The John Fisher School

Infobox UK school
name = The John Fisher School


size =
latitude = 51.34548
longitude = -0.13386
dms = dms
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established =
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closed =
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type =
religion = Roman Catholic
president =
head_label = Headteacher
head = Mr Mark J Scully
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chair =
founder =
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specialist = Sports College
specialist_pl =
street = Peaks Hill
city = Purley
county = Surrey
country = England
postcode = CR8 3YP
LEA = London Borough of Sutton
ofsted = 103009
staff =
enrollment = 1021 Fact|date=July 2008
gender = Boys
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 19
houses =
colours =
publication =
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website = http://www.johnfisher.sutton.sch.uk/
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The John Fisher School is a voluntary-aided Roman Catholic boys secondary school located in Purley, UK. It is maintained by the London Borough of Sutton, but many of its students come from the London Borough of Croydon. Its current headmaster is Mark Scully, who joined the school in 2006. Before him, Pat Liddiard (himself a former pupil at the school) took a cover year as Head Master but his true predecessor as headmaster is Robin M. Gregory, who oversaw a successful application for the school to become a specialist sports college.

The School has an Old Boys Association and two Old Boys sports clubs, Purley John Fisher RFC (for Rugby Union) based in Old Coulsdon and John Fisher Old Boys Sports Club ( for Football and Cricket based in Limpsfield Road, Warlingham), though both are accessible to Sixth Formers.

History

The John Fisher School was founded by Peter Emmanuel Amigo, Archbishop of Southwark, in 1927, and moved in 1931 to its current premises in Peaks Hill, Purley. It is the only currently-open school, named after Saint John Fisher, which was founded before his canonization in 1935. This is indicated by the absence of `Saint' from the school name.

At the start of the 70's the John Fisher School was diocesian grammar school with an intake of fee paying and non fee paying children. It had a small number of boarders until 1970 when a decision was made to end this facility and in 1977 it became an all-ability school maintained by the London Borough of Sutton. In 1992, following much discussion and a vote by parents, John Fisher was incorporated as a Grant Maintained School. In 1998 the School expanded from four to five forms of entry, and in September 1999, it became a voluntary-aided school once more. In 2004 John Fisher School became a Specialist Sports College and construction began on a 1.2 million pound Sports hall which was opened by Sir Bobby Robson. Today, John Fisher is organized into 6 forms of entry in the lower school, but remains a five form entry school, admitting 150 pupils.

In the 2008 league tables published in the Daily Telegraph; the school was ranked, for its A Level results, a more-than creditable 18th out of all comprehensives in England.Fact|please give a source for this assertion|date=August 2008

Based on a series of interviews conducted with former John Fisher School students in 2005, a local newspaper reported that a number of Old Boys, especially those from the time of Robin M. Gregory's leadership (1993-2005), claimed "students were often subjected to physical aggression, verbal abuse and public humiliation". Despite the School's Roman Catholic identity, it has been said that "Christian values are not always centrally employed and a nurturing environment does not always manifest itself." [Helen Barnes, "Old Fisher Boys describe Years of Torment", Croydon Guardian, Croydon, 25 September 2005, p. 6.]

Recently the School has come under fire for "its controversial points admission system which favours children from families who are the most active in the church." The John Fisher School was investigated by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator (OSA) after complaints from a parent. Objections to the OSA included "governors could manipulate what was considered a bona fide parish activity to 'exclude those they do not wish to admit from the school'" and "that governors were using surnames to reject single parents". The OSA did not endorse the latter claim but made "the strongest recommendation" that the current system be scrapped. This is the second time the School's admission policy has been investigated by the OSA following complaints. [Peter Truman, "School admissions system rapped as far too complex", Croydon Guardian, Croydon, 30 July 2008, p. 2.]

Notable alumni

*Jim Buttress, Chairman Amateur of Football Combination
*Michael Corcoran, former London Irish Rugby Union player
*Derry Coughlan, England U19, London Irish and Lansdowne Rugby Union player
*Sean Crowley, record-breaking (with Mike Nestor, below) and solo trans-Atlantic rower
*Sir Barney Hayhoe, Baron Hayhoe PC, former Conservative MP and Cabinet Minister
*Paul Higgins, DJ and Music Promoter
*Michael Latham, influential documentary (Man Alive, Horizon etc) film-maker
*Ricky Nebbett, England A, Leicester, Leinster and Harlequins Rugby Union prop forward
*Patrick Canavan, Mini-Marathon Winner
*Mike Nestor, record-breaking (with Sean Crowley, above) trans-Atlantic rower
*Fr Tim Finigan, editor of the Hermeneutic of Continuity Catholic blog
*Simon Hunt, England Sevens and Ebbw Vale Rugby Union player
*Bill Nighy, actor
*Diarmuid Byron O'Connor, sculptor
*Gilles Peterson, Acid Jazz DJ
*Mike Pointing, Harlequins Academy Rugby Union player
*Tony Purnell, former principal of the Jaguar and Red Bull Formula One teams
*Martyn Rooney, Bejing Olympics Team GB 400m finalist
*Paul Sackey, England and London Wasps Rugby Union player
*Zane Scotland, Professional Golfer
*George Skivington, England Saxons and London Wasps Rugby Union player
*Kieran Staunton, Professional Golfer
*Commander Jim Suthers, WWII naval flier, involved in the capture of Enigma materials
*Bishop Howard Trip, formerly of the Archdiocese of Southwark
*Kyle Traynor, Edinburgh Rugby Club, Scotland U18,19,21 (captain)
*Martin Whelton, Mayor of the London Borough of Merton
*Television's Matthew Wright
*Tim and Chris Murtagh, Professional cricket players

ixth Form

The School also has a Sixth Form, which allows pupils to take both and A-Levels and BTEC Sport and Business Qualifications. In the 2008 the school was ranked, for its A Level results, 18th out of all comprehensives in England.

References

External links

* [http://www.bhhh.b0x.com KingFisher Newspaper Website]
* [http://www.johnfisher.sutton.sch.uk/htm/Home.htm School Website]
* [http://www.sutton.gov.uk Sutton Site]
* [http://www.jfoba.co.uk John Fisher Old Boys Association]
* [http://www.johnfishersportsclub.co.uk John Fisher Old Boys Football & Cricket]
* [http://www.pjfrfc.co.uk Purley John Fisher RFC - Old Boys rugby club]