Radley College
| Radley College | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
| , | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent school |
| Motto | "Sicut serpentes, sicut columbae" ("[Be ye as wise] as snakes, [and as gentle] as doves") |
| Established | 1847 |
| Founder | William Sewell |
| Headmaster | Angus McPhail |
| Number of students | 635 |
| Colour(s) | Red & White |
| Newspaper | The Radley College Chronicle |
| Yearbook | The Radleian |
| Ages | 13 to 18 |
| Website | www.radley.org.uk |
Radley College (St Peter's College, Radley) is a famous English public school situated on the edge of the village of Radley near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. It was founded in 1847 by William Sewell and Robert Singleton, and is one of only four remaining schools in the United Kingdom that admits only boys and at which all students are boarders. The school is centred around Mansion, formerly Radley Hall (built 1721 to 1725 and painted by William Turner). Now the campus of school buildings, playing fields, golf course, lake, and farmland now covers some 800 acres, including the largest continuous area of mown grass in England.
The prevailing ethos is of respect for authority as vested in senior boys, masters — known as "dons" — the Anglican Church (with Evensong during weekdays and a Sung Eucharist every Sunday), and the institutions of the British establishment.
The college is an academic institution that achieves competitive public exam results - an average of 88% As and Bs at A level examinations over the last two years - but music, art, and drama too play an important role in the life of the school, the latter more so than ever after the opening of the 400-seat "New Theatre" in October 2006. Over 20 entrance scholarships are awarded each year by examination and interview - for music, art, drama and all-round skills as well as academic excellence. Sixth Form Organ Scholarships will be awarded for the first time in 2007, to support the large Chapel Choir and new choristership scheme, and planning for a new pipe organ is underway, to replace the current 3-manual Hill, Norman and Beard instrument.
Sports
Most sports are played competitively at Radley. Sports such as Rackets, Rugby Fives and Polo are well represented. Recently in Rowing, Radley has done excellently whilst competing at Henley Royal Regatta, having reached the semi-final of the Princess Elizabeth Cup twice in the last two years and winning it in 1998. Rugby is the major sport of the Michaelmas (Autumn) Term. The 1st XV team (and their pitch) is known as 'Bigside' while the Shells' (first years') sports teams are known as 'Midgets'. The school fields 21 rugby teams on most Saturdays of the Michaelmas Term. In the Lent (Spring) Term hockey and football are the main sports for those not choosing to row, with Cricket, Tennis and Athletics all popular in the Summer Term. Some recent Old Radleians have progressed to play cricket for England or captain county level cricket teams.
Socials
The pupils live in one of eight "Socials" — see the school vernacular — named A–H. Some students additionally spend a number of terms resident in Orchard House, not a Social in itself but a smaller boarding house for about 30 pupils in the upper three years. The socials are sometimes known by the name of their "Tutor" (Housemaster). For example, B Social is also sometimes known as Greed's Social after its Tutor, Mr Richard Greed. Each social has an Assistant Housemaster ('Resident Subtutor') and Matron ('Pastoral Housemistress') who are also resident in the building. Two more socials (J and K) are currently being built and are due to be opened in September 2008; Orchard House will be incorporated into J Social. As a result the number of boys in each social will drop from an average of 80 to about 65, and the overall size of the school will increase slightly.
The socials compete against each other constantly in sports and extra-curricular activities ranging from debating to chess, bridge, singing and, now, even the efficiency of their recycling of paper, plastic and cans. For the Shells (first years) there is even an inter-social Drama Prize - the Haddon Cup - currently held by H Social.
Many Socials put on an annual play, performed and perhaps directed by boys in that social. Alternatively or additionally they might have a "Cultural Evening" of assorted musical performances, sketches, dances and dramatic extracts, staged in the Silk Hall or Theatre.
Vernacular
Radley, like many traditional public schools, has an unusual system for naming the school years, which can cause confusion to those not familiar with the system.
- First year (age 13-14): Shell (boys are setted from Shell 1 to Shell 7)
- Second year (age 14-15): Remove
- Third year (age 15-16): Vth Form
- Fourth year (age 16-17): VI.1 ("Six One")
- Final year (age 17-18): VI.2 ("Six Two")
The term 'Shell' for a lower year group is shared with Harrow School and Westminster School. The name originates from the shell-shaped alcove in 'School' at Westminster where the younger boys were originally taught.
- Stig - First year individual (slang)
- Midgets - First year sports teams (eg Midgets 1 Hockey, Midgets 6 Rugby)
- Warden - Headmaster
- Sub-Warden - Deputy Headmaster
- Don - Teacher
- Pup - School Prefect
- HP - House Prefect
- Social - Boarding House
- Social Prayers - the Wednesday evening house assembly (instead of an evening Chapel service that day)
- (Social) Tutor - Housemaster
- Sub-tutor - Assistant Housemaster
- Leave Away - Half-term
- Privi (short for Privilege Weekend) - Weekend away at home
- Bigside - College 1st XV Rugby/1st XI Hockey & Cricket (also the 1st's pitch)
- Stonewall - College 5th & 6th XVs Rugby
- Prep - supervised time in the boarding houses each evening when prep (corresponding to homework in a day school) is tackled
Television series
During the 1979 summer term, the school's activities were filmed by the BBC for a series called "Public School", broadcast on BBC2 early in 1980. Capturing the end of a period when such schools felt genuinely afraid that the Labour government might push through legislation to close them down (there is a memorable scene of the headmaster expressing his delight in Margaret Thatcher's first election victory), the programme nevertheless now seems like a period piece, if only because it shows certain teaching methods and values that would never be allowed today. [citation needed].
Former pupils
A Category:Old Radleians is being compiled on this site
- Peter Cook, Comedian.
- Desmond Llewelyn, Actor (who played Q in many James Bond films).
- Lord Scarman, Judge.
- Clive Stafford Smith, Campaigning Lawyer.
- Andrew Strauss, Cricketer.
- Ben Hutton, Cricketer.
- Jamie Dalrymple, Cricketer.
- Ted Dexter, Cricketer.
- Peter Wildeblood, Journalist and Playwright.
- Gerald Brenan, one of the most revered Hispanists of the twentieth century
- Harold Monro, founder of the Poetry Bookshop
- Brough Scott, Racing broadcaster and Journalist.
- Andrew Motion, poet and Poet Laureate.
- Alexander Downer, Australian Foreign Minister.
- Richard Wilson, Baron Wilson of Dinton, former UK Cabinet Secretary.
- Sir Ivan Ewart, 6th Baronet, Northern Irish business man and charity worker.
- Charles Howard, Pioneering bomb disposal expert in WW2. Featured in The English patient by Michael Ondaatje.
- Mark Durden-Smith, Television presenter.
- Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery
- James Male, World Raquets Champion
- Christopher Hibbert, historian
Former Wardens include Dennis Silk.
Southern Railway School's Class
The School lent its name to the thirtyfirst steam locomotive (Engine 930) in the Southern Railway's Class V of which there were 40. This Class was also known as the Schools Class because all 40 of the class were named after prominent English public schools. 'Radley', as it was called, was built in 1934. Although withdrawn in the early 1960s, the nameplate has been preserved by the School and is now displayed in the school shop's stationery department along with a photograph of the train in its glory.
Literature
- Christopher Hibbert, No Ordinary Place: Radley College and the Public School System 1847–1997, 1997, London: John Murray General Publishing Division, ISBN 0-7195-5176-5.