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{{short description|Independent school near Croydon, Greater London}}{{For|the comprehensive school formerly named "Whitgift School"|John Whitgift Academy}}{{pp-semi-indef}}{{Use British English|date=December 2012}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}

factoids

Private schools in the United Kingdom>Independent school| religious_affiliation = Church of England| president =| head_label = Head Master| head = Christopher RamseyHeadmaster's Welcome Whitgift School| chair_label =| chair =| founder = John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury| specialist =| address = Haling Park| city = South Croydon| county = Greater London| country = England| postcode = CR2 6YTLondon Borough of Croydon>Croydon| urn = 101837| staff = 200| enrolment = 1,478| gender = Boys| lower_age = 10| upper_age = 18purple}} Andrew's {{color boxred}} Cross' {{color boxcyan}} Ellis' {{color boxGold}} Smith's{{color box|green}} Tate'snavy}} {{color box|gold}}| publication = Whitgift Life Magazine| free_label_2 = Former pupilsOld Whitgiftians)| website =weblink}}Whitgift School is an Independent day school with limited boardingBoarding at Whitgift Whitgift School in South Croydon, London. Along with Trinity School of John Whitgift and Old Palace School it is owned by the Whitgift Foundation, a charitable trust. The school was previously a grammar school and direct grant grammar school,WEB,weblink Whitgift Foundation, friendsofoldpalace.org, 2020-04-09, but the school's headmaster is now a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.WEB,weblink Whitgift School, HMC, en, 2020-04-09,

History

Whitgift School was founded in 1596 by the Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift and opened in 1600WEB,weblink Whitgift Foundation: records, NationalArchives.gov.uk, 3 February 1997, 1 February 2016, as part of the Whitgift Foundation which had the aim of building a hospital and school in Croydon for the "poor, needy and impotent people" from the parishes of Croydon and Lambeth.WEB,weblink The Whitgift Hospital almshouses; 2009, Museum of London Prints, Originally located in North End, Croydon in 1931 it moved to its current site, Haling Park, which was once home to Lord Howard of Effingham, the Lord High Admiral of the Fleet sent against the Spanish Armada.WEB,weblink Whitgift School, Whitgift School, 1 February 2016, Originally a day school, boarding was introduced in 1992,WEB,weblink Whitgift School Boarding, Whitgift School, 10 April 2017, and a boarding house was opened for the 2013–14 school year.NEWS, Whitgift School one of the leaders of the pack thanks to big investment and top–level coaches,weblink The Telegraph, London, 3 November 2011, Between 1871 and 1946 the school was known as Whitgift Grammar School, after which it relinquished its direct grant and became a fully independent school known as 'Whitgift School'.WEB,weblink Whitgift Foundation, Friends of The Old Palace, 1 February 2016,

Grounds and buildings

(File:Whitgift School; view from main entrance April 2020.jpg|thumb|Whitgift School; view from main entrance, April 2020)Whitgift is located in a {{convert|45|acre|adj=on}} parkland site. The ship (a model of HMS Ark Royal, the flagship of Lord Howard of Effingham against the Spanish Armada) that features prominently on the top of the school hall is a reminder of the history of the site. Additions since the 400th anniversary of the school have been a maze in the founder's garden, an aviary, an enclosure for Prevost's squirrels, ponds and a sports complex.The original buildings have been supplemented by many additions and improvements including a Music School and Concert Hall, an integrated facility for science, technology, art and design together with library and resource centres, a separate Lower School building, and a major new Sports and Conference Centre which was opened in February 2005. A new Art Department, Performing Arts Centre and a new Sixth Form Centre were completed in the middle of 2011.Whitgift has a wide variety of animals, including peacocks on the grounds since the 1930s, and flamingos.WEB, Whitgift School in Croydon,weblink Great British Life – Surrey Life, 13 August 2011, November 2007, In 2005 Sir David Attenborough visited the school to open the ponds, the enclosure of which also houses various waterfowl,RHS{{dead link|date=August 2011}} including Hawaiian geese.

Admissions

Most boys are admitted to the school at the ages of 10 or 11 with smaller numbers of boys enter the school at 12, 13, 14 and 16. Entry is based on performance in entrance exams and interviews.

Education

Since 2005, Whitgift has offered the International BaccalaureateWEB,weblink Whitgift School International Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate Organization, 7 August 2011, Diploma Programme to the Sixth Form as an optional alternative to A-Levels, as well as BTEC qualifications in sport and business studies.

Co-curricular activities

Whitgift School offers co-curricular activities within the school. This is reflected in the sporting facilities as well as an array of musical activities.

Combined Cadet Force

Whitgift has a combined cadet force. The school has partnerships with two local state schools St. Andrews C of E High School and Thomas More School, allowing their students to take part in CCF activities.WEB,weblink Whitgift School – Co-Curricular – Combined Cadet Force, Whitgift School, 1 February 2016,

Sport

The school fields teams in a range of sports and has a sports and conference centre which hosts competitionsWhitgift and the Community Whitgift School the Health & Fitness Centre, a 55 station gym and group exercise studio are open to students and their families. The Women's GB Handball team has trained on occasions at the School as has the England Korfball steam.In hockey Whitgift won the National Indoor Hockey Championships at Under 15 and Under 18 levels in 2011.WEB,weblink Whitgift School – Sports, Whitgift School, 1 February 2016, The school also become national Under 18 golf champions for the first time in 2014 at Carnoustie. The first recorded cricket match held on the school ground occurred in 1898 when the school played University College School.WEB,weblink Other matches played on Whitgift School, Cricket Archive, 7 August 2011, {{subscription}} From 2003 to 2011 the school ground hosted 12 List-A matchesWEB,weblink List A cricket matches played at Whitgift School, Cricket Archive, 7 August 2011, {{subscription}} for county club Surrey.

Headmasters

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• 1600–1601 Ambrose BryggesThe History & Antiquities of Croydon, with a Variety of Other Interesting Matter by David William Garrow W. Annan, 1818 – Croydon (London, England), p130
• 1601–1606 John Ireland
• 1606–1616 Robert Davies
• 1616–1629 William Nicolson
• 1629–1648 John Webb
• 1648–1651 Noris Wood
• 1651–1662 Thomas Day
• 1662–1668 John Philips
• 1668–1675 William Crowe
• 1675–1681 John Shepheard
• 1681–1712 John Caesar
• 1712–1742 Henry MillsThe History & Antiquities of Croydon, with a Variety of Other Interesting Matter by David William Garrow W. Annan, 1818 – Croydon (London, England), p131
• 1742–1751 Samuel StaveleyThe History & Antiquities of Croydon, with a Variety of Other Interesting Matter by David William Garrow W. Annan, 1818 – Croydon (London, England), p132
• 1751–1774 John Taylor Lamb
• 1774–1801 James HodgsonThe History & Antiquities of Croydon, with a Variety of Other Interesting Matter by David William Garrow W. Annan, 1818 – Croydon (London, England), p133
• 1801–1812 John Rose
• 1812–1843 John Collinson Bisset
• 1843–1865 George ColesWEB,weblink CalmView: Overview,weblink" title="archive.today/20130505183242weblink">weblink 5 May 2013, dead,
• 1865–1871 William Ingrams{{dead link|date=February 2016}}
• 1871–1902 Robert Brodie{{dead link|date=February 2016}}
• 1903–1927 Samuel Ogden Andrew{{dead link|date=February 2016}}
• 1928–1939 Stanley GurnerWEB,weblink Ronald Gurner M.C. M.A. (1890–1939), Headmaster, Old Edwardians Association, 1 February 2016,
• 1939–1946 Gerald Ellis{{dead link|date=February 2016}}
• 1946–1961 Edward Marlar{{dead link|date=February 2016}}
• 1961–1970 Michael Hugill{{dead link|date=February 2016}}
• 1970–1991 David RaeburnWhitgift Foundation records National Archives
• 1991–2017 Christopher BarnettWEB,weblinkweblink" title="archive.today/20130615235038weblink">weblink dead, 15 June 2013, Dr Christopher Barnett Authorised Biography &124; Debrett's People of Today, Debrett's, 1 February 1953, 1 February 2016,
• 2017–2024 Christopher Ramsey

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Notable alumni

Former pupils of Whitgift are known as "Old Whitgiftians".

Notable staff

• Anthony Seldon, Head of Politics at Whitgift in the 1980s, head of Brighton, Wellington and Epsom Colleges, biographer of contemporary British political figures.
• David Ward, cricket coach who, having retired from playing for Surrey, produced a stream of cricketers for the England team.
• Sir Dick White, Assistant Master in the 1930s, former Director General of MI5 and Head of MI6.

Southern Railway Schools Class

The Southern Railway V Class was known as the Schools Class because all 40 locomotives were named after public schools. "Whitgift", SR no. 916 and BR no. 30916, was built in 1934 and withdrawn in 1962. The Whitgift nameplate that was formerly mounted on the front driving wheel-splasher of the locomotive is now on display in the Raeburn Library in the school. Hornby Models created an OO gauge replica of the 916 Whitgift Schools Class locomotive. Whitgift has one on display in the Raeburn Library underneath the Whitgift nameplate from the 4–4–0 train.

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

• Whitgift School website
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130613204432weblink">Whitgift School Profile Independent Schools Council
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20070317210537weblink">A rendition of the school song, Carmen
• Old Whitgiftian Football Club
• Old Whitgiftian Association
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180811102131weblink">Old Whitgiftian Rugby Football Club
• {{mmukscaled|TQ323640|10|Map sources}}
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20091024041614weblink">Whitgift School Threatens Pupils

{{Surrey CCC}}{{Schools in Croydon}}{{Croydon B&S}}{{authority control}}