St Peter's School, York
Address
St Peter's

, ,
YO30 6AB

England
Coordinates53°57′59″N 1°05′34″W / 53.966418°N 1.092850°W / 53.966418; -1.092850
Information
TypePublic school
Private day and boarding
MottoSuper Antiquas Vias
("Over ancient ways")
Religious affiliation(s)Church of England
EstablishedAD 627 (627)
FounderSt Paulinus of York
Local authorityCity of York Council
Department for Education URN121724 Tables
HeadmasterJeremy Walker
GenderCo-educational
Age2 to 18
Enrolmentc.1,000
Houses
  • Dronfield (girls' boarding)
  • The Rise (girls' boarding)
  • Linton (boys' boarding)
  • The Manor (boys' boarding)
  • Clifton (day house)
  • The Grove (day house)
  • Queen's (day house)
  • School House (day house)
  • Temple (day house)
  • Hope (day house)
Colour(s)Brown, Blue, White
   
Former pupilsOld Peterites
Websitehttps://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/

St Peter's School is a co-educational private boarding and day school (also referred to as a public school), in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse. Founded by St Paulinus of York in AD 627, it is considered to be the third oldest school in the world although some historians take a more sceptical view.[1] It is part of the York Boarding Schools Group.[2]

The school accepts pupils aged two to eighteen.

History

St Peter's School, York
St Peter's School, York in c.1870

Founded in the English city of York by St Paulinus of York in the year AD 627,[3] the school was originally based at York Minster. An early headmaster, Alcuin (Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus), went on to be Chancellor to the Emperor Charlemagne, and founded several of the earliest schools in mainland Europe. It is the third oldest school in the world.[4] For most of its history, the school was a boys' school, but welcomed girls into the sixth form from 1976 before becoming fully coeducational in 1987.[5]

Campus

The school grounds are located near the centre of York and stretch to the banks of the River Ouse. The main front of the school faces along Bootham; this is the oldest part of the site.

Boarding Houses Wentworth and Rise border the main campus, while Linton, Dronfield and The Manor are located across the road from the main school front accessible by footbridge. In the 2000s the school expanded its site under Headmaster Andrew Trotman to include the new lower campus, formerly the site of Queen Anne's, a state school that had been recently closed. The move was not without its challenges, including the distance between the old and new sites and the dissection of a public footpath.

St Peter's 2–8

St Peter's 2–8 (formerly Clifton Pre-preparatory School) is the pre-prep school to St Peter's School, York. St Peter's 2–8 is located on the Upper Campus of the school, next door to the senior school which runs along the main road of Bootham in the centre of York. The current Head of St Peter's 2–8 is Phil Hardy.

In February 2018, Clifton School and Nursery was named as the best pre-prep/prep school in the annual TES Independent School Awards.[6]

In summer 2020 Clifton Pre-Preparatory School and Nursery was renamed St Peter's 2–8 and, in April 2021, St Peter's 2–8 was named the best pre-prep school and independent school of the year in the annual TES Independent School Awards.[7]

St Peter's 8–13

St Peter's 8–13 (formerly St Olave's School) is the junior school to St Peter's, with grounds on the banks of the River Ouse. The current Head of St Peter's 8–13 is Phil Hardy.

St Olave's was founded by Reverend Henry Andrew Wilson in 1876 and named after its original site of St Olave’s House in Marygate. The school was acquired by St Peter's School in 1901[8] and St Olave's was renamed St Peter's 8–13 in 2020.[9]

In September 2001, St Olave's moved from the White House (the Chilman Building), and its half of the Queen's Building, to the newly acquired Queen Anne site. The pre-prep, St Peter's 2–8 (formerly Clifton Prep) moved from its original 19th-century building on The Avenue to occupy the buildings previously used by St Olave's.

St Peter's 8–13 is now located on the Lower Campus of the St Peter's School, which is also home to the senior school Biology and Art Departments.

Controversies

Complaints: In 2006, St Peter's School closed a public footpath running through the school grounds using The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. This was disputed by local people.[10]

Expulsions: In 2014, four students were expelled, two for use of illegal drugs and two for inappropriate use of social media. A significant amount of parental dissatisfaction was reported due to poor communication about these matters. North Yorkshire Police noted that no report had been made to them with regards to the drugs offences.[11]

Initiation Rituals: In 2018 a former pupil reported in The Times that boys were subjected to humiliating and painful initiation rituals such as being shot with BB guns, hit in their genitalia with pool cues, and locked in closed spaces for hours at a time. The same pupil also reported being waterboarded with Listerine. Alistair Dunn, the school's acting headmaster, said in response that "St Peter's is a caring and nurturing school and initiation rites are unacceptable."[12]

Residential Development: In 2022, St Peter's submitted an application to develop land in the green belt of York, behind the school. The plan would turn green fields on the flood plan into artificial sports fields and a large car and coach park. The plan would also turn a neighbouring narrow cul-de-sac into a busy through road for coaches and cars, with over 100 local residents submitting complaints to the council with regards to this development. Local residents have reported health and safety concerns for their families, as well as the loss of grass verges and protected ancient trees on the road. York Central MP Rachael Maskell and local councillors have expressed alarm over the impending redesignation of this land as educational facilities, removing the green belt protection. They noted that the site was already in a flood level 3 area and that as recently as 2015, local houses next door to St Peter's were flooded.[13][14][15]

Academic

The school has a history of high academic achievement across all age ranges.[16][17]

Latin is compulsory for the first four years of study[18] and also offered at GCSE and A Level.[19] Religious Studies is a compulsory GCSE subject.[20]

Sport

A wide range of activities are available at the school: these include rugby, football, hockey, netball, tennis, cricket, rowing, athletics, basketball, badminton, cross-country, climbing, squash, swimming, weight training, trampolining, water polo and aerobics. The school has sporting fields, gymnasiums, an indoor swimming pool, two multi-sport indoor centres, tennis courts, multi-use astroturf pitches, a rifle range, and a boathouse.

For 27 years, cricket was coached by Keith Mohan. In 2002 the school's U15 rugby team won the national Daily Mail Cup competition and the U18 team were narrowly beaten in 2005 in the final against Exeter College, Exeter.[21] In 2011 the U16 team won the UCLAN Northern Schools Floodlit Competition and in 2019 the U16 sevens team won the national Rosslyn park competition.[22][23]

St Peter's School Boat Club was founded in the 1850s and is one of the oldest school rowing clubs in the world. It has had success at international level with over 28 GB 'vests' earned by Peterites since 1998. The school 1st VIII first competed at Henley Royal Regatta in 1968 and has competed in both the Princess Elizabeth and the Fawley.[24] The school has won nine medals at The National Schools' Regatta,[25] 12 medals at The National Championships and had 25 appearances at Henley (both Men's and Women's), all since 1991.

The school's Combined Cadet Force developed from the OTC established at the school in 1913.[26] The school's shooting contingent placed in the top three teams of the Marling Challenge Cup at Bisley Imperial meeting five times during the 1960s alone, winning twice, while the highest placing in the Ashburton was third in 1971.

The first recorded inter-school Squash match was held between Haileybury and St Peter's in the run up to the first Drysdale Cup. The school won the public schools' squash (then the Drysdale Cup) twice and came second three times.

Music

The School Choir averages over 150 members a year,[27] but there is also a more selective Chapel Choir as well as an elite Chamber Choir. Highlights of the choral calendar include the Carol Service at York Minster, as well as Evensongs at the Minster and elsewhere including regular Evensongs at St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

The school has Barbershop Quartets, a Brass Group, Chamber Groups, a Choral Society, a Close Harmony Group, String Orchestras, String Quartets, Swing Band/Traditional Jazz, a Symphony Orchestra, Senior Wind Band, Woodwind, Quintets and Quartets.

Headmasters

Headmasters
  • Paulinus 627
  • James, The Deacon 630–660
  • Wilfrid I 668
  • Bosa 691
  • John of Beverley 705
  • Wilfrid II 718
  • Egbert 732
  • Albert 766
  • Alcuin 778–782
  • Laurentius Sirius 1094
  • Robert 1120
  • Murdach 1130
  • Gwydo 1140
  • Walter de Nessam 1266
  • Alexander of York 1350
  • John of York 1368
  • Walter Heriez 1397
  • John de Rishton 1400
  • John Brockholes 1410
  • John Saxton 1426
  • John Marshall 1426
  • W. Marshall 1426
  • Gilbert Pinchbeck 1426
  • Master Gilbert 1453
  • Roger Lewsay 1457
  • John Hamundson 1465
  • John Gylliott 1484
  • James Sheffield 1486
  • Christopher Holdsworth 1531
  • Master Amler 1535 (Royal Charter)
  • Rev. John Fletcher 1565
  • Rev. William James 1575
  • Rev. John Pulleyn 1576
  • Rev. John Bayles 1590
  • Rev. Canon William Thomas 1595
  • Rev. John Johnson 1614
  • Rev. Christopher Wallis 1638
  • Rev. William Langley 1660
  • William Thomlinson 1679
  • Rev. W. Herbert 1711
  • Rev. Zachariah Blake 1726
  • Rev. John Blake 1757
  • Rev. John Robinson 1784
  • Rev. Isaac Grayson 1793
  • Rev. Stephen Creyke 1827
  • Rev. William Hewson 1838
  • Rev. Archdeacon William Hey 1844
  • Rev. Richard Elwyn 1864
  • Rev. Henry M. Stephenson 1872
  • Rev. George T. Handford 1887
  • Rev. Edward C. Owen 1900
  • Stanley M. Toyne 1913
  • Aubrey J. Price 1936
  • John Dronfield 1937
  • Peter D. R. Gardiner 1967
  • Peter Hughes 1980
  • David Cummin 1984
  • Robin Pittman 1985
  • Andrew Trotman 1995
  • Richard Smyth 2004
  • Leo Winkley 2010
  • Jeremy Walker 2019

[28]

Notable Teachers

Houses

The school has ten day- and boarding houses, and each house has its own colour. Dronfield (pink) and Rise (white) are girls' boarding houses; Linton (baby blue) and The Manor (gold) are boys' boarding houses. The rest are day houses: Clifton (yellow), The Grove (red), Queens (purple), Temple (green), School (maroon), and Hope (orange). The house system is a long-standing tradition throughout the school's history. The houses are physical, located in various buildings and parts of buildings throughout the school campus.[29]

Boarding

St Peter's has received an overall quality rating of 'Outstanding' in their 2007 Ofsted Boarding Inspection.[30]

Religion

The school has a Chapel with compulsory services three mornings a week. Eucharist is also held once a term and there are special services to mark Festivals in the Christian calendar.[31] A service is held on Remembrance Sunday during which all pupils place poppies on the book of remembrance in the Ante-chapel (which contains names of alumni killed in conflict). The school's Christmas Carol Service is held in York Minster.[31]

Religious education is compulsory at the school until Sixth Form, and is taught by both academic staff and the school's two Church of England clergy.

York Minster

York Minster has a long connection with St Peter's, as the school's founder was an Archbishop of York. This relationship is also evident in the school's name, which mirrors the formal title of the Minster, The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter. At its foundation, the school was probably housed next to the earliest cathedral building.[32]

At the end of each academic year a Commemoration and Prizegiving service is held in the Minster and a Carol Service is also held there at Christmas. The school choir often sings in the Minster and in the 2006/2007 year they participated in Verdi's Requiem, which brought together the wider York community.

St Peter’s School is now the home of York Minster’s Choristers, after the closure of the Minster School in summer 2020.

Traditions

  • Morning Prayers – all members of the school attend chapel on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
  • Eucharist – a whole school Eucharist service takes place each term and at other significant Christian festivals.[31]
  • Uniform – the school has a brown uniform featuring the "cross keys" of St Peter for all pupils (except members of the Sixth Form). The old woollen blazer was later replaced with a more modern cotton jacket. Other changes to the uniform have also taken place, including the removal of ties for female pupils, who now wear an open blouse. In Sixth Form, dark suits must be worn.
  • Gowns – the school has a tradition of gowns which reflect pupils' authority or commitments. These are worn during public events such as services at York Minster and during school events (including Chapel and Assembly). The Head Boy and Head Girl wear brown, followed by the Head Master's Prefects who wear navy. These are issued during the 'gowning' at First Assembly each academic year. Members of the Chapel Committee and choirs wear red gowns, which are fuller depending upon level (Chamber Choir; Chapel Choir; School Choir). School masters also wear collegiate gowns for services and public events.
  • Capping – is the practice of reward for exceptional sporting achievement and is awarded at the end of the relevant sports season.
  • 5 November – on Guy Fawkes Night, the school does not partake in the common tradition of burning a 'Guy' on the bonfire, as Guy Fawkes was an Old Peterite (alumnus).[33] There is, however, a long tradition of putting on a firework display for the Boarders.[34]
  • Fagging – the tradition of younger pupils serving older pupils was abolished in 1977.

Notable alumni

Below is an abridged list. A more complete listing can be found at the category link above.

Sport:

Academics and historians:

Artists and media figures:

Political figures:

Religious figures:

Judges:

Armed forces:

Business leaders:

Historical figures:

Criminals:

See also

References

  1. ""A History of St Peter's School circa 1557 – 1644 at the Union Terrace Site"" (PDF). Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. "List of Schools". York Boarding Schools Group (YBSG). Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  3. "About the School". St Peter's School. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  4. Mortimore, M. J. A. (1999). Bridlington School: A History. Hutton Cranswick, East Riding of Yorkshire: Alan Twiddle Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 1-902508-03-3.
  5. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  6. "The winner of pre-prep/ prep school of the year is: Clifton School and Nursery". TES. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  7. "Winner of the independent school of the year award 2021". TES. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  8. "History of St Olave's". St Peter's School. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  9. "Andy Falconer – Archaeology, The University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  10. "footpath closure". Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  11. "St Peters School Pupils excluded after drug enquiry". Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  12. "pool cue to the groin at top public school". The Times. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  13. "york councillor alarmed st peters land removed green belt". Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  14. "st peters school plans road blasted local residents". Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  15. "neighbours oppose plans for school car park". Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  16. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  17. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  18. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  19. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  20. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  21. Team, The Rugby Paper (1 May 2021). "Glorious nearly men of St Peter's will keep trying". Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  22. "Competition Microsite – UCLAN Northern Schools U16 Floodlit Competition". Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  23. "RUGBY SEVENS: St Peter's U16s make history at prestigious tournament". York Press. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  24. The Peterite 1968, https://issuu.com/stpetersyorkalumni/docs/60-379_oct_1968
  25. "Results can be seen here". Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  26. Raine, History of St Peter's School York p.185
  27. "Music". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  28. "List of Head Masters" (PDF). www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  29. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  30. "Ofsted review". Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  31. 1 2 3 "Chapel". St Peter's School. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  32. "St Peter's association with York Minster". Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  33. "St Peter's School, York". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  34. ""We don't burn effigies of old boys"". BBC North Yorkshire. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  35. "Shadow Housing Secretary returns to St Peter's". www.stpetersyork.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  36. Toy, Paul. "A History of St Peter's School circa 1557 – 1644 at the Union Terrace Site" (PDF). York Archaeological Trust. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  37. Nicholls, Mark (2004). "Fawkes, Guy (bap. 1570, d. 1606)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 17 January 2012.(subscription required)
  38. "'Most wanted' conwoman jailed after going on run to Spain for a decade". HullLive. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
Secondary sources
  • Hamilton, D. M., ed. (1977). A history of St Peter's school published in the year of the school's 1350th anniversary.
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