King Edward's School, Witley
Encyclopedia
King Edward's School, Witley is an independent co-educational
boarding and day school
, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI
and Nicholas Ridley
. The School is located in the village of Wormley
(near Witley
), Surrey
, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952. As of September 2010, the school has joined the small number of independent schools in the UK which offer the IB Diploma Programme
in place of A-Levels
in the Sixth form
.
, after Nicholas Ridley
preached to Edward VI
to give some of his empty palaces over to the City of London
(governed by the City of London Corporation) to house homeless women and children.
The school was commandeered
by the Royal Navy
during the Second World War to test and develop the use of radar
. The school still remembers this with a plaque in the central area, a junction of corridors known as 'Piccadilly'. The President of Bridewell Royal Hospital (the title was kept after the move of location) is now The Duchess of Gloucester, appointed from 1 January 2006. The Queen Mother
held the title from 1953 to 2002. The school's creation was sanctioned by the same charter
as that of Christ's Hospital
and St Thomas' Hospital
. The school maintains strong links with the City of London
, and is still supported by it, with some students on bursaries funded by the City. As of the academic year 2008/09 Senior School day
fees are £16,140 per year, with Senior School boarding
fees £22,470 per year, though a number of bursaries
and scholarship
s are available.
The senior houses were built in the 1970s, and the plans can be seen in the School Museum, housed in the History Department. Boarders moved into these new buildings in Autumn 1976 and the inauguration was commemorated by a visit from HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
.
The houses, in their pairs, are:
Former houses closed in 2010:
The school has a very competitive atmosphere between all of the houses. They compete in different competitions and challenges such as House Drama, House Music, Sports Day and other various sporting and academic events. These all allow the winning houses to accumulate points for the Cock House Cup, which is awarded to the house with the most points at the end of the School Year.
The current holders of the Cock House Cup are Wakefield House and Elizabeth House.
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
boarding and day school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, founded in 1553 by King Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
and Nicholas Ridley
Nicholas Ridley (martyr)
Nicholas Ridley was an English Bishop of London. Ridley was burned at the stake, as one of the Oxford Martyrs, during the Marian Persecutions, for his teachings and his support of Lady Jane Grey...
. The School is located in the village of Wormley
Wormley
Wormley is a hamlet in Surrey, England. It is a dispersed hamlet largely consisting of a scattering of houses on the A283 Petworth Road between Witley and Chiddingfold and Combe Lane, a turning off the A283 where Witley station and further houses are situated...
(near Witley
Witley
Witley, in Surrey, England is a village south west of Godalming. The village lies just east of the A3 that runs from Guildford to Petersfield. Witley together with the neighbouring area of Hambledon have a population of about 4,000. Neighbouring villages include Milford, Chiddingfold and...
), Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England, having moved to its present location in 1867. The School became fully co-educational in 1952. As of September 2010, the school has joined the small number of independent schools in the UK which offer the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
in place of A-Levels
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
in the Sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
.
History
The School was originally founded as Bridewell Royal HospitalBridewell Palace
Bridewell Palace in London, originally a residence of King Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. The name "Bridewell" subsequently became synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and in Ireland...
, after Nicholas Ridley
Nicholas Ridley (martyr)
Nicholas Ridley was an English Bishop of London. Ridley was burned at the stake, as one of the Oxford Martyrs, during the Marian Persecutions, for his teachings and his support of Lady Jane Grey...
preached to Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
to give some of his empty palaces over to the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
(governed by the City of London Corporation) to house homeless women and children.
The school was commandeered
Commandeering
Commandeering is an act of appropriation by the military or police whereby they take possession of the property of a member of the public.-External links:*"" at Straight Dope, 25 April 2006*"" at Urban Legends Reference Pages, 6 August 2001...
by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the Second World War to test and develop the use of radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
. The school still remembers this with a plaque in the central area, a junction of corridors known as 'Piccadilly'. The President of Bridewell Royal Hospital (the title was kept after the move of location) is now The Duchess of Gloucester, appointed from 1 January 2006. The Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
held the title from 1953 to 2002. The school's creation was sanctioned by the same charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
as that of Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
and St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS hospital in London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It has provided health care freely or under charitable auspices since the 12th century and was originally located in Southwark.St Thomas' Hospital is accessible...
. The school maintains strong links with the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, and is still supported by it, with some students on bursaries funded by the City. As of the academic year 2008/09 Senior School day
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
fees are £16,140 per year, with Senior School boarding
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
fees £22,470 per year, though a number of bursaries
Bursary
A bursary is strictly an office for a bursar and his or her staff in a school or college.In modern English usage, the term has become synonymous with "bursary award", a monetary award made by an institution to an individual or a group to assist the development of their education.According to The...
and scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s are available.
Boarding houses
There are eight functioning houses in total, four male and four female. The boarding houses at the school are paired, and, in the case of the senior pupils, conjoined in the centre of the buildings. This central area (known as the 'Accy Area', from activity area) allows the boys and girls from the paired houses to meet in the evenings and during spare time; to chat, watch television or a DVD, or play pool or table football. The right-hand half of the iconic front building of the school is used as Copeland House, the junior girls boarding house, while Queen Mary House was formerly a care home for the mentally ill and then the school sanatorium, until later becoming the junior boys boarding house.The senior houses were built in the 1970s, and the plans can be seen in the School Museum, housed in the History Department. Boarders moved into these new buildings in Autumn 1976 and the inauguration was commemorated by a visit from HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
.
The houses, in their pairs, are:
Juniors
- Queen Mary House - Queen MaryMary of TeckMary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
was President of the school from 1940 until 1953. The junior boys' house, known as QMH. - Copeland – The junior girls’ house, named after Lt. Col. Alfred J. Copeland, Treasurer from 1885 to 1896, and again 1900 to 1920. This forms part of the façade of the school.
Seniors
- Wakefield – After Charles Wakefield, 1st Viscount WakefieldCharles Wakefield, 1st Viscount WakefieldCharles Cheers Wakefield, 1st Baron Wakefield , was a British businessman.-Early life:Wakefield was born in Liverpool, in 1859, the son of John Wakefield, and his wife Margaret, née Cheers, and was educated at the Liverpool Institute.-Business career:Wakefield patented the Wakefield lubricator for...
, President and benefactor from 1916 to 1940. - Elizabeth – After Queen Elizabeth The Queen MotherElizabeth Bowes-LyonElizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, President of Bridewell Royal Hospital from 1953 to 2002. She visited the school four times; 1958, 1965, 1976 and 1991. - Edward – After King Edward VIEdward VI of EnglandEdward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, the founder. - Tudor – After The House of TudorTudor dynastyThe Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
, the current royal family at the time of the school's founding. - Grafton – After Richard GraftonRichard GraftonRichard Grafton , was King's Printer under Henry VIII and Edward VI. He was a member of the Grocers' Company and MP for Coventry elected 1562-63.-Under Henry VIII:...
, MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, printer and historian. The first Treasurer of Bridewell Royal Hospital. - Queens - After the two queens who have been Presidents (MaryMary of TeckMary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
and ElizabethElizabeth Bowes-LyonElizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
).
Former houses closed in 2010:
- Ridley – Named after Bishop Nicholas RidleyNicholas Ridley (martyr)Nicholas Ridley was an English Bishop of London. Ridley was burned at the stake, as one of the Oxford Martyrs, during the Marian Persecutions, for his teachings and his support of Lady Jane Grey...
, who preached to King Edward to request Bridewell Palace to be given to the City of London for charitable purposes. Currently not in use pending renovation or reconstruction. - St Bridget’s – Saint Brigid of KildareBrigid of KildareSaint Brigit of Kildare, or Brigit of Ireland , nicknamed Mary of the Gael is one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba...
was a 5th century Irish saint who is associated with a well which gave its name to the church of St. Bride and then to the palace, Bridewell Palace, built by Henry VIII. Currently not in use pending renovation or reconstruction.
The school has a very competitive atmosphere between all of the houses. They compete in different competitions and challenges such as House Drama, House Music, Sports Day and other various sporting and academic events. These all allow the winning houses to accumulate points for the Cock House Cup, which is awarded to the house with the most points at the end of the School Year.
The current holders of the Cock House Cup are Wakefield House and Elizabeth House.
School publications
The school has its own magazine, The Edwardian, which it publishes yearly. There is a short school newsletter, KEStrel, published bi-annually, that incorporates recent school events and news.Notable associations
- Samuel PepysSamuel PepysSamuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
– Governor in the 17th century. - Sir James Sanderson, BtSir James Sanderson, 1st BaronetSir James Sanderson, 1st Baronet was a banker, a Member of Parliament, an alderman and Lord Mayor of London. He also served as president of Bridewell Hospital , and was a member of William Wilberforce's Proclamation Society for the Discouragement of Vice.When he died his widow married William...
, President of Bridewell (1793–98) - John Palmer, 4th Earl of SelborneJohn Palmer, 4th Earl of SelborneJohn Roundell Palmer, 4th Earl of Selborne, GBE, FRS, FIBiol is a British peer and businessman. He is one of the hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999....
– Treasurer (1972–1983) - Caroline Cox, Baroness CoxCaroline Cox, Baroness CoxCaroline Cox, Baroness Cox FRCN; born 6 July 1937) is a cross-bench member of the British House of Lords. She also is the founder and CEO of an organisation called the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust...
– Governor - Ian Allan – Treasurer (1983–1995)
Notable Old Witleians
Former students of King Edward's are referred to as Old Witleians.- Ivor CaplinIvor CaplinIvor Keith Caplin is a British Labour Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Hove from 1997 until 2005.Caplin was born in Brighton and educated at King Edward's School, Witley and Brighton College of Technology...
, LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament - Du'aine LadejoDu'aine LadejoDu'aine Ladejo is an English-born athlete and television personality. In his sports career, he was best known for winning the 400 metres sprint gold medal at the 1994 European Championships and being a member of the United Kingdom and England 400 metre relay squads at the European Championships,...
, Olympic medal winning athlete - Edward Tudor-PoleEdward Tudor-PoleEdward Tudor-Pole is an English musician, singer , TV presenter and actor.- Musical career :Tudor-Pole formed the band Tenpole Tudor in 1974, and eventually came to prominence after appearing in the film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle as a possible replacement for Johnny Rotten in the Sex Pistols...
, musician and actor, leader of the band Tenpole TudorTenpole TudorTenpole Tudor are an English punk band fronted by Edward Tudor-Pole. The band has been active intermittently since 1977.-Origins:Tenpole Tudor formed in 1977 when Tudor-Pole met guitarist Bob Kingston , bassist Dick Crippen, and drummer Gary Long... - Richard ShortRichard Short (actor)Richard Ian Porterfield Short is an English actor currently working in Los Angeles. Most recently appeared in the FX Network show "American Horror Story" directed by 'Miguel Arteta' as well as the feature film "The Exhibitionists" for director Michael Melamedoff, playing 'Walter Todd', to be...
, actor - Edd ChinaEdd ChinaEdd China is a motor specialist who has been featured in British TV shows including Wheeler Dealers and Auto Trader, both alongside television presenter Mike Brewer. China has also appeared on various radio shows. He was educated at King Edward's School, Witley, and holds a degree in Engineering...
, motor specialist
Further reading
- King Edward’s School: Bridewell to Witley 1553-2005, Bertie Mawer, 2000. ISBN 0-7110-2776-5
- Bethlem Hospital 1247-1997, Patricia Aldridge
- The City of London, Mary Cathcart Borer, 1977
- Bridewell Royal Hospital and King Edward’s Schools, Alfred J. Copeland, 1912
- The Last Tudor King, Hesther W. Chapman, 1958
- Chronicle, Richard Grafton
- Old Bridewell (Monograph), R.S. Mylne, 1905
- Bridewell Hospital Palace, Prison, Schools, E.C. O’Donoghue, 1929
- Henry VIII, A.W. Pollard, 1905
- Nicholas Ridley, Jasper Ridley, 1957
- Works of Nicholas Ridley, Parker Society Cambridge, 1953