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Kimbolton School

Motto	Spes Durat Avorum (Latin: "Let the hopes of our forefathers endure")
Established	1600 (Earliest references from 1531)
Type	Independent school
Religion	Inter-denominational
Head Master	Jonathan Belbin
Deputy Head Master	Mark Eddon
Founders	Henry Balye and William Dawson
Location	Kimbolton Cambridgeshire PE28 0EA England
DfE URN	110925
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	4–18
Houses	4 in prep school, 5 in senior school(Ingrams for the first two years then split up into 4 different houses from the 3rd year)
Colours	Purple, White and Black
Publication	The Kimboltonian
Former pupils	Old Kimboltonians/OKs
Website	www.kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk

Coordinates: 52°17′46″N 0°23′18″E / 52.296159°N 0.388298°E / 52.296159; 0.388298

Kimbolton School is a British HMC co-educational independent day and boarding school located in the village of Kimbolton, in rural Cambridgeshire, educating approximately 950 boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 18, with boarding starting at age 11. The school is located in Kimbolton Castle, the former seat of the Dukes of Manchester.

History [link]

Kimbolton School has had a strong role within the village of Kimbolton since its foundation in the 16th century. The school originally occupied buildings within the Churchyard, but moved to new premises in Tilbrook Road in the late 1800s.

Kimbolton Castle is reported by school legend to be haunted by Catherine of Aragon who died there in 1536 after several years of imprisonment. It is rumoured that her ghost walks upon the original floor levels which have been altered in modern times, such that her ghost appears as legs and lower body projecting from the ceiling on one floor with head and upper body gliding along the floor above.^{[citation needed]} Another former inhabitant of the Castle, Sir John Popham, reputedly threw his baby child out of a castle window into the courtyard. It is said^{[by whom?]} that the stone upon which the baby landed glows red annually on the anniversary of this event.^{[citation needed]} A third ghostly legend of similarly dubious provenance describes a female spectre periodically walking in a field north-east of the castle, on the gentle slope below Warren House.^{[citation needed]}

Charles Edward Montagu, the 4th Earl who was created Duke of Manchester in 1719, had many works of reconstruction carried out between 1690 and 1720. Sir John Vanbrugh and his assistant Nicholas Hawksmoor redesigned the facades of the castle in a classical style, but with battlements to evoke its history as a castle; the portico was later added by Alessandro Galilei. The Venetian painter Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini redecorated some of the reconstructed rooms in 1708, including the main staircase and the chapel. Rich, gilded furnishings in a Louis XIV-inspired style were commissioned from French upholsterers working in London.^{[citation needed]}

Robert Adam produced plans for the castle gatehouse and other garden buildings, including an orangery.^[when?] Only one of these buildings, the gatehouse, was constructed in around 1764. Mews buildings were added to provide stables, and an avenue of Giant Sequoias was planted in the 19th century.^{[citation needed]}

The senior school is based in the grounds of the castle, and its preparatory school is based at the other end of the village, but is connected to the senior school via 'The Duchess Walk', a tree-lined pathway. The grounds total over 190 acres (77 ha). The school is the successor to the village grammar school; although there are references to a school at Kimbolton as early as 1531, the generally accepted date for the foundation is 1600. In 1949 it was renamed from Kimbolton Grammar School to Kimbolton School, and the following year it bought the Castle from the Duke of Manchester.

The School's Latin motto is Spes Durat Avorum (may the hope of our forefathers endure).

List of Headmasters [link]

The school has a tradition of Headmasters staying for a long time. William Ingram (after whom the junior house is now named) 1913-47, Cyril Lewis (who oversaw the movement of the school to the Castle and has the theatre named after him) 1947-73, David Donaldson (after whom the Science block is named and who first admitted girls to the school) 1973-87, Roger Peel (after whom the sports hall is named) 1987-2002 and the current headmaster Jonathan Belbin, 2002 onwards.

• 1603-1607 Edward Crunkhorn
• 1607-1611 James Johnson
• 1611-1635 John Anderson
• 1635-1653 William Rugby
• 1653-1664 Samuel Bird
• 1664-1678 Samuel Taylor
• 1678-1681 William Wildgoose
• 1681-1686 John Gardiner
• 1686-1701 Mr Trott
• 1701-1703 Valentine Paul
• 1703-1739 Nathaniel Cronkshaw
• 1739-1740 Rev. Master William Wheeler
• 1740-1778 Rev. Dr. John Owen
• 1778-1826 Rev. John Thompson
• 1826-1842 Rev. John Bligh
• 1842-1847 Rev. James Taylor
• 1847-1854 Rev. John Thornton
• 1854-1865 Rev. Robert Lancaster Watson
• 1865-1874 Rev. William Ager
• 1875-1876 School closed for rebuilding
• 1877-1884 Rev. Robert Kater Vinter
• 1884-1891 Rev. Edward Ulyat
• 1891-1913 Rev. Arther Gosset Bibby
• 1913-1947 William Ingram
• 1947-1973 Cyril Lewis MBE
• 1973-1987 David Donaldson
• 1987-2002 Roger Peel
• 2002–present Jonathan Belbin

Teaching Buildings [link]

The Vanbrugh Library [link]

The Vanbrugh Library at the Senior School holds over 12,000 books, DVDs and periodicals, It also houses a suite of 22 PCs. The award winning library is modern and is a popular and well-used resource. It is open throughout the day for Sixth Form private study, class use and individual research. At other times, pupils may use the library to study, work on homework, choose resources or relax and read. The schools online library programme encourages pupils to make the most of their library and of the wider world of information through a structured approach to the teaching of information skills.

Regular visits from authors provide workshops for pupils of all ages. Such activities serve as a catalyst for creativity and help to inspire pupils to further explore the world of literature.

Recent author visits include Sir Terry Pratchett, Alexander McCall Smith, Malcolm Rose, Nicola Morgan, Alan Gibbons, Adisa and Mark Robson.

The Castle [link]

The castle was bought by Sir Henry Montagu, later 1st Earl of Manchester, in 1615. His descendants owned the castle for 335 years until it was sold in 1951.

Charles Edward Montagu, the 4th Earl who was created 1st Duke of Manchester in 1719, had many works of reconstruction carried out between 1690 and 1720. Sir John Vanbrugh and his assistant Nicholas Hawksmoor redesigned the facades of the castle in a classical style, but with battlements to evoke its history as a castle, the portico was later added by Alessandro Galilei. The Venetian painter Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini redecorated some of the reconstructed rooms in 1708, including the main staircase and the chapel. Rich, gilded furnishings in a Louis XIV-inspired style were commissioned from French upholsterers working in London.

For a later duke, Robert Adam produced plans for the castle gatehouse and other garden buildings, including an orangery. Only one of these buildings, the gatehouse, was constructed in around 1764. Mews buildings were added to provide stables, and an avenue of Giant Sequoias was planted in the 19th century.

The castle was used by the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II, and the 10th Duke of Manchester sold the castle to the school in 1950. The furnishings were scattered in sales and some have come to national collections. There is limited public opening during the school holidays and at weekends.

The castle is, mostly, used for 4th, 5th and 6th form teaching, as well as social and public events. It is also often used for weddings and other functions and is used as a TV/film location from time to time. Teaching and other activities take place in outlying buildings, including the castle's mews block and newer buildings.

Houses [link]

There are around 627 male and female students in the senior school (ages 11 to 18), in four Houses, named after the two founders and two previous teachers at the school: Balyes, Dawsons (which includes the 60 boarders), Gibbards, and Owens. A second house for boarders, Ingrams, was merged with Dawsons in the 1980s, and was reborn as a separate house for all 1st and 2nd form pupils. These move into the senior houses at the start of the 3rd form. Ingrams compete in a separate house competition between classes, although they have many of the same events as the senior house competition. There are around 320 pupils in the preparatory school (ages 4 to 11), in four houses named after the families that owned the castle, Fitzpiers, Montagu, Stafford and Wingfield.

Boarding [link]

The boarding houses are located on Kimbolton village's historic and beautiful High Street and back onto the school grounds. The boys live in Kimbolton House while the girls are a few doors further along in White House. Both houses have a rich history and are full of character yet have modern facilities.

There is a team of boarding staff in each house who are always on hand to provide help and guidance. The Health Centre provides medical back-up while our catering staff produce interesting, nutritional meals throughout the week. All of the boarders eat together in the recently refurbished Dining Hall.

Uniform [link]

Kimbolton School's distinctive uniform starts with the solid Purple blazers worn by pupils in the Preparatory School from years three to six. Once pupils move into the Senior School they wear the unique black, purple and white striped blazer from the first to fifth forms, affectionately known by pupils as "deck chairs". Pupils in the sixth form are required to wear suits, with Upper Sixth form pupils permitted to wear coloured jumpers, and for male pupils, coloured ties.

Extra Curricular [link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Sports [link]

The main sports are football, hockey, netball, tennis, rounders and cricket. The school competes regularly against other public schools such as Oundle School, Oakham School, The Leys, Eton College, Rugby School and Culford School.

Kimbolton prides itself on the variety of sports and activities available to its pupils. Those who hope to apply their skills on the competitive games field, enjoy the challenge of water based activities or who simply wish to pursue a hobby can do so in a safe and supportive environment.

The Prep School houses a modernised gymnasium, tennis courts, cricket nets, cricket pavilion and changing facilities. There is a modern sports centre at the Senior School containing a large multi-purpose sports hall, a gymnasium, a fitness centre, two squash courts, indoor and outdoor changing facilities.

Both the Prep and Senior Schools use the new 25m swimming pool, three astroturf pitches, extensive playing fields, athletics track, six outdoor cricket nets and two hard court netball and tennis areas.

A wide range of sports is on offer including: athletics, badminton, basketball, canoeing, circuit training, climbing, girls football, fitness, golf, gymnastics, pilates, sailing, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, swimming, water polo and horse riding. These activities are offered to pupils in various age groups during Games sessions or within the extra-curricular programme.

Games lessons take place every afternoon, with each year participating in either one or two sessions. First and Second Forms have Games together on a Monday and as individual year groups on Friday and Thursday respectively. The Third and Fourth Forms have Games on a Tuesday while Senior Games, for the Fifth and Sixth Forms, takes place on a Wednesday.

There are many opportunities to play further afield in all the major sports, yearly foreign sports tours are undertaken such as netball and cricket tours to South Africa and Sri Lanka, as well as hockey and football tours to Malaysia and Australia.

Swimming Pool [link]

The School Swimming Pool is in use throughout the day and remains open in the evening and Saturday for use by pupils and local community. The pool is open for early morning swimming sessions (subject to school use) and evening use by the general public. The pool is also open during the school holiday.

Since the Pool opened in June 2000, the teaching scheme has been recognised as a centre of excellence. Lessons are offered for children after school and during the holiday's for all abilities.

Accolades [link]

Kimbolton currently holds Approved Training Centre Status from the Institute of Qualified Lifeguards. ATC status was devised to ensure the British Public is aware which swimming pools adhere to the strict IQL lifeguard training guidelines.

In August 2011 Kimbolton was awarded 100% at an external Approved Training Centre inspection for its training of lifeguards.

The ATC certificate was first awarded to the pool in 2000. The pool is undergoes regular inspection to ensure it is maintaining strict standards of lifeguard training.

Combined Cadet Force [link]

The school has a Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Contingent made up of Navy, Army and RAF sections. It was named in 2010 by Country Life Magazine as one of the top three in the country. On average, at least 2 members of each year group go on to join one of the British Armed Forces; the school has a long-standing tradition of inviting one of these Old Kimboltonians back to the take the salute on Remembrance Sunday each year as the Contingent marches through Kimbolton. Over 220 pupils opt to participate in CCF training each Thursday afternoon and many also join in with the extra courses and activities at weekends and during the holidays. Each year, all of cadets participate in Field Weekend, a 3 day training period at a local military or adventure training site.^[who?] also offer places at week long Single Service residential camps during some of the holidays.

Members of the CCF are able to participate in Ministry of Defence run cadet courses including leadership, parachuting, first aid and scuba diving. Thursday afternoon training taking place on the school's campus takes advantage of its location close to Grafham Water for RN sailing, RAF Wyton for flying and its onsite range for target shooting.

The Annual General Inspection is a highlight of the year, attracting much national attention and many honourable reviewing officers including HRH The Duke of Gloucester in 2011. General Sir John McColl declared the^[which?] whole day "a triumph" and noted that few cadet units could have put on such a fantastic display in such stunning surroundings.

Outdoor Pursuits [link]

The School's fleet of boats at nearby Grafham Water enables pupils to engage in sailing lessons as part of the curriculum and as an after school activity. All Senior School pupils are encouraged to ‘have a go’ at sailing or canoeing, or both,in their early years at the School. Each year, a number of intrepid canoeists tackle the Devizes to Westminster 125 mile challenge. We have a proud reputation in this event as one of the leading schools in the country. At the Prep School, pupils are introduced to outdoor pursuits on adventure weekends.

Music [link]

The Music School is accommodated in the Mews Quad and provides teaching, rehearsal, ICT and recording facilities.

House Music competitions see every pupil on stage at some point in the year, and almost half of students choose to learn an instrument or have singing lessons.

There are numerous ensembles and choirs catering for all tastes and abilities. Some are directed by staff and others are driven by pupils themselves. There are numerous performance opportunities; recent highlights have included staged productions of Sweeney Todd, The King & I and West Side Story, and concert performances of Bach’s St John Passion, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem and Mozart’s Mass in C minor.

Current Ensembles include:

• Brass Group
• CCF Band
• Chamber Choir
• Clarinet Choir
• Concert Band
• Double Reed Group
• Flute Chamber Music
• Guitar Group
• Music Aural
• Music Theory
• Orchestra
• Senior Choir
• String Orchestra
• Swing Band
• World Music Group

Old Kimboltonians [link]

The Old Kimboltonians' Association (OKA) provides a link with former students of the School through social events, sports fixtures and annual reunions.

Notable Old Kimboltonians [link]

This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability or notability policies. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources cited within this article showing they are notable and alumni or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations. (September 2011)

• Martin Childs M.B.E., film production designer, won Oscar in 1998 for Shakespeare in Love
• Sir Brian Corby, former Chairman of Prudential plc and President of the Confederation of British Industry
• Christopher Curry, founder of Acorn Computers
• William Giles, Colonial Manager of the South Australian Company (1840–1861)
• Peter Jones, BBC Sport radio commentator and master at the school
• Mark Lancaster, Conservative MP for North East Milton Keynes since 2005
• Clive Mantle, actor
• Richard Trench, 2nd Earl of Clancarty, member of the British delegation to the Congress of Vienna
• Dr Simon Thurley, historian, Chief Executive of English Heritage
• Waldo Williams Leading Welsh Poet and master at the school
• James Major, Controversial son of former British Prime Minister John Major
• Major Mark Hammond DFC Author and British soldier
• Martin Yates, conductor
• Henry Peacham,poet, writer and master at the school
• Lieutenant Dennis Arthur Copperwheat George Cross recipient

See also [link]

• Edward Maria Wingfield
• John Popham
• Duke of Manchester

References [link]

• ISBI page for Kimbolton School
• ISI report for Kimbolton School (2005 inspection)
• DFES page
• Stratford, John (2000), From Churchyard to Castle, ISBN 0-9537753-0-5 

External links [link]

• Kimbolton School Site