Sir Thomas Rich's School

Infobox UK school
name = Sir Thomas Rich's School


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motto = Garde Ta Foy
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established = 1666
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president =
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head = Mr I L Kellie
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specialist = Languages College
Science College
street = Oakleaze
city = Longlevens, Gloucester
county = Gloucestershire
country = ENG
postcode = GL2 0LF
LEA = Gloucestershire
ofsted = 115717
staff =
enrollment = 827
gender = Male (Mixed in Sixth Form)
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses = Northgate,Eastgate,Southgate,Westgate
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website = http://www.strs.org.uk/
website_name = www.strs.org.uk

Sir Thomas Rich's School is a grammar school for boys (aged 11–18) and girls (aged 16–18, in the sixth form) in Longlevens, Gloucester. It is commonly known as "Tommy's".

History

The Will

On Sir Thomas Rich's will of 1666 he left his Gloucester house in Eastgate and £6,000 for a school to be established for twenty poor boys in Gloucester. The money was mainly invested in farm land and the rent was to pay for the running of the school. The school was opened in 1667, one year after Sir Thomas Rich's death. [ [http://www.strs.org.uk/school_life/main_frameset.html Life at Sir Thomas Rich's School ] ] Sir Thomas Rich decreed that the pupils should wear "blue coats and caps according to the laudable usage of Christ Church Hospital in London." The blue drugget gown and yellow stockings were replaced in 1882 by the modern equivalent, the blue blazer.

Modern History

The school moved to its present location from the centre of Gloucester in May 1964. Amongst many recent additions and improvements to the facilities is a new quadrangle of classrooms, completed in 1994 at a cost of £1.2 million and opened by Mr. J. A. Stocks (Rich's Headmaster from 1961 to 1973).

Facilities

wimming Pool

As a result of a major fundraising effort – The Tercentenary Appeal – the school was able to add a swimming pool to the school buildings at Oakleaze when it moved there in 1964. In the early 1990s, circumstances required the closure of the pool. Fundraising efforts, driven hard by the Parents Association and Frank Henderson and the school's Venture Scout unit, enabled complete refurbishment of the pool. On 16 March 1995, it was officially re-opened by HRH The Princess Royal. The pool is also well used by neighbouring junior schools and local community organisations.

Bowling Green

The school is the only in the country with its own Bowling Green. It is available for use by senior pupils as well as being home to the Sir Thomas Rich's Bowls Club.

The "Old" Gym

The older sports hall was part of the original buildings of the school in the current location. Sports such as table tennis and basketball take place here, along with gymnastics and being used as a venue for exams.

ports Hall

Opened in 1999 by Mr. Bill Hook, the Sports Hall is part of the STRS Sports Centre complex which provides a vital facility for the local community of Longlevens. Being part of the school, students and staff benefit from its availability during school hours – the size of the sports hall means that a whole year group can be accommodated for Games & PE instruction. Badminton, 5-a-side football, basketball, indoor cricket and cricket nets, trampolining, gymnastics, roller-blade hockey – these are just some of the activities that take place under its roof. The school also has a modern fitness suite.

Language, Geography, History and Art Block (The W J Veale Language block)

This is the latest addition to Sir Thomas Rich's facilities. Named after former headmaster W. J. Veale, it supplies students with modern classrooms to improve their modern language, history, geography and art skills. This is in connection with the school's recently received Language College status. An extension has also been built on the side of the language block to provide another modern language and three new geography classrooms.

English "Quad"

This area consists of the five English rooms (labelled Q1 to Q5), and the majority of the maths rooms (Q6 to Q10). It was opened in 1996, and now also contains the sports hall.

In the centre is the "Sixth Form Quad", to which only sixth formers have access.

The "Tommy" Psalm

Believed to be one of the oldest school-based psalms, the Tommy psalm is sung on a few occasions throughout the school year. On speech day (where the pupils with the most marks in their summer exams are rewarded), and Founders Day (roughly the 2nd to 3rd week of May).

In the third verse it is noticeable that number of syllables in the fifth line, ("Sixteen thousand pounds of what God gave",) does not fit with the rhythm of the psalm and does not correlate with the six thousand pounds left by Sir Thomas Rich for the founding of the school. Despite a suggestion by the Upper Sixth, this factual inaccuracy remains overlooked.

Let us rejoice with cheerful voice, God's goodness magnify, Who freely grants to all our wants, Most plentiful supply. Naked and poor to clothe and feed, From misery to raise, How truly great and noble 'tis, How worthy is the praise. Base pleasure 'tis mankind to hurt, Although the only joy Of ill men who abuse their wealth, The harmless to annoy. Within this city, thanks to God, Such bounteous works abound As have embalmed the authors' names, By faith most richly crowned. And in this rank of pious men, Our founder, though the last In time, yet in munificence By none has been surpassed; Sixteen thousand pounds of what God gave, He did lend back again, Though having issue of his blood, Did not poor heirs disdain. Whene'er we come, our gratitude Shall there make it appear, Who 'twas at first did nourish us And who doth feed us here. The pious part of this large store In heaven's treasury lies, Whilst the earthly stock's secured below In the hands of good and wise. And may this place and the whole realm In peace protected be, And happily may our Queen reign, Blessed with prosperity.

Geology

Sir Thomas Rich's School is one of the few schools in Gloucestershire that teach Geology as an A level subject. There is also a lunchtime GCSE group for Geology. The head of Department is Dave Green. The department follows the Welsh Joint Education Committee geology specification.

References

External links

* [http://www.strs.org.uk Official website]
* [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=14298/ School-portal page]
* [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=14257 A potted history of the school]