St George's School, Windsor Castle
St George's School, Windsor Castle is a co-educational independent preparatory school in Windsor, near London, England. Founded to provide choirboys for the Choir of St George's Chapel, it now educates over 400 boys and girls.
| St George's School, Windsor Castle | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
, , SL4 1QF | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent preparatory school Choral foundation school |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Church of England |
| Established | 1352 |
| Founder | Edward III |
| Local authority | Windsor and Maidenhead |
| Department for Education URN | 110131 Tables |
| Chairman of the Governors | David Conner, Dean of Windsor |
| Headmaster | William Goldsmith |
| Staff | 80 (approx.) |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 3 to 13 |
| Enrolment | 410 (approx.) |
| Houses | Garter, Clarence, Lancaster, Winchester |
| Website | http://www.stgwindsor.co.uk |
History
The school was established to provide six choristers for the Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, which sings in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which is the official country residence of the British Royal Family. St George's is one of the oldest schools in the country, and has provided an unbroken line of boy choristers to sing daily services in St George's Chapel since 1352.
As late as 1942 the school was reported by its headmaster as being "for the sons of Gentlemen only".[1]
The school's choristers have sung at events such as the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, now the Countess of Wessex; the funeral of John Hunt, Baron Hunt; and also the Blessing of the Wedding of the now King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Present day
The seventeen full choristers live at the school, with about seven 'probationers' who are mostly day pupils. The choristers attend lessons at the school with the other children and rehearse each day before and after school in the Song School by the Chapel, where they also sing seven services each week during term time. Their school fees are partly met by grants from the Dean and Canons of Windsor.
The school has a boarding community of 30 children, many of whom board on weekly or flexible arrangements. Most pupils have experienced some level of boarding before they leave at 13.
The school buildings are situated just below the north wall of Windsor Castle, with the school being divided into three distinct sections – the Pre-Prep (Nursery to Year 2) the Middle School (Years 3, 4 and 5) and the Senior School (Years 6, 7 and 8).
Nearly all pupils over the age of 7 learn an instrument, the majority of girls take part in ballet, tap or jazz dancing and a range of school choirs covers all age-groups.
Although the school is a town centre school, spacious playing fields are situated next door to the school site, within the King's private grounds. Boys play football, rugby and cricket and the girls play netball, hockey and rounders. Swimming takes place in the school's indoor pool.
In 2021, the house names were changed from Revenge, Rodney, Vindictive and Victory, to Garter, Clarence, Lancaster and Winchester. They are now named after the towers at Windsor Castle. The original houses were named after warships.
Headmasters
- 1893–95: A. Bickerseth[2]
- 1885–1904: H. F. W. Deane[3]
- 1904–34: G. S. Fowler[1][2][4]
- 1934–42: James William Webb-Jones[2][5]
- 1942–45: P. H. C. Cavanaugh (acting headmaster)[2]
- 1946–71: W. P. O. Cleave[2]
- 1971–83: Richard Russell[6]
- 1983–92: George Hill[7]
- 1992–93: Bernard Biggs[7]
- 1993: Anthony Brailsford (acting headmaster)[7]
- 1993–95: Alan Mould[7]
- 1995–99: Roger Marsh[7]
- 1999: Alan Mould (interregnum; autumn term)[7]
- 2000–11: Roger Jones[8]
- 2011–12: Andrew Salmond-Smith
- 2012-17: Chris McDade
- 2017-2018: Roger Jones
- 2019– William Goldsmith
Notable pupils
- Princess Eugenie of York (born 1990), daughter of The Duke of York and granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II
- Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (born 2003), daughter of The Earl of Wessex and granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II
- Sir Walford Davies (1869–1941), composer.[9]
- Timothy Bavin (born 1935), Anglican bishop
- Michael Chance (born 1955), countertenor[10]
- John Denison (1911–2006), music administrator
- David Fanshawe (1942–2010), classical composer
- John David Morley (born 1948), writer and novelist
- Francis Grier (born 1955), classical composer
- Miles Jupp (born 1979), comedian
- John Lubbock (born 1979), conductor
See also
Notes
- ^ a b The Spectator, vol. 168 (1942), pp. 266 & 298: "St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle — The Choir School is a first-class Preparatory School for the Public Schools, for the sons of Gentlemen only... G. S. Fowler, MA, St George's School, Windsor Castle"
- ^ a b c d e Wridgway, Neville (1980). The Choristers of St George's Chapel. Chas. Luff & Co. p. 132.
- ^ The Journal of Education, vol. 54 (W. Stewart & Company, 1922), p. 90: "Mr. HFW Deane, Chairman of the Year Book Press, Ltd., whose death was reported late in December last, was well known in educational circles. He was educated at Repton and Trinity College, Cambridge. For fourteen years he was a master at St. Ninian's School, Moffat, and in 1885 became head master of St. George's School, Windsor. He retired from this post in 1904, being appointed Chapter Clerk and Librarian to the Dean and Canons of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Later he established, with his sons, the publishing firm now known as The Year Book Press."
- ^ Joseph Whitaker, ed., An almanack for the year of our Lord 1913: Volume 45 (London, Joseph Whitaker, 1913), p. 908:"ST. GEORGE'S SCHOOL, WINDSOR CASTLE Headmaster - G. S. FOWLER, MA A Preparatory School for the Public Schools and the Choir School for St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. A good musical education can be given to all boys..."
- ^ "WEBB-JONES, James William (1904 - 1965)". Who's Who, Oxford Index. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Headmaster, R. H. E. Russell (Creed & Co, Dorset, 1986)
- ^ a b c d e f In High Remembrance, Ed. R. H. E. Russell & P. A. F. Thomas (2007)
- ^ The Church of England year book, vol. 116 (Church of England National Assembly, 2000) p. 244: "Headmaster, St George's School: Mr Roger Jones, St George's School, Windsor"
- ^ Hugh Chisholm, ed. The Encyclopædia Britannica: The New Volumes, Volume 1 (1922): "After a preliminary private education he became a chorister at St. George's chapel, Windsor, in 1882..."
- ^ ‘CHANCE, Michael Edward Ferguson’ in Who's Who 2012 (London: A. & C. Black, 2012); online edition (subscription site) by Oxford University Press, December 2011, accessed 22 April 2012
External links
- School website
- ISI Inspection Reports
- Ofsted boarding report 2007[permanent dead link]
- Choir Schools Association