Ryde School with Upper Chine

Infobox UK school
name = Ryde School with Upper Chine


image_caption = Ryde School's logo
size = 115px
latitude =
longitude =
dms =
motto = Ut Prosim - "To be of Service"
approx =
established = 1921
closed =
c_approx =
type = Private
religion = Church of England
president =
head_label = Headmaster
head = Dr Nicholas J England MA DPhil
r_head_label = Deputy Headmaster
r_head = Mr David E Lloyd BSc PGCE
chair_label = Chair of Governers
chair = Mr Rodney J Fox MA FIMA
specialist =
street = Queens Road
city = Ryde
county = Isle of Wight
country = Englandflagicon|England
postcode = PO33 3BE
LEA =
ofsted =
staff = 65 Teaching Staff
enrollment =
gender = Male / Female
lower_age = 3
upper_age = 18
houses = Hanover, Seaford, Trinity & Chine
colours = Navy Blue + House Colours
website = http://www.rydeschool.org.uk/
website_name = rydeschool.org.uk

Ryde School (or Ryde School with Upper Chine) is a co-educational independent day and boarding school on the Isle of Wight.The School was founded in 1921 by William McIssac in response to increased demands for high quality education on the Isle of Wight. It was originally called Ryde Grammar School, and occupied "Hanover House", less than a mile away from the school's current location.

The main school site is on Queen's Road, Ryde, and the Boarding Campus occupies a site in Bembridge, previously Bembridge School, which amalgamated with Ryde School in 1997.

"The School Cricket Pitch with Westmont on the right, wooden theatre on the left, and All Saints Church in the background."

* The School is split into three parts: Fiveways (ages 3-7); Junior School (ages 8 - 11) and Senior School (ages 12 - 18).
* The current Head Mistress of Fiveways is Mrs Sally Davies
* The current Head Master of Junior School is Mr Howard Edwards
* The current Head Master of Senior School is Dr Nicholas England

Early History

Ryde Grammar School opened by the Mayor of Ryde on the 25th of April 1921 at a site on George Street, Ryde, with 46 Day Boys on the Register. Founders William and Constance McIssac, with their son Roy, lived in Hanover House as well as converting a number of rooms into classrooms and laboratories. The School Motto, "Ut Prosim" ('that I may be useful/that I may be of service'), was introduced to the school at the first assembly, on the lawn of Hanover House, and has remained one of the key tenets of the school ever since. A House system was developed, and boys were put into one of three Houses, originally named: "Britons"; "Celts" and "Romans". Inter-House sports matches were played even in the first term, with a fierce loyalty to their House being instilled into the boys from the very beginning. The "Cock House Championship" was similarly developed; the "Cock House Trophy" is still presented during end of term assemblies to the victorious House Captains today.Within a year of the School opening, numbers had increased to 78, and were showing no sign of slowing. It was necessary, therefore, for extra buildings to be purchased, and for Hanover House to be extended. The first Boarders were accepted in 1922, and were housed in "Trinity House" in Dover Street, where William, Constance and Roy McIssac were later to move due to the need for more classrooms in Hanover House.

During the School's first Speech Day, the Headmaster, William McIssac, whilst encouraging academic success, warned against the "narrowing influence of the present system of examinations", something which continues to be warned against by the current Headmaster. In 1923, the school was divided into Prep (5-8), Juniors (8-11) and Seniors (11+), due to the increase in mubers to 103. The School soon leased another property, "Seaford Lodge", which was put to use as a dedicated Boadrding House, run by the Headmaster's wife, Mrs McIssac.

By the start of term 1928, the school had moved wholesale onto the site it still occupies today: Westmont and it's grounds on Queen's Road. Westmont had been built for the son of eminent naval physician Dr James Lind in 1819, and had been leased out since the death of Lind Jr's Mother. Much development has been carried out since this move; the School purchased a number of houses on West Street (Oxford Lodge, Hollymount, Hermitage and Highclere), and built a brand new two storey classroom block next to Westmont, as well as a purpose built Sports Hall, and new Junior School building. The School plans to convert another house, adjacent to the site on Queen's Road to more teaching facilities and administrative areas within the next few years.

Houses

When children reach Junior School they are put into one of three houses. These are:

*"Hanover" (red badge)
*"Seaford" (blue badge)
*"Trinity" (yellow badge)

Pupils remain in these houses for their entire period at Ryde, with the exception of those who are removed from their previous house and put into a fourth house, named "Chine" on arrival at the Senior School. This fourth house was created when the school amalgamated with "Upper Chine School", an Independent Girls' Boarding School in Shanklin, in 1994. In the Senior School the houses compete with each other in events such as "House Song", "House Debating Competition", "House Quiz" and various House Sports (including girls tennis, both girls and boys hockey, boys rugby, boys football and girls netball) as well as organising House Charity Fundraiser.

Music in the Senior School

From the Fiveways children have music lessons and from Junior school they have the opportunity to play an instrument out of lessons. Oxford Lodge is a house in West Street which the school bought and is now its music department. This is where children take music lessons in Senior School. If the children take up instruments they have to pay extra for the tuition. The school runs a Junior Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and various other musical groups most of which perform at the Spring and Autumn concerts. Every year the school performs a musical towards the end of the summer term, recent musicals include Oklahoma, Grease, My Fair Lady, Anything Goes, and this year (2008), Gershwin's Crazy For You. The junior school music is run by Mr Smith, and the senior school music department by Mr Grubb.

Famous Alumni

* Seb Clover, Atlantic Ocean boy yachtsman
* David Kermode Editor, BBC Breakfast programme
* Philip Norman writer

External links

* [http://www.rydeschool.org.uk/ School Website]

References