Woodhouse Grove School

Infobox UK school
name = Woodhouse Grove School


size =
latitude =
longitude =
dms =
motto = Bone et Fidelis
(Trans: Good and Faithful)
motto_pl = Good and Faithful
established = 1812 "Old Foundation"
1883 "New Foundation"
approx =
closed =
c_approx =
type = Independent Day and Boarding School
religion = Christian but also accepts children of other religions or Secular and non denominational children
president =
head_label =
head = Mr David Humphries
r_head_label =
r_head =
chair_label = Chair of Governors
chair = Mr Brian Greenwood
founder = Adam Clarke and the Wesleyan Conference
founder_pl =
specialist = Sixth Form College
specialist_pl =
street = Apperley Lane
city = Apperley Bridge
county = Bradford
country = ENG
postcode = BD10 0NR
LEA =
ofsted = SC001527
staff =
enrollment = 718 ( including 113 Boarders)
gender = Co-educational
lower_age = 11
upper_age = 18
houses =

colours = Green, Maroon, Red, and Charcoal Grey
publication = Woodhouse News [ [http://www.woodhousegrove.co.uk/news/default.cfm?age=c Woodhouse News] ] and
The Grovian
free_label_1 = Former Pupils
free_1 =
free_label_2 = Feeder preparatory school
free_2 = Brontë House Junior Prep School
free_label_3 = Pre School Facility
free_3 = Ashdown Lodge School
website = http://www.woodhousegrove.co.uk/
website_name = Woodhouse Grove School Website

Woodhouse Grove School is an independent, coeducational, day and boarding public school and Sixth Form college in Apperley Bridge, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England for children aged between 11 and 18. The school and its preparatory junior school, Brontë House, is located in the Aire Valley. [ [http://www.independentschools.com/england/woodhouse-grove-school_385.html#full Description of school] ]

Originally founded as an all boys boarding preparatory institution, for the sons of Methodist Ministers, the school has developed over the latter part of the 20th century. Woodhouse Grove has evolved into a flexible independent education centre, providing education from the age of three through to graduation from the sixth form. There are approximately 720 students on roll, currently including around 113 boarders.

The school is located in a rural setting close to the metropolitan centres of Leeds 10 miles (16 kilometres) distant and Bradford 3.9 miles (6.3 kilometres) away. Leeds Bradford International Airport is only 2.5 miles (4.7 kilometres) north east of the school.

Although essentially a Christian school, Woodhouse Grove freely accepts children from other religions or children with no declared religious affiliations. The school offers academic and sixth form scholarships, Bursaries for HM Forces families, Clergy families and sixth form, Music awards, Sport awards and financial assistance for siblings.

History

Early Plans

Even in the early days of the Wesleyan Methodist movement a need had been identified for a school located in the north of England as a boarding establishment to educate the sons of ministers who moved frequently from ministry to ministry around the country. Kingswood School near Bath in the West Country had served as the sole Methodist school since 1748, but the distance involved proved a problem for northern residents. The topic was first raised at Conference as early as 1781 and John Wesley himself replied "“Probably we may (provide such a school). Let our brethren think of a place and a master and send me word”" but no place was immediately found and the matter postponed, but not totally forgotten. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 2] ]

The need for a new school was not formally raised again for twenty five years until church theologian and scholar Adam Clarke made the suggestion at the 1806 conference in his first year as conference president. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 4] ] Over the next five years the matter was discussed and progressed annually and several possible sites were examined.

The Grove

With a suitable house and grounds identified and purchased at Woodhouse Grove in Apperley near Bradford the decision to found the school was finally agreed by ballot at the "Wesleyan Conference of 1811" still under the leadership of the influential and charismatic Adam Clarke. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 7] ] This first period is referred to as the “Old Foundation” in the school’s history. It was initially established to provide an education for the sons of the itinerant ministers in service of the Methodist Church in the north of England. The original planned name was to be “The Wesleyan Academy” but this name was quickly dropped in favour of Woodhouse Grove School.

Few alterations were needed to convert the house for use as a school, but the barn was cleaned up as a schoolroom and the stables converted as a chapel. The drawing room became a lecture and study room and thirty wooden cribs (or cots) were provided for the boys to sleep on. The school opened on 8 January 1812 under the headship of John Fennell as first master and with an initial roll of twenty seven pupils. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 9] ]

For much of the 19th century, between 1812 and 1875, Woodhouse Grove and Kingswood operated as separate schools for children aged between eight and fifteen years old, with both schools under direct control of conference. The school also had a local management committee and there were frequent conflicts with conference over duplicated but differing decisions relating to teacher selection, staff salaries and building expansion needs. Between 1875 and 1883 the two schools were combined as a single school, despite the problems caused by being two hundred miles apart. The Grove served as a preparatory school with pupils then relocating at the age of thirteen to the upper school at Kingswood. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Preface page xii] ]

The school was refounded on 21 September 1883, the "New Foundation Day", to admit boys from a wider spectrum of backgrounds. The Grove received its first pupils as a Methodist middle class boarding and day school under a new policy laid down by the Wesleyan Conference. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 205] ] [ [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=B7v3oRPM8-sC&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=woodhouse+grove+history&source=web&ots=QeOHJheINB&sig=LUH0kwGjpGT4VbLjrlHv30wqAJI&hl=en Opening up of the school] ] The sermon on the New Foundation Day was given by the Reverend Robert Newton Young, himself a former pupil of the school between 1837 and 1843, and the sermon was based around the text “Bone et Fidelis” or “Good and Faithful” which was to become the new school motto to the present day. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 217] ]

By the summer term of 1884 the school roll had expanded rapidly to 155 pupils. During the Second World War and under direct grant funding after the 1944 Education Act the school expanded quickly with boarding pupils placed and paid for by London County Council and the East Riding of Yorkshire authority. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 328] ]

Traditionally a school for boys only, the school first admitted girls to the sixth form in 1979 and has been fully co-educational since 1985. The school has continued to expand since its origins, adding modern buildings as required almost continuously over its existence. The school originally sat in a few acres of semi-rural land but now extends over seventy acres of playing fields, riverside and woodlands.

Brontë House

For several years HM Inspector of Schools had recommended that Woodhouse Grove make better provision for younger pupils. Under the guidance of then Secretary of the Methodist Education Committee, the Reverend Dr H. B. Workman, the preparatory school at Brontë House was founded in 1934 as a junior preparatory school for five to eleven year old boys. The school became a coeducational establishment in 1985. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 317] ]

The school stands in the grounds of a former private residence called Ashdown House and was originally known as ‘’Woodhouse Grove Preparatory School’’. Ashdown House stood in the grounds of an older mansion known as Upperwood House where Charlotte Brontë was once governess to the White family’s two children. The first master of the new school was Dr F.C. Pritchard MA, who would later write the 1978 history of the school and its development. [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 317] ] Charlotte Brontë’s father, the Reverend Patrick Brontë, had met Maria, his wife to be, while visiting his friend, John Fennell, who became the first headmaster of the Grove in the early 19th century.

Initially Brontë House had no kitchen facility of its own and the children were escorted back and fore in all weathers to the Grove for their lunches and dinner. Later a small car was bought by the school to ferry prepared meals from the main school kitchen to Brontë House, [ [The Story of Woodhouse Grove by F.C. Pritchard 1978 – Privately published ASIN: B0006D1JSS – Page 319] ] until a proper kitchen was built several years later. A boarding facility is provided for pupils.

Ashdown Lodge

Ashdown Lodge opened in September 1993 as the Early Years Department of Woodhouse Grove, thus providing the opportunity for continuity of education from three to eighteen years of age.

The school today

The school consists of three symbiotic parts:

*Ashdown Lodge (Nursery) - Ashdown Lodge is the ‘’Early Years’’ department of Woodhouse Grove, for pre-school children aged between three and five. Ashdown Lodge is located only a quarter of a mile from the Grove.

:The nursery provides flexible full day and part-time morning or afternoon sessions, or any combination of these. The Lodge remains open all year except during the christmas period. After school care is available up to 6.00 pm with tea provided at 5.00 pm. During holidays a local play scheme is provided from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm.
*Brontë House (Junior) - Brontë House for children aged between five and eleven is also a quarter of a mile from the Grove. Recent SATs results at ages seven and eleven regularly confirm Brontë House as one of the top junior schools of the region, and there is automatic promotion to the Woodhouse Grove senior school. The headmaster of Brontë school is Mr C B F Hall LLG PGCE. Junior boarders may be accommodated in Junior Boarding House at the senior school. During the Autumn term 2007 there were 280 full time pupils (173 boys and 107 girls) and 45 part time pupils (27 boys and 18 girls).

Developments:

In the senior school mostly, much more is being added.Now getting slightly old is the sprts hall In the late stages of 2007 a brand new dining hall was completed and now the school is partway through completing the new drama and music block.Contractors are currently on site starting work on the school's new music and drama building. This new block, attached to the theatre, will include twelve acoustically engineered music practice rooms, a recording studio, a large drama studio, a recital/rehearsal room and four specialist classrooms for the teaching of music and drama. The building should be ready for the school to use from 1 November 2008. The addition represents another major and exciting step in the substantial improvement of the school's teaching and extra curricular facilities of recent years.

There are many other plans for the school.
Information:The recent Independent Schools Council inspection concluded in regard to Brontë House:::"The school has many strong features and is outstanding in several important areas. The school achieves its aims and meets the needs of its pupils effectively. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for and their personal development is excellent. A broad curriculum is provided with opportunities for all pupils to learn and achieve well. The extra-curricular programme is outstanding. Teaching is generally good, and often outstanding. The pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary and relationships between all in the school community are very strong. The leadership of the headmaster is effective and he is well supported by his senior management team. Both parents and pupils are very positive about the educational experiences provided." [ [http://www.isi.net/reports/2007/1503_07.htm ISC Report on Brontë House] ]

The Independent Schools Council also notes: "Normal entry for day children is at Nursery age, the earliest entry being at the start of the term in which the children become 3 but some places at other age levels are available each year, with all applicants for Key Stage Two being fully assessed beforehand. The school adopts a traditional academic course based on the National Curriculum plus European Studies courses in French, German, and Spanish. Special emphasis is placed on Music with 75% of children receiving specialist tuition on an instrument. A Dyslexia Unit is provided and run by fully trained staff, for a maximum of 16 children of above-average IQ." [ [http://www.isi.net/reports/2007/1503_07.htm ISC Report on Brontë House] ]

*Woodhouse Grove (Secondary and sixth form) - The Grove benefits from all-round facilities (including a sports and performing arts complex) and comfortable boarding accommodation. As a Methodist Christian foundation, providing a caring community, each pupil is encouraged to develop individual talents to the full.

Given its broad intake, academic standards remain high and examination results good. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/06/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/383_gcse_lea.stm BBC Results table] ] The school is very strong in music and drama. Sporting facilities are first rate and the standards in sport and games are high, providing several county and national representatives. There is a genuine commitment to local community services and a strong fund-raising spirit.

Despite national economic and demographic concerns the school roll will rise again in September 2008. There is an unprecedented take-up of places for Year 7 and to accommodate this the school will establish six classes in Year 7 so that class sizes remain around the optimum twenty pupil mark.

Boarding

Boarding arrangements are flexible: occasional, weekly or full boarding. Day pupils benefit from the wide range of activities that a boarding school provides and the flexibility of occasionally staying overnight or coming in early for breakfast and staying for tea is appealing to many families.

The boarding accommodation consists of three houses, a mixed junior boarding house, which includes a small number of younger pupils from Bronte House, and one house each for senior boys and girls.

Activities are arranged for boarding pupils, including visits to outdoor activity and adventure centres.

Notable staff

Former Manchester United footballer and Yorkshire and England cricketer, Arnie Sidebottom, teaches PE at the Grove.

Graham Roope Memorial Day

On Sunday 13 July 2008, the school held a celebrity cricket match in memory of the late cricketer Graham Roope. The match was between a Lord's Taverners XI (captained by former Yorkshire cricketer and current Grove parent, Neil Hartley) and an Old Yorkshire/England XI (captained by former England player and the Grove's current cricket professional, Arnie Sidebottom). The lunch and match raised funds both for the Lord's Taverners and for the school's Community Sports Fund.

Players included Fraser Hinds, Charlie Dale, Chris Chittell and others from Emmerdale, former cricket captains Mike Denness, Ray Illingworth, Brian Close, former England Cricketers, Arnie Sidebottom, Alan Igglesden and former Yorkshire cricketers Neil Hartley and Jim Love.

Confucius Language Academy

The new academy will become an asset to local educational, business and wider community in enabling improved communication with China and understanding of Chinese people.

The Academy will be based in its own dedicated premises at Woodhouse Grove School. [ [http://www.confuciusacademy.co.uk/ Confucius Academy] ] The Director of the Academy will be Mr. Tony Xu, formerly senior lecturer in English at one of the top universities in Shanghai. In addition to its own base the academy will have access to additional teaching and learning facilities available at the Grove and beyond. A team of well qualified and suitably experienced tutors will be recruited to offer courses in Chinese for school pupils, university students, businessmen, businesswomen, and other interested people.

Recent inspections

The recent OFSTED boarding report includes the following: [ [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=475382&providerCategoryID=64&fileName=\\ey\\SC\\SC_SC001527_20050125.pdf OFSTED Boarding Report] ]

* All recommendations from the last inspection (January 2005) have been acted on.
* The school nurses provide an outstanding service to all pupils in promoting and safeguarding their health.
* Boarding, teaching and pastoral staff are very approachable and helpful to boarders.
* There is outstanding catering provision with an excellent range of quality food at all mealtimes.
* Boarders feel safe and are very well behaved.
* The school has good procedures for child protection and staff recruitment.
* There is an outstanding range of sports, leisure and social activities for boarders.
* Staff provide high standards of care and support.
* The caring community ethos in the school helps pupils develop personally as well as academically.
* Parents are happy with the level of communication from the school and feel that any issues they raise are dealt with quickly and effectively.

The Independent Schools Council inspection of March 2007 concluded:

:"The dedicated leadership of the headmaster and senior management team, together with the committed approach of staff to teaching and caring for pupils, enables the school to meet its aim of providing an education which recognises the contribution of all pupils, in whatever field, with success. This is enhanced by the provision of a good range of extra-curricular activities, especially in sport. The school fosters caring behaviour, which is a particular feature of life in the boarding houses. Pupils develop as articulate, confident and friendly individuals. Pupils of all ages and abilities achieve good standards in their academic work and many excel in sport. The support and enterprise of the governing body ensure that resources exist to maintain the school’s success, and that planning for future development is realistic, based on constant and well-judged consideration of the school’s strengths and weaknesses." [ [http://www.isi.net/reports/2007/1343_07.htm ISC 2007 Report] ]

chool badge

The school badge is an "Escutcheon" (or shield) bearing a "Party per cross" division of the field in "Argent" (or silver) that represents both the Cross of Christ and Peace.

The "tincture" (or colour) of two quadrants is "Gules" (or red) that represents Courage and magnaminity. The remaining quadrants have a tincture of "Vert" (or green) that stands for Hope and Joy.

An "Escallop" (or sea shell) usually represents St James or is symbolic of a pilgrimage to a foreign land. Also because, once separated, a shell cannot be rejoined it also represents Fidelity. Where shown in a group of three the escallops usually represent Crusader grants for three separate Holy Crusades to Galilee.

The castle "Keep" is the strongest part of a castle and represents the strength of the church.

The open "Bible" is the basic book of learning and here it shows both faith and the search for knowledge.

The use of the school badge image in this article will have no effect on the school's commercial use of the image in question. It is displayed only to allow identification and critical commentary on school and school logo for this article about the school itself and should not be used for any other purpose.

Notable alumni

The Old Grovian Association currently has 3,600 members from previous students and staff. Notable alumni include: [ [http://www.oldgrovians.co.uk/ Old Grovian website] ]

*John William Draper (1811-1882), chemist, botanist, historian and photographer
*Thomas Hocken (1836-1910), collector, bibliographer and researcher
*John Lockwood Kipling (1837-1911), illustrator, museum curator
*John Anderson Hartley (1844–1896), educationist
*Edward Sugden (1854-1935), Methodist and first master of Queen's College (University of Melbourne)
*Herbert Edward Palmer (1880-1961), poet
*William Mabane, 1st Baron Mabane (1895-1969), Liberal politician, held office as Assistant Postmaster-General and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
*John Poulson (1910-1983), architect
*John Hillaby (1917-1996), travel writer
*Michael Walker (1944- ), now Baron Walker of Aldringhan, was Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) in the United Kingdom from May 2003 until April 2006.
*Nick Houghton (1954- ), now Lieutenant General Houghton CBE is the current Chief of Joint Operations based at (PJHQ), Northwood Headquarters, London.
*Kathryn Leng (1985-), cricketer
*Paul Sampson (1977- ), rugby player
*Ajmal Shahzad (1985- ), cricketer
*Katie O'Brien (1986- ), tennis player
*Anna Fitzpatrick (1989- ), tennis player

References

External links

* [http://www.woodhousegrove.co.uk/ Woodhouse Grove School]
* [http://www.darch.co.uk/schools/w/woodhse/page2.html D'Arch's Guide to UK Boarding Schools]