University College School

'The Gower' redirects here - for the geographical area of that name see Gower peninsula

University College School (UCS)

Paulatim sed firmiter (By degrees but surely)
Foundation	1830
School type	Independent day school
Headmaster	Mr Kenneth Durham MA
Chairman of Council	Sir Victor Blank MA FRCOG
Location	Frognal, London, England
Pupils	730 in Senior School (boys), 250 in Junior Branch (boys), 130 in Phoenix School (co-ed)
Teaching Staff	100 approx. (Senior School), 23 (JB), 14 (Phoenix)
Demes	Baxters, Black Hawkins, Evans, Flooks, Olders and Underwoods
School Colours	Maroon and Black
Website	www.ucs.org.uk

University College School, known generally as UCS, is an Independent school situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited much of that institution's progressive and secular views, as such the school was remarkably original and probably unique at that time. Today, the school is known for its liberal attitude towards behaviour and work combined with high academic standards. UCS endeavours to preserve a strong sense of ethos. According to the Good Schools Guide, the school "Achieves impressive exam results with a relaxed atmosphere."^[1]

UCS is a member of the Eton Group of twelve independent schools and maintains links with other schools in north London, including South Hampstead High School, and also with Equatorial College School in Uganda.

In 2008, the UCS Sixth Form became co-educational.

The current Headmaster of the school is Kenneth Durham.

Kenneth Durham, Headmaster

Erudite par excellence, Kenneth Durham has done a great deal in bringing UCS up to date with leading independent schools. The construction of a new swimming pool, spa and 'roman bath' style of leisure suite has truly set UCS leaps and bounds ahead of other Public schools across the country. The school now offers yoga classes and a full range of treatments usually only found in leading health spas. The coffee house 'Costa' can be found within the school, these privileges most entirely brought about by the assiduous, fastidious nature of the great man , have truly served to highlight UCS'S hegemony over the elite boarding schools of the country

Prominent alumni of the Durham era are yet to be realized. However, given the pedagogical excellence brought about by this 'Teuton' there will undoubtebly be numerous politicians, diplomats, lawyers but to name a few

Academic greatness is not Kenneth's only strong point, he is also endowed with great business acumen. In 2005 it was revealed that he had a net worth of 2.5 billion largely attributed to his ever explanding oil empire 'Kenoil' in Tajikistan. He continues his philanthropic endeavours on a day to day basis donating large sums to charities across the globe. In December he is going to Vietnam with his favorite charity 'Wheels For Humanity' a charity to which he is purported to have poured 6 million over the past 5 years. The environment is also one of Durham's tantamount conncerns. In January of 2004 he visited the small hilltop village of Kando in Tajikistan delivering a moving speech, acknowledging the damage that the oil industry has caused to the surrounding villages, whilst pledging a quarter of a million to repurify a contaminated estuary serving as the villagers only source of water.

Loved by his students and staff alike, Kenneth has meticulously consolodated a personna which serves to inspire, nourish and cultivate the creative talents that we all have within us, authoritative yet never patronising he continues to pivot on the emir of true greatness.

History

A painting of University College School, Frognal, Hampstead in the early twentieth Century

According to H.J.K. Usher (author of An Angel without Wings), giving a detailed history of UCS is close to impossible as many of its early records were lost when the archives of University College London were destroyed during bombing in the Second World War, and because many documents were destroyed or left to rot by a headmaster, C.S. Walton who believed,"that tradition began with him".

The following is largely based on the published histories of the school which are given as references at the bottom of the page.

Foundation

The school was founded in 1830 by what was then the University of London, and now University College London. The University of London had been inspired by the work of Jeremy Bentham to provide opportunities for higher education for people regardless of religious beliefs (if any) - as only members of the established Church could study at Cambridge and Oxford (the only other two universities in England at the time). Furthermore, the subjects taught at Cambridge and Oxford at the time were very narrow with classical subjects dominating.

University College found that fewer pupils were being admitted than had been expected and that the quality of the school education of many of its applicants was inadequate. Several of the founders of UCL therefore took the decision to establish a school.

Several of the proprietors of the University of London are directly associated with the founding of the school; they include Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux (whom appears to be singled out as the ring leader in A tradition for Freedom), Lord Auckland (probably George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland), William Bingham Baring, 2nd Baron Ashburton, Sir Isaac Lyon Goldsmid, Henry Hallam, Leonard Horner (The Royal Society of Edinburgh has described UCS as his 'monument' [1]), James Mill, Viscount Sandon (probably either Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby or Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby), James Lock Esq, Stephen Lushington D.C.L. M.P., John Smith Esq M.P., and Henry Waymouth Esq.

According to A Tradition for Freedom, further inspiration for the school came from an elderly Jeremy Bentham who had attacked the traditional education he had been given, and Church of England schools in Chrestomathia.

The first headmaster was The Reverend Henry Browne. He quickly caused controversy, by publishing a prospectus for the school which appeared to include some type of communal worship, this was quickly replaced with a new version which also stated that the school would not use corporal punishment (highly unusual at the time).

The school opened at 16 Gower Street (from where the sobriquet 'Old Gower' derives) on November 1, 1830, under the name 'The London University School'. Browne soon resigned from his position and was replaced by John Walker (an assistant Master).

By February 1831 it had outgrown its quarters, in October 1831, the Council of UCL agreed to formally take over the school and it was brought within the walls of the College in 1832, with a joint headmastership of Professors Thomas Hewitt Key and Henry Malden.

The school was very original - it was never a boarding school (though there were at times pupils who boarded in private lodgings or with teachers), it was one of the first schools to teach modern languages, and sciences, and it was one of the first to abolish corporal punishment. It has also been noted that UCS had a gymnasium before the school that is generally credited with having the first gym. Originally, there were no compulsory subjects and no rigid form system. Most boys learnt Latin and French, and many learnt German (a highly unusual subject to teach at that time). Mathematics, Chemistry, Classical Greek and English were also taught. There was no religious teaching.

Further Developments

In the mid nineteenth century, the government of Japan sent a number of pupils to the school (see Kikuchi Dairoku and Hayashi Tadasu) which was recommended on the advice of Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby who was the British Foreign Secretary at the time.

Under the University College London (Transfer) Act 1905, University College London became part of the federal University of London, and its school was created as a separate corporation.

UCS moved away to new purpose built buildings in Frognal in Hampstead in 1907, which were opened by King Edward VII with the Archbishop of Canterbury in attendance on July 27. Kikuchi Dairoku was invited to the first annual prize giving at Frognal where he represented those who had received their prizes at Gower Street.

The Sixth Form Centre, which also houses the Theatre, was opened by the Duke of Kent in 1974.

In 1980 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited the school to celebrate its 150th Anniversary and to inaugurate the rebuilt hall which had been destroyed by fire in 1978.

In 1993 a new library, music school, lecture theatre, computer laboratory, sports hall, geography block, mathematics School and further classrooms were added to the senior school site. The junior branch buildings were also completely refurbished, with the addition of an Art & Technology Centre.

In 2005 UCS announced a four year £12 million development programme.

The Sir Roger Bannister Sports Centre was officially opened by Sir Roger (himself an Old Gower) in December 2006. A new Art, Design Technology and Modern Languages building came into use from November 2007 and was formally opened as the Jeremy Bentham building by The Duke of Gloucester on 22 May 2008. Also in 2008, the Sixth Form Centre was completely renovated along with most of the School's interior and classrooms were renovated. In September 2008, the first intake of girls into the sixth form entered UCS.

Council

The governing Council consists of 20 members.

The Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London each nominate representatives on the Council, as do University College London, the Worshipful Company of Grocers and the London Borough of Camden.

The Chairman of the Council is currently Sir Victor Blank, who amongst other things is Chairman of Lloyds TSB, one of the UK's largest banks.

Academic results

As policy, UCS does not measure academic success by exam result league tables, however the school is firmly based in the top of the national league tables as shown below;

2008

93.7% of A level exams were graded A/B and 81.1% of GCSEs (including IGCSE maths and science) were graded A*/A.

UCS came 25th of all schools nationally according to The Times. In terms of schools which were for boys only, UCS came 5th. [2].

The Financial Times rated UCS the 17th Best School in England in its September 2008 report [3].

2006

93% of A level exams were graded A/B and 83% of GCSEs were graded A*/A.

UCS came 25th in the Telegraph independent school A-Level league table (within the 'Premier League'). [4].

In terms of independent schools for boys, UCS came within the top 10 schools nationally. [5].

The Times ranked UCS as the 45th best School in England for GCSE results 2006. [6]. This ranked the school as 19th in terms of schools where boys can attend. For schools which accept only boys the school was ranked 15th.

The Times 'Parent Power' 2006 Survey ranked UCS 27th in the secondary school category for independent schools.[7]. For boys schools UCS was ranked 10th. It was also wrongly labelled as mixed.

The Good Schools Guide named UCS as the best English school (points score) for any pupils taking classical Greek A-level in 2006. [8]

UCS was separately named best boys independent school for classical Greek A-Level 2006. [9]

UCS was also named best independent school (points score) for boys for Logic / Philosophy A-Level 2006. [10]

'Beyond Words' Festival

The school's annual Beyond Words' UCS Festival has received press attention in recent years because of the number of celebrities that attend; in 2006, The Times placed the festival at the top of its list of 'Top Cultural Places To Be' that week. The festival has also appeared several times in Time Out magazine, rated as one of London's top cultural attractions of the season. The 2006 festival welcomed many household names including Lord Falconer, Zadie Smith (who, according to reports mentioned that one of the characters in her second book was based on an Old Gower), Matthew Pinsent and Rupert Everett, as well as a multitude of journalists, actors, authors, musicians, economists, and many more. Highlights of last year's festival included Sophie Dahl, the ULU Jazz Band, Anton Edelmann and the Bombay Bicycle Club. This year (2008) University College School is happy once again to welcome a wide and varied range of contributors. The Festival, which now embraces the whole UCS Foundation, runs from November 17th to 21st, and will feature Raymond Blanc, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Pym, Ben Macintyre, Charlie Higson, Martin Bell, Nabeel Yasin, Daljit Nagra, Anjum Anand, Camila Batmanghelidjh, Derek Landy, Alex Lifschutz, William Eccleshare, Ziauddin Sardar, amongst many others. Beyond Words is organized by Martin Hitchcock

Community action

A major part of the contemporary school culture is community action, where for about six weeks a year students raise money for various charities (2005 total - £40,000).

School motto, colours, songs etc

UCS Logo (from stationery)

The school motto is "Paulatim sed firmiter", roughly translated as "Slowly but surely". The school song is called Paulatim. Old Gowers (old boys) are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "OG".

The school's colours are maroon and black. On blazers these are vertical stripes.

There have been numerous songs written about UCS. The film Wondrous Oblivion is thought to have been partly inspired by Paul Morrison's experiences at UCS.^{[citation needed]}

The annual Speech Day event, at which boys are awarded various prizes, has been hosted by many famous speakers, including Rory Bremner, Gary Lineker, Henry Olonga, Sir Tim Rice, Sir Roger Bannister OG, Stephen Fry and Lord Coe (2007).

UCS publishes a termly newsletter called The Frognal and a yearly magazine called The Gower; both publications are sent to current and past students for free. The latest editions are available on the school website. The website also allows people to sign up for a monthly E-zine newsletter.

The school has a Masonic lodge (the Paulatim Lodge) which former pupils or those with links to the school may join.

Arrangement

The UCS Foundation is comprised of three main entities:

• "The Phoenix School", co-educational for ages 3 to 7. This was acquired by UCS in 2003.
• "The Junior Branch", boys-only for ages 7 to 11 (primary). This is also known as "Holly Hill", or "The JB".
• "The Senior School", boys-only for ages 11-18 (secondary). This is commonly referred to as just "UCS".

The Senior School site is divided into seven buildings:

• The main building, housing English, History, Maths (since June 2008) and Politics classrooms, and also the ICT, learning Support and Geography departments in the crypt (basement). The building also houses the Headmaster's office, main School office and the Common Room.
• The "Science Block", housing Chemistry, Physics and Biology laboratories.
• The "North Block", housing the 'Enav Library', the Refectory (dining hall)Eonomics and Business Studies and The Bursary.
• The "Giles Slaughter Wing" ('GS Wing'), housing Classics (since June 2008), Information Technology (ICT), Music and the Lecture Theatre.
• The "Jeremy Bentham Building" housing Art, DT, Philosophy and Modern Languages.
• The "Kent Building", housing the 'Lund Theatre' and the Sixth Form Centre.
• The "Sir Roger Bannister Sports Centre". Completed in the second half of 2006, the centre contains a 6 lane swimming pool, two indoor sports areas, a fully equipped gym and the Sixth Form Costa Coffee cafe. This is open to the 6th Form and members using the UCS Active health and fitness club.

Location

The Senior School site is located on Frognal, in Hampstead - a suburb of London. The main campus and the Great Hall are noted examples of Edwardian architecture. Inside the hall is a magnificent pipe organ, used for school concerts, professional recordings and other festivities.

University College School entrance, Frognal, Hampstead

Outdoor sports, including Rugby, Football, Cricket, Athletics and Field hockey, take place at the games fields on Ranulf Road in West Hampstead. Tennis and Fives take place at Frognal.

The Junior Branch and the Phoenix School are located on two separate campuses in Hampstead. The Junior Branch has its own Library, Science Laboratory, Music, Computer and Drama rooms.

Both the Phoenix School and the JB use the School playing fields as well as the Sports Hall and Swimming Pool at Frognal.

Year names and Demes

The Senior School is divided into three schools by age, and each year has a unique name:

Students in the Middle School and Upper School are arranged into Demes, each named after a former prominent member of staff. This is similar to a school house. In the Middle School, there is one form (class) per year in each Deme, and in the Upper School there are two forms per year in each Deme. There are regular inter-Deme competitions in sports throughout the year. In the Middle School the distinctive school blazer carries a coloured school logo on the breast pocket depicting the pupil's Deme. There are currently six Demes:

• Baxters --- Blue
• Black Hawkins --- Yellow
• Evans --- Black, Although the badge colour is pink
• Flooks --- Green
• Underwoods --- Purple
• Olders --- Red

Admissions

There are 4 main points of entry for prospective pupils:

• Junior Branch, at ages 7 or 8, judged by combination of internal exam and interview.
• Lower School, at age 11, judged by combination of internal exam and interview.
• Middle School, at age 13, judged by combination of internal exam and interview.
• Upper School, at age 16, judged by subject-specific exams and interviews, conditional upon GCSE results. This is only available for a handful of boys (and, from 2008, girls).

Since the acquisition of the Phoenix School, a pupil transfer between the school and the Junior Branch is in place at age 7 for those "displaying academic potential".

Notable Old Gowers (Old Boys)

Main article: List of notable Old Gowers

Notable Old Gowers include people in the following broad categories:

Politics / Judiciary

4 UK Cabinet Ministers, a Viceroy of India, a Speaker of the British House of Commons, a Lord Chief Justice, a Master of the Rolls, 2 Japanese Cabinet Ministers, a Premier of Tasmania, and a Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Academia / Medicine

Vice-Chancellors of the University of London (3), Victoria, Dacca and University of Cambridge (2). Provosts of University College London, a Rector of Imperial College and two Honorary Surgeons to the King. Many fellows of the Royal Society. Several academic OGs have been inducted into the Order of Merit.

The Arts

A president of the Royal Academy and several members of it, one of the four founders of the BBC, at least one Academy Award winner, film and television stars, broadcasters, musicians, artists, playwrights and composers.

Military

A recipient of the Victoria Cross, a Marshal of the Royal Air Force - the highest rank in the Royal Air Force and Chief of the Air Staff, an Air Vice Marshal, many Generals (including 'the originator ' of the Tank), and several Admirals.

Sport

An England Cricketer (and Wisden Cricketer of the Year), a leading Mountaineer and the first man to run the sub 4 minute mile.

Religion

Several Archbishops including a Primate of All Canada and Bishops including a General Secretary of the British Council of Churches who also deputised for the Archbishop of Canterbury as chairman of the board of governors of the Church Commissioners.

A Chief Rabbi of the UK.

A Christian spiritualist leader.

Business

A CEO of the UK's leading ATM deployer, a Chairman of British Airways, one of the founders of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the founder of Yarrows, a proprietor of the Daily Telegraph.

Notable faculty

Former staff include:

• John Lewis Alexander Paton, Headmaster 1888-1903, Stayed only five years. He left due to constant arguments with the Council of University College London about money and the school's need to move out of central London. He left to become Head Master of Manchester Grammar School (1903-24), according to the Manchester Grammar School website, he was eventually recognised as one of the most renowned school masters of the 20th century and refused a Knighthood and a CH.
• Sir William Smith, Lexicographer and Teacher
• The Rev Henry Browne, Headmaster
• Thomas Hewitt Key, Headmaster
• Henry Malden, Headmaster
• Thomas Archer Hirst FRS, Teacher 1860 - 1864. Nominated and admitted to the Royal society whilst teaching at UCS. Later, Professor of Physics, University College London.
• Augustus De Morgan Distinguished mathematician. First Professor of Mathematics, University College London, according to The British Society for the History of Mathematics, taught pupils when the distinctions between the school and college were somewhat blurred. Believed to have taught James Joseph Sylvester. De Morgan was the first President of the London Mathematical Society. The De Morgan Medal is named in his honour. It has been awarded to at least one Old Gower - Sir Roger Penrose.
• John Williams, taught at UCS post World War II, first Master of Music at St Peter ad Vincula, Tower of London, which was then a royal chapel. Professor at the Royal College of Music. Honorary fellow of the Royal College of Music and Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts.
• George Baxter MBE, Vice-Master (1938-53).
• Alan Barker, Headmaster, Husband of Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington.
• John Story Masterman, Assistant-Master, mountaineer and one of the three pioneers of British Geography.
• Thomas Nolan Miller, Fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge (1862-68), classical lecturer.
• J.J. Walker F.R.S.
• G. S. Carr, according to BSHM.
• Alexander William Williamson, according to A Tradition for Freedom he taught pupils at the school.
• Carey Foster, Professor of Physics at University College London.
• Mordaunt Shairp (taught drama 1920-33), left UCS to become a successful play / screenwriter.

Further reading

• A Tradition for Freedom The Story Of University College School by Nigel Watson, James and James (Publishers) Ltd 2007.

• An angel without wings: The history of University College School 1830-1980 by H. J. K. Usher, C. D. Black-Hawkins and G. J. Carrick, edited by G. G. H. Page (University College School, 1981).

• University College School Register for 1860-1931 : with a short history of the school by Leathes, Stanley with an introduction from S.N. Carvalho (Published 1931)

• From Gower Street to Frognal: a short history of University College School from 1830 to 1907 by Felkin, F.W. (Published Arnold Fairbairns 1909)

• University College School Register, 1901-63 compiled by N.Holland (Published 1964)

• University College School Register for 1831-1891 edited by Orme, Temple Augustus (published H.W. Lawrence [1892?])

• University College School Roll of Honour and War List 1914-18 compiled by Cockman, Charles Roadnight and Thomas, Cyril Leonard Ross (published St. Albans Campfield Press 1922)

• On the Japanese connection with UCS see Japanese Students at Cambridge University in the Meiji Era, 1868-1912: Pioneers for the Modernization of Japan, by Noboru Koyama, translated by Ian Ruxton, (Lulu Press, September 2004, ISBN 1-4116-1256-6).

External links

• University College School website
• Profile at the Good Schools Guide
• Beyond Words Festival website
• School’s grief for teacher killed in train tragedy