86.134.165.229 (talk) |
86.134.165.229 (talk) |
||
Line 34: | Line 34: | ||
== Charity == |
== Charity == |
||
The school holds various charity events and selects two school charities per annum. End of year totals end up in the thousands of pounds |
The school holds various charity events and selects two school charities per annum. End of year totals end up in the thousands of pounds. In addition, each of the six houses selects a house charity that can last for longer than a year. |
||
Every year, the school holds a "MENCAP Funday" which involves the school being transformed into a fun park for disabled children and their siblings. The students from Years 10+ pair up or form groups to take around visiting children to events set up by teachers/other students. Students from both the boys' school and the girls' school next door volunteer for this event |
Every year, the school holds a "MENCAP Funday" which involves the school being transformed into a fun park for disabled children and their siblings. The students from Years 10+ pair up or form groups to take around visiting children to events set up by teachers/other students. Students from both the boys' school and the girls' school next door volunteer for this event. Events include computer games, a candyfloss machine, bouncy castles, football, swimming, petting zoo, ice cream and much more. |
||
=== Supported charities === |
=== Supported charities === |
Revision as of 21:19, 6 June 2007
The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school in Elstree, near Borehamwood, in Hertfordshire. It owes its name to its foundation by the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers (one of the livery companies) through the agency of Robert Aske. The school adopted the motto of the company, "Serve and Obey". The school is one of the top academic schools in the country and also among the best in sports and the arts.
History
The school was established in 1690 at Hoxton, near the City of London. In the 19th century it was divided into two, one part moving to Hatcham in South London, where a boys' and a girls' school were set up. Usually referred to as Aske's, they were formally known as the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham Schools until 1991, when the two were combined as Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College.
The other part moved to a site in Hampstead, north London, becoming a direct grant school after the passing of the Education Act 1944. Its formal name was the Haberdashers' Aske's Hampstead School, generally known as Haberdashers'. In 1961 this school moved to its present site at Elstree, initially taking the name Haberdashers' Aske's School Elstree. When the Labour government of 1964-70 withdrew the direct grant arrangements, it became fully fee-paying.
Recently, a number of buildings on the Elstree campus have been opened, including the new Aske Building (2004), a multi-million pound science and geography complex, and the Bourne Building, a series of classics, information technology and history classrooms. The Bourne Building also features at its focus a large assembly hall, inherited from the building that stood there previously. A full development scheme has been initiated and over a period of time, the school will be re-built in order to keep up with the changing world. As part of this, the school will be based around two main Quadrangles.
The school is nominally Church of England in orientation, but is notable for the high numbers of ethnic minority pupils[citation needed].
For a fuller account of the School's history, see the relevant section in Cockburn et al (1969), referred to below.
Media references
- The recent hit Alan Bennett stage-play and film The History Boys mentions Haberdashers' in its script as a school of academic excellence. The production notes were supplied by acclaimed historian Simon Schama, an Old Boy of the School who had a major influence over the play and film.
- Old Boy novelist William Sutcliffe set his largely autobiographical début novel New Boy at an unnamed school, that is easily identifiable as Haberdashers', including references to the school's location, layout and, most tellingly, motto.
- Another ex-Habs novel referencing the school is A Matter of Life and Sex by Oscar Moore.
Other Haberdashers' Schools
- Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls was also established in Acton. The Acton school moved during the 1970s to its current location next to the Boys' School in Elstree.
- The Haberdashers' Company was also involved in the foundation of other schools, for example Monmouth School, but these were not associated with Robert Aske.
Pastoral
The school is based around a House structure; several shields are awarded by the Headmaster at the end of the academic year for competition between the Houses (Junior Work and Conduct, Senior Work and Conduct, The Crossman Shield, awarded for success in inter-house sporting competitions, and the Dunton Shield, awarded to the house with the highest number of points in all three categories combined). The six houses are named after the original housemasters: Calverts, Hendersons, Joblings, Meadows, Russells and Strouts. In the first two years of schooling, boys are placed in forms according to their House and all lessons are with members of the formgroup; later in the school, the Houses are mixed as classes follow ability streams. The formgroups, however, are dependent upon House throughout the school.
Charity
The school holds various charity events and selects two school charities per annum. End of year totals end up in the thousands of pounds. In addition, each of the six houses selects a house charity that can last for longer than a year.
Every year, the school holds a "MENCAP Funday" which involves the school being transformed into a fun park for disabled children and their siblings. The students from Years 10+ pair up or form groups to take around visiting children to events set up by teachers/other students. Students from both the boys' school and the girls' school next door volunteer for this event. Events include computer games, a candyfloss machine, bouncy castles, football, swimming, petting zoo, ice cream and much more.
Supported charities
- 2004 - 2005 Water Aid, Tommy's the Baby Charity
- 2005 - 2006 Cherry Lodge Cancer Care
Recent report
A recent ISI report of Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School praised the school for its teaching, facilities and extra curricular activities. The inspection lasted 1 school week (5 days) and viewed all aspects of school life. The report can be found at ISI Online Report.
Notable alumni
- Zac "Ziggy" Lichman, boyband member, model and Big Brother contender
- Frederick Augustus Voigt, Journalist, anti-fascist campaigner
- Sir Ralph Freeman (born 1880), engineer and architect of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Alan Whicker (born 1925), television presenter
- Sir Geoffrey Leigh (born 1931), founder of The Leigh City Technology College, Property Mogul
- Brian Sewell (born 1936), art critic, journalist and television personality
- Lord Brittan (born 1939), politician
- Paul Darrow (born 1941), actor
- John Rutherford (born 1941) Fellow in Spanish and director of the Centre for Galician Studies at The Queen's College. Translator of the "Don Quixote".
- Michael Bukht OBE (born 1941), the "Crafty Chef", Michael Barry, from the BBC2 television show Food and Drink
- Michael Green (born 1943), distinguished figure in broadcasting
- Sir Martin Sorrell (born 1945), Chief Executive, WPP plc (1986-)
- Darien Angadi (born c. 1948), actor and boyhood soprano
- Simon Schama (born 1945), historian
- Professor John Urry (born c. 1946), sociologist
- Sir Nicholas Serota (born 1946), Director of Tate Galleries (1988-)
- Peter Kellner (born 1946), formerly the political analyst of the BBC Newsnight current affairs programme
- Zac Lichman, big Brother UK Contestant 2007 and member of boyband Northern Line
- Toby Harris (born 1953), Labour Politician and former president of the Cambridge union society
- David Lidington (born 1956), Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary
- Damon Hill (born 1960), Formula One world champion
- Jonathan FeBland (born 1960), composer
- Mark Kermode (born 1963), film critic
- Jason Isaacs (born 1963), actor
- Dr Raj Persaud (born 1963), consultant psychiatrist, author and television personality
- David Baddiel (born 1964), comedian
- Jonny Persey, (born 1968), film producer
- Sacha Baron Cohen (born 1971), comedian (aka Ali G, Borat, or Bruno)
- Nick Goldsmith, (born 1971), film and TV producer
- Dan Mazer, (born 1971), tv producer
- William Sutcliffe (born 1971), author of New Boy, a fictional book inspired by his experiences at the school.
- Matt Lucas (born 1974), comedian
- Adam Thirlwell (born 1978), author
- Paul Terry (born 1987), actor
- Richard Wright (born 1943), Organist/Keyboard player and founder member of Pink Floyd
- Lionel Kochan, historian
- George Foulkes, politician
- Alex Goff Premier American rugby journalist. Currently writes for eRugbyNews.com
- Alan J. Charig, Paleaentologist
- John Rutherford (born 1941) Fellow in Spanish and director of the Centre for Galician Studies in The Queen's College (University of Oxford). Translator of the "Don Quixote".
- Lord Pincer (2006 -2007), Phd, MbChB, FRCS, Queens College, Oxford - Reader of osteoarthritis
- Roy W Brown Human rights activist
Trivia
- The school grounds and buildings were used as settings for many scenes in the early 1960s TV series The Avengers.[1]
- Scenes from Michelle Fowler's graduation were filmed for an episode of EastEnders in the school's Bourne Hall.
References
J.S. Cockburn, H.P.F. King, K.G.T. McDonnell (1969) A History of the County of Middlesex. Volume 1: Physique, Archaeology, Domesday, Ecclesiastical Organization, The Jews, Religious Houses, Education of Working Classes to 1870, Private Education from Sixteenth Century. Boydell & Brewer (ISBN-13 9780197227138)