The Royal Hospital School (usually shortened as "RHS" and historically nicknamed "The Cradle of the Navy"[1]) is a British co-educationalfee-chargingboarding and day school with naval traditions. The school admits pupils from age 11 to 18 (Years 7 to 13) through Common Entrance or the school's own exam. The school is regulated by Acts of Parliament.[2]
The school is the only United Kingdom independent boarding school to have ever been continuously granted the Queen's Banner and it flies its own Admiralty-approved Royal Hospital School Blue Ensign. It is one of only two UK schools whose students have the privilege of wearing Royal Navy uniforms, the other being Pangbourne College in Berkshire.
Bernard de Neumann, a former pupil, described the school's significance as such: "Just as, according to the Duke of Wellington, the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton, it may justifiably be claimed, that the establishment of... the British Empire, was charted and plotted in the classroom of... the Royal Hospital School."[3]
Overview
Seafaring traditions are important and integral elements of school life, and Royal Navy uniforms (sailor suits) are issued to all pupils and used for ceremonial and formal events. The school is owned by the Crown naval charity, Greenwich Hospital and as a result provides a number of means-tested bursaries for families with a seafaring background.
The Royal Hospital School is a boarding and day school with weekly boarding, three-night boarding, and 'flexi' or ad hoc boarding options.
Pupils
There are a little over 750 pupils at the school; of those, 330 are day pupils and 420 board on a full-time, weekly or 3-night basis. It is one of the largest boarding schools in East Anglia.
Boys and girls entering the school in year 7 (11+ years) join a Junior House, Blake, for one year. This provides a period of settling in and bridge from primary to senior school.
There are three boys' (Collingwood, Hawke and St Vincent) and three girls' (Anson, Hood and Howe) senior boarding houses and three co-educational day houses (Raleigh, Drake and Cornwallis)
In the final year (Year 13) boys and girls join Nelson House where more independent living provides a steppingstone to university or other life beyond school.
There are around 100 international students from about 30 countries. The school has specialist staff for international students and provides English as an Additional Language.
Academics
The school uses the National Curriculum Key Stages 3 (Years 7–9), 4 (Years 10–11), and 5 (Years 12–13), and provides a large choice of subjects for study.[8]
When a student reaches year 9 they are required to participate in Combined Cadet Force (CCF). CCF aims to enhance the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, endurance and perseverance and to develop leadership and resourcefulness. In year 9, students are taught the basics of leadership and fieldcraft; when students reach year 10 they are able to pick a 'section' in which to go into. These are: Army, Royal Navy (RN), Royal Air Force (RAF) and 'Marines' (RM).[10]
As part of CCF, pupils can participate in a wide range of activities including: first aid, navigation, shooting, field craft, and self-reliance; with opportunities for students to participate in section competitions against other schools/cadets. There are also opportunities for sailing, flying, rock-climbing, coasteering, power-boating and many other outdoor pursuits. Alongside air-rifle, small bore and Cadet GP Rifle shooting in the school's own shooting range.[11]
DofE
Similarly to CCF, all year 9 pupils are required to sign up the "Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme" as part of their Co-Curricular/CCF sessions. Expeditions for Bronze, Silver and Gold take place annually; with Bronze taking place locally, Silver taking place in the Peak District and with Gold taking place in Scotland (usually Rannoch Moor).[12]
History
The school was originally located at Greenwich Hospital and was based in what is now the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London. The Hospital was founded in 1694, and the school in 1712, both by royal charter.[13][14] The original purpose of the school was to provide assistance and education to the orphans of seafarers in the Royal and Merchant Navies, and it was once the largest school for navigation and seamanship in the country.[15]
The school has been located in Holbrook since 1933.[3] The Holbrook campus was designed by the Birmingham-based arts and crafts architect Herbert Tudor Buckland and built by J. Gerrard & Sons Ltd of Swinton. Most of the buildings are now Grade II listed with the main range and chapel being Grade II*.
Historically, the Royal Hospital School exclusively admitted children or grandchildren of seafarers. This policy was in place until the mid-20th century. During this period, up until the 1950s, it was also mandatory for boys attending the school to pursue careers in the Royal or Merchant Navies. Consequently, the curriculum was heavily centred around maritime subjects. Although these requirements have been discontinued for several decades, the school continues to uphold certain naval traditions. These include wearing naval uniforms, conducting divisions (formal parades and march-pasts typical in the armed forces), and incorporating marching as part of the school's activities.
In 1991 the school became coeducational, with the girls first being introduced into Hood house, followed by Cornwallis, Howe and Blake (now co-educational) and Anson. Girls initially had a different naval uniform from boys, but this was changed to match the boys' uniform, and subsequently followed the changes in dress as seen in the Royal Navy. The first female Head of School was appointed in 1992 to work alongside the male Head of School.
In 1994 the entire school was bussed to Greenwich Hospital to parade in front of Queen Elizabeth II, in celebration of the tercentenary of the Hospital. The parade took place on the parade ground in front of the Queen's House. In 2012 the school marked three hundred years since its foundation with the opening of a Heritage Centre, publication of a commemorative book and a formal dinner in the Painted Hall at Greenwich.
In 2005 RHS was one of 50 of the country's leading independent schools which were found guilty of running an illegal price-fixing cartel which had allowed them to drive up fees for thousands of parents.[16] Each school was required to pay a nominal penalty of £10,000 and all agreed to make ex-gratia payments totalling three million pounds into a trust designed to benefit pupils who attended the schools during the period in respect of which fee information was shared.[17]
Greenwich Hospital
Greenwich Pensioner, 1845
The school was founded by royal charter and is maintained by Greenwich Hospital. The hospital provides bursaries to a number of pupils. The school also awards academic, sports, music and sailing scholarships, as well as bursaries and discounts to the children of seafarers in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines or Merchant Navy.[18]
Traditions
Boys of The Royal Hospital School, Greenwich c.1900
Many of the modern-day Royal Hospital School traditions are associated with the Royal Navy or seafaring. For example, key naval events are celebrated, the school has provision for sailing, and has a ceremonial guard and marching band.
Naval uniforms
As well as standard school uniform, both boys and girls wear Naval uniforms for ceremonial occasions such as "Divisions", a ceremony in which each house forms into two squads, Junior and Senior, and perform a march past on the parade square, with music played by the marching band and the Guard of Honour holding a key role. All house petty officers (POs) wear a chevron on their left arm. The school chiefs, approximately 20 Upper 6th Formers, wear chief petty officer ranks and uniform, including canes. The deputy heads of school (two boy and two girl prefects) carry the rank of warrant officer (second class). The heads of school (one boy and one girl prefect) carry the rank of warrant officer (first class).
The Royal Hospital School has a distinctive musical tradition, with all pupils required to attend weekly congregation practice. The £3.6 million Reade Music School opened in 2008.[19]
The Royal Hospital School marching band is a perennial part of school life. The band is managed by a former member of the Royal Marines Band Service, and the band's style is modelled on the Royal Marines. When the school forms up in divisions on the parade square, the band forms a separate division, larger than the others. It has travelled abroad for tours including to Sri Lanka and the USA. Some of the marches played include Heart of Oak, A Life on the Ocean Wave, "Holbrook March" and Royal Salute.
RHS has developed a number of small traditions and practices over its 300 years of existence, with many still in use today. Many of these slang phrases have roots in the navy, but many are also unique to RHS and its traditions [22]
"Divis" or "Divvies" short for Divisions
"DH" short for Dining Hall
"Civvies" slang for civilian clothing
"Chiefs" slang for school prefects
"Congo" short for congregational practice
"Mess" naval slang for a meal
Chapel
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The chapel is central to RHS life. It is compulsory for pupils to attend a short service every Tuesday and Thursday morning. Congregational practice is also held within the chapel every Saturday morning. A service is held most Sundays, compulsory for any boarders on site. As part of the chapel service, it is common for a musician (usually a music scholar) to play a small piece as part of the service during the week. The mosaics in the apse are by Eric Newton, later to become art critic to The Guardian. The chapel is a Grade II* listed building.[23]
Royal foundation
The Royal Hospital School has connections with the British royal family. These connections are principally The royal charter, School Visitor, and King's & Queen's Banners. The school's political breadth is shown by both its acknowledgement of its royal connections and its honouring the great republican hero, Robert Blake (admiral), after whom a House is named.
Many members of the royal family have involved themselves with the development of the school. Mary II's involvement with the Royal Hospital School is noted as "the darling object of her life".[13]
The school has inter-house sporting events and there are opportunities to enter inter-school competitions. Some school alumni have also gone on to be professional athletes.
The main sports at the school are as follows:
Michaelmas Term:Boys – rugby union and sailing, Girls – hockey and sailing
Lent Term:Boys – hockey, cross country, rugby 7s and sailing, Girls – netball, cross country and sailing
Summer Term:Boys – cricket, athletics, tennis and sailing, Girls – cricket, tennis, athletics and sailing
The school has 96 acres of sports fields, an all-weather pitch, tennis and netball courts, squash courts, a sports hall, fitness suite, strength and conditioning room, martial arts studio, climbing wall, indoor pool, golf course, nearby equestrian facilities (Bylam Livery Stables) and the majority of the sailing programme is delivered at Alton Water that neighbours the school.
Sailing is available to students all year round and the school takes pride in its rank as one of the best sailing schools in the country,[24] with many students representing their nations at world sailing events. As well as the possibility to sail in school, a biennial sailing trip is offered to the school's sailors – the most recent trip having been Australia in 2017 and Greece in 2015.
Royal Hospital School Association
The Royal Hospital School Association (RHSA) is a collective of alumni and former staff from the Royal Hospital School. Initially established in 1925 as the Greenwich Royal Hospital School Old Boys Association, it adopted its current name in 1992 to inclusively represent both male and female former students. The association regularly connects its members and keeps them informed about recent developments and events through its newsletter, Otia Tuta, which is published on an irregular basis.[25]
The association holds an annual reunion at the school in June.
John Deane (1800–1884) and Charles Deane – inventors of the diving helmet, and discoverers of the wreck of the Mary Rose in 1839, whilst clearing the wreck of the Royal George.
Edward Riddle, FRAS (1786–1854), astronomer, mathematician and teacher of navigation. Highly esteemed teacher; senior mathematics master in the Upper School (1821–1840); headmaster of the Upper School (1840–1841); and then of the Nautical School (1841–1851). Author of an authoritative and important book: "Treatise on Navigation and Nautical Astronomy", that was used throughout the world and ran to eight editions. [1st edition 1821].[27]
The Revd George Fisher, FRS, FRAS (1794–1873) Astronomer, Arctic explorer. Chaplain (1834–1863); Headmaster of the Upper School (1834–1840); Principal of the schools (1860–1863). Noted for his pioneering work in numerical educational attainment assessment.
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Mill Hill School is a 13–18 co-educational private, day and boarding school in Mill Hill, London, England that was established in 1807. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
Christ's Hospital is a public school with a royal charter, located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The school was founded in 1552 and the royal charter granted in 1553. Since its establishment, Christ's Hospital has been a charity school, with a core aim to offer children from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance of a better education.
Greenwich Hospital was a permanent home for retired sailors of the Royal Navy, which operated from 1692 to 1869. Its buildings, in Greenwich, London, were later used by the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and the University of Greenwich, and are now known as the Old Royal Naval College. The word "hospital" was used in its original sense of a place providing hospitality for those in need of it, and did not refer to medical care, although the buildings included an infirmary which, after Greenwich Hospital closed, operated as Dreadnought Seaman's Hospital until 1986.
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Trent College is a co-educational independent boarding and day school located in Long Eaton, Derbyshire between Nottingham and Derby. Founded in 1868 as a local ’middle class alternative’ to the more famous public schools, it is now a coeducational school and a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
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Desmond, Morris. "The Royal Hospital School Holbrook 1933–1993," United Kingdom.
McClean, David. "Education and Empire: Naval Tradition and England's Elite Society," British Academic Press, I. B. Tauris (15 January 1999), ISBN1-86064-295-0
Newell, Phillip. "Greenwich Hospital: A Royal Foundation 1692–1983," United Kingdom.
Turner, H.D. The Cradle of the Navy: The Story of the Royal Hospital School at Greenwich and at Holbrook, 1694–1988, William Sessions Limited of York, United Kingdom, 1990, ISBN1-85072-077-0
Waldie, Paul. "Ghosts and Kippers: Schoolboy Memories, from the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich," United Kingdom.
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