Sutton Valence School
Encyclopedia
Sutton Valence School is an English independent school
near Maidstone
in southeast England. It has about 520 pupils. It is a co-educational school with a boarding
option (approximately 1/3 of its pupils board). The three boarding houses are Westminster, St Margaret's and Sutton and, for those in the first and second form, Beresford. Old Suttonians show great allegiance to their old boarding houses, Westminster or St Margaret's.
of Henry VIII
. It remained under the control of the Clothworkers' Company until 1910 when it was taken under the control of United Westminster Schools, a charitable trust which also incorporates Emanuel School
and Westminster City School
in London.
In 1983, the school became co-educational and in 1995 it incorporated Underhill Preparatory School. It is now a co-educational day and boarding school catering for pupils from three to eighteen years of age. It has strong local roots, but also welcomes a number of overseas pupils. The school limits numbers of pupils in order to remain small enough to cater for each pupil’s needs, offering at the same time a broad curriculum and an extensive range of co-curricular activities.
The current headmaster is Bruce Grindlay
.
The school has recently gone through a period of renovation and expansion, building a new maths block, theatre, indoor swimming pool, second astro pitch and an all-weather track and field facility. The sports hall is dedicated to Sydney Wooderson
, a former pupil and Olympic athlete who held the world record for the mile.
and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme (DofE) make a significant contribution to the programme, exposing all pupils in Year 9 and large numbers above to a variety of opportunities to develop their self-reliance, perseverance, leadership skills and sense of service. CCF courses are supplemented by termly field days offering overnight camps, exercises and adventurous training. DofE members undertake service in the community and expeditions. Pupils in Year 10 and Year 11 may opt out of this provision and study for a further creative subject in GCSE. Sixth-formers may choose community service.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
near Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
in southeast England. It has about 520 pupils. It is a co-educational school with a 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...
option (approximately 1/3 of its pupils board). The three boarding houses are Westminster, St Margaret's and Sutton and, for those in the first and second form, Beresford. Old Suttonians show great allegiance to their old boarding houses, Westminster or St Margaret's.
History
Founded in 1576 by William Lambe, Master of the Clothworkers and a member of the Chapel RoyalChapel Royal
A Chapel Royal is a body of priests and singers who serve the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they are called upon to do so.-Austria:...
of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. It remained under the control of the Clothworkers' Company until 1910 when it was taken under the control of United Westminster Schools, a charitable trust which also incorporates Emanuel School
Emanuel School
Emanuel School is a co-educational independent school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded by Lady Dacre and Elizabeth I in 1594. Today it has some 710 pupils, aged between ten and eighteen.-History:...
and Westminster City School
Westminster City School
Westminster City School is a voluntary aided Christian school for boys in Westminster, London. The school has 800 students on its roll, and it offers 105 of 130 places each year to boys practising the Christian faith in the Anglican dioceses of London and Southwark. The other 25 spaces are...
in London.
In 1983, the school became co-educational and in 1995 it incorporated Underhill Preparatory School. It is now a co-educational day and boarding school catering for pupils from three to eighteen years of age. It has strong local roots, but also welcomes a number of overseas pupils. The school limits numbers of pupils in order to remain small enough to cater for each pupil’s needs, offering at the same time a broad curriculum and an extensive range of co-curricular activities.
The current headmaster is Bruce Grindlay
Bruce Grindlay
Bruce Grindlay is a British organist, conductor, teacher and the Current Headmaster at Sutton Valence SchoolGrindlay finished his schooling in Canada and studied at the Royal Canadian College of Organists as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of British Columbia...
.
The school has recently gone through a period of renovation and expansion, building a new maths block, theatre, indoor swimming pool, second astro pitch and an all-weather track and field facility. The sports hall is dedicated to Sydney Wooderson
Sydney Wooderson
Sydney Charles Wooderson MBE , dubbed "The Mighty Atom", was an English athlete whose peak career was in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of Britain’s greatest middle-distance runners and had an amazing sprint finish...
, a former pupil and Olympic athlete who held the world record for the mile.
Boarding houses
There are three senior boarding houses and one junior house:- Westminster House
- St Margaret's House
- Sutton House
- Beresford House
Pupils
At present the school has 524 pupils, 349 boys and 175 girls. Of these, 155 are in the Sixth Form (106 boys and 49 girls). Just over one-fifth of pupils are boarders (98 boys and 28 girls). Nearly six out of every ten pupils enter into Year 7, about half from the preparatory school and the rest mainly from maintained primary schools. The other two-fifths enter into Year 9, mainly from local preparatory schools. The majority of day pupils live within 15 miles of the school.CCF
CCFCombined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme (DofE) make a significant contribution to the programme, exposing all pupils in Year 9 and large numbers above to a variety of opportunities to develop their self-reliance, perseverance, leadership skills and sense of service. CCF courses are supplemented by termly field days offering overnight camps, exercises and adventurous training. DofE members undertake service in the community and expeditions. Pupils in Year 10 and Year 11 may opt out of this provision and study for a further creative subject in GCSE. Sixth-formers may choose community service.
Notable former pupils
- Ajahn Amaro (Jeremy Horner), abbot, Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
- Ali BongoAli BongoAli Bongo was a British comedy magician, and president of The Magic Circle who performed an act in which he was known as the "Shriek of Araby"....
, magician - Ashley JacksonAshley Jackson (field hockey)Ashley Jackson when he was in year 7 he joined rose hill school in Tunbridge Wells. He is an English field hockey player...
, GB Olympic hockey player - Ben BrownBen Brown (journalist)Ben Brown is a journalist and news presenter for the BBC's rolling news channel BBC News. He has also presented the BBC News at Six and the BBC News at Ten and is currently an occasional presenter on the BBC Weekend News on BBC One...
, BBC journalist - Sir Charles GrovesCharles GrovesSir Charles Barnard Groves CBE was an English conductor. He was known for the breadth of his repertoire and for encouraging contemporary composers and young conductors....
, conductor - Gordon AppsGordon AppsLieutenant Gordon Frank Mason Apps was a British-born World War I flying ace credited with 10 aerial victories. After working for the Imperial Wireless Chain in England postwar, he returned to Canada and joined the nascent Royal Canadian Air Force...
, DFCDistinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, World War I flying aceFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more... - John Howard ChurchillJohn Howard ChurchillJohn Howard Churchill was Dean of Carlisle from 1973 to 1987.Born in 1920, he was educated at Sutton Valence School and Trinity College, Cambridge and ordained in 1944. He held curacies at St George, Camberwell and All Hallows, Tottenham before becoming Chaplain of King's College London and a...
, Dean of CarlisleDean of CarlisleThe Dean of Carlisle is based in Carlisle, UK and is the head of the Chapter of Carlisle Cathedral. There have been 39 previous incumbents and the current holder of the post is The Very Reverend Mark Boyling.-Deans:...
(1973 - 1987) - Mark BensonMark BensonMark Richard Benson is a former International cricketer and a retired ICC Elite Panel cricket umpire - he played for England in one Test match and one One Day International in 1986....
, England Cricket, Kent County Cricket Club Captain and ICC Elite Umpire - Peter FairleyPeter FairleyPeter Fairley was a science journalist who was the Science Editor for Independent Television News and TV Times magazine the late sixties and early seventies.His name became synonymous with ITN's extensive live coverage of the Apollo moon landing missions.- Biography :His father was a...
, TV science journalist - Robbie JosephRobbie JosephRobert Hartman Joseph is a West Indian-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast bowler....
, Kent cricket player - Robert FiskRobert FiskRobert Fisk is an English writer and journalist from Maidstone, Kent. As Middle East correspondent of The Independent, he has primarily been based in Beirut for more than 30 years. He has published a number of books and has reported on the United States's war in Afghanistan and the same country's...
, journalist - Sydney WoodersonSydney WoodersonSydney Charles Wooderson MBE , dubbed "The Mighty Atom", was an English athlete whose peak career was in the 1930s and 1940s. He was one of Britain’s greatest middle-distance runners and had an amazing sprint finish...
, Olympic athlete and world record holder - Terence Cuneo, painter Cuneo Society