Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School

Coordinates: 51°20′11.61″N 1°24′58.21″E / 51.3365583°N 1.4161694°E / 51.3365583; 1.4161694

Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Ramsgate, Kent, England, formed as a result of the merger of the boys-only Chatham House Grammar School and girls-only Clarendon House Grammar School in September 2013.

History

Chatham House was officially founded in 1797 by Dr William Humble along Chatham Street, although there is some evidence of existence prior to its formal establishment.^[1] Clarendon House was founded in 1905 on the first floor of the old police station.^[2]

Pre-merger

Both schools were single-sex up to and including Year 11, while allowing boys and girls to enter in the 6th form.

Due to the close proximity of the two schools (within a few minutes' walk of each other), the two schools worked together to provide subjects, bands, and outings. Some AS and A level subjects were taught either jointly or by one school but available to students of the other.

Federation

In 2009, Chatham House and Clarendon House formed the Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School Federation.^[3] The Federation became a new converter Academy in January 2011,^[3] bringing greater control over admissions, site & buildings, curriculum development and much-needed additional income.

Expansion and status

In Spring 2011, it was announced that the schools would work together as one school. Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils would be based at Chatham House and year 10 and 11 pupils would be based at the former Clarendon House. The CCVI sixth form centre would be based on both sites with all lessons being split between them.

In this intermediate stage, Year 9 was to be moved to the lower school while the decisions about houses were being taken.

House System

As the two schools became one, the house systems needed to change as Clarendon House had 4 houses for the entire school with Chatham having 4 different houses in the lower and upper school.

As a result of student voting, from September 2011, the new houses consisted of Thomas-Shaman (TS), Rothschild-Pearce (RP), Mann-Somerville (MS) and Knight-Heath (KH),^[4] double-barrelled amalgamations of old Chatham and Clarendon house names. It was announced that the new house colours would be Red, Blue, Silver and Gold.

House Competitions

There is an annual House Competition within the school as the 4 different houses compete in competitions to increase their total score. The house with the greatest score at the end of each academic year is the winning house.

Awards System

In both Schools, as a form of award, teachers may give out rewards known as Achievement Points or Commendations. Depending on the amount which a pupil has, there are various certificates which are given, and also a prize in the form of a pin badge, which students can wear on their uniform. Below are the awards which pupils may receive, and the higher the commendations needed, usually the harder it is to obtain the specific certificate.

Note that some houses repeat the commendation certificates for a second, third or possibly fourth round if pupils gain 48 commendations - which warrants a Red Certificate No. 2. However, not all houses do this and some just keep to the standard seven certificates.

Notable Alumni

Alumni of Chatham House are known as Old Ruymians.

• Iain Aitch - author and journalist
• Herbert William Allingham , Surgeon to the Household of King Edward VII, and Surgeon in Ordinary to the Prince of Wales (later King George V)^[7]
• Doc Atherton - broadcaster formerly on Invicta FM (now known as Heart Kent) then KMFM Thanet and can now be heard on Academy FM
• Allan Butler, Ambassador to Mongolia from 1984-7
• Rear-Adm Timothy Chittenden, submariner and Director from 2000-3 of the Warship Support Agency
• Keva Coombes, Leader (Labour) of Liverpool City Council from 1987–90, and Labour candidate for Hyndburn in 1987
• Matt Corker - professional rugby union player for the London Wasps
• Maj-Gen Patrick Crawford GM, Commandant from 1989-93 of the Royal Army Medical College
• Jamie Davies - racing driver
• Paul Daley - Musician (Leftfield)
• Marc Gascoigne - fantasy writer
• Prof Peter Gregory,^[8] Director since 2005 of the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie near Dundee, and Professor of Soil Science from 1994-2005 at the University of Reading
• Geoffrey Colin Guy CMG CVO OBE, Governor of Saint Helena from 1976–81, and Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1958-9 and 1959–65

Former Prime Minister Edward Heath was an Old Ruymian

• Sir Edward Heath - Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974^[9]
• Peter Hermitage, Director from 1996-98 of National Police Training, and Chairman from 2004-6 of the Security Industry Authority
• Stewart Jackson - Conservative MP for Peterborough
• Sean Kerly - Olympic field hockey player
• Prof Andrew Lawrence, Regius Professor of Astronomy since 1994 at the University of Edinburgh and Head of Physics from 2003-8
• Lieutenant Marc Lawrence,^[10] Sea King observer of 849 Naval Air Squadron, killed on 21 March 2003 in a crash in Kuwait
• Ali Marchant, radio DJ
• John Marek Labour MP for Wrexham 1983 to 2001
• Desmond Misselbrook CBE,^[11] Chairman from 1972-8 of Livingston Development Corporation
• Frank Muir - humourist^[12]
• Rev Dr Edward Norman, gave the BBC Reith Lecture in 1978
• John Ovenden, Labour MP for Gravesend 1974 to 1979, and Leader of Kent County Council from 1994-7
• Geoff Parsons - Olympic high jumper
• Charles Robson (1859–1943), Middlesex and Hampshire wicket-keeper, and secretary (manager) of Southampton Football Club^[13]
• Sir John Tavaré CBE, Chairman from 1986-2000 of Luxonic Lighting, and of Whitecroft Lighting from 1976–85
• Prof Robert Tavernor, Emeritus Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the London School of Economics (LSE)
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, Station Commander from 1968-70 of RAF El Adem (in Libya), Governor of Gibraltar from 1985-9, and targeted by the IRA on 18 September 1990 which severely injured him
• Air Vice-Marshal Henry Thornton CBE
• Hugh Tunnell, Ambassador to Bahrain from 1992-5
• Nik Turner - founder of the space rock band Hawkwind
• Most Rev Gregory James Venables, Bishop of Argentina since 2002
• Geoffrey Wales, wood engraver
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Bill Wratten CBE CB - Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Strike Command during the first Gulf War, Station Commander from 1980-2 of RAF Coningsby
• Prabhat Mathema - Medical Director of Wales Rugby national team, former Head Physio of London Wasps Rugby team and QPR Football Club
• Matt Dunn (author)

See also

• Chatham House Grammar School
• Clarendon House Grammar School

References

External links

• Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School Home Page