Ditcham Park School

Ditcham Park School

Motto	Where every child is known and valued
Established	1976
Type	Private School
Religion	Non-denominational
Headmaster	Mr Andrew Rowley
Founder	Paddy Holmes
Location	Petersfield Hampshire GU31 5RN England
Gender	Mixed
Ages	4–16
Houses	3
Colours	Green, White & Maroon
Former pupils	ODs
Website	ditchampark.com

File:Ditcham Park School.jpg

Ditcham Park from the South

Ditcham Park School is an English co-educational, selective, independent school set in the secluded countryside of Hampshire, overlooking the South Downs. It has very large formal grounds, including sports fields, which adjoin several farms and forests; the main section of the school is a Victorian manor house. A hi-tech Technology and Arts building was added in 2001, and a fully fitted brand new sports hall added in 2008.

The school performs competitively locally and nationally in examination results. It does not have a sixth form, although does have a junior school. The current headmaster is Mr Andrew Rowley . The school comprises small sized classes, and a total of 362 pupils aged 4 – 16 years in the junior and senior sections of the school.

Sport and outdoor pursuits

Ditcham Park has a full quota of football, netball, hockey, tennis, cricket, rounders and athletics matches throughout the year. The school is also beginning to introduce rugby and basketball fixtures into the school calendar. Matches begin at the under 9 age group (lower juniors- year 4) and continues right through the senior school. Despite a limited number of pupils to choose from the school is always competitive in terms of results. The school feels that Physical Education within the school gives every child a sporting start in life whatever their niche or ability and the traditional school sports day is a popular event in the school calendar.The school has a state of the art Sports hall built in honor of Martin Pryce a teacher who died of Cancer

Ditcham Park is on the South Downs Way and this makes the school well located for its Duke of Edinburgh Award programme

Some of the schools extra curricula activities include fencing, karate, cycling, swimming, cross-country running and dance.

Drama, Music and Arts

Drama is well supported and encouraged as the school has its own theatre. There are a number of senior music groups, including the Symphony Orchestra. The following list of activities are open to all.

Choirs, Ensembles, Concert Band, Drama Club, Art Club, Mask making, Theatre Lighting, Speech & Drama

The school also comprises an admirable Technology & Arts building, including pottery rooms.

Notable former pupils

See also: Category:People educated at Ditcham Park School

• Tamsin Egerton, actress/model
• Richard Harwood, cellist
• Philip Hunt (director), Bafta award winning director^{[citation needed]}
• Zoe French, model

History

The House has had a very colourful and varied history. Laurence Trent Cave bought the Estate in 1887 and engaged the architect Sir Reginald Blomfield to build the House and also to build St. Lawrence’s Catholic Church in Petersfield. In 1940 the House was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and used as a convalescent home for sailors and served by trains stopping at Woodcroft halt. After the war it became a boys preparatory school run by Douai School Monks and then in September 1976 Ditcham Park School was founded.

School Fees

The fee for the academic year 2009/2010 is between £2,157.00 and £3,601.00 (depending on the child's age) per term.

See also

• Private schools
• Hampshire

External links

• Official site
• BBC League Table

Coordinates: 50°57′14″N 0°56′03″W / 50.9538°N 0.9342°W / 50.9538; -0.9342