- Hall Cross School
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Hall Cross School 
Motto Confort et liesse Established 1350 Type Community school Headteacher Pippa Dodgshon Specialism Science Location Thorne Road
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN1 2HY
England
Local authority Doncaster DfE number ???/4062 DfE URN 106808 Ofsted Reports Students 2055 Ages 11–18 Former pupils Old Danensians Former name Doncaster Grammar School Website Hallcross School Coordinates: 53°31′23″N 1°07′29″W / 53.523106°N 1.124831°W
Hall Cross School, founded in 1350, is a co-educational comprehensive school in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.
Contents
Admissions
The school is split over two sites, with the Upper School located in the centre of Doncaster (in the Town Fields area) and the Lower School in the north of Bessacarr, near the Dome. Hall Cross School has specialist status as a Science College. The total number of pupils who attend the school is over 2,000. It features as an integral part of the community, providing access to facilities for many primary schools, which also form part of its large catchment area. The headteacher of the school is Pippa Dodgshon.
It is named after the Hall Cross on Hall Cross Hill, on the opposite side of the main road through Doncaster.
The Library and Christchurch House
The library building is the oldest building on the Town Centre site, it was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and was built in 1869. Downstairs it features a plaque which can still be seen to this day, dedicating the building to Queen Victoria. The library is a classic example of Victorian Gothic Revival, featuring a large Hammerbeam roof decorated with flowers cut into the massive oak beams which may in fact be stained pine. The building also features a tower at one corner. Inside, the library features two massive Gothic style glass windows at either end, one of them being stained glass, designed and executed by former pupil C. Rupert Moore, which was unveiled in 1938 as a tribute to "Old Boys" from the school who died in World War I. The library features a large amount of Victorian plaques, dedicated to past headteachers of the school, men from the school who died in both wars, and other various things. The most recently added one commemorating when Prince Charles visited the school in 1989. By number of books, the library is the biggest school library in Doncaster, and is largely used by the 6th form.
Christchurch house is the school's equivalent of a "6th form block". It is a large detached Victorian Townhouse which overlooks the local church that the house is named after. The house features a grand wooden staircase, stained glass skylights, and a statue of the Venus de Milo which originally resided in the Girls' School, built in 1918. When the school was disbanded, the statue was moved to Hall Cross.
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is one of the most important days in the school calendar. The school has held a ceremony every year since 1918 to remember those who attended the school and died in battle. The service begins at 9am. Speeches are made by the Head Teacher who gives thanks to those who died in conflict. Two poppy wreaths are then carried down the corridor to the library by the Head Boy and Head Girl. They are then laid by the World War one and World War two plaques respectively,, whilst the Last Post is played on the trumpet, with the sounds carrying through to the library.
Former teachers
- H. J. Blackham (taught divinity in the early 1930s)
- Squadron Leader Ernest Kinghorn, Labour MP from 1945-51 for Great Yarmouth (taught languages)
- Prof Roy Niblett CBE (taught English from 1930-4)
Alumni
- Louis Tomlinson member of One Direction in the X Factor Final
- David Firth, the animator behind Salad Fingers and all animations on the fat-pie website.[citation needed]
- Barry Middleton, the England international hockey player.[1]
Doncaster Grammar School for Boys
- Edmund Beckett, 1st Baron Grimthorpe (briefly)
- Rodney Bickerstaffe, former leader of Britain's largest trades union, UNISON.[2]
- Prof Thomas Charlton, Jackson Professor of Engineering from 1970-9 at the University of Aberdeen, and Professor of Civil Engineering from 1963-70 at Queen's University Belfast
- Lord Ronald Dearing CB, former Chairman of the Post Office, Chancellor from 1993-2000 of the University of Nottingham, and known for the Dearing Report which laid the foundations of tuition fees (top-up fees) at universities
- Sir Eric Denton CBE, marine biologist, Royal Society Research Professor from 1964-74 at the University of Bristol
- Sir Thomas Easterfield (1866 –- 1949), chemist.[3]
- Percy Elland, Editor of the Evening Standard from 1950-9
- Rev Henry Ellershaw, Master of University College, Durham from 1919–30
- Prof Robert Fox, Professor of the History of Science from 1988-2006 at the University of Oxford
- Ian Glasby, UK Ambassador to Republic of the Congo from 1988–90
- Derek Hirst (1930–2006), painter.[4]
- David Holmes CB, Chairman from 1998-9 of British Airways Regional (became part of BA Connect in 2002 and sold to Flybe in 2007), and from 2003-9 of the RAC Foundation
- Paul Kent, biochemist and Master from 1972-82 of Van Mildert College
- Kevin Marsh, BBC executive, Editor from 2002-6 of the Today programme
- Prof Roger Needham CBE, Professor of Computer Systems from 1981-98 at the University of Cambridge, Head of the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory from 1980–95, and invented important algorithms (Needham-Schroeder protocol) for computer security [5]
- Prof David Parker, Queen Victoria Professor of Law from 1978-87 at the University of Liverpool
- Ronald Peet CBE, Chief Executive of Legal & General from 1972–84
- Prof John Richmond] CBE, Professor of Medicine from 1973-89 at the University of Sheffield.[6]
- Rev Prof Christopher Rowland, Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture since 1991 at the University of Oxford
- Prof Denis Sargan, Professor of Econometrics from 1964-84 at the London School of Economics (LSE).[7]
- John Saynor CMG, Director-General from 1989-92 of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- Prof James Scott CBE, Special Professor of Health Care Planning from 1974-97 at the University of Nottingham.[8]
- Edward Smallwood, Liberal MP from 1917-8 of Islington East
- Author and BBC Radio Four's Malcolm Stacey was a pupil at the same time as cartoonist Roy Mitchell
- Sir Roy Watts CBE, BA Chief Executive from 1979–82
- John Whaley CBE, translator.[9]
- Peter Wormald, Registrar General, England & Wales from 1990-6
Doncaster Grammar School for Girls
- Madge Adam, astronomer.[10]
- Margo Gunn, actress
Doncaster Grammar School
- Rosie Winterton, M.P.[11]
Old Danensians
Alumni and former staff of Doncaster Grammar School, Doncaster High School for Girls, Hall Cross Comprehensive School and Hall Cross School, known as Old Danensians, are able to join the Old Danensians' Club.
The object of the Club is to maintain connections between past members of the School with one another and the School, and generally promote the welfare of the foundation.[12]
Trivia
- InterCity 125 power car 43045 was once named The Grammar School Doncaster A.D. 1350.[13]
Academic performance
It gets GCSE results slightly above average. At A-level it performs well with some of the best results in South Yorkshire, and the third best in Doncaster LEA. Results in Doncaster at GCSE are notably low, but much better at A level, similar to the situation in Grimsby and Hull.
Gallery
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An external view of the school
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The library, as seen from the balcony
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A close up of the stained glass library window
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Students at the Thorne Road site, 1887
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The first students to attend the Thorne Road site, 1870
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The original school building, 1869
References
- ^ "Hall Cross hockey star scores at the Olympics". Doncaster Free Press. 20 August 2008. http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-sport/Hall-Cross-hockey-star-scores.4408662.jp.
- ^ Geddes, Tanya (27 July 2000). "FIVE WILL RECEIVE TOWN'S TOP HONOUR". South Yorkshire Times. http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/news/FIVE-WILL-RECEIVE-TOWN39S-TOP.367166.jp.
- ^ Marsden, E. (1952). Obituary Notices. http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:0WIKYzPsSm0J:www.rsc.org/delivery/_ArticleLinking/DisplayArticleForFree.cfm%3Fdoi%3DJR9520001557%26JournalCode%3DJR+Thomas+Easterfield+doncaster&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiVBD9iKLKOeochnYw_2upZK_BSSZoezi3Lz6wgiKjJvW2OS0GWxSS4qJDNd6g6hws_bp01fYgIO0mQpNrSWfJp8ZOF66fy1prRtJ_37vK3KGm2zPTBvZsVwjodlPB1GMYuC33v&sig=AHIEtbTIAA08w2qrDOYxe-UK4GW-xj-83w.
- ^ Lynton, Norbert (25 May 2006). "Obituaries - Derek Hirst". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/derek-hirst-479587.html. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
- ^ Roger Needham
- ^ "Professor John Richmond". The Times (London). 2008-04-30. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3841665.ece.
- ^ Hendry, David F (1996-04-19). "OBITUARY : Professor Denis Sargan". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary--professor-denis-sargan-1305657.html.
- ^ Bourke, J.B. (1997-05-14). "Obituary: Professor James Scott". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-professor-james-scott-1261415.html.
- ^ "John Whaley". The Independent (London). 2005-08-05. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-whaley-501518.html.
- ^ Williams, Kay (2001-09-10). "Madge Adam". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2001/sep/10/guardianobituaries.obituaries.
- ^ Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP, Biography epolitix.com, retrieved 2008-04-21
- ^ "Old Danensians' Club". http://www.old-danensians.org.uk/about.html. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
- ^ "Photograph of InterCity 125 power car 43045". http://www.flickr.com/photos/thunderbuck_ram/3929090249/. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
External links
Categories:- Schools in Doncaster
- Educational institutions established in the 14th century
- 1350 establishments in England
- Grade II listed buildings in South Yorkshire
- Science Colleges in South Yorkshire
- Grade II listed educational buildings
- Comprehensive schools in South Yorkshire
- George Gilbert Scott buildings
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