107-519: Homefield Preparatory School (or simply Homefield ) is a 3–13 private boys preparatory day school in Sutton , Greater London , England established in 1870. In the early years of its history, it was described as "A Preparatory School for the Sons of Gentlemen” and as giving “carefully graduated preparation for Public Schools and Royal Navy, either on the classical or on the modern side”. As part of
214-522: A Sherborne boys' boarding house in September 2022. Sherborne School houses are separated into in and out houses, with in houses situated near to the school, and out houses spread out around the town. In: a, b, c, f. Out: d, e, g, h, m. The school chapel was originally the monastic hall (built in the early 15th century over the 12th century undercroft) used by the Abbot of Sherborne Abbey. It
321-734: A cathedral and college of clergy at Sherborne to relieve pressure from the growing see of Winchester. It is one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom . Anglo-Saxon masonry survives in the Beckett Room, below the school library, a reminder that Sherborne continues to occupy part of the Saxon Cathedral to which it owes its foundation. Alfred the Great , King of the Anglo-Saxons, is said to have been an early pupil of
428-405: A charitable end in itself, irrespective of poverty. The transformation of free charitable foundations into institutions which sometimes charge fees came about readily: the foundation would only afford minimal facilities, so that further fees might be charged to lodge, clothe and otherwise maintain the scholars, to the private profit of the trustees or headmaster. Also, facilities already provided by
535-530: A few Sherborne School boy as well. It relocated to Westbury House, now Wessex House, in 1872, and finally to its current site in 1885, when the Preparatory School became independent. Westbury House, formerly the Bell Inn, was used solely for Sherborne School boys from 1861 to 1868, it was then used again to house Sherborne Preparatory School, as well as the boarders from Abbey Cottage, 1872–85. It
642-554: A first or an upper second-class degree than a student from the same social class background, of the same gender, who had achieved the same A-level score at a state school. The averaged effect was described as very variable across the social class and A-level attainment of the candidates; it was "small and not strongly significant for students with high A-level scores" (i.e. for students at the more selective universities) and "statistically significant mostly for students from lower occupationally-ranked social-class backgrounds". Additionally,
749-550: A friendly Twenty20 fixture on the ground. On 27 May 2011, the Upper hosted Dorset against Gloucestershire . Rugby has been played at Sherborne since 1846. Sherborne was the third school to take up the sport after Rugby itself and Cheltenham, and it competes in an invitational tournament, the Veterrimi IV , involving the four oldest rugby-playing schools. The school has played over 100 matches against local rivals Downside, and
856-573: A long-established practice because they were unaware that the law had changed." Sherborne School merged with Sherborne Prep School in April 2021. Sherborne Prep School is a co-educational independent preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3–13 years, affiliated to IAPS (the Independent Association of Prep School). Sherborne has a partnership with the neighbouring Sherborne Girls school. While both are single-sex boarding schools,
963-457: A long-established procedure in sharing information with each other, and were unaware of the change to the law (on which they had not been consulted). She wrote to John Vickers, the OFT director-general, saying, "They are not a group of businessmen meeting behind closed doors to fix the price of their products to the disadvantage of the consumer. They are schools that have quite openly continued to follow
1070-580: A marginal difference and the pattern – particularly in relation to school background – is in any case inconsistent." A study commissioned by the Sutton Trust and published in 2010 focused mainly on the possible use of US-style SAT tests as a way of detecting a candidate's academic potential. Its findings confirmed those of the Smith & Naylor study in that it found that privately educated pupils who, despite their educational advantages, have only secured
1177-478: A mixture of corporations, trusts and private individuals. They are independent of many of the regulations and conditions that apply to state-funded schools . For example, the schools do not have to follow the National Curriculum for England , although many such schools do. Historically, the term private school referred to a school in private ownership, in contrast to an endowed school subject to
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#17327981679011284-466: A mortuary before monks were buried, and a number of skeletons have been found on the site. It was brought into the school's use in 1550, as part of the Royal charter, and has since been used as a brewery, laundry, vegetable store, lumber shed, boot room, and ravens' nook. Bow House is thought to date from the 14th century, but probably rebuilt in the 16th or 17th century. It became an inn c1850 and in 1916
1391-423: A particular religion, or schools may require pupils to attend religious services. Only a small minority of parents can afford school fees averaging (as of 2021) over £36,000 per annum for boarding pupils and £15,000 for day pupils, with additional costs for uniform, equipment and extra-curricular activities. Scholarships and means-tested bursaries to assist the education of the less well-off are usually awarded by
1498-462: A poor A-level score, and who therefore attend less selective universities, do less well than state educated degree candidates with the same low A-level attainment. In addition, as discussed in the 2010 Buckingham report "HMC Schools: a quantitative analysis", because students from state schools tended to be admitted on lower A-level entry grades, relative to entry grades it could be claimed that these students had improved more. A countervailing finding of
1605-572: A private fee-charging model following the 1965 Circular 10/65 and the subsequent cessation in 1975 of government funding support for direct grant grammar schools . There are around 2,600 independent schools in the UK, which educate around 615,000 children, some 7 per cent of all British school-age children and 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. In addition to charging tuition fees, they may also benefit from gifts, charitable endowments and charitable status . Some of these schools (1,300) are members of
1712-645: A private school admissions are at the discretion of the governing body of the school. In 2006, pupils at fee-paying schools made up 43 per cent of those selected for places at Oxford University and 38 per cent of those granted places at Cambridge University (although such pupils represent only 18 per cent of the 16 years old plus school population). In 2024, the Labour government removed the exemption from value-added tax (VAT) from private school fees. From January 2025, private schools will have to charge 20% VAT. A major area of debate in recent years has centred around
1819-399: A private school and 184,580 having attended a state school, 64.9 per cent of the former attained a first or upper second class degree, compared to 52.7 per cent of the latter. No statistical comparisons of the two groups (State vs Private) were reported, with or without controls for student characteristics such as entry qualifications, so no inferences can be drawn on the relative performance of
1926-519: A private school at secondary stage, via entrance examinations. Private schools, like state grammar schools, are free to select their pupils, subject to general legislation against discrimination . The principal forms of selection are financial, in that the pupil's family must be able to pay the school fees, and academic, the latter determined via interview and examination. Credit may also be given for musical, sporting or other talent. Entrance to some schools may be orientated to pupils whose parents practise
2033-558: A process which combines academic and other criteria. Private schools are generally academically selective, using the competitive Common Entrance Examination at ages 11+ or 13+. Schools often offer scholarships to attract abler pupils (which improves their average results); the standard sometimes approaches the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) intended for age 16. Poorly-performing pupils may be required to leave, and following GCSE results can be replaced in
2140-412: A programme of shared academic, co-curricular and social activities enables Sherborne boys and girls to mix and work together. 1868–90 1872–85 From 1899 to 1902, Ramsam House, renamed as Wingfield House, was the first home of Sherborne Girls' School before moving to their current site. Abbey Cottage, now the bursary, was the first location of Sherborne Preparatory School , though it was used to board
2247-540: A publicly funded state school ). Prep (preparatory) schools (also known as "private schools") educate younger children up to the age of 13 to prepare them for entry to the public schools and other secondary schools. In 2023, the Independent Schools Council reports that private schools contribute £16.5 billion to gross value added (GVA) in Britain. Some former grammar schools converted to
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#17327981679012354-408: A result, 119 of these schools became independent. Pupil numbers at independent schools fell slightly during the mid-1970s recession . At the same time participation at all secondary schools grew dramatically, so that the share of the independent sector fell from a little under 8 per cent in 1964 to reach a low of 5.7 per cent in 1978. Both these trends were reversed during the 1980s, and the share of
2461-437: A silk mill c1740. This more than doubled the size of the school site and contributed hugely to the school's development thereafter. The old monastic buildings were restored and converted into a chapel, dormitories, big schoolroom, and classrooms in 1853, and over time the quadrangle, as can be seen today, was gradually formed. In 1873, the governors bought a further 8 acres (3 hectares) or so from Lord Digby's trustees, allowing
2568-613: A trust or of charitable status. Many of the older independent schools catering for the 13–18 age range in England and Wales are known as public schools , seven of which were the subject of the Public Schools Act 1868 . The term "public school" meant they were then open to pupils regardless of where they lived or their religion (while in the United States and most other English-speaking countries "public school" refers to
2675-616: Is "an illuminating revelation of the accepted conditions in Victorian days". In the English public school tradition, Sherborne remains a full boarding school with boys living seven days a week in one of eight boarding houses. Sherborne is one of only four such remaining single-sex boys' boarding independent senior schools in the United Kingdom (the others being Eton , Harrow and Radley ). There are three academic terms in
2782-676: Is 25%. Such 'exam access' arrangements are given for a range of disabilities and educational special needs such as dyslexia , dyspraxia and ADHD . In 2002, Jeremy Smith and Robin Naylor of the University of Warwick conducted a study into the determinants of degree performance at UK universities. Their study confirmed that the internationally recognised phenomenon whereby "children from more advantaged class backgrounds have higher levels of educational attainment than children from less-advantaged class backgrounds" persists at university level in
2889-413: Is a 13–18 boys public school and boarding school located beside Sherborne Abbey , in the parish of Sherborne , Dorset . The school has been in continuous operation on the same site for over 1,300 years. It was founded in 705 AD by St Aldhelm and, following the dissolution of the monasteries, re-founded in 1550 by King Edward VI , making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom . Sherborne
2996-704: Is a very rare and early example of a classically-inspired shell house, dating from c. 1750 though it likely originated as a C17 dovecote. All of the shells are native to the British Isles, with the majority coming from the Dorset coast. There is a small ice room beneath. Music is a Sherborne tradition. Many boys achieve grade 8 distinctions for voice and a range of instruments. Several boys each year also pass their ATCL diplomas, many with distinction. Some then go on to take their LTCL diplomas. The Week Good Schools Guide named Sherborne as The Best Independent School in
3103-413: Is an essential part of boarding education, and many such schools have their own distinctive ethos, including social aspirations, manners and accents, associated with their own school traditions. Many former pupils aspire to send their own children to their old schools over successive generations. Most offer sporting, musical, dramatic and art facilities, sometimes with extra charges. Educational achievement
3210-501: Is expected to be gained. This London school or sixth form college related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Private schools in the United Kingdom Private schools in the United Kingdom (also called independent schools ) are schools that require fees for admission and enrollment. Some have financial endowments , most are governed by a board of governors, and are owned by
3317-512: Is generally very good. Independent school pupils are four times more likely to attain an A* at GCSE than their non-selective state sector counterparts, and twice as likely to attain an A grade at A-level . A much higher proportion go to university. Some schools specialise in particular strengths, academic or other, although this is not as common as it is in the state sector . Independent schools can set their own discipline regime, with much greater freedom to exclude children, primarily exercised in
Homefield Preparatory School - Misplaced Pages Continue
3424-662: Is one of the twelve founding member public schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference in 1869 and is a member of the Eton Group and Boarding Schools Association. Sherborne educates about 600 boys, aged 13 to 18, and three quarters of its 2021 A level results were A or A* grades. Many of the school buildings are on the National Heritage List for England, including seven listed as grade I, four listed as grade II*, and 19 listed as grade II;
3531-521: Is possible that the Sherborne School boys from Westbury House were then relocated again to Mapperty House, though this is only speculative as the dates match up – it could merely be a coincidence. 9&11 Cheap Street (there doesn't seem to have been a name for this building at the time) was used to board a number of boys between 1864 and 1868. Curiously, the housemaster did not live within the building, but some 200 yards away at Monk's Barn. This
3638-403: Is the oldest of the buildings specifically designed for school use and was the original "scholehouse" built in 1554, on the site of an earlier "schole". The building as seen today dates from when it was rebuilt in 1606 with the architect believed to have been Inigo Jones (1573–1652). High on the east wall is an effigy of Edward VI , sculpted by Godfrey Arnold in 1614. A bay window was added to
3745-401: Is usually used by the 1st XI cricket team. The ground was first used in 1870, when Sherborne School played Clifton College . The ground is also one of the venues used by Dorset for their home fixtures. Dorset played their first match on the ground in the 1902 Minor Counties Championship against Devon . From 1902 to 1997, the ground played host to 69 Minor Counties Championship matches, with
3852-488: The Assisted Places Scheme in England and Wales in 1980, whereby the state paid the school fees for those pupils capable of gaining a place but unable to afford the fees. This was essentially a response to the decision of the previous Labour government in the mid-1970s to remove government funding of direct grant grammar schools , most of which then became private schools; some Assisted Places pupils went to
3959-593: The High School of Dundee . In Scotland, it was common for children destined for private schools to receive their primary education at a local school. This arose because of Scotland's long tradition of state-funded education, which was spearheaded by the Church of Scotland from the seventeenth century, long before such education was common in England. Private prep schools only became more widespread in Scotland from
4066-787: The Independent Schools Council . In 2021, the average annual cost for private schooling was £15,191 for day schools and £36,000 for boarding schools . The Independent Schools Yearbook has been published annually since 1986. This was a name change of a publication that started in 1889 as The Public Schools Yearbook . Some independent schools are particularly old, such as The King's School, Canterbury (founded 597), The King's School, Rochester (founded 604), St Peter's School, York (founded c. 627), Sherborne School (founded 705), Wells Cathedral School (founded 909), Warwick School (c. 914), King's Ely (c. 970) and St Albans School (948). These schools were founded by
4173-539: The Sutton Trust study was that for students of a given level of A-level attainment it is almost twice as difficult to get a first at the most selective universities than at those on the other end of the scale. Private sector schools regularly dominate the top of the A-level league tables, and their students are more likely to apply to the most selective universities; as a result private sector students are particularly well represented at these institutions, and therefore only
4280-408: The United Kingdom . The authors noted "a very well-determined and monotonically positive effect defined over Social Classes I to V" whereby, for both men and women, other things being equal, academic performance at university is better the more advantaged is the student's home background". but they also observed that a student educated at a private school was on average 6 per cent less likely to receive
4387-677: The sixth form by a new infusion of high-performing sixth-form-only pupils, which may distort apparent results. On the other hand, pupils performing poorly cannot legally be excluded from a state school solely for poor performance. Private schools, as compared with maintained schools, generally have more individual teaching; much lower pupil-teacher ratios at around 9:1; longer teaching hours (sometimes including Saturday morning teaching) and homework (known as prep); though they have shorter terms. They also have more time for organised extra-curricular activities. As boarding schools are fully responsible for their pupils throughout term-time, pastoral care
Homefield Preparatory School - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-429: The 150th anniversary of the school in 2020, construction started on new developments for the school, including a new block of eight classrooms, a double level performance hall and dining room, new music and ICT facilities, a library hub and an all-weather sports pitch. The £7 million project will have multiple eco-friendly features including solar panels, low-energy underfloor heating and a green roof. 10% more green space
4601-486: The 18th and 19th centuries, and came to play an important role in the development of the Victorian social elite. Under a number of forward-looking headmasters leading public schools created a curriculum based heavily on classics and physical activity for boys and young men of the upper and upper middle classes. They were schools for the gentlemanly elite of Victorian politics, armed forces and colonial government. Much of
4708-758: The Country for Music in 2015. In 2010 Sherborne built a new music school with highly specialist recital and recording space. Designed by Richard Keating of Orms, the building won numerous architectural awards including the 2012 RIBA South West Region Award, BCSE Award 2012 and RIBA South West Excellence in Architecture Award 2012. The school has two choirs, two close harmony groups, a symphony orchestra, sinfonia, chamber orchestra, concert and radio orchestras (Trinity term only), wind band, wind quintet, string, wind, brass and jazz ensembles and various other smaller instrumental ensembles. Performance spaces include
4815-508: The Courts' south side is a scheduled monument. Applicable law requires that the school perform any renovations or restorations of these structures with utmost care and attention to detail. The school also has a branch located in Doha, Qatar . Sherborne was founded as a cathedral school when, in 705 AD, King Ine of Wessex instructed Aldhelm , a churchman and distinguished scholar, to found
4922-523: The Free Chapel of Thornton in the parish of Marnhull . The lands with which the chantries were endowed are predominantly in Dorset, specifically in the manors of: On 24 October 1851 Edward Digby, 2nd Earl Digby , owner of nearby Sherborne Castle , gave to the governors of the school a plot of land, measuring just under 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 acres (0.6 hectares), including the remaining old monastic buildings, though these had been converted for use as
5029-522: The Garth and conduit before the latter was moved to the town's market place in 1553. The building was a silk mill from c. 1740 and later still, perhaps, a brewery. It was acquired by the school in 1851 and restored in 1853. The Upper Library was used as the main school assembly room up until 1879 (when the Big Schoolroom was built) and has been used as the main school library since. The Lower Library
5136-511: The Grand Slam in the 1980 Five Nations Championship, their first championship clean sweep since 1957. The Shirburnian is the official School magazine, first published in March 1859. It was devised as 'an outlet for its [the school's] wit, and also an easy means of printing all its News, both as regards those of us who are here and those who have left.' The initial run was short-lived, but it
5243-824: The High Court to bring a judicial review of the Charity Commission's public benefit guidance as it affected the private education sector. This was heard by the Upper Tribunal at the same time as a reference by the Attorney General asking the Tribunal to consider how the public benefit requirement should operate in relation to fee-charging charitable schools. The Upper Tribunal's decision, published on 14 October 2011, concluded that in all cases there must be more than de minimis or token benefit for
5350-464: The Pilgrims (Old Shirburnians) played their 100th match against Radley in 2015. Robert Hands, a former sports journalist for The Times , has written a history of rugby at Sherborne School. A number of old boys and staff have reached the international stage, including Mike Davis who was a teacher and coach at Sherborne School (1974–2002) where, alongside Phil Jones between 1975 and 1978, he coached
5457-588: The School House Oak Room). To the north was a brewhouse and woodhouse, built at the same time, extended in 1642, and cellars made in 1655. Only the cellar and 1642 extension survive today as in 1835 they were demolished to make space for a new classroom with dormitories (since known as the Bell Buildings) on top of the 17th century cellar. The Old Schoolroom was used for the town's Assizes from 1604 for around 85 years, and from 1645 to 1649 it
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#17327981679015564-731: The Secret Shame". In 2022, he co-wrote (with Caitlin Smith) and presented a BBC Radio 4 series, In Dark Corners , about abuse and cover-up at some of Britain's elite schools, including Eton College , Fettes College , Gordonstoun and its junior school. An investigation into official exam data by the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme, in 2017, showed that 20% of private school pupils were given extra time for their GCSE and A level exams, as compared with fewer than 12% of pupils in public sector schools. The most commonly given amount of extra exam time
5671-519: The Sherborne year, Sherborne is a full boarding school for boys with boarding houses operating on the house system . In addition to a house master, each house has a matron, assistant matron, senior tutor and one or more resident tutors. Each house has around 70 boys from across all year groups. There are nine boarding houses: Abbey House has been in continuous use since 1868, but it was also used from 1835 to 1849. Wallace House (formerly Elmdene)
5778-561: The Sixth to commemorate the school's Royal foundation in 1550. The words were written by Edward Mallet Young in 1887, and set to music by Louis Napoleon Parker . It is sung by the entire school, including the staff, although only the first and last verses are sung nowadays. Sherborne holds its own rock festival in the heart of its historic grounds, aptly named "Concert in the Courts", featuring Shirburnians and boys and girls from local senior schools, performing and spectating. The festival began in
5885-504: The South wall in 1886 when the building was undergoing another restoration. The windowsills of the OSR are made out of old school desks and are covered, on both upper and under faces, with historic graffiti of boys' names, the earliest known being from 1698. A "New Schoolhouse with Offices" was built to the north in 1607, providing space for a writing school with a library above (the latter is now
5992-647: The Tindall Recital Hall, the Big Schoolroom, and the Powell Theatre. There are two Abbey services a week which are accompanied by the chapel choir, with the chamber choir singing an introit on Sundays. Once a term the chamber choir sings for a service in an external venue. These include: Salisbury Cathedral , Winchester Cathedral and various Oxford college chapels, amongst numerous others, as well as these, international tours are available for various ensembles. The Sherborne School Choral Society
6099-424: The UK educating some 628,000 children, comprising over 6.5 per cent of UK children, and more than 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. In England the schools account for a slightly higher percentage than in the UK as a whole. According to a 2010 study by Ryan & Sibetia, "the proportion of pupils attending independent schools in England is currently 7.2 per cent (considering full-time pupils only)". Most of
6206-526: The United Kingdom. It is located in Sherborne, occupying its own campus, Newell Grange, while sharing some facilities with Sherborne School. In 2009 Sherborne founded Sherborne Qatar Prep School in Doha , Qatar , followed by Sherborne Qatar Senior School in 2012. In 2005, 50 of the country's leading independent schools, including Sherborne, were found guilty of running an illegal price-fixing cartel, which had allowed them to drive up tuition fees. Each school
6313-454: The better degrees than state students of the same gender and class background having the same A-level score. In 2011, a subsequent study led by Richard Partington at Cambridge University showed that A-level performance is "overwhelmingly" the best predictor for exam performance in the earlier years ("Part I") of the undergraduate degree at Cambridge. Partington's summary specified that "questions of school background and gender" ... "make only
6420-402: The celebrations marking the four hundredth anniversary of the granting of Sherborne's royal charter. Established in 1977, Sherborne International is an independent co-educational boarding school, owned and governed by Sherborne School, for those from non-British educational backgrounds who wish to improve their English language skills before moving on to study at boarding schools elsewhere in
6527-458: The charitable foundation for a few students could profitably be extended to further paying pupils. Some schools still keep their foundation students in a separate house from other pupils, or distinguish them in other ways. After a time, such fees eclipsed the original charitable income, and the original endowment would become a minor part of the school's finances. By 2022 senior boarding schools were charging fees of over £40,000 per annum. Most of
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#17327981679016634-552: The church and were under its complete dominion. During the late 14th and early 15th centuries the first schools independent of the church were founded. Winchester (1382) and Oswestry (1407) were the first of their kind (although they had a strong Christian religious ethos) and such early "free grammar schools" founded by wealthy benefactors paved the way for the establishment of the modern " public school ". These were typically established for male students from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds. English law has always regarded education as
6741-526: The continuing charitable status of private schools, which means they are not charged business rates by local councils, amongst other benefits. This is estimated to save the schools about £200 per pupil and to cost the Exchequer about £100 million in tax breaks, assuming that an increase in fees would not result in any transfer of pupils from private to maintained sector. Since the Charities Act
6848-429: The creation of additional facilities and further prospects for the school. The old Abbey Silk Mill (not to be confused with the silk mill in the old monastic buildings) was converted into a workshop, concert room, museum, armoury, and laboratories, and a swimming bath was dug nearby, followed by the building of the fives courts the following year. The sanatorium in was completed in 1887, and the next big construction project
6955-462: The degree results of all students who graduated in 2013/14, suggested that 82 per cent of state school pupils got firsts or upper seconds compared with 73 per cent of those from private schools. Later, HEFCE admitted that it had made a transposition error, and that in fact, 73 per cent of state school graduates gained a first or upper second class degree compared with 82 per cent of private school graduates. This admission attracted far less publicity than
7062-419: The discipline was in the hands of senior pupils (usually known as prefects ); this was not just a way to reduce staffing costs, but was also seen as vital preparation for the senior pupils' later roles in public or military service. More recently heads of public schools have been emphasising that senior pupils now play a much reduced role in maintaining discipline. To an extent, the public school system influenced
7169-605: The dissolution of the Benedictine Monastery of Sherborne in 1539 had an impact on administration and finances, Sherborne School remained in continuous operation, as evidenced by extant documents including the Abbey churchwardens' accounts for 1542, which record a rent received from the school, and conclusively from a note on the certificate for Dorset under the Chantries Act , dated 14 January 1548, which records
7276-644: The early 1960s, as well as a hangover from centuries ago when only Latin and Greek were taught at many public schools. It was Martin Wiener 's opposition to this tendency which inspired his 1981 book English Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit: 1850–1980 , which became an influence on the Thatcher government's opposition to old-school gentlemanly Toryism . The curriculum in private school
7383-468: The education of boys, and a board of twenty governors under a warden. A further note of continuity was struck when the last headmaster of Sherborne under the old foundation, William Gibson, was appointed as the first headmaster under the new foundation. When Edward VI re-founded Sherborne, he granted the school an endowment of valuable lands which belonged to abolished chantries in the churches of Martock , Gillingham , Lytchett Matravers , Ilminster and
7490-469: The final Championship match involving Dorset coming in 1997 when they played Herefordshire . In addition, the ground has hosted 13 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches, the last of which was in 2008, when Dorset played Buckinghamshire . The ground has also played host to a single List A match, when Dorset played Bedfordshire in the 1968 Gillette Cup . On 30 May 2010, Dorset played Somerset , which included international players such as Craig Kieswetter in
7597-469: The first Bishop of Sherborne, and the school remained under the direction of Sherborne's bishops until 1122, when its supervision passed to the abbot of the Benedictine monastery which had been established at Sherborne by Wulfsige III in 998. The school continued under monastic direction until the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII in 1539. The school continues to occupy the site of
7704-440: The first of these emphasised team spirit and " muscular Christianity " and the latter the importance of scholarship and competitive examinations. Edward Thring of Uppingham School introduced major reforms, focusing on the importance of the individual and of competition, as well as the need for a "total curriculum" with academia, music, sport and drama being central to education. Most public schools developed significantly during
7811-417: The former direct-grant schools such as Manchester Grammar School . The scheme was terminated by the Labour government in 1997, and since then the private sector has moved to increase its own means-tested bursaries. The former classics-based curriculum was also criticised for not providing skills in sciences or engineering, but was perhaps in response to the requirement of classics for entry to Oxbridge until
7918-414: The former monastery; the school chapel (12th century, modified in the 15th, 19th, and 20th centuries), library (13th century, 15th century roof and windows), and the Abbot's House (c. 1480), occupied by the headmaster and the senior staff, are all former monastic buildings. The outlines of the monastic cloister, and curious first floor Abbot's Chapel, are visible on the walls beyond the Abbot's House. While
8025-504: The independent schools reached 7.5 per cent by 1991. The changes since 1990 have been less dramatic: the share fell to 6.9 per cent by 1996 before increasing very slightly after 2000 to reach 7.2 per cent in 2012. By 2015, the figure fell back to 6.9 per cent, with the absolute number of pupils attending independent schools falling everywhere in England apart from in the South East . In 2011 there were more than 2,500 private schools in
8132-579: The independent schools today are still registered as a charity, and bursaries are available to students on a means test basis. Christ's Hospital in Horsham is an example: a large proportion of its students are funded by its charitable foundation or by various benefactors. The educational reforms of the 19th century were particularly important. Reformers included Thomas Arnold at Rugby , and then Samuel Butler and later Benjamin Kennedy at Shrewsbury ;
8239-761: The inspectorial bodies listed above are inspected through the national inspectorates in each country. Private schools in Scotland educate about 31,000 children. Although many of the Scottish private schools are members of the ISC they are also represented by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools , recognised by the Scottish Parliament as the body representing private schools in Scotland. Unlike England, all Scottish private schools are subject to
8346-579: The larger private schools are either full or partial boarding schools , although many have now become predominantly day schools . By contrast there are only a few dozen state boarding schools . Boarding-school traditions give a distinctive character to British private education, even in the case of day-pupils. A high proportion of private schools, particularly the larger and older institutions, have charitable status. The Independent Schools Council (ISC), through seven affiliated organisations, represents 1,300 schools that together educate over 80 per cent of
8453-453: The late 14th century and was originally a hall-house with attached barn. It is the only religious building in the country to have been dedicated to this saint . The oldest part of Abbeylands, fronting onto Cheap Street, dates from the 16th century. It was extended in 1649 and again in 1872. It is said that there is an underground passage that runs from the cellars at Abbeylands to Sherborne Abbey, but this has never been substantiated. This
8560-483: The late 19th century (usually attached to an existing secondary private school, though exceptions such as Craigclowan Preparatory School and Cargilfield Preparatory School do exist), though they are still much less prevalent than in England. In modern times many secondary pupils in Scotland's private schools will have fed in from the school's own fee-paying primary school, therefore there is considerable competition facing pupils from state primary schools who seek to enter
8667-468: The mid 1990s and the proceeds from it are donated to charity. In the chapel there are two organs: one is a 24-stop Neo-Baroque pipe organ by S.F. Blank; the other is a Hauptwerk virtual organ with the specification of the Hereford Cathedral organ. This organ was installed by Magnus and is the largest instrument they have installed in the UK. The school's cricket ground – the Upper –
8774-532: The nave, and create the antechapel which has the names engraved of those who died in World War I and World War II . The Side Chapel, created by knocking through into the School House Studies (now the headmaster's building) in 1881, was dedicated to St Andrew in 1988 and has its own altar. The library was the "Abbot's Guesten Hall" (13th century, modified 15th century) and would have looked over
8881-400: The original erroneous assertion. Across all English universities, state school students who scored two Bs and a C at A-level did on average eight per cent better at degree level than their privately educated counterparts. Two Bs and a C represents an entry tariff of 112, well below the average demanded by any of the UK's Russell Group universities. Sherborne School Sherborne School
8988-613: The poor, but that trustees of a charitable private school should decide what was appropriate in their particular circumstances. The Charity Commission accordingly published revised public benefit guidance in 2013. In Scotland , under the Charities and Trustee Investment Act (Scotland), there is an entirely separate test of charitable status, overseen by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator , which assesses
9095-402: The principles of natural justice as adopted by the state sector, and private law as applied to Higher Education. This belief is reinforced by the fact that the legal rights of pupils are governed by a private contract, as opposed to rights implemented by the national government. For instance, a pupil seeking admission to a state school that is rejected is legally entitled to appeal, whereas at
9202-456: The public benefit provided by each registered school charity. Journalist Alex Renton has written about abuse of pupils at boarding schools; The Guardian reported that he says that boarding school are "simply unsafe" and that "he has, he says, a database of more than 800 criminal allegations from former schoolchildren of 300 mainly private boarding schools". He presented an episode of the television programme Exposure , "Boarding Schools,
9309-595: The pupils in the UK private sector . Those schools in England which are members of the affiliated organisations of the ISC are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate under a framework approved by the Government's Department for Education (DfE). Private schools not affiliated to the ISC in England are inspected by Ofsted . Private schools accredited to the ISC in Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland or others in England out with
9416-495: The same regime of inspections by Education Scotland as local authority schools and they have to register with the Learning Directorate . The nine largest Scottish private schools, with 1,000 or more pupils, are George Watson's College , Hutcheson's Grammar School , Robert Gordon's College , George Heriot's School , St Aloysius' College , The Glasgow Academy , Dollar Academy , the High School of Glasgow and
9523-409: The school at Sherborne as continuatur quousque [long continued]. On 29 March 1550 a formal instruction was issued by King Edward VI to re-found Sherborne School – the first of his whole foundation – together with a good endowment of lands that the school might ever endure. A beautifully engrossed Royal Charter was sealed on 13 May 1550, under which the school was to have a headmaster and usher for
9630-490: The school bought the building as a staff common room, which it remains as today. Built in the 14th or 15th century, the Abbey Grange was originally the monastic granary. In 1827 it was converted into a dwelling by an OS governor, and in 1969 the governors bought the property to house the headmaster and their family. Now known as Nethercombe Farm, this building is in the grounds of Sherborne International. It dates from
9737-520: The school systems of the British Empire , and recognisably public schools can be found in many Commonwealth countries. Until 1975 there had been a group of 179 academically selective schools drawing on both private and state funding, the direct grant grammar schools . The Direct Grant Grammar Schools (Cessation of Grant) Regulations 1975 required these schools to choose between full state funding as comprehensive schools and full independence. As
9844-414: The school to four unbeaten seasons with 35 out of 35 school matches being won. Only a handful of games were lost during a coaching partnership which spanned six seasons. He was appointed as head coach of England for the 1979/83 seasons, the only England senior coach ever appointed on the merits of their achievements as a school coach rather than a club coach. In his first season as the England coach, they won
9951-512: The school, a tradition supported by the seat of West Saxon government having moved to Sherborne in 860 (after Winchester was sacked by the Danes) when Alfred was about 11 years old. That Alfred's son, later Bishop of Sherborne, was also educated at a cathedral school (in Winchester following its recovery by Wessex) is regarded as additional presumptive evidence in support of the claim. Aldhelm was
10058-574: The spirit of the state system. Francis Green and David Kynaston have written that "among affluent countries, Britain’s private‑school participation is especially exclusive to the rich", and that the "existence in Britain of a flourishing private-school sector not only limits the life chances of those who attend state schools but also damages society at large". Many of the best-known public schools are extremely expensive, and many have entry criteria geared towards those who have been at private "feeder" preparatory schools . The Thatcher government introduced
10165-408: The study could not take into account the effect of a slightly different and more traditional subject mix studied by private students at university on university achievement. Despite these caveats, the paper attracted much press attention. The same study found wide variations between different independent schools, suggesting that students from a few of them were in fact significantly more likely to obtain
10272-529: The two groups. The stand-out finding of the study was that private school students achieved better in obtaining graduate jobs and study, even when student characteristics were allowed for (sex, ethnicity, school type, entry qualifications, area of study). In 2015, the UK press widely reported the outcome of research suggesting that school-leavers from state schools that attained similar A level grades go on to achieve higher undergraduate degree classes than their private school counterparts. The quoted figures, based on
10379-511: The very ablest of them are likely to secure the best degrees. In 2013, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a study noting, amongst other things, that a greater percentage of students who had attended a private school prior to university achieved a first or upper second class degree compared with students from state schools. Out of a starting cohort of 24,360 candidates having attended
10486-579: The wider interests of the school. In England and Wales there are no requirements for teaching staff to have Qualified Teacher Status or to be registered with the General Teaching Council. In Scotland a teaching qualification and registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) are mandatory for all teaching positions. Private schools are often criticised for being elitist, and seen as lying outside
10593-710: Was consequently 'modernised' and according to a 2010 report from the Department for Education, private school pupils had "the highest rates of achieving grades A or B in A-level maths and sciences" compared to grammar, specialist and mainstream state schools, and pupils at private schools account for a disproportionate number of the total number of A-levels in maths and sciences. Some parents complain that their rights and their children's are compromised by vague and one-sided contracts which allow Heads to use discretionary powers unfairly, such as in expulsion on non-disciplinary grounds. They believe private schools have not embraced
10700-553: Was founded in 1871 by J R Sterndale-Bennett, the then director of music. Nowadays it consists of the Sherborne School choirs, Girls' School Choir, and members of public from the local area. It performs annually, and concert venues have included Sherborne Abbey, Wells Cathedral, and Poole Lighthouse. The school song is the Carmen Saeculare , also known as Carmen Shirburniense , and features a rousing last line in each verse of Vivat Rex Eduardus Sextus or Long Live King Edward
10807-482: Was in use as a silk mill from c. 1740 and was acquired by the school in 1851 from Lord Digby. It was restored and extended, and in 1855, consecrated as a chapel, dedicated to St John the Evangelist . It has been extended several times: eastwards in 1853; westwards in 1865; northwards, to create the north aisle, in 1878 and; eastwards in 1881 (into the headmaster's building); westwards and northwards in 1922 to extend
10914-699: Was occupied by a garrison from the Civil War. The Slype is a lean-to building against the North Transept of the Abbey and is the only surviving part of what would have been the Monks' Dormitory. On the lower floor, there is a passage with 12th century arcading, as well as two 13th century vaulted chambers. The passage would have led from the Cloisters towards the Monk's Infirmary. It was probably used in part as
11021-594: Was originally used as a 'waiting house', but in 1977 it became a full house and was renamed Wallace House after headmaster Alexander Ross Wallace. In 1999, The Green moved from the Old Green (formerly the Angel Inn) to its current site at Greenhill House (formerly the site of Sherborne International, until 1991). The Old Green was then converted into housing. Westcott House was closed to pupils in 1999 for use as part of Sherborne International . It will be reopened as
11128-538: Was passed in November 2006, charitable status is based on an organisation providing a "public benefit", as judged by the Charity Commission . In 2008, the Charity Commission published guidance, including guidance on public benefit and fee charging, setting out issues to be considered by charities charging high fees that many people could not afford. The Independent Schools Council was granted permission by
11235-471: Was required to pay a nominal penalty of £10,000. All schools involved in the scandal agreed to make ex-gratia payments totalling £3 million into a trust. The trust was designed to benefit pupils who attended the schools during the period in respect of which fee information was shared. However, Jean Scott, the head of the Independent Schools Council, said that independent schools had always been exempt from anti-cartel rules applied to business, and were following
11342-680: Was the Carrington Building in 1910, incorporating and replacing (in part) the old Abbey Silk Mill, to be used as new laboratories and classrooms. A new workshop was completed ten years later, forming what is now the Devitt Court. Over the years many more construction projects were completed, including the sports centre in 1974, the largest most recently being the Music School in 2010. On 1 June 1950 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Sherborne School and took part in
11449-490: Was the cellarer's store room and outer parlour. Later it was used as three classrooms, then the headmaster's office, but since 1926 it has been used as the Lower Library. In 1981 the library expanded into the 12th century undercroft below the chapel. From 1670 to 1861, the school library was situated in the current School House Oak Room (built 1607), before being moved to its current location. The Old Schoolroom (OSR)
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