King Henry VIII School, Coventry

King Henry VIII School is a coeducational private day school located in Coventry, England, comprising a senior school (ages 11–18) and associated preparatory school (ages 3–11). The senior school has approximately 574 pupils (of which 167 are in the Sixth Form).[2] The current senior school fees stand at £13,785 per year,[3] with bursaries and scholarships available.[4]

King Henry VIII School
Address
Warwick Road

Coventry
,
West Midlands
,
CV3 6AQ

England
Coordinates52.3993°N 1.5169°W / 52.3993; -1.5169
Information
TypePrivate day school
MottoReligioni et reipublicae (For religion and for public affairs)
Religious affiliation(s)Church of England
Established1545 (1545)
FounderJohn Hales
Local authorityCoventry
Department for Education URN103750 Tables
ChairCoventry School Foundation
Head teacherPhilip Dearden
GenderCoeducational
Age3 to 18
Enrolment869[1]
HousesSenior:
Hales'
Holland's
Sherwyn's
White's
Junior:
Greenwich
Hampton
Richmond
Windsor
Colour(s)Red, Black, Yellow
   
PublicationThe Arrow (Monthly)
The Coventrian (Annually)
Former pupilsOld Coventrians
Websitehttp://www.kinghenrys.co.uk/

The school has faced multiple controversies since the late 1980s to the current day; with a child having been expelled for engaging in pornography,[5][6] teachers (including a former headteacher) convicted of possessing child pornography,[7][8] a teacher convicted of criminal damage,[9][10][11] students expelled for dealing drugs,[12][13] allegations of sexism for requiring female students to dress "like secretaries" with "many skirts cut above the knee",[14][15][16][17] and personal data having been stolen from the school's computer systems.[18]

In 2021, the Department for Education ordered the school be subject to a regulatory compliance inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The inspectorate reported in December 2021 and subsequently in September 2022 that the school failed to meet its legal obligations in a number of areas including the safeguarding of children and vetting of staff.[19][20][21]

History

The school was founded on 23 July 1545 by the Clerk of the Hanaper John Hales as the Free Grammar School under letters patent of King Henry VIII. During the initial foundation of the school it was located in the Whitefriars' Monastery. Nevertheless, due to religious differences, the school was relocated to the building of the former Saint John's Hospital in 1558, where it spent more than 300 years before moving to its present site on the south side of the city in 1885, a building there having been designed for it by Edward Burgess. Much of this original redbrick still stands despite Second World War damage, as well as many expansions.

In 1572 the school's administration was conveyed to the Coventry Corporation. In 1573 a deed was legalised by the Mayor of Coventry, according to which endowments were allocated to the school for the school's overall maintenance, but more particularly to fund music as part of the educational curriculum.

In 1601, the School's library was established and maintained by the donations of affluent contributors.

In the 18th century the School experienced decline and struggle.

Due to financial difficulties, the School was required to introduce fees to the students. In an attempt to deal with these struggles the School was divided into two departments: Classical and Commercial. The Commercial subjects were taught at the Schoolroom and were greatest in demand, while the Classical subjects were taught in the library and were specifically aimed at boys willing to attend the University.

In 1878 the School was no longer a "Free Grammar School" and it became an independent institution after being under the administration of the Corporation and the City Authorities for 300 years. The old school premises were condemned and the new buildings, used at the present, were established on Warwick Road in 1885. Further improvements to the curriculum were also implemented and more subjects were introduced. By 1910 the number of pupils had increased. Over the next several years, the school continued to thrive and in 1926 the Preparatory classes were reinstated. By 1939 the number of boys in the school had grown from 94 in 1901 to approximately 500. The number of pupils continued to grow during the Second World War (1939–1945) with over 822 students in the school, 179 in the Junior division. Regardless of the damage caused by the bombings over Coventry, which diminished the school's library and other buildings, the school continued to expand and develop. Girls were first admitted to the school in 1975.

In October 2020, it was announced that the school would merge with Bablake School,[22] with the combined school is set to open in September 2021.[23] The proposed new school was initially named Coventry School, before backlash from parents and staff led to Bablake and King Henry VIII School being chosen.[24] The plan was abandoned during the course of 2021, with the decision to share some facilities and teaching (particularly in the sixth form) between King Henry VIII School and Bablake School.[25]

In December 2021, at the request of the Department for Education the school was subject to a regulatory compliance inspection, carried out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The report following this inspection found that the school did not meet compliance standards in five areas, relating to safeguarding; quality of leadership and management; supervision of pupils; teaching of RSE and PSHE; and the carrying out of required checks on staff employed.[26][27] A subsequent monitoring inspection in September 2022, found that the school still did not meet all of the statutory regulations, finding that the standard was not met in three areas, relating to safeguarding; quality of leadership and management; and the carrying out of required checks on staff employed.[28]

In September 2022, the governors appointed Mr. Chris Staley as Principal and CEO for all the schools under their administration.[29] This role is to provide overall responsibility for the strategic leadership, management and development of the Foundation and those schools that fall under its operational umbrella. The heads of each of the schools report to the Principal and CEO.[30]

Le Fousseau

In 1991 Le Logis de Fousseau, a manor house in the French Department of Mayenne, was donated to the Foundation by Mr Bill Boucher for the use and benefit of the pupils of the Foundation. Le Fousseau is around 15 km from Fougères. The border with Brittany is only a few kilometres to the west and that of Normandy some 20 km to the north. The chateau was typically used for residential trips by students practising French.

With effect from September 2012, the school no longer made use of Le Fousseau. The Coventry School Foundation took the decision in 2012 to sell the property.

Publicity

King Henry VIII School's swimming pool was shown in a BMW ad starring Rebecca Adlington.[31]

In 2017 a large scale advertising campaign was launched by the Senior School in the Coventry and West Midlands area in an attempt to attract new, external, enthusiastic students.

Controversies

Debee Ashby, a teenage glamour model was expelled from the school in 1983 after topless Page 3 pictures were published.[32][33]

Former headmaster, Terence James Vardon, left his position after pleading guilty to three charges of possessing indecent images of children between 1989 and April 1999.[34] In 1999, John Skermer, a senior teacher was also convicted of taking and possessing photographs of naked boys.[35]

A teacher at the school, James Anstice, admitted to a charge of causing criminal damage in 2004 costing £2,500 by destroying a nativity scene at Madame Tussauds featuring David and Victoria Beckham.[36][37][38]

In 2012, two pupils were expelled over allegations they sold drugs to other children; three other students were suspended for a term.[39][40]

In 2016, the school faced controversy after boys uniform included business school whilst girls would have to dress "like secretaries" with "many skirts cut above the knee".[41][42][43][44]

In March 2021, local press reported that the school's systems were infiltrated by an "international cyber crime organisation known to the FBI" and reported that "the organisation responsible did post personal data stolen from the school's system online".[45]

Inspection reports by the Independent Schools Inspectorate in 2021 and 2022 found that the school failed to comply with a number of regulations including on safeguarding and vetting of staff on both inspections.[46] A December 2021 report by the inspectorate found "the school does not always act in the best interests of the child or in keeping with locally agreed inter-agency procedures. In particular, the school does not always liaise with and, when appropriate, make referrals to relevant external agencies when concerns about sexual harassment of pupils arise."[47] A September 2022 report found "procedures to check the suitability of staff do not yet meet requirements. Not all staff appointed since the previous inspection have been checked comprehensively before beginning work in the school."[48] The school recognised these issues and then corrected them, being recognised in their most recent report as “excellent in all areas” showing adherence to ISI rules.

Former headmasters
  • Thomas Sherwyn BA (Oxon)
  • Leonard Cox BA (Cantab) MA (Oxon), 1572–1599
  • John Tovey MA (Oxon), 1599–1602
  • Jeremiah Arnold, MA (Oxon) MA (Cantab), 1602–1611
  • James Cranford, 1611–1627
  • Philemon Holland MD (Cantab) MA (Oxon), 1628–1629
  • Phineas White BA (Cantab), 1629–1651
  • Samuel Frankland MA (Cantab), 1651–1691
  • Samuel Carte MA (Oxon), 1691–1700
  • George Greenway, 1701–1717
  • Richard Marsden MA (Oxon), 1717–1718
  • Edward Jackson BA (Cantab), 1718–1758
  • Thomas Edwards DD (Cantab), 1758–1779
  • William Brooks MA (Oxon), 1779–1833
  • Thomas Sheepshanks MA (Cantab), 1834–1857
  • Henry Temple, 1857–1867
  • John Grover, 1867–1879
  • W.W. Sweet-Escott MA (Oxon), 1879–1889
  • C.R. Gilbert MA (Cantab), 1890–1906
  • A.D. Perrott MA (Cantab), 1906–1910
  • John Lupton MA (Cantab), 1910–1931
  • A.A.C. Burton MA (Oxon), 1931–1950
  • Herbert Walker BA (London), 1950–1974 worked in postwar Germany engaged under Lord Annan in denazification of German Universities
  • Roy Cooke MA (Oxon), 1974–1977
  • Rhidian James BA (Leeds), 1977–1994
  • Terence Vardon MA (Oxon), 1994–1999
  • George Fisher MA (Oxon), 2000–2010
  • Jason Slack BSc (Durham), 2010–2020
  • Philip Dearden BA MA Ed, 2020-

Alumni

References
  1. Department for Education. "Establishment: King Henry VIII School". Department for Education. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  2. ISI Inspection Report. "ISI Progress Monitoring Inspection Report September 2022" (PDF). Independent Schools Inspectorate. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  3. "Fees/Finances on www.kinghenrys.co.uk". kinghenrys.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  4. "Scholarships & Bursaries". kinghenrys.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  5. Lockley, Mike (14 September 2014). "Page three stunner who said no to Reggie Kray". Birmingham Mail. Birmingham Live.
  6. Chilton, Steve (23 January 2015). "Red Button: Coventry 'stunner' Debee Ashby says Page Three should be consigned to dustbin of history". coventrytelegraph.
  7. "UK Ex-head had child porn". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  8. "Crimes, Fires & Accidents - King Henry VIII Teacher Awaits Sentence - 23 June 1999". cwn.org.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  9. "The law lecturer who launched 'a war against crap' in Madame Tussauds". The Independent. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  10. "Becks waxwork vandal discharged". BBC News. BBC. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  11. "Nativity scene attacker escapes jail". Evening Standard. London. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  12. "Two pupils expelled over drug allegations at Coventry's King Henry VIII School". coventrytelegraph. Coventry Telegraph. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  13. "Pupils expelled over cannabis use". BBC News. BBC. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  14. Christian, Paul (2 May 2016). "Private school 'sexism' storm after girls told to dress 'like secretaries'". mirror. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  15. Morley, Nicole (2 May 2016). "Private school sparks sexism row as girls are 'forced to dress like secretaries'". Metro. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  16. "Private School Accused Of Dress Code Sexism". HuffPost UK. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  17. Gilbert, Simon (29 April 2016). "Sexism row at Bablake and Henry VIII schools over new dress code". CoventryLive. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  18. Thompson, Danny (29 March 2021). "Henry VIII School's system hacked by crime group known to FBI". CoventryLive. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  19. ISI Inspection Report. "ISI Inspection Report December 2022" (PDF).
  20. ISI Inspection Reports. ISI Independent Schools Inspectorate https://www.isi.net/school/king-henry-viii-school-6600?results=true. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. "King Henry VIII School Short Visit Inspection 2022". Independent Inspectorate of Schools. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  22. Souza, Naomi de (2 October 2020). "Two historic Coventry schools announce they are merging". CoventryLive. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  23. "Bablake and King Henry VIII to merge into a single all-through school in 2021". Coventry Observer. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  24. Souza, Naomi de (14 January 2021). "New name revealed in private schools merger". CoventryLive. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  25. Coventry Observer. "Campaigners welcome U-turn in controversial KHVIII and Bablake merger plans - but vision for 'one school' remains". Coventry Observer. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  26. ISI Inspection Report. "ISI Inspection Report December 2022" (PDF).
  27. ISI Inspection Reports. ISI Independent Schools Inspectorate https://www.isi.net/school/king-henry-viii-school-6600?results=true. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ISI Inspection Report. "ISI Progress Monitoring Inspection Report September 2022" (PDF). Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  29. News Announcement. "Chris Staley To Join BKHS As New Principal". King Henry VIII School. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  30. Chris Staley Linked in. https://uk.linkedin.com/in/chris-staley-b1285520#:~:text=Chris%20Staley%20%2D%20Principal%20and%20CEO,Foundation%20%2D%20Coventry%20School%20Foundation%20%7C%20LinkedIn. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  31. "BMW presents Beneath the Surface with Rebecca Adlington".
  32. Lockley, Mike (14 September 2014). "Page three stunner who said no to Reggie Kray". Birmingham Mail. Birmingham Live.
  33. Chilton, Steve (23 January 2015). "Red Button: Coventry 'stunner' Debee Ashby says Page Three should be consigned to dustbin of history". coventrytelegraph.
  34. "UK Ex-head had child porn". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  35. "Crimes, Fires & Accidents - King Henry VIII Teacher Awaits Sentence - 23 June 1999". cwn.org.uk. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  36. "The law lecturer who launched 'a war against crap' in Madame Tussauds". The Independent. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  37. "Becks waxwork vandal discharged". BBC News. BBC. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  38. "Nativity scene attacker escapes jail". Evening Standard. London. 24 January 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  39. "Two pupils expelled over drug allegations at Coventry's King Henry VIII School". coventrytelegraph. Coventry Telegraph. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  40. "Pupils expelled over cannabis use". BBC News. BBC. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  41. Christian, Paul (2 May 2016). "Private school 'sexism' storm after girls told to dress 'like secretaries'". mirror. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  42. Morley, Nicole (2 May 2016). "Private school sparks sexism row as girls are 'forced to dress like secretaries'". Metro. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  43. "Private School Accused Of Dress Code Sexism". HuffPost UK. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  44. Gilbert, Simon (29 April 2016). "Sexism row at Bablake and Henry VIII schools over new dress code". CoventryLive. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  45. Thompson, Danny (29 March 2021). "Henry VIII School's system hacked by crime group known to FBI". CoventryLive. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  46. "King Henry VIII School :: Independent Schools Inspectorate". www.isi.net. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  47. "King Henry VIII School Short Visit Inspection 2021". Independent Inspectorate of Schools. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  48. "King Henry VIII School Short Visit Inspection 2022". Independent Inspectorate of Schools. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  49. Duck, Alison. "Debbie's all set to be a model mum; Couple's baby delight". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
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