St. Piran's (school)

St. Piran's is a British independent prep school located on Gringer Hill in Maidenhead, Berkshire. The school has been co-educational since the 1990s.

History

St. Piran’s can trace its origins to 1805 when pupils, including Benjamin Disraeli, received their early education at a small school, the Revd John Potticary's school in Blackheath, at 2-3 Eliot Place [Rhind, N. (1993) "Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol.1 The Village and Blackheath Vale" (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.157.] .

The school moved to its present site in 1873 while Thomas Nunns was the Headmaster, to gain from the better air and the space to play sports. Plenty of space was essential for the sons of the gentry and aspiring gentry! Cordwalles School was born and remained a successful boys' boarding school for the next 47 years.

In 1919, Major Vernon Seymour Bryant became Headmaster. He was born in Truro, Cornwall and after being educated in Exeter and then Downing College, Cambridge, became an assistant master at Wellington. He bought Cordwalles School for £7,700 and in the Year Book of 1920 it read, "Cordwalles is no more! Long live St. Piran's!" as Major Bryant bestowed on his school the name of the Patron Saint of Cornwall. His philosophy: "Boys will have the opportunity of becoming good craftsmen in workshop, library and field. Young boys can be set to work with machinery, heavy machinery, such as will excite the imagination and create the scientific sense."

23 boys started in 1920 at St. Piran's and by 1921 there were 65 on the books paying 50 guineas each per term. In 1972 the school became an educational trust with a Board of Governors and about 180 boys. Many additions were made to the building in the seventies including an outdoor swimming pool, assembly hall, a new gymnasium, a library and a science laboratory.

In 1993, the school became fully coeducational, accepting boys and girls from age three to thirteen. Boarding came to an end at St. Piran's after 188 years and the school adapted to the demands of the local market, becoming a local school meeting local needs. Further developments under Andrew Blumer included the building of the St. Piran's Centre, providing swimming, dance and sports facilities for the pupils.

Present day

The school continues to grow under Jonathan Carroll's headship and remains an Independent Preparatory School. Pupil numbers are as high as they have ever been, with nearly 400 children attending the school.

In 2005, St. Piran's celebrated its 200th anniversary.

ports each term at St Piran’s

Christmas Term

Boys: Rugby and Swimming
Girls: Netball Hockey and Swimming

Easter Term

Boys: Football, Hockey, Cross-Country and Swimming
Girls: Netball, Hockey, Cross-Country and Swimming

Summer Term

Boys: Cricket, Athletics, Tennis and Swimming
Girls: Athletics, Rounders, Tennis and Swimming

Headmasters

# Rev. John Potticary 1805–1820
# Rev. George Brown Francis Potticary 1820–1850
# Rev. Richard Cowley Powles 1850–1865
# Rev. Thomas Jackson Nunns 1865–1890
# Rev. Charles William Hunt 1890–1902
# Rev. Cyril Robert Carter 1902–1910
# Rev. Theodore William Keeling 1910–1912
# Mr. Mervyn Frank Voules 1912–1919
# Major Vernon Seymour Bryant 1919–1926
# Captain Arthur Grendon Tippet DSO 1926–1943
# Mr. Lowther Grendon Tippet 1943–1972
# Mr. Guy Gross and Mr. Andrew Perry 1972–1980
# Mr. Andrew Perry 1980–1982
# Mr. Andrew Blumer 1982–2001
# Mr. Jonathan Carroll 2001–present

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.stpirans.co.uk School website]