| Forest School | |
 |
|
| Motto | In Pectore Robur ( Heart of oak) |
| Established | 1834 |
| Type | Independent School |
| Religion | Anglican |
| Warden | S. Kerr-Dineen, MA |
| Chairman of the Governors | John W. Matthews |
| Location | Snaresbrook Greater London E17 3PY England |
| Students | 1,400 (approx.) |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 4 to 18 |
| Houses | 14 |
| Colours | Royal Blue & White
|
| Former pupils | Old Foresters |
| Website | www.forest.org.uk |
| Coordinates: 51°35′10″N 0°00′33″E / 51.5861°N 0.0093°E | |
Forest School is an independent school on the edge of Epping Forest, in Snaresbrook in North East London, in the UK. The School occupies a large campus based around the original Georgian and Victorian buildings.
The Good Schools Guide called it a "Highly successful East London independent public school situated amidst leafy Epping Forest with unusual mix of single-sex and co-education, which excels at the extra-curricular as well as the academic."[1]
Contents |
History
Forest was initially founded as 'The Forest Proprietary School' in 1834 with only twenty-two pupils on its roll. In 1847, it became 'Forest School'. Forest has expanded and now has about fourteen hundred boys and girls in equal numbers across the full age range of 4 - 18. Girls were first accepted in 1981 and, although they share the same campus, boys and girls are taught separately between the ages of 7 and 16; the sixth form is co-educational.
Wardens of Forest School
The headmaster is called the 'Warden'. In keeping with the School's boarding-past, the Warden resides on campus in the White House. The current warden is Mrs Sarah Kerr-Dineen - the first female Warden in the School's 175-year history. Mrs Kerr-Dineen succeeded Mr Andrew Boggis. The three Heads of School (Boys, Girls and Prep) are the 'Deputy Wardens', although they are rarely called so. They are Mr M. Cliff Hodges, Mrs P. A. Goodman and Mrs E. Garner respectively.
Through almost two centuries of existence Forest will have had eleven Wardens:
- Rev Dr Thomas Dry (1834-1844)
- Mr John Fredrick Boyes (1844-1847)
- Rev John Gilderdale (1847-1857)
- Dr Fredrick Barlow Guy (1857-1886) - former pupil of Rev Gilderdale
- Rev Thomas Edward Barlow Guy (1886-1894)
- Mr Ralph Coutenay Guy (1894-1935)
- Mr Gerald Cedar Miller (1936-1960)
- Mr Dennis Foxall (1960-1983)
- Mr John C. Gough (1983-1993)
- Mr Andrew G. Boggis (1993-2009)
- Mrs Sarah Kerr-Dineen (2009-)
Structure
The School is divided into three: Boys' (ages 11 - 18), Girls' (11 - 18), Preparatory (4 - 11). Each of the three schools has a Headmaster that is also the Deputy Warden. Pupils are taught in single sex classes between 7 - 16. In sixth form teaching becomes coeducational providing a transition to university or professional life.
The Prep school numbers just over two hundred boys and girls. Its aims are to offer an education of high quality and to encourage and develop each child academically, physically and spiritually. From the ages of 4 to 7 Pre-Prep pupils are taught in mixed classes of sixteen. In the main Prep from 7 to 11 boys and girls are taught in separate classes of twenty. Small classes enable the teachers to give each child a considerable amount of individual attention in the classroom.
Beginning at age 11, boys enter the first form and this is the main point of entry to the boy's school, with usually 20 boys entering from Forest's prep school, and being joined by 50 new pupils from a wide range of other schools. Participation in the wider life of the school is expected of all pupils.
The girls' school, also beginning at age 11, focuses on the development of well qualified, socially-confident young women ready to take up the opportunities of university and careers. The school places great emphasis on the development of each girl as an individual. This is promoted by a supportive pastoral system; each girl is a member of a House as well as a form. The House system allows each girl to feel loyalty to a smaller unit as well as providing opportunities for girls to take on roles of responsibility. There is a strong sense of community in the School.
Forest's Sixth Form numbers some 250 pupils and is coeducational. The routine is designed to help pupils thrive in an academic environment and to be prepared for university; many lessons are more like seminars and self-motivation becomes increasingly important. Pupils can choose from a very wide range of combinations of AS and A2 courses and these are supplemented by General Studies and a programme of lectures and debates. Sixth Formers remain very much part of their respective schools, continuing to have a Housemaster/mistress as before and having the opportunity to shoulder responsibility in their Houses.
The school maintains its traditional values of academic excellence, and offers scholarships in both academic areas and that of the arts to pupils who show an outstanding talent in any particular subject. It prides itself that it offers a first class education, with renowned facilities in music, drama, art and sports. It also offers school bus schemes to improve accessibility for those pupils who live a long distance from the school. Many school trips take place as well, usually about three a year not including individual department trips. These can be purely recreational, such as skiing, or educational such as the Fun and Philosophy trip, or arts-based trips.
House system
There are eight Boys' School Houses, each with their own House Master. The first houses were created in 1924, and consisted of Doctor's, Poole's and Johnian's. Copeland's was created in the 1950s and five houses were created in the latter part of the 1970s with Bishop's and School serving as boarding houses. In the 1990s Bishop's became a regular house, and School served as the only boarding house. Younger boys wear a tie in their House colour. All boys in the third to sixth forms are registered by House, with first and second form boys registered in their forms. With the exception of School House they are all named after previous Masters or Wardens:
| House | Colour | Named After | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop's | Light Green | Bishops Shaw and Bullen | |
| Copeland's | Yellow | an original founder of the school | |
| Doctor's | Red | Dr F. B. Guy | |
| Guy's | Black | the Guy family | |
| Johnians | Dark Green | John Gilderdale | |
| Miller's | Blue | Gerald Cedar Miller | |
| Poole's | Purple | F.J. Poole (previous Master at school) | |
| School | Light Blue | Boarding house | |
In the Girls' School six Houses have recently been formed in 2001 to replace the old four Houses named after areas of the school (Field, Glade, Manor, and Park). They each have a House Mistress. The new Houses are named after famous women:
| House | Colour | Named After | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astell | Turquoise | Mary Astell | |
| Baylis | Yellow | Lilian Baylis | |
| Eliot | Green | George Eliot | |
| Franklin | Red | Rosalind Franklin | |
| Hepworth | Blue | Barbara Hepworth | |
| Kingsley | Purple | Mary Kingsley | |
Common pupil appointments include Head of House, Deputy Head of House, Music, Drama and Sports Captains. Competitions between the Houses in both schools include House Music, House Drama, House Football, House Hockey, House Netball (girls only), Sports Day (House Athletics), Swimming Galas (House Swimming), House Chess and House Debate etc. These activities are often extremely competitive due to strong house spirit.
Forest Traditions and Terminologies
Gowns
Black gowns are worn by Heads of Schools, their Deputies and the Warden in assemblies.
Royal blue gowns are worn by monitors and prefects, which are returned at the end of the academic year. These are worn during assembly, chapel services and on special occasions as well as when they are on duty. In addition, Prefects have white shield badges with "Prefect" written diagonally across in gold, while Monitors wear special ties striped in silver. The Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl each receive an additional badge to the Prefects.
Members of both Chapel Choirs wear crimson gowns at chapel services and formal events. This is a relatively recent change from the traditional crimson cassock and surplice.
Prefects and monitors
Twenty prefects (girls) and twenty monitors (boys) are decided by teachers, housemasters and mistresses at the end of Lower Sixth year. Four more prefects and four more monitors are decided after AS results come out in the summer. Thus all prefects and monitors are in the Upper Sixth.
Of these four are chosen to be Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl who lead the prefects and monitor team. Another girl is chosen to be Games Captain. Prior to the merging of the lower school (Years 7 and 8) and upper school (Years 10 - 13, Year 8 is called the 'middle school'), there were also a set of monitors from Year 8 assigned specifically to the lower school.
Their duties include supervision of queues at lunchtime ("lunch duty") and supervising assembly and chapel services in addition to helping on open days.
Commendations system
Commendations are awarded for good work. They consist of green slips of paper with carbon transfer to white slips, of which the green is given to the form tutor and the white slip is given to the House master. Certificates are awarded for number of commendations received (bronze 20, silver 40, gold 60, platinum 80,100 you get a Special Pen). They are very rarely given out in sixth form.
Non-satises (Latin for 'not enough') are given for poor work or bad behaviour. The dark orange sheet of the non-satis is given to the form-tutor of the pupil by the teacher who has given it out. The yellow carbon transfer is given to the house-mistress/master, again by the teacher who gave out the non-satis. Three non-satises lead to a housemaster's/mistress' detention or Lower School detentions, three detentions result in a school (Saturday) detention, and three of these result in a one day suspension. Three suspensions results in an Expulsion.
Academic Terms
In keeping with the Christian faith of the school, the three academic terms are known as:
| Term | Period | |
|---|---|---|
| Michaelmas Term | The first term, running from September to Christmas | |
| Lent Term | The second term, running from January to March (in the run up to the Christian period of Lent). | |
| Trinity Term | The third (and final) term, running from April to July (named after Trinity Sunday, eight weeks after Easter | |
Year Groups
School years follow the traditional names from the senior school:
| Traditional Name | Year |
|---|---|
| First Year/ Form | Year 7 |
| Second Year/ Form | Year 8 |
| Third Year/ Form | Year 9 |
| Fourth Year/ Form | Year 10 |
| Fifth Year/ Form | Year 11 |
| Lower VIth | Year 12 |
| Upper VIth | Year 13 |
Terminology
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aston Block | A section of the School that was built in 1953 with funds from the Aston Charities Trust. This is the main base for the Senior School (pupils aged 13 - 16) with both boys and girls going to classes in it. |
| Chair Duty | At the end of the day, pupils (according to their house) put up chairs at the end of he day and pick up any litter. This is normally allocated by house and rotated. |
| Commendations | A chit awarded to a pupil in recognition of good work with a copy given to their respective House Master/ Mistress. |
| Gloucesters | Pupils that were in the Preparatory School (ages 7 - 11), which was known as the 'Gloucester Block' |
| Lunch Duty | Pupils are expected to clean up at the end of lunch break by cleaning tables. This is normally allocated by house and rotated |
| Monitor | A boy in his Upper Sixth year chosen to help keep discipline in school |
| Non-satises | A chit given to a pupil for sub-standard work, with a copy given to their respective House Master/ Mistress. |
| Park | A major off-site sports field through the forest |
| Playground Duty | Pupils go around the playground and pick up any litter at the end of the day. This is normally allocated by house and rotated |
| Prefect | A girl in her Upper Sixth year chosen to help keep discipline in school |
| Steeplechase | A compulsory sporting event during the second half of Lent Term where the Boys' School compete in a cross country race through the surrounding forest |
| Warden | The overarching headmaster that looks over all three schools with the aid of three 'Deputy Wardens' |
Curriculum and results
The academic curriculum in the years leading to GCSE reflects the National Curriculum in its breadth and balance. However, there are one or two distinguishing points of difference: Latin, for example, is compulsory in the 1st and 2nd Forms; and the majority take Physics, Chemistry and Biology as separate GCSE subjects. Computer literacy is a major focus in the early years.
Pupils consistently produce good examination results and most proceed to university, many pupils taking up places for highly competitive subjects at top universities. The school achieves good exam results, with pupils largely achieving around 9-10 good GCSE grades, as well as 4 AS levels and 3 A levels.
Forest has a record of doing well in the academic forum. In 2006, 18 A-level students received offers from the Oxbridge universities (Oxford and Cambridge).
School motto and song
"In Pectore Robur", meaning Heart of Oak (or more poetically 'Strength in the heart'), initially appeared in the 1850s under John Gilderdale. It is referred to in the School Song (below)
- Eja! Felices! Hodie vacandi
- Cantico dulcis celebretur vita!
- Laus sit in linguis, animo voluptas,
- Pectore robur, pectore robur!
- Gaudeant pensis pueri peractis,
- Gaudeat cura vacuus magister;
- En! Domus gaudet! Sua concinamus
- Gaudia quisque, gaudia quisque.
- Pectoris robur, puerique custos,
- Qui Puer quondam in pueris fuisti,
- Fac Tibi semper placeamus omnes
- Pectore puro, pectore puro!
The school song has been set to music and is sung regularly at end of term chapel services and important occasions.
More recently, a previous Master of Music, Stefan Reid, arranged this for orchestra and choir which premièred at the annual End of Year Concert (now traditionally held in the Dining Hall). It is sung at certain significant assemblies (eg. end of year) and at Commemoration Day.
Chapel
The school's traditional faith is Christianity (Church of England) although it accepts pupils from a wide range of religious and non-religious backgrounds. All students attend compulsory Chapel services within the school twice a week.
The Chapel was built in 1857 with an extension in 1875. Prior to this, pupils and masters would attend services at St Peter's-in-the-Forest (across Woodford New Road from the school). It contains numerous stained glass windows over the ages including more recent installations designed by the pupils. The stained glass at the altar end depicts a boy at either side of Jesus, one dressed in cricket whites and one dressed in the old school uniform. The reredos in Chapel depicts the Last Supper as envisaged by Leonardo da Vinci. This was dedicated to a pupil that died during an operation at the neighbouring Whipps Cross Hospital.
A memorial cross was erected outside the Chapel in 1920 in memory of those from Forest School that perished in the Great War. Memorial tablets were installed inside the Chapel in memory of those that have laid down their lives in battle since. In 1944, a flying-bomb scored a direct hit on the Junior School that impacted the east end of the Chapel, destroying stained glass windows by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones.
Sports
Sporting achievements
In 2005 the school's U15 team won the Essex Schools Cricket Cup, after beating Saffron Walden in the final by 15 runs. This can be seen on the cricket page of the Forest School website.
In 2004 the U14 football team were runners up in the Essex Schools Cup, losing 1-0 to Highams Park School in the final.
In 1993 Forest School won the inaugural Independent Schools Football Association Cup, beating Charterhouse on penalties.[2]
To this day Forest School remains the only school to have played in the FA Cup, beating Rochester 4-2 in the first round before losing to Clapham Rovers convincingly 10-1.[3]
Old Foresters
Former pupils of School are known as Old Foresters (OFs). The Old Foresters' Club exists to carry on traditions and to promote the interests of the School. Furthermore, the OFC is there to encourage mutual help between alumni and current members of the School, whether it be through financial aid to aid development, adding to the archives, or engaging in friendly sporting competitions.
The OF Club is open to all past-members of the School, headed by a Committee led by a President and Chairman. The OFC organises events for former pupils throughout the year, including Annual Dinners at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford. The Club also hosts various reunions at the School (where a tour of the school grounds is taken to show new developments) and elsewhere for former pupils to get together and share stories since leaving.
The OF Club also produces various publications ranging from school history books to the School Magazine.
OFs are eligible to join the East India Club, The University Women's Club, the Old Foresters' Football Club and an Old Foresters' Masonic Lodge.
Some notable OFs are:
- Natalie Ceeney CBE, chief executive of The National Archives (UK)
- George Dangerfield, journalist and historian, author of The Strange Death of Liberal England
- Richard J. Evans, notable historian at Cambridge
- Percy Fairclough (1858 – 1947), England footballer
- Quinton Fortune, former Manchester United footballer
- James Foster, Essex cricketer
- Adam Wheater, Essex cricketer
- Nickolas Grace, actor
- Peter Greenaway, film director
- Nasser Hussain, former England cricket captain
- Jack May, actor - Nelson Gabriel in The Archers
- Fred Pelly (1868 – 1940), England footballer
- Mark Petchey, tennis player
- Richard Pinto, comedy writer (Goodness Gracious Me)
- Sharat Sardana, comedian and writer (Goodness Gracious Me)
- Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, convicted terrorist
- Jackie Smiles MBE, first woman Chinook pilot
- Nicola Walker, actress, best known as Ruth Evershed in Spooks
- Geoffrey Wellum DFC, Battle of Britain fighter pilot and author
- Adam Woodyatt, actor - Ian Beale in EastEnders
There is a larger list of noteworthy Old Foresters on the school's website.
Activities
First and Second Year girls have activities every Friday afternoon and Third to Sixth Form girls and boys have activities on Wednesday afternoons. These are double periods devoted to an activity chosen by the pupil at the end of the previous term. Sports teams have practice during activities. The remainder of the school choose from many options including CCF, video techniques, community service, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, karate, photography, stage lighting, fencing, swimming, football, golf, taekwondo, Ancient Greek, public speaking and debating, early music, and chess club.
References
External links
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