St George's School, Windsor Castle
Encyclopedia
St George's School, Windsor Castle is a coeducational independent Preparatory School of some 410 children, aged from 3 to 13, in Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....

, near London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

.

The school was established to provide 6 choristers for the Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
The Choir of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle exists to sing services in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.It has been in existence since 1348 and, with the exception of the Commonwealth period , has sung services in the Chapel continuously ever since.- The choir today :The choir comprises...

, which sings in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...

, which is the official country residence of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...

. St George's is one of the oldest schools in the country, and has provided an unbroken line of boy choristers to sing daily services in St George's Chapel since 1352.

The 16 full choristers live in school, with 7 (variable) 'probationers' continuing as day pupils. They attend lessons at the school with the other children. They rehearse each day before and after school in the Song School by the Chapel, where they sing seven services each week during term time. Their school fees are partially met by grants from the Dean and Canons. The choristers have sung at events such as the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, now the Countess of Wessex, and the funeral of John Hunt, Baron Hunt and also the wedding of HRH Prince Charles and Camilla.

The school has a boarding community of 30 children, many of whom board on weekly or flexible arrangements. Most pupils have experienced some level of boarding before they leave at 13.

The school buildings are situated just below the north wall of the castle, with the school being divided in to three distinct sections – the Pre-Prep (Nursery to Year 2) the Middle School (Years 3, 4 and 5) and the Senior School (Years 6, 7 and 8).

The school has strong reputations in music, the performing arts and in sport. Nearly all pupils over the age of 7 learn an instrument, the vast majority of girls take part in ballet, tap or jazz dancing and there is a wide range of school choirs covering all age-groups.

Although the school is a town centre school, spacious playing fields are situated next door to the school site, within the Queen’s private grounds. Boys play football, rugby and cricket and the girls play netball, hockey and rounders. Swimming in the school’s indoor pool is an important activity - in recent years the school has featured prominently in a number of National Prep School sporting competitions.

Notable alumni

  • Sir Walford Davies (1869–1941), composer.
  • Timothy Bavin (born 1935), Anglican bishop
  • David Fanshawe
    David Fanshawe
    David Arthur Fanshawe was an English composer, ethnomusicologist and self-styled explorer. His work is situated at the crossroads of traditional and modern music. His best-known composition is the 1972 choral work African Sanctus.- Life :Fanshawe was born in Paignton in Devon in 1942...

     (1942–2010), classical composer
  • John David Morley
    John David Morley
    -Early life:The third and youngest child of the artist and sculptor Patricia Morley and John Arthur Elwell Morley, an officer in the British Colonial Service, John David Victor Morley was born “in something of a hurry on a bench in a third-class Chinese ward at the Kandang Kerbau Maternity...

     (born 1948), writer and novelist
  • Francis Grier
    Francis Grier
    Francis Grier is an English choral and vocal classical composer and psychoanalyst.He was a chorister at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , music scholar at Eton College, and organ scholar at King's College, Cambridge, then Assistant Organist and then Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...

     (born 1955), classical composer
  • Miles Jupp
    Miles Jupp
    Miles Jupp is a British actor and comedian, probably best known as Archie in the children's television series Balamory....

     (born 1979), comedian
  • John Lubbock
    John Lubbock (conductor)
    John Lubbock is an English conductor and singer, founder of the Orchestra of St John's Smith Square , which he has brought to prominence including performances at the Proms as well as engaging in outreach and charity work....

    , (born 1979) conductor
  • Princess Eugenie of York
    Princess Eugenie of York
    Princess Eugenie of York Eugenie Victoria Helena; born 23 March 1990) is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York...

     (born 1990), daughter of The Duke of York
    Prince Andrew, Duke of York
    Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...

     and granddaughter of Elizabeth II

Notable students

  • Lady Louise Windsor
    Lady Louise Windsor
    The Lady Louise Windsor is the elder child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. She is the youngest granddaughter and second-youngest grandchild of Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh...

     (born 2003), daughter of The Earl of Wessex
    Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
    Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...

     and granddaughter of Elizabeth II (currently attending)
  • Lady Sophia Taylor (born 1999), daughter of Lady Helen Windsor and grandaughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
    Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
    The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63...

    .

External links

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