St Paul's Cathedral School

St Paul's Cathedral School is an independent school associated with St Paul's Cathedral in London and is located in New Change in the City of London.[1]

St Paul's Cathedral School
Crest of the School
Address
Map
New Change


Information
TypePrivate preparatory school
Choral foundation school
MottoLatin: Fide Et Literis
(By Faith and By Learning)
Religious affiliation(s)Church of England
Established1123; 901 years ago (1123)
Local authorityCity of London
Department for Education URN100002 Tables
BursarMartin Kiddle
HeadmasterSimon Larter-Evans
Staff40~
GenderCo-educational
Age4 to 13
Enrolment240~
HousesBoyce, de la Mare, Groves, Stainer[citation needed]
Colour(s)   Burgundy and Blue
Former pupils (choristers)Old Paulcathes (members of the Guild of the Companions of St Paul)
Websitehttp://www.spcs.london.sch.uk/

The school has around 220 pupils, most of whom are day pupils, both boys and girls, including up to 40 boy choristers who are all boarders and who sing the daily services in St Paul's Cathedral.[2] The school became co-educational in 2002.[3]

History edit

Originally the school was set up to provide education solely for the choristers and dates from about 1123, when eight needy children were given a home and education in return for singing in the cathedral. The Choir School and a Grammar School co-existed under the aegis of the cathedral for many years, until the Grammar School was moved and re-established in 1511 by the humanist Dean John Colet to become St Paul's School. The Cathedral School and St Paul's School (now a public school) are now distinct and separate institutions.

The original Choir School, which stood in St Paul's Churchyard, was destroyed with the cathedral in the Great Fire of London in 1666.[4] The school has had several incarnations being re-built in 1670, in 1822 (in Cheapside)[citation needed] and 1875 (in Carter Lane). The building of 1875 is now a Youth Hostel.[5] The current buildings date from the 1960s and were designed by the Architects' Co-Partnership.[6]

Activities edit

In addition to the daily Evensong, the choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral, have taken part in a number of important recordings and tours and have performed at a number of important state occasions, including the funerals' of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, as well as the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales.[7]

Child-abuse controversy edit

In December 2007 Stephen Douglas-Hogg, a former Classics and house master of the school, was arrested and charged with the abuse of a number of choristers during the 1980s. Following his attempted suicide[8] during the initial stages of proceedings in October 2008, the 50-year-old Douglas-Hogg changed his plea halfway through the trial[9] and admitted to 13 counts of indecent assault on five boys aged under 14. On 11 May 2009 Douglas-Hogg was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court.[10]

Former pupils edit

Notable former pupils include:

References edit

  1. ^ Early history
  2. ^ The School and the Cathedral
  3. ^ The Modern School
  4. ^ Jokinen, Anniina (26 October 2001). "The Great Fire of London, 1666". Luminarium. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
  5. ^ Youth Hostel Association (2022). "YHA London St Paul's".
  6. ^ Historic England. "St Paul's Cathedral Choir School (Grade II*) (1391842)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  7. ^ Rupert Christiansen, "St. Paul's Cathedral School: Ancient and Modern", Daily Telegraph, 28 Dec 2007. Accessed 15 May 2009.
  8. ^ BBC, News (7 October 2008). "Teacher overdoses ahead of trial". BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2009. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ BBC, News (8 May 2009). "Ex-teacher admits abusing pupils". BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2009. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ Nengi, Koko (12 May 2009). "Former teacher jailed for abuse". City of London Police. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2009.

External links edit

51°30′50″N 0°05′49″W / 51.513953°N 0.096842°W / 51.513953; -0.096842