2002-03
A Level Examination Results 2003
Pupils at Christ's Hospital, an 11-18 boarding school and charitable foundation near Horsham, did exceptionally well with the number of A and B grades up by 10% on 2002's results.
Mary Ireland, Deputy Head said "We are delighted with this year's results; this year group have produced the best results in a decade, with the number of A and B grades at 66% of the total. Of the 129 candidates, 22 produced straight A grades. 8 have places at Oxford or Cambridge, and this includes two Choral scholarships and an Organ scholar. It is particularly encouraging that this group of students were fully involved in the extracurricular life of a busy boarding school, but were still able to perform so well in their academic subjects. A seven day a week school has the time and flexibility to fit in the sport, music and drama which have been squeezed out of so many day schools".
Two of the five top candidates nationally who were awarded a special certificate in Archaeology were also from Christ's Hospital.
GCSE Examination Results 2003
Year 11 pupils at Christ's Hospital, an 11-18 boarding school and charitable foundation near Horsham, achieved the best ever results in their GCSE grades this year.
64% of candidates were awarded grades A and A* grades (48% in 2002) with 88% of candidates achieving A* - B grades (76% in 2002). Christ's Hospital pupils also had a record number of passes (A-C grades) of 98.4%. Two pupils from Horsham gained 10 GCSE A* grades and two others gained best national candidate awards. 100% A-C grades were gained in Maths and Science.
Dr Steven Connors, Deputy Head, said "We had a talented and very hard working year group who have reached their potential and got the results they deserve. We hope they will go on to similarly succeed at A Level in the Sixth Form at Christ's Hospital. Overall we are delighted with their achievement".
One exceptional candidate Jemma Batte from London achieved 12 GCSE A* grade and two best national candidate awards in English and German. Yohann Soreau from Horsham also achieved best candidate award in French.
Christ's Hospital Reaches The Final At The Rosslyn Park National Sevens
At the end of March 2003, the School entered three teams in the biggest rugby tournament in the World at Rosslyn Park. As always the standard is extremely high with 7,000 boys and girls attending the tournament from around the UK representing all the top rugby schools. The school performed beyond belief with the Under 13's and Girls teams reaching the second day and then going on to the final. Both teams lost in the final but were certainly not outplayed and had chances to win their respective titles. This massive achievement ended a tremendous term for rugby at the School.
Band Play In Horsham Town Centre To Packed Audience
The Band from Christ's Hospital were delighted to be invited to launch 2003's 'Horsham in Bloom' in the Carfax, Horsham on Saturday, 3 May 2003. Over 100 young instrumentalists from Christ's Hospital formed up in the Bishopric and marched up West Street arriving in the Carfax by the Band Stand where they played to a packed audience of Saturday shoppers. Terry Whittingham, Band Master at Christ's Hospital said "We thoroughly enjoyed this occasion and much appreciate the opportunity for the School to launch 'Horsham in Bloom', an important local event, and for the School to have a presence in the Town".
Review of Christ's Hospital's 450th Anniversary Concert at the Barbican on 25 March 2003
The great wooden-panelled hall of The Barbican in London was the location of the concert given by pupils, former pupils (including Sir Colin Davis) and some teaching staff of Christ's Hospital on Tuesday, 25 March 2003 to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the foundation of the School. Before an audience of 1800, the performers presented a programme which was as varied as it was ambitious, beginning with Shostakovich's stirring Festive Overture, which the famous Christ's Hospital Band, under Bandmaster Terry Whittingham, played with great flair and dynamism.
Look and Bow Down followed - a choral work commissioned by the School to celebrate its long history. Based on the words of Queen Elizabeth I, poems of former pupil Keith Douglas, and drawing on the musical inspiration of William Byrd, the four-part work was both powerful and moving. The School's senior choir, Schola Cantorum, supported professional singers, Eleanor Meynell, (soprano) and John Bowley (tenor); Bruce Grindlay, the School's Director of Music, conducted and composer, Alan Charlton, joined those on stage to receive well-deserved praise.
The first half was brought to a close by Mozart's Concertante K.364, in which Sir Colin Davis, former pupil and inspirational principal conductor of the LSO, teased from the Christ's Hospital Concerto Ensemble, with soloists Timothy Callaghan (violin) and Konstantin Boyarsky (viola), a work in three movements of extraordinary depth and quality.
After the interval, former pupil Andrew Saunders (piano) joined Eleanor Meynell, the School's Chapel Choir and the Chamber Orchestra in a lively performance of Rio Grande, a musical setting by the famous former pupil Constant Lambert of Sachaverell Sitwell's poem. Equally famous former pupil, Charles Hazlewood, skilfully conducted with vigour and sensitivity. The audience settled to enjoy the final piece - Harvey Brough's Requiem in Blue. This very personal work filled the stage, with the School's combined choirs and Jazz Ensemble. Combining folk songs, nursery rhymes, pop and jazz influences with the ancient traditions of Latin text and plainsong, the powerful work portrayed the victory of love over loss. Then applause, sustained, astonished and delighted, brought Christ's Hospital 450th anniversary concert to a close.
The 'Wizard of Oz' Tours Primary Schools
The 2002-3 LE01 GCSE Drama group at Christ's Hospital created a touring production of THE WIZARD OF OZ. They visited four primary schools between 30 January and 20 Feb: Ardingly College Junior School, Broadwater C of E Primary in Worthing and St. John's RC and St. Mary's C of E in Horsham. In three of those cases, at least one member of the cast was revisiting his/her old school. The show played to a total of about 600 children and was extremely well-received. "This sort of project is excellent experience for our young actors" says Paul Ward, Drama Department at Christ's Hospital.
Christ's Hospital Achieves Top GCSE Score in West Sussex
Christ's Hospital, a co-educational boarding school and charitable foundation, in Horsham, is top of the 2002 GCSE West Sussex LEA League Tables of all schools (both independent and state) with a score of 96%. (The West Sussex LEA grades A* - C was 53.7%, the national average being 51.5%). Based on its Maths score, the School also features in the top 5% nationally (both independent and state) of the newly introduced KS2 to KS3 Value Added Achievement Scores with a score of 104.2 (schools with a score of 103.4 and above feature in the top 5%).
Dr Peter Southern, Head Master of Christ's Hospital said "This is great news, we must congratulate our GCSE pupils and staff for working so hard to achieve these excellent results. The new 'value-added' scores is something that Christ's Hospital believes is a crucial measure of a child's progress through secondary school. Value added is a particularly important measure of the difference a school can make, especially when a child, whose early schooling may have been disrupted, takes off academically under the stabilising and invigorating influence of a good school".
Band Help Raise Money For Hospice
A concert organised by the Rotary Club of St. Leonard's on Sea at St Matthew's Church on 7 February was enjoyed by all, with the proceeds of the evening being donated to St. Michael's Hospice.
Nearly 100 pupils from Christ's Hospital were invited to entertain the audience in the Church with an evening of music. The first half of the evening was performed by the School's Concert Band and the second went with a swing as the Church was filled with the sounds of the Big Band.
This is the third year that the Rotary Club have invited the Band from Christ's Hospital to perform at St Leonard's on Sea.
Wests' Chess Challenge Final
First prize and many congratulations to Vanya Kolosou. Second prize to Keya Hormati and third prize to Tom Osborne. The cup was award by Eleanor Stanier, Wests' Almoner at Christ's Hospital on Sunday, 23 March 2003 and the competition was organised by Chris Hennock, teacher of Mathematics at the School.
Peele' Boarding House Refurbishment complete
The transformation of 'Peele A & B' boarding house has followed hot on the heels of 'Lamb A & B'. There are eight pairs of boarding houses at Christ's Hospital, the first pair (Lamb A and B), has already been being completed (January 2002). Pupils from Peele are now enjoying their new accommodation and work has just commenced on Leigh Hunt. Each pair of houses is taking just under a year to refurbish, all in a very similar style. Pictured is Peele A's large Kitchen/Day room which houses comfortable seating and eating areas and recreational facilities including table tennis.
Record Number of Examinees
(has Harry Potter cast a magic spell again?)
A record number of (400) applicants took the Christ's Hospital's entrance assessment in January 2003 in the hope of gaining one of the 120 free or subsidised places in Year 7 next September.
This significant increase in numbers compared to 350 last year bucks the trend for full boarding which is generally in decline nationally against weekly or occasional boarding . The 16.62% overall increase at Christ's Hospital also includes a 20% increase in applications from girls.
Dr Peter Southern, Head Master says "Christ's Hospital has always been good news to families which have a need for boarding education without the means to pay high fees. But, if the "Harry Potter effect" has helped play a part in highlighting the beneficial opportunities which boarding brings, then we are delighted".
Children attending are drawn from all backgrounds and, because of full boarding, come from a wide catchment area. 52% of this year's applicants are from the London/Middlesex area (up by 7% on last year), 21% from Sussex and the others from nine different regions throughout the UK. Over 80% of 2003's applicants come from State primary schools and will not have experienced boarding or independent education before.
The entrance assessment is held at the beginning of January each year. Candidates come to the School for two days and stay in a boarding house overnight. During their stay, they are tested in Maths and English and interviewed by members of staff. Dr Southern says "This gives them the chance to demonstrate academic potential, to experience communal life at Christ's Hospital and to explore the wide range of facilities. Candidates also have to satisfy the Admissions panel of the need for an education at Christ's Hospital for social, financial or educational reasons".
Christ's Hospital Welcomes Civic Guests
A number of Civic Guests from the Wests' areas from West Berkshire and Richmond and Twickenham visited Christ's Hospital on Friday, 18 October, to find out more about the 'West Gift' places for children from their areas.
The guests were given a presentation by Peter Southern, the Head Master and Michael Simpkin, the Clerk, which was followed by classroom experience in History, English, Chemistry and Biology lessons with the pupils!
Both the Head Master and the Clerk emphasised to their visitors the considerable pride which they felt in having this very unusual historical link with West Berkshire and Richmond and Twickenham. Michael Simpkin said "We are pleased to see them at Horsham as visible evidence of the strong relationship. Pupils at Christ's Hospital wear their distinctive Wests' Gift emblem with enormous pride and we hope that numbers will continue to grow".
Match Reports
Christ's Hospital reached the Final at the Rosslyn Park National Sevens
At the end of March 2003, the School entered three teams in the biggest Rugby Tournament in the world at Rosslyn Park. As always the standard was extremely high with 7,000 boys and girls attending the tournament from around the UK representing all the top rugby schools. Christ's Hospital performed beyond belief with the Under 13's and Girls' teams reaching the second day and then going on to the final. Both teams lost in the final but were certainly not outplayed and had chances to win their respective titles. This massive achievement ended a tremendous term for rugby at the School.
Examination Results 2002
A/AS Level results achieved by Christ's Hospital pupils this year are the best yet resulting in five successful Oxbridge places.
Generally GCSE candidates exceeded expectations. A number of pupils were exceptionally successful being awarded A* in all of their subjects, but of particular note is the performance of two pupils in English Literature who received a special citation for being in the top 5 of all candidates sitting the examinations set by AQA. It is rare for one pupil in a school to achieve this, but for both Richard Lebon and Ilona Motyer from Christ's Hospital to receive this special citation is exceptional.
GCSE No. of candidates - 108
No. of passes (A-C) as a % of all exams taken - 94%
% of exams passed at grade A or A* - 49%
AS Level No. of candidates - 131
No. of passes (A-C) as a % of all exams taken - 97%
% of exams passed at grade A or A* 131- 59%
A Level No. of candidates - 109
No. of passes (A-C) as a % of all exams taken - 100%
% of exams passed at grade A or A* 109 - 56%
Spital Sermon
On two occasions in the year, Christ's Hospital officially attends a service at a City Church. The Spital Sermon took place at St Lawrence Jewry-next-Guildhall on Thursday, 24 April 2003. St Matthew's Day is the other which takes place in September.
The Spital Sermon used to occur on Easter Tuesday, the day on which the boys (who were at then at Christ's Hospital in Newgate Street) visited the Mansion House. It is an ancient custom of the Lord Mayor (Vice President of the School) to invite the Governors of the Royal Foundations, Christ's Hospital and King Edward's Witley, to this service.
The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Gavyn Arthur attended, along with other representatives of the Corporation, the Governors, Treasurer and Head Master of Christ's Hospital. The Spital Sermon traditionally has a long and distinguished line of preachers; this year was no different and the Service was honoured by the Assistant Bishop of London, the Right Rev Michael Marshall. The Choir from Christ's Hospital led the music and the Lesson was read by a pupil from King Edward's Witley.
The Queen's Golden Jubilee
Pupils From Christ's Hospital Invited To Participate In The Queen's London Golden Jubilee.
Pupils from Christ's Hospital were honoured to receive an invitation to the Guildhall Luncheon and to perform during the Service Procession on 4 June.
The seating plan placed the Senior Grecian (Head Pupil), Sandra Bamfo next to Tony Blair (two from the Queen) and opposite Dr George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury on the top table at the Guildhall Luncheon for the Queen in the City of London on Tuesday, 4 June. Matthew Adams, Deputy Grecian, was placed next to Sandra and the Lady Mayoress.
Sandra said "This has been a great year for me at Christ's Hospital as Senior Grecian and to top it all off by being part of The Queen's Jubilee celebrations was a great blessing. Matthew and I felt extremely privileged to be asked to represent the School. The Prime Minister is somebody I admire. He was very interested in the School and the fact that I am going to study law at Durham University".
Christ's Hospital has historic links with the City; the School's life began 450 years' ago, not far from St Paul's Cathedral. Her Majesty The Queen is Patron of this Royal, Religious and Ancient Foundation.
Musicians Perform In The Golden Jubilee Festival
Also on 4 June, Christ's Hospital's Brass Ensemble of twenty-five pupils appeared on one of the main stages in The Mall and performed in the Queen's progress and the grand finale before the fly over. Other prestigious musicians also invited to participate included the Royal College of Music, the Bach Choir, several Military Bands, and the Kingdom Choir. All the ensembles were conducted by Sir David Willcocks.
The music theme to celebrate this very special occasion was 'happy and glorious'. Traditional melodies from all parts of the home countries featured strongly as well as London and East End songs, which were sung as the Gold State Coach, proceeded towards the City of London. All the choirs, orchestras, bands and ensembles joined in the finale "Rejoice! Rejoice!" written specially for the event.
Christ's Hospital enjoys a long tradition of musical excellence. The Brass Ensemble, under the direction of Nick Parrans-Smith (Head of Brass) performs at many functions throughout the year. They performed at the Purcell Room in January and at St Paul's Cathedral in March.
Bruce Grindlay, Director of Music at Christ's Hospital, said "it was a great honour and a wonderful opportunity for all of us involved to be part of something that seemed to reach all parts of our society. By contributing to such a historic occasion, the children and staff taking part were given a unique experience which we will cherish for the rest of our lives".
Christ's Hospital celebrates the 450th Anniversary and 100 years in Horsham
To celebrate the 450th Anniversary of Christ's Hospital's founding and 100 years since the School moved to Horsham, West Sussex, detailed below are future events and reports of past events this year.
30 June - 4 July 2002
A Centenary Festival of Music was organised to celebrate the School's move from the City to Horsham in 1902. The Festival included a Symphony and Concerto evening, a Big Band concert and a special Leavers' Concert.
28 - 30 November 2002
Drama - a tribute to Christ's Hospital's first playwright, George Peele (a pupil from 1565-1571) - 'The Old Wife's Tale' in the Theatre and then touring to King Edward's School; Middle Temple;Wilton's Music Hall; Harrow. Box Office: 01403 247434.
Thanksgiving
12 March 2002
A Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral jointly with the Hospitals of Bridewell and St Thomas the Apostle. (St Paul's strictly by invitation only). A procession of 1500 pupils and staff marched from Dowgate Hill, London to St Paul's Cathedral. This was followed by a buffet at Guildhall for the senior pupils, staff and dignitaries. HRH The Duke of Gloucester, President of Christ's Hospital, attended. The day was a great success and much enjoyed by all.
Centenary Day At Christ's Hospital 19 May 2002
450th Anniversary Thanksgiving at St Paul's 12 March 2002
Thousands of people were welcomed to Christ's Hospital to enjoy a memorable day of Centenary celebrations. The day started with an open-air service of thanksgiving and rededication with 'King Edward VII' who welcomed the crowds. The event commemorated the monarch's laying of the foundation stone at the site in 1897. The Service was followed by a full and exciting variety of events and displays, many in Edwardian style, vintage cars, a celebrity cricket match, superb Music and Drama with 'Elgar's Coronation Ode of 1902' and an open rehearsal of the School's Community play 'Nell Gwyn', a display of fencing, tours of the newly refurbished boarding house and Grecians residences, a history 'treasure' trail and many other displays. The Christ's Hospital Band rounded off the day magnificently by 'Beating Retreat'.
Peter Southern, Head Master, said "we were delighted to be able to welcome so many friends and neighbours, parents and Old Blues to Christ's Hospital to share in our Centenary celebrations"
Speech Day At Christ's Hospital
18 May 2002
On Speech Day this year, Christ's Hospital was delighted to receive The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Michael Oliver.
Following a service in the School's Chapel, the pupils marched past the State party to the accompaniment of the Band and one of the junior pupils presented a posy of flowers to the Lady Mayoress.
After lunch in the School's magnificent Dining Hall, the Senior Grecian (Head Pupil) gave an oration to which the Lord Mayor warmly responded.
Horsham Language Competition
June 2002
Pupils from Christ's Hospital did extremely well in the 2002 Horsham Language Competition. The prizes will be awarded by the Chairman of the Council on Friday, 21 June.
Tomasz Karzel won 1st prize in the Senior German Essay competition (the third time running that CH has won this competition), with Dan Park and Jurgis Karpus equal 2nd. In the Junior Video Competition for all languages, CH won 1st (Alex Murr, Olivia Bartleet, Esther Saunders-Deutsch, Kim Warwick-Cowtan) and 2nd (Philip Child, Sagaar Mandavia, Patrick Tsui, Lorcan O'Connor) prize.
Band at Lord's
22 June 2002
The Christ's Hospital Band was honoured to be invited, once again, to perform for the MCC at Lord's. The 90 young musicians provided a wonderful spectacle for the audience on the occasion of the Benson and Hedges Cup - Essex v Warwickshire.
Pupils Feature on BBC TV Breakfast Show
10 September 2002
Pupils Ben Barber, India Martin and Gemma Batte from Christ's Hospital were invited to appear on the BBC TV Breakfast Show to talk to presenter Julia Bottsfield about the history of their uniform. This two minute slot is part of a general feature about school uniform on Breakfast TV in the Show's new extended time from 9 - 9.30 am.
Costume Society Study Day
14 September 2002
The Costume Society is holding an informative Study Day at Christ's Hospital, a charitable boarding school near Horsham, on Saturday, 14 September from 10am to 4.30pm in celebration of the School's 450th anniversary. The Day will explore the evolution of the distinctive bluecoat uniform worn by both girls and boys and the Tudor costumes of King Edward VI who founded the School in the City of London in 1552.
Today, pupils are easily recognisable by their unusual Tudor style uniform. All the pupils wear an outer ankle-length dark blue coat; the boys with breeches and the girls with pleated skirts. Yellow socks and white cotton shirt with bands instead of a regular school tie complete the style.
Also featured during the Study Day will be the costumes of King Charles II, and dignitaries such as Samuel Peptise all in the magnificent setting of Christ's Hospital. There will be an opportunity to watch the School's famous Band and, in addition, the boys and girls will describe at first hand their attitudes to wearing their Tudor style uniforms in this casual age.
Visitors will gain a fascinating insight into a subject deeply rooted in Christ's Hospital's past and present.