Sutton Valence School

Sutton Valence School
Motto My trust is in God alone
Established 1576
Type Independent school
Religion Anglican
Headmaster Bruce Grindlay
Visitor Archbishop of Canterbury
Chair Fiona O'Hanrahan
Founder William Lambe
Location Maidstone
Kent
ME17 3HL
England
Coordinates: 51°12′52″N 0°35′37″E / 51.2145°N 0.5935°E / 51.2145; 0.5935
Gender Coeducational
Ages 11–18
Houses 4 boarding houses
Colours

Blue, black and silver

                             
Publication Big*
Sutton Views
Suttonian
Young Suttonian
Old Suttonian
Expired Motto Floreat Suttona
Latin: Let Sutton flourish
Former pupils Old Suttonians
Website www.svs.org.uk

Sutton Valence School (SVS) is an independent school near Maidstone in southeast England. It has 520 pupils. It is a co-educational day and boarding school. There are three senior boarding houses: Westminster, St Margaret's and Sutton, and one junior Beresford.

History

The school was founded in 1576 as the Free Grammar School of William Lambe in Sutton Valence, by William Lambe, Master of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers and a member of the Chapel Royal of Henry VIII.[1] It remained under the control of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers until 1910 when it was taken under the control of United Westminster Schools, a charitable trust which also incorporates Emanuel School and Westminster City School in London.[2]

In 1983, the school became co-educational and in 1995 it incorporated Underhill Preparatory School. It is now a co-educational day and boarding school catering for pupils from three to eighteen years of age. It has strong local roots, but also welcomes a number of overseas pupils. The school limits numbers of pupils to remain small enough to cater for each pupil's needs.

The school has gone through renovation and expansion, building a new maths block, theatre, indoor swimming pool, second astro pitch and an all-weather track and field facility. The sports hall is dedicated to Sydney Wooderson, a former pupil and Olympic athlete who held the world record for the mile.


Boarding houses

On 21 July 1911, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Randall Davidson, opened the new buildings, comprising the Main School and the St Margaret's, or Headmaster's Wing. The Westminster Wing was still under construction. The site had previously been leased to the school by the Filmer family as a playing field before the acquisition of the 'Upper' and subsequently used as the village recreation ground. It has been purchased outright by a Master of the Clothworkers’, W. E. Horne, and presented to the new governing body.[3] [4]

Upper School houses derive their names from the City of Westminster Schools Association. Leslie Bridges, the first housemaster of Westminster lent his name to the nickname of "Ponts". St Margaret's is named after the Westminster Parish Church, dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch.[5]

House name House colour Colours
Westminster
             
 Black and silver
St Margarets
             
 Black and maroon
Sutton
             
 Black and gold

CCF

The CCF and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme (DofE) exposing all pupils in Year 9 and large numbers above to opportunities to develop their self-reliance, perseverance, leadership skills and sense of service. CCF courses are supplemented by termly field days offering overnight camps, exercises and adventure training. DofE members undertake service in the community and expeditions. Pupils in Year 10 and Year 11 can opt out of this provision and study for a creative subject in GCSE. The CCF meets on a Wednesday afternoon. Each afternoon is started by a Contingent parade outside the School's Cornwallis Building. The CCF train on Field Days at military bases. Sutton Valence School CCF is affiliated to the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.[6]

Coat of Arms

School uses coat of arms of the founder William Lambe and the motto of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers. [7][8]

Buildings

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑  Lee, Sidney, ed. (1892). Dictionary of National Biography. 32. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ↑ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/livery-companies-commission/vol4/pp572-599#h3-0051
  3. ↑ http://www.svs.org.uk/suttonvalenceseniorschool/?cid=398&g=3
  4. ↑ Blatchley-Hennah, F. T. W., A Sort History of Sutton Valence School, Kent Messenger Publishing, Maidstone, 1952
  5. ↑ Blatchley-Hennah, F. T. W., A Sort History of Sutton Valence School, Kent Messenger Publishing, Maidstone, 1952
  6. ↑ http://www.svs.org.uk/suttonvalenceseniorschool/?cid=328&g=3
  7. ↑ http://www.clothworkersproperty.org/properties/sutton-valence#ftnref6
  8. ↑ Blatchley-Hennah, F. T. W., A Sort History of Sutton Valence School, Kent Messenger Publishing, Maidstone, 1952
  9. ↑ http://www.66squadron.co.uk/biogs/apps.htm Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  10. ↑ Joseph Friedman Retrieved 9 August 2013.
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