- Chatham House Grammar School
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"CHGS" redirects here. For the radio station originally known as CHGS, see CJRW-FM.For the non-governmental organization formally known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, see Chatham House.
Chatham House Grammar School 
Chatham House Grammar School logo Floreat Domus ChathamensisAddress Chatham Street
Ramsgate, Kent, CT11 7PS, EnglandCoordinates 51°20′11.61″N 1°24′58.21″E / 51.3365583°N 1.4161694°ECoordinates: 51°20′11.61″N 1°24′58.21″E / 51.3365583°N 1.4161694°E Information School type Selective foundation school Established 1797 School district Thanet Ofsted number 118934 Head of school David J. Smart. B.A. (Hons) Staff 110 Gender Boys Number of students 862 Colour(s) Green Mascot Pelican in Her Piety Website http://www.chathamhouse.kent.sch.uk Chatham House Grammar School, often abbreviated to "Chatham House" is a grammar school in Ramsgate, Kent, England, founded in 1797 as a private boy's boarding school by William Humble, under the name Humbles Boys' School.[1] The main building of the school as well as the railings are grade II listed.[2]
Contents
Admissions
The school has 813 students including the 262 students in the sixth form, accepting only boys in years 7-11, and a limited number of girls in the sixth form, mostly drawn from the Isle of Thanet that encompasses Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate, but some from as far away as Herne Bay. It is situated just south of the junction of the A255 and the A254.
On the 4 March 2008, the school had an Ofsted inspection which rated the school as outstanding - the highest grade achievable.[3] All areas that were inspected were found to be Grade 1 (outstanding) or Grade 2 (good) and the school was praised for its work.
Its 'sister school,' Clarendon House Grammar School, is a girls' school, only a few minutes walk from this complex. The two work together to provide subjects, bands, and outings. Clarendon, like Chatham House, allows both boys and girls into the sixth form (Year 12 and 13).
The school motto is "Floreat Domus Chathamensis", which translates as "may Chatham House flourish".[4]
History
World War II
When Ramsgate was bombed during World War II, a bomb hit the school library (where a skylight now stands) but did not detonate. Prior to that, the library had been the school chapel, as evidenced by the quantity of stained glass.
The school had numerous entrances to the network of tunnels running under Ramsgate which were used during the second world war to shelter from air raids. Most of these entrances have now been covered up (now underneath the playing fields) but the last ones are still visible on the lower playground and have been used recently by the local fire authorities for training purposes.
Uniform
The school maintains a strict system of uniform throughout all years, including the sixth form. The uniform consists of a dark green blazer, dark trousers, white shirt and a green tie.
In the senior school (years 9-13) the colour of the tie remains green, but patterned with diagonal stripes to indicate house (colours shown below).
Some pupils also become eligible to wear ties in recognition of other achievement. House 'colours' are similar to the house tie but with a white stripe running along each side of the coloured stripe. School 'colours' are a single white school crest on a dark green tie with a white stripe. There are also 'colours' for sport and music, which consist of a repeating pattern of white stripes and the school crest and are earned by representing the school's first team in 75% of the matches in a season.
House system
The school has a house system with the junior school consisting of years 7 and 8. From year 9 the pupils join the senior houses. In total there are 8 houses, 4 junior school houses and 4 senior school houses. In the senior houses pupils wear a tie indicative of their house. In year 12 (or lower sixth) the form groups are split into two. The nomenclature for representing a pupil's house is: 7La, 11He, 12He(ii)
Junior Houses - all wear a dark green tie
- Brack's (Fullname Brackenbury's)
- Larkin's
- Norman's
- White's (formerly Whiteheads)
St. Georges Church presides over the school's newly installed astroturf.
Senior Houses - all use a dark green tie with coloured stripes
- Heath's - white stripes
- Mann's - orange stripes
- Pearce's - light green stripes (known as School house until 1976)
- Thomas' - pink stripes
Previous Senior Houses (no longer in existence)
- Coleman's - sky blue stripes
- Searle's - red stripes
- Simmons' - royal blue stripes
- Thornton's - yellow stripes
The house system is used for sporting events - house fixtures results accumulate over the academic year - and for various other competitions, including acting and design contests. The results from all of these fixtures are tallied at the end of the year to determine the winner of the Cock House Trophy.
Competition cups
Throughout the school year, the house take part in competition cups, which contribute points toward the Cock House Cup. These include, the Taylor acting cup, Larkin Music Cup, Chapman Design Cup and the Curzon Picture debating competition. Also, sports day events and general achievement contribute towards the houses's points totals.
Expansion and status
Exterior of Chatham House Grammar School
A pair of Grotesques; characteristic of the school's Gothic Revival style architecture.The school was recently awarded specialist Science, Mathematics and IT status and construction of an extension to the Redman Wing to house extra classrooms and IT facilities was recently completed. There is a heavy emphasis on IT facilities within the school with plenty of state of the art equipment available for use by students and staff alike.
In Spring 2011 it was announced that the schools will work together as one school. Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils will be based at Chatham House and year 10 and 11 pupils will be based at Clarendon. The CCVI sixth form centre will be based on both sites with all lessons being split between them. In this intermediate stage, Year 9 will be moved to the lower school while the decisions about houses are being taken. As the two schools are becoming one, the house system will need to change as Clarendon has 4 houses for the entire school with Chatham having 4 different houses in the lower and upper school. The naming of the new houses is currently being voted in, with options being twin Clarendon and Chatham houses, pick two "lost" houses from each school or rename them based on historic places in Ramsgate. Although it has not been decided on what will happen to the houses, It was announced that the new house colours will be Red, Blue, Silver and Gold.
Notable alumni
Alumni of Chatham House are known as Old Ruymians.[5] Chatham House has the sixth highest number of Who's Who entries for state schools.[1]
Well known Old Ruymians include:
- Iain Aitch - author and journalist
- Doc Atherton - broadcaster formerly on Invicta FM (now known as Heart Kent) then KMFM Thanet and can now be heard on Academy FM
- Allan Butler, Ambassador to Mongolia from 1984-7
- Rear-Adm Timothy Chittenden, submariner and Director from 2000-3 of the Warship Support Agency
- Keva Coombes, Leader (Labour) of Liverpool City Council from 1987–90, and Labour candidate for Hyndburn in 1987
- Matt Corker - professional rugby union player for the London Wasps
- Maj-Gen Patrick Crawford GM, Commandant from 1989-93 of the Royal Army Medical College
- Jamie Davies - racing driver
- Marc Gascoigne - fantasy writer
- Prof Peter Gregory,[6] Director since 2005 of the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie near Dundee, and Professor of Soil Science from 1994-2005 at the University of Reading
- Geoffrey Colin Guy CMG CVO OBE, Governor of Saint Helena from 1976–81, and Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1958-9 and 1959–65
Former Prime Minister Edward Heath was an Old Ruymian- Sir Edward Heath - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974[7]
- Peter Hermitage, Director from 1996-98 of National Police Training, and Chairman from 2004-6 of the Security Industry Authority
- Stewart Jackson - Conservative MP for Peterborough
- Sean Kerly - Olympic field hockey player
- Prof Andrew Lawrence, Regius Professor of Astronomy since 1994 at the University of Edinburgh and Head of Physics from 2003-8
- Lieutenant Marc Lawrence,[8] Sea King observer of 849 Naval Air Squadron, killed on 21 March 2003 in a crash in Kuwait
- Ali Marchant, radio DJ
- John Marek Labour MP for Wrexham 1983 to 2001
- Desmond Misselbrook CBE,[9] Chairman from 1972-8 of Livingston Development Corporation
- David Muir - television presenter
- Frank Muir - humourist[10]
- Rev Dr Edward Norman, gave the BBC Reith Lecture in 1978
- John Ovenden, Labour MP for Gravesend 1974 to 1979, and Leader of Kent County Council from 1994-7
- Geoff Parsons - Olympic high jumper
- Charles Robson (1859–1943), Middlesex and Hampshire wicket-keeper, and secretary (manager) of Southampton Football Club[11]
- Sir John Tavaré CBE, Chairman from 1986-2000 of Luxonic Lighting, and of Whitecroft Lighting from 1976–85
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, Station Commander from 1968-70 of RAF El Adem (in Libya), Governor of Gibraltar from 1985-9, and targeted by the IRA on 18 September 1990 which severely injured him
- Air Vice-Marshal Henry Thornton CBE
- Hugh Tunnell, Ambassador to Bahrain from 1992-5
- Nik Turner - founder of the spacerock band Hawkwind
- Most Rev Gregory James Venables, Bishop of Argentina since 2002
- Geoffrey Wales, wood engraver
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Bill Wratten CBE CB - Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Strike Command during the first Gulf War, Station Commander from 1980-2 of RAF Coningsby
- Prabhat Mathema - Medical Director of Wales Rugby national team, former Head Physio of London Wasps Rugby team and QPR Football Club
See also
References
- ^ a b Point 4 - Pews and pupils (2005-07-19). "Coast: Point 4 - Pews and pupils". BBC Article. http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2005/06/24/coast05walks_stage4.shtml. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
- ^ http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=171720&resourceID=5
- ^ Ofsted Inspection - 28th March 2008[dead link]
- ^ Times Online Article[dead link]
- ^ "Grammar School Old Boys: Introduction". Chathamhouse.kent.sch.uk. http://www.chathamhouse.kent.sch.uk/old_boys/contentIntroduction.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
- ^ "Senior Management Team | Scottish Crop Research Institute". SCRI. 2007-12-04. http://www.scri.ac.uk/staff/seniormanagementteam#gregory. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
- ^ Heath, Edward. The Course of My Life. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1998, p111
- ^ "849 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON - Marc Lawrence". Naval849.co.uk. 2003-06-23. http://www.naval849.co.uk/MarcLawrence.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
- ^ "Desmond Misselbrook - Obituaries, News". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/desmond-misselbrook-529548.html. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
- ^ Muir, F. (2000) A Kentish Lad.Transworld Publishers ASIN:B000JFDP0S
- ^ "Chales Robson profile". Cricketarchive.com. 1943-09-27. http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Articles/1/1257.html. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
External links
News items
Categories:- Boys' schools in Kent
- Grammar schools in Kent
- Ramsgate
- 1797 establishments in England
- Educational institutions established in the 1790s
- Grade II listed educational buildings
- Grade II listed buildings in Kent
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