120-644: Hazelwood School is a private preparatory school in Limpsfield , Surrey , England. The school was established in 1890 as a boarding school for boys aged 8–13 by Ruth and Edward Baily. Baily bought the land from the Titsey Place estate as he loved the views of the Weald and the Ashdown Forest and thought the site healthy and bracing. The first cohort of 38 pupils was accommodated and taught in
240-405: 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
360-554: 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,
480-538: A growing ‘military’ community, with Veterans from World War Two through to those that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Oxted is one of the few Surrey towns to retain a town brass band, Oxted Band, which has been a fixture within the town since 1901. The town became the administrative town of the Tandridge District when it was established in 1974. Oxted is host to a charity pram race held annually. It
600-610: A house in Southwark to its feudal overlords per year. The early medieval manor of Oxted was centred on Oxted Court Farm, to the south of St Mary's Church. For much of this period, up until the end of the 13th century, it was held by the de Acstede family, who were mesne lords to the Crown. As the Middle Ages progressed, Oxted was broken up into smaller estates . In around 1246, Broadham manor, thought to have been centred on
720-671: A lasting legacy to the family involvement. In 2011 The Daily Telegraph listed Oxted as the twentieth richest town in Britain. The Daily Mail listed Oxted as one of the 20 best commuter Towns in 2024. During the Second World War, the defence of the Oxted and the surrounding area was coordinated by the 9th Surrey Battalion of the Home Guard . In September 1939, the boys of Haberdashers Aske 's School were evacuated to
840-725: A line from Croydon to Groombridge , where there was to be a junction with the East Grinstead to Tunbridge Wells line . The act was controversial as the S&;SJR was sponsored by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR), but ran into a part of Surrey and East Sussex which was considered South Eastern Railway territory. In three years, the S&SJR managed to build the 2,267 yd long (2.073 km) Oxted Tunnel and two shorter tunnels at Riddlesdown and Limpsfield. However, construction became increasingly difficult as
960-580: 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
1080-423: 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
1200-462: 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
1320-645: 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
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#17327803312141440-399: 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
1560-519: 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
1680-558: 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
1800-511: A purpose-built Victorian building that remains at the centre of the school today. In 1962 the school was bought by Tim Dowling and merged with his Bickley Hall School in Bromley , Kent —resulting in the double motto and double badge known today. Hazelwood School became a registered charity and was incorporated as a limited company in 1968. Girls were first admitted to the school and a pre-prep department established in 1978. Boarding continued at
1920-601: A registered charity and was incorporated as a limited company. The newly formed board of trustees / governors bought the freehold from the Dowlings. Mr Dowling remained as head until his retirement in 1974. In 1972, Mr Dowling oversaw the completion of a series of new buildings to the site. A multi-purpose hall replaced the 1940s cricket pavilion and fives court. This was used as a gymnasium, dining hall, music room and kitchen space, with three classrooms, library and staff room upstairs. More classrooms were built in front and to
2040-463: A resignalling programme for the whole line. Electrification of the line through Oxted to East Grinstead completed July 1987, but the line to Uckfield remains unelectrified. Although there is thought to have been a religious building on the site of St Mary's Church since before the Norman Conquest , it is unclear whether there was a significant nucleated settlement close to the site. It
2160-492: A result of the 1866 financial panic caused by failure of Overend, Gurney and Company and, in 1869, there was a riot at Edenbridge because Belgian navvies were being employed to build the line. A second act of Parliament was obtained in 1869 to formally transfer line to the LBSCR, who immediately asked for powers to suspend works. The company paid a penalty of £32,250 and construction ceased immediately. No work took place on
2280-408: 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
2400-529: A strong, stimulating, united and democratic comradeship all those who have served in any capacity in the Sea, Land, and Air Forces during the Great War, so that neither their efforts nor their interests shall be forgotten or neglected. May 1921 The British Legion was founded bringing together four similarly minded organisations, creating a unified national voice for ex-servicemen and their families. The Oxted Branch of
2520-402: A total enrolment of 660 pupils. Hurst Green Infant School opened as a primary school in 1960. In 1993, it became an infants school with a nursery department and since then has educated children aged from two to eight. Holland Junior School opened in 1971 as a middle school. It became a junior school in 1993 and educates pupils aged from eight to eleven. Oxted School was opened in 1929 and
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#17327803312142640-524: A year later, a sixth-form centre was opened. The new residential student village was opened by Sophie, Countess of Wessex in October 2016. A church is mentioned in the entry for Oxted in the Domesday Book and St Mary's Church is thought to be on the same site. It is around 1.5 km (0.93 mi) north of Old Oxted and the circular churchyard suggests a pre-conquest origin. The oldest part of
2760-676: 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
2880-535: Is also served by Metrobus routes 236, 410, 594 and 595 which provide connections to Westerham , Redhill , Godstone , Edenbridge and East Grinstead . St Mary's C of E Primary School opened as a National school in Beadles Lane in 1872. Between 1963 and 1974, it moved in stages to its current site in Silkham Road. In 2018, it merged with the adjacent Downs Way School to create a primary school with
3000-413: 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
3120-532: Is elected to each seat to look after the interests of the district. The balance of the Council in 2024 is formed by 20 councillors from the Residents Alliance (Non Political), 11 Liberal Democrats, 7 Conservative and 5 Independent Group councillors. The residents alliance continues as a minority administration with 20 councillors as 22 Councillors are needed for an overall majority. Catherine Sayer
3240-596: Is first recorded in the mid-15th century as le Herst in a deed of Edward IV and as Herste grene in 1577. The name is thought to mean "open space by the wood (hurst)". "Holland" appears in 1757 as Hollands and is thought to mean "land by the hill". Oxted is in east Surrey, around 18 mi (29 km) south of central London. It is on the Greenwich Meridian , which passes through Oxted School , Station Road East and East Hill (the A25 ). The town straddles
3360-576: Is from an Anglo-Saxon charter of 862 AD, in which it appears as Acustyde . In the Domesday Book of 1086, the settlement is recorded as Acstede . In later documents, it appears as Akested (12th century), Axsted , Axstude and Ocsted (13th century) and Oxsted (14th century). The name derives from the Old English āc meaning "oak" and stede meaning "place". Oxted is generally agreed to mean "place of oak trees ". Hurst Green
3480-512: 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
3600-544: Is made up of rented dwellings (plus a negligible % of households living rent-free). 1918 The Oxted Branch of Comrades of The Great War was established. A well built 20 ft x 80 ft Army hut costing £377 was opened in July 1919. The hut was sited on the corner of the then recreation ground owned by Mr Charles Hoskins Master , near Court Farm and St Mary's Church.The branch was one of about 700 in 30 counties UK wide. An organisation created to inaugurate and maintain in
3720-604: Is possible that much of the population was thinly dispersed throughout the parish until the 12th century. The settlement of Old Oxted was founded in the 13th and 14th centuries, to the south east of St Mary's Church, centred on a crossroads where the Guildford to Canterbury road met Beadle's Lane (leading to the south) and Brook Hill (leading to London via the ascent of the North Downs). The street plan does not appear to have changed significantly since medieval times, although
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3840-520: Is the current leader. There are 22 ParishCouncils within Tandridge District. The average level of accommodation in the region composed of detached houses was 28%, the average that was apartments was 22.6%. The proportion of households in the civil parish who owned their home outright compares to the regional average of 35.1%. The proportion who owned their home with a loan compares to the regional average of 32.5%. The remaining %
3960-543: 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
4080-619: The Heathfield & Tunbridge Wells TV transmitters. Local radio stations are provided by BBC Radio Surrey , Heart South , Greatest Hits Radio Surrey & North-East Hampshire and Susy Radio that broadcast from its studios in Redhill . Oxted's local newspapers are the Surrey Advertiser and Oxted Local which is a local community magazine. The early use of cinematograph as media entertainment in Oxted took place in
4200-593: 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
4320-547: The London to East Grinstead railway line , which runs roughly north–south through the Parish. The civil parish extends from the North Downs in the north to the settlement of Holland in the south. It includes Old Oxted and Hurst Green, which are to the west and south of the town respectively. Although the urban area of Limpsfield is contiguous with that of Oxted, the village is part of a separate parish. Much of Oxted and
4440-691: The River Eden unite in the town, east of Titsey Place . The Eden feeds into Kent 's longest river, the Medway . Only the southern slope of the North Downs is steep and its towns and farmland form the Vale of Holmesdale , a series of headwaters across Surrey and Kent to separate rivers. The settlements of Hurst Green and Holland within the civil parish to the south are continuous, but almost wholly residential, areas. The first written mention of Oxted
4560-539: 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
4680-460: The Tandridge district of Surrey , England, at the foot of the North Downs , 9 miles (14 km) south-east of Croydon , 9 miles (14 km) west of Sevenoaks , and 9 miles (14 km) north of East Grinstead . Oxted is a commuter town and Oxted railway station has direct train services to London. Its main developed area is contiguous with the village of Limpsfield . The headwaters of
4800-651: The Tudor style, particularly with stucco frontages. All Saints’ Catholic Church was built in 1913–1928 designed by Arts and Crafts architect James L. Williams (died 1926, his other work includes Royal School of Needlework , St George's in Sudbury , London (1926–27) and The Pound House in Totteridge (1907)). The United Reformed Church 's building followed in 1935, which is listed for its coloured glass and Byzantine design by architect Frederick Lawrence. Development
4920-471: 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
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5040-677: 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
5160-472: The 15th century, the manor passed to the Burgh family and, in 1587, Charles Hoskins purchased the "manor and advowson of Oxted" which covered some 605 acres (245 ha). By the mid-17th century, Barrow Green Court appears to have superseded Oxted Court Farm as the manor house. The Hoskins family held Oxted until the death of Susannah Hoskins in 1868, when it was inherited by her aunt, Katherine Master. She passed
5280-486: 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
5400-471: The 1950s, there were 70 boys boarding at Hazelwood. Despite the healthy numbers on roll, post-war austerity and rebuilding, necessitated by wartime bombing, meant that the school fell on hard times. In 1962, Godfrey R V "Tim" Dowling (born 1917) bought the school and merged with his own school, Bickley Hall, Bromley. The school mottoes also merged, resulting in the double badge emblem. The school remained privately owned by Mr Dowling until 1968 when it became
5520-504: The 1970s classrooms to the front and side of the main building. In 2015, the Larks was rebranded as Hazelwood School Nursery and Early Years for children aged 6 months to 4 years. Mrs Shaw left the school at the end of the summer term 2016 to take over as headmistress of St. Paul's Junior School (previously called Colet Court ) Lindie Louw took over as the schools second headmistress from September 2016, after many years as deputy head at
5640-598: The Anglo-Saxon period and it is possible that St Mary's Church is built on a pre-Christian religious site. From late Saxon times, the area was administered as part of the Tandridge Hundred . Oxted appears in the Domesday Book as Acsted and was held by Eustace II, Count of Boulogne . Its Domesday assets were: 5 hides ; 1 church, 2 mills worth 12s 6d, 20 ploughs , 4 acres (1.6 ha) of meadow , pannage worth 100 hogs . It rendered £14 and 2d from
5760-704: The Comrades of the Great War became the Oxted Branch of the Royal British Legion . In 1924 the Women's Section was formed. In December 1926 the Oxted Branch ( Club ) new building overlooking Master Park was opened by Admiral Sir Charles Madden. It cost over £2,200. Designed with a ladies room, a writing room and large games room at the rear, a bar and Stewards accommodation above. The architect
5880-824: 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
6000-776: The Hoskins Arms Hotel Assembly Rooms to a crowded audience in late 1913. In 1920 the Hoskins Cinema, adjacent the current cinema, nicknamed the Tin Shed due to the corrigated tin roof burnt down after 6 months in use. The new Oxted "Kinema" opened in early 1921 once again located within the grounds of the Hoskins Arms Hotel. 1929 the Plaza opened in 7 Station Road West with the balcony being added in 1936. Independently owned until 2001 when
6120-636: The Legion Club including the Women's Section is still going strong. The Oxted Branch of the Royal British Legion, which is a Registered Charity, in part provides social and welfare support activities for ex- military members (Veterans), their families and members of the wider Oxted community. Within the Branch, the provision of 'welfare' services to Veterans has been reinvigorated and it now has
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#17327803312146240-637: The Meridian Building, was opened in January 2000. The refurbished arts centre was opened in 2019 by musician Richard Stilgoe as part of the school's 90th anniversary celebrations. Moor House School and College, in Hurst Green, was founded in 1947 by the neurologist Cecil Worster-Drought to educate children with speech and language impairments . Initially it catered for residential students only, but in 2011 it began to admit day pupils and,
6360-731: 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
6480-472: 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
6600-481: 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 the Independent Schools Council . In 2021, the average annual cost for private schooling
6720-454: 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
6840-458: 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
6960-552: 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
7080-660: The clay beneath Hurst Green and Holland is 557 ft (170 m) deep. Gravels deposited by earlier courses of the River Eden and its tributaries, are found above the clay in the same area. A thin band of Atherfield Clay comes to the surface between Hurst Green and Oxted, north of which are the Sandgate Beds, which overlie the Hythe Beds. The town centre is primarily on the Folkestone Beds , which take
7200-526: 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
7320-399: The current church is the tower, which is constructed of Bargate stone with brick battlements and which is thought to date from the 12th century. The octagonal stone font and the chancel date from the 13th century. The aisles , built partly from clunch , were added in the 14th century along with the stained glass panels in the east window, depicting the four Evangelists . The building
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#17327803312147440-440: The de Acstede portion of the manor to Robert de Stangrave and his wife Joan. Following the death of Robert de Stangrave in 1344, the former de Acstede portion of the manor of Oxted passed to his wife's family, the Cobhams. and in around 1350, John de Nevile, sold the remainder to them. The Cobham family lived at Starborough Castle near Lingfield and their lands in Oxted were run by a resident steward from Oxted Court Farm. In
7560-462: 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
7680-419: 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
7800-413: 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
7920-440: 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
8040-402: The form of a ferruginous quartz -rich sandstone, containing seams of ironstone and mica . To the west of Oxted railway station, there is a thin wash of pebbles, thought to have been deposited by river action during the Pleistocene . To the north of the town, the Chalk of the North Downs has historically been divided into three bands: Lower Chalk, Middle Chalk and Upper Chalk. At Oxted,
8160-417: 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
8280-405: The implementation of new initiatives and ideas: logo rebranding, the purple octopus concept and a greater opportunity for outdoor learning. The number of pupils on roll soared to over 500. In 2013, a Forest Schools programme started and in 2014, a classroom in the trees was built to complement the school's commitment to outdoor learning. Also in 2014, a vast building project was unveiled to replace
8400-446: 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
8520-470: 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 ;
8640-761: 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
8760-579: 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
8880-483: 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
9000-564: The local football/cricket club. Every year there is also the Oxted Beer Festival. The Barn Theatre was conceived as a public hall for the local parishes and was opened on 22 May 1924 by the playwright Harley Granville-Barker . The building, parts of which date from between 1362 and 1433, was originally used as a barn for a sawmill and was moved from Limpsfield to its current site in Blue House Lane. A rehearsal space
9120-596: The manor to her descendants, the Hoskins Master family. The civil parish of Oxted was formed in 1894. Oxted was part of the Godstone Rural District from 1894 until 1974, when it was combined with the Caterham and Warlingham Urban District to create the Tandridge District . The turnpike road from Wrotham Heath to Godstone passed through the town. The modern-day A25 road divides
9240-507: The middle chalk is around 200 ft (61 m) thick. The earliest evidence of human activity in the civil parish is from the Iron Age and finds include a metal brooch dating from the 3rd or 4th centuries BCE . During the Roman period , the roads from London to Lewes and London to Brighton ran either side of Oxted. The name Oxted suggests that the modern settlement was founded in
9360-488: The name was changed to "The Screen", in 2008 Mainline Pictures chain was taken over by Everyman Media Group. The town is served by Oxted railway station and Hurst Green railway station , both on the Oxted Line . Northbound trains run via East Croydon to either London Victoria or London Bridge . Southbound trains run to either Uckfield via Edenbridge Town or to East Grinstead via Lingfield . The town
9480-430: The new chapel was opened. The new chapel formed part of a performing arts block, which housed the music department and a theatre. Mr Bawtree retired in 1995 and was succeeded by Mr Synge. In 1996, Mr Synge opened the new purpose-built Chestnut building to house the increasing number of pre-prep children attending the school. This gave them their own classrooms, hall and playground. In 1999, a technology block called Willow
9600-411: 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. Oxted Oxted is a town and civil parish in
9720-517: The original town ("Old Oxted") from "New Oxted", the development that grew up to the north-east after the railway station opened in 1884. A bypass diverting the A25 to the north of Old Oxted was built in the late 1960s. The first act of Parliament to authorise the construction of a railway through Oxted was granted in July 1865. It authorised the Surrey and Sussex Junction Railway (S&SJR) to build
9840-613: 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
9960-405: The present day Broadham Green, to the west of Hurst Green, was granted to Battle Abbey . Records from 1312 and 1408 indicate that Broadham manor covered an area greater than 250 acres (100 ha) and that the annual rent from the abbey was 51 s . Similarly, in 1283, the "Bursted" or "Birsted" estate was granted in perpetuity to Tandridge Priory , but it is unclear where in the parish this land
10080-402: 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
10200-456: 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,
10320-527: 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 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
10440-595: 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
10560-592: The railway line through Oxted in 1884, stimulated a rapid of phase of development in the parish. Since the line crossed the Guildford to Canterbury Road on an iron viaduct, it was not practical to build a station at this point. The site chosen for the station was to the northeast of Old Oxted and to the east of St Mary's Church. With the arrival of the railway in 1884 (after many years' delay caused by lack of funds) Oxted boomed in line with London's trade growth around its station , north-east of Old Oxted, and new buildings created "New Oxted". These new buildings were built in
10680-551: The same during this period, although regular improvements were made to the chapel. Mr Parry took over as headmaster in 1938, on the eve of the Second World War . During the war, the site was bombed, which resulted in the loss of the original Victorian pavilion and fives courts. These were rebuilt in the late 1940s along with the Oak and Chestnut cottages, which needed to house the growing number of boys and staff. Chestnut
10800-495: 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
10920-509: The school many years, took over the management of the school. This period in the school's history was overshadowed by war and, less seriously, recurring attacks of influenza. In the post-war period, Mr Hugh Crauford Irving took over as headmaster. He established the house system with two houses named after old boys who had served during the First World War: Cather and Hansen. The fabric of the school's buildings remained much
11040-520: 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
11160-565: The school until 1999. Edward Baily founded Hazelwood School as an educational boarding establishment for boys in 1880. The first site for the school was in Balsham, Cambridgeshire , with just two boys. In 1884, with a dozen more boys, the school moved to Warlingham in Surrey before finally settling on our current site in Limpsfield, Surrey, in 1890 with 38 pupils. Following Mr Baily's retirement in 1906, Mr Lifton-Wynne, who had worked at
11280-604: The school. 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 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,
11400-481: 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 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
11520-536: The side of the main Victorian building. In the late 1970s, new headmaster Mr Bawtree had Chestnut cottage adapted for use as a pre-preparatory school for children aged 5–7 years. Oak cottage continued to be used staff accommodation and all boarders were moved to the main Victorian building. In 1979, two lower tennis courts were added. With a new pre-prep and the admittance of girls, the number of pupils on roll rose considerably during this period. A new house system
11640-574: 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
11760-408: 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
11880-554: 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 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
12000-473: The surface of the High Street appears to have been lowered at some stage, most likely to reduce the steepness of the gradient as it approaches the stream at its east end. The oldest buildings in the village, 2-6 Godstone Road and The Old Bell pub, date from the 15th and 16th centuries. Several of the houses are thought to have originated as open hall houses , which have since been modified. The opening of
12120-487: The surrounding area is drained by the headwaters of the River Eden , a tributary of the River Medway . The highest point in the civil parish is at Botley Hill , which at 269.6 m (885 ft) above ordnance datum is the highest point on the North Downs. The oldest outcrops in the area are of Weald Clay , which comes to the surface in the south of the civil parish. A borehole , dug in 1958, indicated that
12240-569: The town and a public Anderson shelter was constructed on Master Park. Two fighter aircraft , a Hawker Hurricane and a Messerschmitt Bf 109 crashed in the civil parish in August 1940. Oxted is in the parliamentary constituency of East Surrey and has been represented at Westminster since May 2019 by Conservative Claire Coutinho . There is one representative on Surrey County Council, Conservative Cameron McIntosh. The district has 43 council seats, representing 18 wards. One councillor
12360-529: 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
12480-560: The unfinished railway line until 1878, when a third act of Parliament authorised the Croydon, Oxted and East Grinstead railway, which would take over construction and be jointly owned by LBSCR and SER. Among the works that were completed by the new company was the iron viaduct between Oxted station and Limpsfield tunnel. The new line finally opened to passenger traffic in March 1884. Oxted station , originally called Oxted and Limpsfield,
12600-511: 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
12720-579: 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
12840-413: Was Mr A Douglas Robinson A.R.I.B.A. Mr Granville presented a bookcase for the writing room. The land and building upon which the club is built was officially transferred between Charles Hoskins Master and Francis Morton Thrupp on the 22nd January 1927. The current freehold title SY787642 shows the registered owners as The Royal British Legion, Haig House, 199 Borough High Street, London SE1 1AA. In 2024
12960-520: Was added to house the ICT suite, science laboratories, design technology room, art studio and kiln room. The development of this front part of the site led to the relocation of the cricket pitch and the addition of more car-parking space to the front of the school. Also in 1999, the boarding element of the school ceased and Hazelwood begun to operate as an independent day school. In 2003, the Sports Hall
13080-538: Was built adjoining Willow building. Following the departure of Mr Synge in 2004, Mr Hawkins took on the post of headmaster for a year, followed Mr McDuff in 2005. In 2009, Hazelwood merged with Laverock School, a local girls' preparatory school, situated in central Oxted . The Laverock site was developed to open as a 50-week nursery called the Larks, operating as part of the Hazelwood charity. Mrs Maxine Shaw became headmistress in 2010. Hazelwood's vision evolved with
13200-710: 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
13320-523: Was constructed to the rear of the theatre in 1931 and a cyclorama was installed in the building in 1968. In 2021, the auditorium has 244 seats. A project to reconfigure the entrance and foyer areas has recently been built in advance of the theatre's centenary celebrations in 2024. The local TV stations are BBC London & ITV London , received from the Crystal Palace transmitter. BBC South East and ITV Meridian can also be received from
13440-459: Was established in 1976: the four houses were named after past Hazelwood headmasters: Baily, Irving, Parry and Dowling. Mr Bawtree continued his development of the site into the 1980s with a new indoor swimming pool to replace the outdoor swimming bath in front of Oak cottage. He also added a new Creative Arts Centre. In 1987, a violent storm caused the lavish Victorian chapel to be destroyed so plans were put in place for its replacement. In 1990,
13560-424: Was located. The last male member of the de Acstede family, Roland de Acstede, was summoned to Parliament in 1290, but he died shortly afterwards. His estate was inherited by his five daughters, each of whom was given a share of the land. By 1300, one part of the manor was held by the sisters Clarica and Alina de Acstede, with the remainder by Hugh de Nevile . In 1342, John de Wellesworth, grandson of Roland, sold
13680-538: 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
13800-510: Was provided with two through platforms and a south-facing bay platform . There was also a freight yard with a south-facing connection to the line. A second station in the parish, Hurst Green Halt opened with line and was replaced by Hurst Green station , to the north, by British Rail in 1961. The line south from Hurst Green to Eridge was opened in December 1887. A century later, in 1987, Hurst Green Junction signal box closed as part of
13920-498: Was started in 1977 by Eric and Elsie Hallson, who ran it for nearly 20 years before retiring. Entrants wear fancy dress and must push a pram around the two-thirds of a mile course, stopping at each of the seven licensed premises on the way to quaff a drink as quickly as they can. The race ends in Old Oxted high street where the road is closed for the evening and a street party is held. The park hosts annual events such as that run by
14040-474: Was supported by Charles Hoskins Master through his Barrow Green Estate selling land parcels for building on what became Chichele Road Circa 1912 and the gifting of Master Park in 1924 for recreation space. Road and place names in Oxted such as Barrow Green Road, Chichele Road (named from their ancestral link to Archbishop of Canterbury Henry Chichele ), The Hoskins ( on the site of the former Hoskins Arms Hotel ), Hoskins Road, Hoskins Walk, and Master Park provide
14160-613: Was the first co-educational grammar school in Surrey. Originally called Oxted Secondary School, it opened with 22 pupils, but numbers had grown to 120 by 1932. Following the Second World War, it adopted the name Oxted County School and was renamed to Oxted School in September 1999. In August 1998, a fire destroyed 22 classrooms, the dining hall and the library, but the school reopened for the Autumn Term on time, with many lessons held in temporary buildings. A replacement building, named
14280-485: Was used as married quarters for staff and accommodation for senior boys. Oak cottage housed three masters, matron and more dormitories for senior boys. In 1949, a new changing room was also added to the site. By the end of the 1940s, there were in the region of 70 boarders so another house was added to the house system: Blacker-Douglass, named after another old boy who served in the First World War . Throughout
14400-616: 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
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