The King's School, Canterbury

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The King's School (founded 597) is a British Independent School (sometimes called Public School) located in Canterbury in the county of Kent. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.The school is co-educational and has boarding and day pupils.

The school was founded in AD 597 by St. Augustine, making it the world's oldest school, this claim being based on the fact that St Augustine founded an abbey (within the current school's grounds) where it is known teaching took place.

Enrollment is about 780 pupils (425 boys and 355 girls). The school is located within the Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral and St Augustine's Abbey. The school was in 2004 subject to a regular, independent inspection, and the results can be found here. In summary, the inspection team praised the pastoral care system, the high academic achievements of all its pupils - irrespective of their age, aptitude or ability - and the "natural and open relationships" which pupils have with each other as well as with adults. However, it can be noted that former pupils and teachers have alleged that the school is rife with unchecked bullying common to boarding schools and that pupils grow up in an unhealthy environment: school rules ban being out of school after 6 p.m. and "petting behaviour" is deemed inappropriate.

Recently, the Office of Fair Trading has provisionally found that the school exchanged detailed information about prospective fee increases with approximately 50 other prominent UK independent schools, including Eton and SevenoaksTemplate:Ref. The OFT stated that "regular and systematic exchange of confidential information as to intended fee increases was anti-competitive and resulted in parents being charged higher fees than would otherwise have been the case." However, upon hearing of the OFT's objections the school immediately refrained from this practice and has since remained in full cooperation with the OFT.

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Subjects

Art, Biology, Bi-lingual French, Chemistry, Chinese, Classical Civilisation, Critical Thinking, Drama, English, Economics, English as an Additional Language, French, Further Mathematics, Greek, Geology, German, Geology, General Studies, Geography, History, History of Art, ICT (Computing), Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mathematics, Mandarin, Music, Physics, Politics, Spanish, Theatre Studies, Young Enterprise.

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Houses

There are 15 houses at King's. Most are named after past headmasters or people of interest in the school history with the exception of Grange and the newest house, Carlyon. Carlyon is the area in Cornwall where the school evacuated to during World War II. The number of pupil in each house varies and the number given below are from the academic year 2005-2006.

Day Houses (mixed sex)

  • Mitchinson's (69 mixed pupils, day, 1982) was opened in the Mint Yard by the Queen Mother. It is named after Headmaster John Mitchinson, co-founder of the Headmasters' Conference.
  • Carlyon (47 mixed pupils, day, 2005). Named after Carlyon Bay in Cornwall where the School was evacuated to in the Second World War.
  • Marlowe (mixed pupils, day, 1936) is named after the poet and dramatist Christopher Marlowe (King's Scholar, 1580) and looks out over the Green Court.

Boarding Houses (boys)

  • The Grange (60 boys, 1928) The building includes many fine architectural features taken from the Archbishop's Palaces of Laud and Parker by the family who converted the granary ruins to a family house in the 1840s.
  • Galpin's (53 boys, 1952) was built in the 1860s as the Headmaster's house and is named after Arthur Galpin. The House is viewed as a generally good all-round house, with an emphasis on Academics. Located within the Mint Yard it is in a prime central position in the school.
  • School House (56 boys) was the original School boarding house. The present building dates from the 1860s. It can list many famous OKS, but none has gone further than Michael Foale, the astronaut.
  • Linacre (57 boys, 1953) is named after Thomas Linacre, fouder of the Royal College of Physicians, who was educated in Canterbury. The fine Georgian building was once the home of Canon Nelson. During visits by his brother Admiral Horatio Nelson, Lady Hamilton is reputed to have danced on a table in what is now the head of house's study. A recent Linacre OKS is David Gower.
  • Meister Omers (53 boys, 1936) was built by Master Omer in the 13th century and has the widest fireplace in England. It was here that Edward IV held a Parliament in 1470. In 1568 Cardinal Coligny died in the house in suspicious circumstances. The arms of Queen Elizabeth I in the hall mark her visit in 1573.
  • Tradescant (50 boys, 1976) named for John Tradescant, the 17th century Royal gardener and plant collector. The building, which is 19th century, was originally part of a missionary college.

Boarding Houses (girls)

  • Harvey (54 girls, 1996) is a purpose-built house at St Augustine's and is named after William Harvey (educated at the King's School in 1588) who demonstrated the circulation of the blood. The building was opened in 1999 by the Director of the Royal Institution, Professor Susan Greenfield.
  • Walpole (51 girls, 1935) is named after the novelist Sir Hugh Walpole (King's Scholar 1896). The 18th century building incorporates many remains of the mediaeval Archbishop's Palace and includes the spot where Thomas Becket's murderers armed themselves.
  • Jervis (45 girls, 1992) is a purpose-built house just outside the Precincts and linked to them through the city wall. It is named after Douglas Jervis OKS and his sister Norah, benefactors to the School.
  • Luxmoore (57 girls, 1945) moved from its original buildings to a purpose-built house in the Precincts, opened by the Queen Mother in 1981. A sundial in the front garden records the visit in fine Latin verse. The house is named after Sir Arthur Fairfax Coryndon Luxmoore, Lord Justice of Appeal, (King's Scholar, 1889), and his own sundial stands in the back garden.
  • Bailey (19 Sixth Form girls) is in a mainly 18th and 19th century building which incorporates the fine 14th century Abbey gateway originally called St Ethelbert's Gate. Its present name commemorates Henry Bailey, second Warden of St Augustine's College and a good friend of the King's School.
  • Broughton (51 girls, 1976) is named after an OKS, William Broughton, the first Bishop of Australia.
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Facilities

  • Birleys Playing Fields The School's sport grounds just outside the school. A pavilion on site was opened by David Gower on 17th September 2005
  • Palace Block Medival building containing the language department
  • Latter Gate The Headmasters Office
  • Larder Gate History
  • Field Classrooms English and Maths
  • Priory Block Classics, English, History
  • Physics Block Physics
  • Mint Yard Classrooms Maths, ICT
  • Biology/Chemistry Classrooms Biology Chemistry
  • Grange Classrooms Maths
  • CDT Center CDT
  • Blackfriars Art
  • The Rec Center The Gym, Astroturf, Swimming Pool etc
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Traditions

King's has many traditions including:

  • Canterbury Dress: The name King's people use for uniform, which consists of white shirt with wing collar, pinstripe trowsers, black socks, black tie and black shoes for the boys. Girls wear a white blouse, pinstripe skirt,black tights and black shoes.
  • The Beadle: A sergeant-major in the school's CCF, who is also responsible for the general smartness of pupils. The current Beadle is A. Booth.
  • Purples: The school prefects, who are marked out by their distinctive purple gowns. It is reserved for those in their last year at KSC. Each house has at least one purple.
  • The Goat on Green Court: The Captain of School is allegedly allowed to keep a goat on the large lawn in the centre of the school. Sadly, this particular tradition is no longer practised.
  • King's Week a festival of dramatic and musical events, as well as social extravaganzas open to the public who can get tickets from the Green Court at the center of the school.
  • King's Scholars an academically select group, marked by their distinctive black gowns, who process wearing surplices during Matins and at the School Carol Service. May be chosen by Scholarship examinations prior to entry (Exhibitioners may also be elected) or on the basis of their GCSE results (8A*s is usually the minimum). The King's Scholars also have a right to graze sheep on Green Court. The King's Scholarship 2006 examinations take place from the 8th to the 10th of March, 2006.
  • Gatings A form of punishment that forces pupils to wear Canterbury Dress during weekends or prevent them leaving the school at all for up to a week.
  • Supper Leave/Pub Leave privilege extended to Sixth Formers, whereby pre-approved groups of people may go into town for supper or visit pubs for one night only.
  • Out of Bounds King's pupils are not allowed to venture beyond a mile radius from the school during the short time they are allowed out at weekends.
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Notable alumni

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The Junior King's School, Canterbury

The King's School, Canterbury also has a feeder preparatory school, founded in 1879. The school, which is mixed, currently has around 380 pupils, ages 3 to 13, and is located at Milner Court in Sturry. Originally based in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, the current site was donated by Lady Milner following the death of Lord Alfred Milner in 1928, and the current Headmaster is a Mr. Peter M. Wells.

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External links

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Footnotes

  1. Template:Note OFT press release 9 Nov 2005
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