The Skinners' School is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 grammar school

Grammar school

A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...

 for boys located in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...

, Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

. Established in 1887, the school was founded by the Worshipful Company of Skinners

Worshipful Company of Skinners

The Worshipful Company of Skinners is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. It was originally an association of those engaged in the trade of skins and furs...

 (one of the 108 livery companies

Livery Company

The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...

 of 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...

) in response to a demand for education in the region. Today Skinners' remains an all boys grammar school, recently awarded specialist status

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...

 in science

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...

 and mathematics in recognition of these disciplines' excellent teaching. The current enrolment is 824 pupils, of whom around 230 are 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 Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells was the second school to be founded by The Worshipful Company of Skinners. The first Skinners' Company school, founded in Tonbridge, was called Sir Andrew Judd's Free School (an independent institution), now called Tonbridge School

Tonbridge School

Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...

, which only accepted fee paying borders, leaving the locals of Tonbridge without an education. As a result The Skinners' Company decided to found another school - The Skinners' Company's School for Boys - and after a prolonged row between towns Royal Tunbridge Wells

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...

 picked as the location. The school opened to 53 boys, many of whom had to walk in excess of six miles to reach class each day. The citizens of Tonbridge, again angry at the neglect of their sons, encouraged The Company to found a third school in 1888 - Sir Andrew Judd's Commercial School - which is now The Judd School

The Judd School

The Judd School is a state secondary school in Tonbridge, Kent, southeast England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present location on Brook Street, in the south of the town...

. Finally, in the 1890s, The Company opened a girls school in Hackney

London Borough of Hackney

The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....

, London, called The Skinners' Company's School for Girls

The Skinners' Company's School for Girls

The Skinners' Company's School for Girls was founded by the Worshipful Company of Skinners, a London Livery Company. It is a non denominational voluntary aided school and was opened in Hackney in 1890. It was then awarded specialist status in recognition of its excellent Business and Enterprise...

.

The school has expanded and evolved over the years. On 1 April 1992, The school (formerly a voluntary aided

Voluntary aided school

A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...

 grammar school) became a grant maintained school

Grant-maintained school

Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...

, reverting to voluntary aided status again in 1998, following the Education Reform Act

Education Reform Act 1988

The Education Reform Act 1988 is widely regarded as the most important single piece of education legislation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the 'Butler' Education Act 1944...

 of that year. Recently, additional accommodation has been provided for purpose-designed design and technology facilities and classrooms; a modern languages centre was completed in 2002 and a new music and performing arts centre opened in 2003. Ongoing development of the latter will provide further valuable provision for both curricular and extracurricular activities. Recent refurbishments have included new facilities for the sixth form. Specialist science status was awarded in 2005, which resulted in refurbishment of the science block. The school has since also gained mathematics and computing specialism status, and also twice achieved the 'green flag' status as an ecoschool. The school won a prestigious teaching award in 2009 in recognition of the work completed concerning environmental sustainability. A full program of team games is maintained throughout the year with notable successes, particularly in rugby, cricket and athletics. The school enjoys a deep rivalry with The Judd School

The Judd School

The Judd School is a state secondary school in Tonbridge, Kent, southeast England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present location on Brook Street, in the south of the town...

 and, to a lesser extent, with Tunbridge Wells Grammar School For Boys

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys

Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys, also known as Tunbridge Wells Boys' Grammar School, TWGSB or "Tech", is a grammar school in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England....

.

Buildings and Property

The school consists of a range of buildings built at various stages of the school's history. While each building services specific departments, these have changed as new building/facilities became available:

• The Main School and The School House are the oldest buildings on site and were the only buildings of the school when it opened in 1888 (built 1887). School House contains administrative offices including the school reception, headmaster's and deputy headmaster's offices. Main School houses the staff room and the library. Until recently, Main School was home to the music department and biology department, but these moved to other buildings when better facilities became available. The large rooms left behind have become home to some the English department.

• The New Wing was built in 1960. Due to its stark architecture, the concrete building is most out of place within the school and is often ironically referred to as The 'New' Wing. It contains the physics and chemistry laboratories and more recently now serves the biology laboratories. The laboratories were completely renovated on the school being awarded special science status in 2005 which prompted the biology department's move. New Wing also contains the sixth form facilities and the dining hall, which contains the canteen and is where whole school assembly is held before lessons every Monday morning.

• The Knox Wing (built in 1980) contains 8 class rooms each of very similar appearance. These rooms serve as form rooms and also class rooms for economics, geography, history and religious studies.

• The Leopard Building (built 1994) contains dedicated rooms for art and design/technology. Recently it has become home to IT rooms and the other class rooms serve as form rooms and rooms for mathematics. In 2010 the design technology rooms were upgraded to included facilities for delivering food technology.

• The Cecil Beeby Building is the newest building on the school grounds built in 2002. This provides dedicated resources for the modern foreign language department and also provides form rooms. It was built on the site of two old cabins where german used to be taught.

• The Gym was constructed in 1900 and is now too small to meet the sporting needs of the pupils. The school has planning permission to provide a new sports hall - it is hoped that construction of this facility will commence in 2011.

Byng Hall

In 2003 the school acquired Byng Hall. Originally the St John's Church Institute and later part of St John's Primary School, the governors of Skinners' had been hoping to purchase it for many years. It is stylistically very similar to the Main Building and School House and is viable from the front of the school plot.

Skinners' received grants from central government and ran an appeal in school and through the old boys network to raise the funds for the buildings purchase and renovation. The final building received a conservation award from the Tunbridge Wells Civic Society for the sensitive restoration which now enables Byng Hall to be used by the music and drama department; school drama productions and music recitals in The Thomson Theatre are prominent features in the school calendar.

Southfields

Skinners' owns a large set of playing fields just along the main road that runs outside the school on the border of Tunbridge Wells and Southborough. Called Southfields, it was originally intended to be the site for the new school when plans were drafted in the 1930s. World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 prevented the move from occurring, but the foundations for the buildings are still present in one corner.

The fields are home to five rugby pitches, a football pitch, cricket nets, three cricket squares and various athletics facilities. The pavilion, featuring three changing rooms, was rebuilt in 2005 following an arson attack.

Form System

Each year group at the school is divided into forms. In years 7 and 8 there are four forms, organised by house as assigned to the pupils on entering the school. In years 9-11 the pupils are reorganised into forms represented by colours: blue, green, red and yellow. In years 10 and 11 there are separate teaching groups from the forms. In the sixth form there are five forms in each year.

Houses

All students are assigned a house on entering the school. The four houses of Skinners' are named after notable contributors to the school, each designated a colour which determines the colour of the trim on the school blazers, caps and scarves worn by the pupils, as well as athletics kits. While the house only initially determines which form the student is in, it forms the basis of sport teams throughout each pupil's career at the school. As such, friendly rivalries exist between each house especially amongst cricket hockey and rugby teams, with competition peaking at sports day.
These houses are:

Atwell	Green	donated money to help fund the school
Hunt	Yellow	donated money to help fund the school
Knott	Blue	the first Headmaster of the school
Sebastian	White	the first Chairman of the school Governors

Knott house have a notorious reputation within the school for excelling on the sports field.

School uniform

The Skinners' School has uniform requirements that apply to all boys at the school, including those in the sixth form. These requirements have changed over the decades.

Traditionally

Variations throughout each school year, although some traditions have been repealed:

• Year 7 (First year) Black shoes. Grey socks. Black shorts. White collared shirt. School tie (black, red, and house colour, diagonal stripes). Grey, long sleeved, V-necked, woollen jumper (optional in summer). Blazer trimmed with two lines: burgundy and house colour, with school emblem on the breast pocket. Cap.

• Year 8 (Second year) Long trousers, instead of shorts.

• Year 10 (Fourth Year) No cap.

• Fifth formers could wear a boater (straw hat).

There was also the honours school tie for pupils who made an achievement for the school name, such as winning a local inter-school race. This tie was red, black, and white, diagonally striped.

Present Day

Years 7-10:

• Black shoes.
• Black trousers or shorts (though these are rarely worn being highly unfashionable amongst the pupils).
• White shirt.
• School tie (with house colour).
• Black V-necked jumpers are optional.
• Blazer (with house colour).
• School scarves are optional.

Years 11-13:

• Black or brown shoes.
• Most boys wear either a black or grey suit. This is optional, and the original blazer may still be worn, although is an unpopular choice.
• Boys in the 6th form may wear a white, blue or black shirt.
• Boys in year 11 should only wear white shirts.
• Any jumper, round-neck or V-neck can be worn as long as it is a suitably subdued colour with no logos.
• Those in the sixth form wear the sixth form tie (black and decorated with leopards). Boys in year 11 continue to wear the school tie.
• School scarves are optional

Sports Kit

PE/Gym Lessons

• White shorts
• House singlet
• White socks
• Non-marking trainers

Games

• Black and red hooped rugby shirt
• Black shorts
• Black socks with red hoops at top
• Appropriate footwear for football, hockey or rugby

Other ties are also available, however. Sporting achievements result in the presentation of school 'colours', a tie unique to the sport the achievement was gained in, which is presented by the headmaster in front of the school. The same goes for outstanding ability within the CCF. Prefect ties can be worn by the head boy, deputy head boys, as well as school and form prefects (These are black with horizontal red stripes).

Many boys have represented sports teams at county, regional and national level. Ties awarded to such boys are also accepted within the uniform policy.

• Teachers wear smart-casual clothing, with university gowns only worn on Skinners' Day during the ceremony.

Sixth Form

The sixth form are provided with their own common room, featuring a canteen and recreational seating, and an adjacent study centre equipped with computing facilities. There is also a common room for prefects situated under the headmaster's office in School House.

The current head of sixth form is Mr Craig Fleming.

Academic Performance

The Skinners' School performs consistently above average and was awarded a "1 or outstanding", from Ofsted inspectors, on 6 June 2007.

In 2010

A-Level

• 71% of entries achieved A and B grades (excluding General Studies).

GCSE

General Certificate of Secondary Education

The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...

• The vast majority of candidates achieved excellent grades, with 68% of grades being at A* or A.
• The overall GCSE pass rate (5 A*-C) was 100%.

Headmasters

The current headmaster is Simon Everson.

Notable past headmasters have included:

• The Reverend Frederick Knott, after whom the school house Knott is named;
• Cecil Beeby, after whom the Modern Languages school block is named;
• Gerald Taylor;
• Peter Braggins.

Student Leadership

In the summer term of Year 12, school prefects are selected. Leadership roles amongst the prefects now include the head boy, two deputy head boys, the chairman of the school council, the parents' association and Old Skinners' Society liaison prefect, two senior prefects and four house captains. Other school prefects are divided between the roles of duty prefect and form prefect.

There are usually approximately sixteen form prefects, who take responsibility for a year eight or year seven form, two to a form.

Boards in School Hall denote previous positions of importance including Head Boys and CCF Commanding Officers. Until recently boys who earnt a place at an Oxford or Cambridge college would have their name added to the University honours board although that practice has now been ceased due to the volume of boys gaining Oxbridge places each year.

Notable former pupils

Notable former pupils include:

• Sir Christopher Bayly
  Christopher Alan Bayly
  Sir Christopher Alan Bayly, FBA, FRSL is a British historian specializing in Indian, British Imperial, and Global History...
  
  , Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History
  Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History
  The Vere Harmsworth Professorship of Imperial and Naval History is one of the senior professorships in history at the University of Cambridge. After the Beit Professorship of Colonial History at Oxford and the Rhodes Professorship of Imperial History at King's College London , it is the third...
  
   since 1992 at the University of Cambridge
  University of Cambridge
  The 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...
  
  
• Sir Louis Beale CBE
• Mark Blackburn, President since 2003 of the British Numismatic Society
  British Numismatic Society
  The British Numismatic Society is an organisation for promoting the study of British coins and medals. It was founded in 1903. Its principal publication is the British Numismatic Journal, commonly abbreviated to "BNJ" in academic references....
  
  
• Peter Carter
  Peter Carter (diplomat)
  Peter Leslie Carter is a British diplomat, currently serving as Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia....
  
  , Ambassador to Estonia since 2007
• Colonel Harry Churchill MC, first on the beach in Operation Avalanche at Salerno
  Salerno
  Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
  
  , in the Allied invasion of Italy
  Allied invasion of Italy
  The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
  
  
• DJ Collins, former government (Dept of Education) PR executive, now Vice President, Google, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Google Europe, replacing Rachel Whetstone
  Rachel Whetstone
  Rachel Whetstone was Political Secretary to former Conservative leader, Michael Howard. She is now global head of communications and public policy for search-engine company Google....
  
   in June 2008, and boss of Peter Barron
  Peter Barron
  Peter Barron is Google's head of public relations for Britain, Ireland and the Benelux countries.Immediately prior to his appointment in 2008 the Belfast-born journalist had for four years been editor of the BBC programme Newsnight.-References:...
  
  
• Air Vice-Marshal
  Air Vice-Marshal
  Air 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...
  
   Reginald Dawson CBE, Director from 1989-92 of RAF Legal Services
  RAF Legal Branch
  The Royal Air Force Legal Branch or Directorate Legal Services - as it is better known - is the uniformed legal service provider for the Royal Air Force. It consists of solicitors and barristers qualified in a Commonwealth jurisdiction. DLS is headquartered at Air Command RAF High Wycombe...
  
  
• Marcus Dillistone
  Marcus Dillistone
  Marcus Dillistone is an award-winning and Royal Premiered British film director. A close friend of Sir John Mills, he directed the film of Sir John's life Sir John Mills' Moving Memories. Dillistone and Sir John first collaborated on Dillistone's film "The Troop", which was first screened at BAFTA...
  
  , Royal-premiered film director (music producer of the 2004 Athens Olympic opening and closing ceremonies)
• Frederick East CB, Chief Weapon System Engineer (Polaris
  UGM-27 Polaris
  The Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
  
  ) from 1976-80 at the MoD
  Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
  The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
  
  
• Phil Edmonds
  Phil Edmonds
  Phil Edmonds is a former English cricketer and a successful, albeit controversial, corporate executive....
  
   England cricketer
• John Edwards CMG, High Commissioner to Lesotho
  Lesotho
  Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
  
   from 1988-91 and Botswana from 1991-4
• Dr Michael Elliott
  Michael Elliott
  Michael Elliott, OBE was an English theatre and television director.-Early life:He was born in London the son of a clergyman, Canon Elliott and was educated at Radley College and Keble College, Oxford...
  
   CBE, organic chemist from 1948-2007 at the Rothamsted Experimental Station
  Rothamsted Experimental Station
  The Rothamsted Experimental Station, one of the oldest agricultural research institutions in the world, is located at Harpenden in Hertfordshire, England. It is now known as Rothamsted Research...
  
   who discovered and developed the pyrethroid
  Pyrethroid
  A pyrethroid is an organic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins produced by the flowers of pyrethrums . Pyrethroids now constitute a major commercial household insecticides...
  
   insecticides, as now commonly found in Raid
  Raid (insecticide)
  Raid is the brand name of a line of insecticides produced by SC Johnson, first launched in 1956.The initial active ingredient was the first synthetic pyrethroid, allethrin...
  
  
• Neil Faulkner
  Neil Faulkner
  Neil Faulkner may refer to:*Neil Faulkner , British archaeologist*Neil Faulkner , British painter...
  
  , archaeologist
• Bob Friend
  Bob Friend (newscaster)
  Bob Friend, MBE was one of the original news anchors for the Sky News channel from its launch in 1989 until his retirement in late 2003....
  
   MBE, early main news anchor for Sky News
  Sky News
  Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
  
  , and the BBC's first Australia correspondent in 1974 (left the school at 15 with no qualifications)
• Peter Hobbs
  Peter Hobbs (engineer)
  Peter Wallace Hobbs was an English engineer, and businessman, who with Bill Russell formed the well-known electrical appliance company Russell Hobbs.-Early life:...
  
  , one of the founders, with Bill Russell of Russell Hobbs
  Russell Hobbs
  Russell Hobbs is a manufacturer of household appliances based in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England.-Formation:After working with REME in World War II and leaving in 1947 as a Major, Bill Russell , from High Wycombe, joined Morphy Richards and helped to design the pop-up toaster, the electric...
  
  
• Prof Richard Holdaway FREng, Head of Space Science and Technology Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
  Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
  The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is one of the national scientific research laboratories in the UK operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council . It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at Chilton near Didcot in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom...
  
  
• Crispin Jewitt, Director from 1992-2007 of the British Library Sound Archive
  British Library Sound Archive
  The British Library Sound Archive in London, England is one of the largest collections of recorded sound in the world, including music, spoken word and ambient recordings....
  
  
• Nick Knowles
  Nick Knowles
  Nicholas Simon Augustine Knowles is an English television presenter. He is best known for presenting DIY SOS on the BBC. He has also presented Mission Africa, UK's Worst, City Hospital, Coast to Coast, Five's Company, Departure Lounge and Real Rescues.-Early years:Knowles was born in Southall,...
  
  , TV personality
• Ronald Ledger
  Ron Ledger
  Ronald Joseph Ledger was a Labour Co-operative politician in the United Kingdom.- Early life :...
  
  , Labour MP from 1955-70 for Romford
  Romford (UK Parliament constituency)
  Romford 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.- Boundaries :...
  
  
• Prof Michael Lockwood, FRS Chief Scientist at the Space Science and Technology Dept of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
  Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
  The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is one of the national scientific research laboratories in the UK operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council . It is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus at Chilton near Didcot in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom...
  
   since 2001 and Professor of Space Environment Physics at the University of Reading
  University of Reading
  The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
  
   since 2009
• Rev Prof John Marsh CBE, Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford
  Mansfield College, Oxford
  Mansfield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50...
  
   from 1953-70
• Chris McCooey
  Chris McCooey
  Chris McCooey is a freelance journalist and author. He was born in Tunbridge Wells in 1949 and has contributed travel and gardening articles to The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Financial Times, The Daily Mail and The Daily Express. He has written a number of local history books and gives talks...
  
  , published travel author, freelance journalist for papers such as The Financial Times
• Alec McCowen
  Alec McCowen
  Alexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
  
   CBE, actor
• Maj-Gen
  Major-General (United Kingdom)
  Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
  
   John Moore-Bick CBE, Colonel Commandant
  Colonel Commandant
  Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
  
   since 2002 of the Royal Engineers
  Royal Engineers
  The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
  
   (Chairman of the Governors since 2005)
• Sir Martin Moore-Bick, a Lord Justice of Appeal, older brother of John
• Ian Norrie, publisher
• Christopher Oakley CBE, former newspaper editor
• Hugh Pearman, architecture writer since 1986 for the Sunday Times
  The Sunday Times
  The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
  
  and Editor since 2006 of the RIBA Journal
• Bill Pegg OBE, Chief Test Pilot from 1947-56 of the Bristol Aeroplane Company
  Bristol Aeroplane Company
  The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
  
  , taking over from Cyril Unwins, who piloted the maiden flights of the Bristol Brabazon
  Bristol Brabazon
  The Bristol Type 167 Brabazon was a large propeller-driven airliner, designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company to fly transatlantic routes from the United Kingdom to the United States. The prototype was delivered in 1949, only to prove a commercial failure when airlines felt the airliner was too...
  
   and Bristol Britannia
  Bristol Britannia
  The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
  
  
• Robert Raymond
  Robert Raymond
  Robert Alwyn "Bob" Raymond OAM was an Australian Logie Award winning producer, director, writer, filmmaker and journalist...
  
   OAM
  Order of Australia
  The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
  
  , Australian TV news producer who established the Four Corners program (equivalent of BBC's Panorama
  Panorama (TV series)
  Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
  
  )
• Prof Tony Robards OBE, HSBC Professor of Innovation from 2001-9 at the University of York
  University of York
  The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
  
   and Chairman from 1999-2008 of York Science Park
• Christopher Robbins, Ambassador to Lithuania from 1998-2001
• Martin Shearman CVO, High Commissioner to Uganda
  Uganda
  Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
  
   since 2008
• Colin Smart, England Rugby prop forward
• Jamie Spence
  Jamie Spence
  Jamie Spence is an English professional golfer.Spence was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. He turned professional in 1985 and has finished in the top 100 on the European Tour Order of Merit more than a dozen times, with a best placing of tenth in 1992...
  
  , golfer
• Andrew Stratton, President from 1967-70 of the Institute of Navigation
  Institute of Navigation
  The Institute of Navigation is a non-profit professional organization for the advancement of the art and science of navigation. It was founded in 1945 and serves communities interested in navigation and positioning on land, air, sea and space. It is a worldwide organization with members in over...
  
  
• Hamish Taylor, Chief Executive of Sainsbury's Bank
  Sainsbury's Bank
  Sainsbury's Bank, now trading as Sainsbury's Finance, is a 50:50 joint venture between J Sainsbury and Bank of Scotland . Sainsbury’s was the first major British supermarket to open a bank, commencing trading in February 1997...
  
   from 2000-2, and Eurostar Group from 1999-2000
• Maj-Gen
  Major-General (United Kingdom)
  Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
  
   Michael Tomlinson CB OBE, Colonel Commandant
  Colonel Commandant
  Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
  
   from 1982-91 of the Royal Artillery
  Royal Artillery
  The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
  
  
• James Whitbourn
  James Whitbourn
  - Biography :James Whitbourn was born in Kent and educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was a choral scholar and gained a degree in Music. His international reputation as a composer for concert hall and screen, developed from his early career as a programme maker at the BBC, during which...
  
  , composer, BBC producer for the Royal Wedding
• Bob Woolmer
  Bob Woolmer
  Robert Andrew Woolmer was an international cricketer, professional cricket coach and also a professional commentator...
  
  , the late international cricketer and coach
• Brian Wright, Conductor. Current musical director of Goldsmiths Choral Union, London, and the Maidstone Symphony Orchestra.
• Nick House, NHE group (Mahiki, Whiskey Mist, Tini etc.), nightclub and entertainment entrepreneur.

Other Skinners’ boys have achieved many distinctions over the years – in classical music, on the West End stage, even in warship design – the flight decks of modern aircraft carriers follow the plans of Douglas Taylor, MBE, an Old Skinner. Recently there has been a member of the National Youth Ballet, two members of the National Youth Orchestra, a member of the National Youth Theatre, the England Under 18 Rugby Captain, an Oxford Rugby Blue, and a Commonwealth Games athlete.

The Leopard song

The Skinners' School, like many schools started by London livery companies, has a school song. The lyrics are by P Shaw-Jeffrey

Percy Shaw Jeffrey

Percy Shaw Jeffrey, FRGS was a respected schoolmaster and author of several books on a range of topics, including significant contributions towards the teaching of phonetics in schools...

 and appeared in the school magazine December 1894, and are as follows:

1

Now hands about, good Leopards all,

And sing a rousing chorus,

In praise of all our comrades here

And those who went before us;

For to this lay all hearts beat true,

The gallant hearts that love us,

So fortune 'fend each absent friend

While there's a sun above us.

Chorus

Sing Leopards Sing (Breathe)

Floreat Sodalitas.

Little matter, well or ill,

Sentiment is more than skill,

Sing together with a will

Floreat Sodalitas,

dalitas Pardorum.

2

The ivy climbs by brick and stone

About the buttressed Hall;

So memory weaves a charm to keep

Her servitors in thrall.

And whiskered leopards think with awe

Of Bab-el-Mandeb's Straits

Where in the days of long ago

They wrestled with the fates.

(Chorus)

3

Then here's a toast before we part,

"The School House By The Lew"

And may its friends be stout of heart,

Its enemies be few

So we will pledge our noble selves

To use our best endeavour,

That while the merry world goes round

The School may stand forever!

(Chorus)

Original sheet music (8 page scan) of second edition printing. Dated 1927:

Meaning

The song contains two lines in Latin: Floreat Sodalitas and dalitas Pardorum.

• Floreat can be translated as "let [it] flourish"
• Sodalitas as "fellowship" or "companionship", the second 'dalitas is a contraction of the same word (in the same way as fortune 'fend is a contraction of fortune defend).
• Pardorum is the genitive plural of Pardus, meaning "Leopard" (the school emblem).

Floreat Sodalitas is therefore "Let fellowship flourish" and dalitas Pardorum is "the fellowship of the leopards".

" Bab-el-Mandeb

Bab-el-Mandeb

The Bab-el-Mandeb meaning "Gate of Grief" in Arabic , is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, Djibouti and Eritrea, north of Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, and connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden...

's Straits" is the name former students used to call the passageway to the old Headmaster's office (originally in Main Building). The apostrophe and the "s" may be anachronistic (a grocer's apostrophe) or may refer to the nickname of the first headmaster (Mr Knott) being Bab-el-mandeb. The name comes from the Arabic for the "Gates of Grief". The office is now used by the librarian.

Variations

The original last line of the third verse was "The Guild may stand forever"

A long standing tradition at the school is to elongate the s sound in the word "whiskered" to create a hissing sound. Over time, enthusiastic boys, partially spurred on by the semi-disapproval of the staff, extended the tradition to all words within the second verse. While the students are never encouraged or told of this tradition, it is passed down through the years by the older boys to those starting at the school, during renditions of the song.

In recent years (starting in the late 1990s) it became customary (at least at Skinners' Day rehearsals) to loudly and deeply shout the word 'breathe' after the first line of each chorus, as a tribute to a much-loved retired music teacher, Mr Tony Starr, who shouted the word during rehearsals to remind the student body to breathe at that point.

The song has another version written by Shaw Jeffrey who adapted its lyrics for his new school when he became headmaster for the Colchester Royal Grammar School

Colchester Royal Grammar School

Colchester Royal Grammar School is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, founded in AD 1206 and granted two Royal Charters by Henry VIII and by Elizabeth I .-Admissions:...

.

Old Skinners' Society

Founded in 1890 by the Old Boys of the time, the Old Skinners' Society has four main aims:

1. To promote, preserve and strengthen the ties of sentiment which exist between Old Boys and the School and to encourage the closest liaison between the Society and the School.
2. To provide opportunities for Old Boys to keep in touch with their former school friends and with the School.
3. To encourage the formation and activities of branches of the Society.
4. To provide and promote financial and/or material assistance to the School.

On leaving the school the majority of leavers sign up to the society for life, making them eligible to attend the many social events the society organizes.

The current president of the society is Peter Braggins, who is a former Headmaster.

See also

• The Judd School
  The Judd School
  The Judd School is a state secondary school in Tonbridge, Kent, southeast England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present location on Brook Street, in the south of the town...
  
  
• Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School
• Tunbridge Wells High School
  Tunbridge Wells High School
  Tunbridge Wells High School , was an English co-educational Community state secondary school in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, serving a catchment area centred on the town...
  
  
• Worshipful Company of Skinners
  Worshipful Company of Skinners
  The Worshipful Company of Skinners is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. It was originally an association of those engaged in the trade of skins and furs...
  
  

External links

• The Skinners' School official website
• The Skinners' School Sports Hall appeal website
• Old Skinners Society
• The Skinners' School Science Department website
• The Skinners' School Biology Department website
• The Skinners' Company website