ecclesiastical career...
since 1991 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... - Prof Denis Sargan, Professor of Econometrics from 1964-84 at the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE). - John Saynor CMG, Director-General from 1989-92 of the Commonwealth War Graves CommissionCommonwealth War Graves CommissionThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
- Prof James Scott CBE, Special Professor of Health Care Planning from 1974-97 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...
. - Edward Smallwood, Liberal MP from 1917-8 of Islington EastIslington East (UK Parliament constituency)Islington East was a constituency which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885, until it was abolished for the February 1974 general election.-1885–1918:...
- Author and BBC Radio Four's Malcolm Stacey was a pupil at the same time as cartoonist Roy MitchellRoy MitchellRoy Mitchell may refer to:* Roy Mitchell , American baseball player* Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas , Mexican-American musician and author* Roy Mitchell...
- Sir Roy Watts CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, BABritish AirwaysBritish Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
Chief Executive from 1979–82 - John Whaley CBE, translator.
- Peter Wormald, Registrar GeneralRegistrar GeneralGeneral Register Office, in England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and many Commonwealth nations, is the government agency responsible for civil registration - the recording of vital records such as births, deaths, and marriages...
, England & Wales from 1990-6
Old Danensians
Alumni and former staff of Doncaster Grammar School, Doncaster High School for Girls, Hall Cross Comprehensive School and Hall Cross School, known as Old Danensians, are able to join the Old Danensians' Club.The object of the Club is to maintain connections between past members of the School with one another and the School, and generally promote the welfare of the foundation.
Trivia
- InterCity 125InterCity 125The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
power car 43045 was once named The Grammar School Doncaster A.D. 1350.