There was probably a school associated with the Cathedral from the time of the foundation of the see in the late 7th century.[1] Thus Hereford Cathedral School is likely to be among the oldest in England. The earliest documentary record of its existence dates from 1384 when Bishop John Gilbert appointed Richard de Cornwaille as school master and authorised him to rule over the school with birch and rod. The school's library is named after Bishop Gilbert[2] and Cornwall house is named for Richard de Cornwaille.
During the following centuries the school attracted generous benefactors. It was rebuilt under the reign of King Edward VI, and it received considerable emoluments from Queen Elizabeth I in 1583. During the 17th century Dean Langford, Roger Philpotts, a former Mayor of Hereford, Sarah, dowager Duchess of Somerset (wife of John Seymour, 4th Duke of Somerset), and King Charles I all gave to the school for the foundation of scholarships and the purchase of buildings.
An aerial view of the Portman Centre, No. 1, and the Science Block
By 1762 the school building was once again rebuilt after it had fallen into disrepair and by the mid 19th century teaching was being carried out in the Headmaster's house. In 1875 new class rooms were built in School Yard.[3]
The school remained relatively small in size until the inter-war period. It attained direct grant status in 1945 and by 1970 had expanded to 370 pupils, all of whom were boys and many of whom were boarders.[1] In 1973, the school became co-educational. It was a direct grant school until 1975, and when this scheme was abolished, it chose to become independent.[4] The school also participated in the Assisted Places Scheme from its introduction in 1980 until its abolition in 1997.[1]
As of September 2022, the Headmaster of the school is Dr Michael Gray.
In 2019 Hereford Cathedral School reintroduced boarding for international students, opening a new boarding house in How Caple.[5]
Junior School
Hereford Cathedral Junior School is an independent, co-educational day school for children aged from three to eleven years. The Junior School is part of the Hereford Cathedral Foundation and has been under the aegis of the governors of the Hereford Cathedral School since 1987. Hereford Cathedral Junior School is, like the Senior School, located in Castle Street in the city of Hereford. It occupies an assortment of Medieval and Georgian buildings, ranging from the Grade two star listed No. 28 and the ancient 14th century "Hall of the Vicars Choral", right up to the 21st century RIBA award winning Moat, which houses the Pre-Prep department. It also shares sports grounds (Wyeside) with the Senior School.
The Junior School was founded in 1898 as a separate preparatory school for boys and moved to its present site in 1925.[6] Since being redesignated as a junior school after it was acquired by Hereford Cathedral School, the Junior School has admitted girls and expanded its pupil numbers and its premises. It now provides a continuous education for boys and girls between the ages of two and eleven. Both schools now share the same governors.
Curriculum
As well as core disciplines, other subjects taught in the school include Ancient History/Classical Civilisation, Art, Business Studies, Design and Technology, Drama, Economics, French, Japanese, Spanish, Greek, Latin, Further Mathematics, Psychology, Music and Textiles.[7]
Sport
Among sports practised in the school are: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Canoeing, Cricket, Cross Country, Fencing, Fitness Training, Football, Hockey, Netball, Rounders, Rowing, Rugby, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis and Volleyball[7]
Traditions
Every year pupils at the school run a cross-country race called the Hull Cup. The origins of this competition are said to be found with Hereford Cathedral organist Percy Hull who believed that the choristers at the time were in poor shape and so demanded that they take part in an annual run.
Although there is no official school song, the de facto school anthem is the hymn Jerusalem (English Hymnal 656A).
House system
Upon entry into the school every pupil is assigned a house. The houses are as follows:
The Old Deanery, once a boarding house, is now the administrative centre of the school.
The four extant houses are: Langford (after Charles Langford, Dean of Hereford and benefactor 1607), Stuart (named after King Charles I, benefactor 1637), Somerset (named after Sarah Seymour, Duchess of Somerset, benefactor 1682) and Cornwall (named after Richard de Cornwaille, first known headmaster of Hereford Cathedral School, 1384).
Before the abolition of boarding at the school, there were also separately named houses for boarders, namely: School House, Number 1 (Castle Street) and Old Deanery. In those days, Cornwall, Langford, Somerset and Stuart consisted entirely of day pupils.
1898 Reverend Prebendary William Henry Murray Ragg, MA
1913 Reverend John Henson, MA
1920 Dr J. H. Crees
1940 C. Fairfax-Scott
1944 A. F. J. Hopewell
1956 W. J. R. Peebles
1967 David M. Richards
1975 Barry B. Sutton
1987 Canon Emeritus Dr Howard C. Tomlinson, BA, PhD, FRHistS
2005 Paul Smith, BSc
2021 Dr Michael Gray
Controversy
In December 2005 a former teacher was jailed for 27 months for setting up a secret camera in one of the school's changing rooms to film girl pupils undressing, and for downloading nearly 900 indecent images of children from the internet.[8]
In November 2010, a former teacher, Neil Moore, was sentenced to 15 months for seducing a male pupil with alcohol at his home after messaging him on a dating website.[9]
In February 2017, the school was sued by a former pupil who alleged that when he was transitioning from female to male, the school discriminated against him.[10] In response, the school's governing body said that the pupil had been withdrawn before any decision on his support had been made.[10]
In July 2020, a former teacher was convicted on several counts of having sexual activity with a student whilst in a position of trust. The acts occurred over a decade prior.[11]
Extracurricular activities
Combined Cadet Force
The school operates a Combined Cadet Force composed of Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force sections. It is the second oldest school CCF in the country.[citation needed] Recently the organization has had notable success in the CCF (Army) March and Shoot. The unit is currently commanded by Sqn Ldr A D Howell.
The last Biennial Inspection was on 8 May 2014. The inspecting officer was Col Seal, who is the Deputy Commander of 143 Brigade.
Chamber Choir
The Hereford Cathedral School Chamber Choir tours internationally and has won a number of awards.
Upon leaving the school former pupils and staff are referred to as Old Herefordians (OH) and become members of the Old Herefordians Club. This entitles them to wear the colours of the Old Herefordians Club (navy blue, yellow and white).
The King's School is a public school in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group. It is Britain's oldest public school; and is arguably the oldest continuously operating school in the world, since education on the Abbey and Cathedral grounds has been uninterrupted since AD 597.
Hereford is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire, England. It is situated on the banks of the River Wye and lies 16 miles (26 km) east of the border with Wales, 23 miles (37 km) north-west of Gloucester and 24 miles (39 km) south-west of Worcester. With a population of 53,112 in 2021, it is the largest settlement in Herefordshire.
Tonbridge School is a public school in Tonbridge, Kent, England, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde. It is a member of the Eton Group and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies.
The Royal Grammar School Worcester is an eleven-eighteen co-educational, private day school and sixth form in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. Founded before 1291, it is one of the oldest British independent day schools.
The King's School, Rochester, is a private co-educational all through day and boarding school in Rochester, Kent. It is a cathedral school and, being part of the foundation of Rochester Cathedral. The school claims to be the second oldest continuously operating school in the world, having been founded in 604 AD. It is the oldest choir school in the world.
Sedbergh School is a public school in the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, North West England. It comprises a junior school for pupils aged 4 to 13 and the main school for 13 to 18 year olds. It was established in 1525.
Ashville College is a co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils aged 2–18 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England.
Founded by King Henry VIII in 1541, The King's School is a state-funded Church of England Cathedral Chorister School located in Peterborough, England. It is the Chorister School for Peterborough Cathedral. Former pupils are known as Old Petriburgians.
King's College is a private co-educational secondary day school in Taunton, Somerset, England. A member school of the Woodard Corporation, it has approximately 450 pupils aged 13 to 18, including about 300 boarders. Its affiliated prep school is King's Hall School. The head of the school is currently Michael Sloan, who started his first academic year in the winter of 2022.
Taunton School is public school, now co-educational, in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18.
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School (QEGS) is a public school for boys in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. The school was founded by Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1591 at the request of leading citizens in Wakefield 75 in total and some of whom formed the first governing body.
Monkton Combe School is a public school, located in the village of Monkton Combe near Bath in Somerset, England.
John Bury OBE was a British set, costume and lighting designer who worked for theatres in London, the rest of the UK, and Broadway and international opera.
Sir Robert Heaton Rhodes was a New Zealand politician and lawyer.
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school founded 1552 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Originally a male-only school, in August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008.
Wilfred Marcus Askwith was the 2nd Bishop of Blackburn who was later translated to Gloucester. Born in Hereford and educated at Hereford Cathedral School, Bedford School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge he was ordained in 1914. His first post was as Curate at St Helens Parish Church. After this he was a Master and Assistant Chaplain at his old school then Rector of Stalbridge. From 1925 to 1932 he was Chaplain to Europeans at Nakuru in Kenya. Returning to England he was Vicar of Sherborne then Rural Dean of Leeds before his elevation to the episcopate. He died on 16 July 1962.
John Bradford (1750–1805) was an English dissenting minister.
Fitzwilliam Coningsby was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1621 and in 1640. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.
Thomas Lewis was an English cleric, noted as a vitriolic High Church writer of the Bangorian controversy.
Matthew Croose Parry, was an Irish cricketer who played for Warwickshire. He was educated at Hereford Cathedral School.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
