St George's School, Windsor Castle

St George's School, Windsor Castle is a coeducational independent Preparatory School of some 410 children, aged from 3 to 13, in Windsor, near London.

The school was established to provide 6 choristers for the Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, which sings in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which is the official country residence of the British Royal Family. St. George’s is one of the oldest schools in the country, and has provided an unbroken line of boy choristers to sing daily services in St. George’s Chapel since 1352.

The 23 choristers live at school, where they attend lessons with the other children. They rehearse each day before and after school in the Song School by the Chapel, where they sing six services each week during term time. Their school fees are partially met by grants from the Dean and Canons. The choristers have sung at events such as the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, now the Countess of Wessex, and the funeral of John Hunt, Baron Hunt and also the wedding of HRH Prince Charles and Camilla.

The school has a boarding community of 50 children, many of whom board on weekly or flexible arrangements. Most pupils have experienced some level of boarding before they leave at 13.

The school buildings are situated just below the north wall of the castle, with the school being divided in to three distinct sections – the Pre-Prep (Nursery to Year 2) the Middle School (Years 3, 4 and 5) and the Senior School (Years 6, 7 and 8).

The school has strong reputations in music, the performing arts and in sport. Nearly all pupils over the age of 7 learn an instrument, the vast majority of girls take part in ballet, tap or jazz dancing and there is a wide range of school choirs covering all age-groups.

Although the school is a town centre school, spacious playing fields are next door to the school site, within the Queen’s private grounds. Boys play soccer, rugby and cricket, and the girls play netball, hockey and rounders. Swimming in the school’s indoor pool is also taken seriously, and in recent years the school has featured prominently in a number of National Prep School sporting competitions.

The majority of pupils proceed to senior independent schools at 13, with Wellington, Bradfield and Marlborough featuring prominently for those wanting co-ed, and Eton, Harrow, Charterhouse for boys, and St. George’s and St. Mary’s Ascot, and The Abbey School Reading for the girls. Leavers in 2008 went to the following schools:

Eton (3)Harrow (1)Charterhouse (1)Bradfield (4)Wellington (4)Brigidine (2)Malborough College (2)St Edward's Oxford (1)Ballet School Tring (1)

ee also

*List of the oldest schools in the world

External links

* [http://www.stgwindsor.co.uk School website]
* [http://www.ofchoristers.net/Chapters/Windsor.htm History of the Choristers at St George's Chapel]
* [http://www.choirschools.org.uk Choir Schools Association]