Bishop Stopford's School at Enfield
Encyclopedia
There is also a school of a similar name in Kettering
.
Bishop Stopford's School at Enfield, commonly known as Bishop Stopford's or (locally) just Bishop's, is a voluntary aided co-educational secondary school
specialising in mathematics and computing, and engineering, with a sixth form
. The school has strong links with the Church of England
. Worship is in a relatively High Church
Anglo-Catholic tradition using the Book of Common Prayer
and the King James Bible
, although modern translations are mandated for study. It is in Brick Lane, Enfield
, near Ponders End
, Greater London
, England.
Pupils in Top Set German take French (in Y7), and pupils in Sets 2a, 2b and 3 continue with German up to year 9.
Pupils choose from:
course in either OCR business studies or BTEC art and design, or AS/A2 levels. The conditions for taking AS/A2 Levels are:
Pupils can then choose from:
(*) Computing and accountancy are available at other schools as part of a collaboration programme.
, the Very Reverend Robert Stopford
. The school was founded to provide a Church school for the children of Enfield, who at that time had several Church primary schools but no Church secondary school. The school was established in the buildings of the old Suffolk's Secondary Modern School. The five heads of Bishop Stopford's have been the late Dr Geoffrey Roberts PhD, MA, BA, JP
(1967 to 1988), Brian Robin Pickard M.A. (1988 to 2001), and Mrs Bridget Sarah Evans (2001 to 2009). Mrs Evans resigned and Mrs E. Kohler became acting head (May 2008 - July 2009). Jim Owen is the current Head Master, he took up the role in September 2009.
The Four Foundation Houses
The Two New Houses
It was the intention that the houses should reflect attitudes and ideals rather than being a collection of six different examples of one type of thing.
Each house has its own colour, which has little modern significance other than the socks which pupils wear for games (in an earlier era, a football shirt and shorts of the appropriate hue were also required). Coventry wear green; George's red; King Alfred's yellow; Temple's light blue; Waltham purple or white; and Trinity royal blue.
In September 2006 the new intake, year 7, had colours added to their tie. A yellow diagonal stripe denotes their year group; below this is a stripe in the house colours (for King Alfred's this is a shade of gold). Future years will have a year colour, with their house colour below it. The new tie also features the Bishop's Crosier symbol of the school. In September 2007 the new intake, year 7, had a blue stripe added to their tie.
House colours
The champion house (until the end of the academic year ending in Summer 2010) is Trinity House.
Each house has a designated area of the school for registration. These are:
Formerly, it was forbidden for pupils to enter another house's area during break or lunch. A teacher and two house prefects would be on duty solely to enforce this rule. However, since 2005 it has not been enforced.
together. They attend a residential singing week every year, which has been at Seasalter
, Walsingham
, and Winchester
. In 2004-5 the Choir Form was renamed the Music Form to incorporate a wider range of musical abilities and the modernisation of school worship. The intention is to give young musicians an opportunity to practise for participation in worship.
Bishop Stopford's is laid out differently from most modern schools. Because of its house structure and tradition, it is laid out with the following sections:
The East and West Wings are joined by the forbidden Chapel Corridor. The West Wing is joined to the Orchard Wing via a bridge overlooking the yard. The East Wing is connected to the DT & English Building via a bridge overlooking Suffolks and the south east wing, and the Post-16 Building is connected to the West wing through what used to be called W14 or the Graphics Room. This means that the whole school is accessible indoors via intricate corridors and passageways.
Stopfordians usually enjoy lunch and break times in "the yard", in other words the playground.
Unusually, teachers at Stopford's are also required to comply with a strict dress code, although it is not so strictly enforced since Mrs Evans took over as head. Prior to 2001 female members of staff were forbidden to wear trouser suits and had to wear skirts. Male members of staff were aksed to wear a suit. Some staff wore traditional black teaching gowns, which complemented the blue and grey gowns of the pupils. Until 2001 all staff were referred to as Masters or Mistresses rather than "teachers". As at a traditional grammar school, lessons were called "periods".
As at all traditional English schools in the past, Masters or Mistresses were always addressed as "Sir" or "Miss". However, in recent years the use of the teacher's surname preceded by his or her title has become acceptable. The use of teachers' first names is still forbidden.
s since 1967: James Lowry, the Revd. Stephen Taylor, and since May 2006 Father Antony Homer. All have chosen to take the salutation "father".
As well as presiding over school religious occasions, the Chaplain coordinates the pastoral side of the school, having frequent contact with the Senior Six, Heads of House and the Senior Leadership team of the School.
Fr Antony Homer left in February 2011 to join the Ordinariate within the Roman Catholic Church and so a Lay Chaplain has been appointed, Jonathan Seabrook, who has now assumed the role of Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Religion and Worship and continues as Head of Divinity.
Coventry and Georges - Tuesday
King Alfreds and Temples - Wednesday
Waltham and Trinity - Thursday
The assembly at Bishop Stopford's School differs from most other schools. It begins with organ music during which all pupils and staff present must stand. A house prefect from one of the houses whose assembly is being held then leads in the procession of all the prefects from the two houses. Following the prefects are the senior staff, normally the Deputy Head Master and the Deputy Headmistress. Behind the deputy heads come the Chaplain. He is then followed by the Head Master's prefects, who are followed by the Headmistress. (The Head Master's Prefects retain the male prefix even when there is a female head). The current Head Mistress no longer observes the tradition of previous head masters who have carried in their academic hat; however, gowns are still worn. It used to be customary for the Head Master's prefects to carry the school roll and the "forgiveness/caning shorts" (see below) resting on a velvet cushion. However, with the abolition of forgiveness and caning, and now that the roll consists of three quivers, this has been stopped.
Following the procession, the head used to instruct both sides of the great hall (one house on each side of the hall in collegiate fashion, similar to the House of Commons
) to take their seats. This seating arrangement has been reviewed recently. The assembly then proceeds in customary fashion, with prayers and hymns. At the conclusion the organ is again played and the procession leads out in the same order as it came in.
Until Mrs Evans became head, every assembly began with the words, "We praise God who has brought us safely to the beginning of another day", and at the beginning of new school years or terms the lines "...and to the beginning of another year" or "...and to the beginning of another term" were added, respectively. At the end of term communions the opening, "We praise God who has brought us safely to the beginning of another day, and the end of another term" is used. This would be followed by the opening of the Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer Service lines sung by the Organ Master, with the responses sung by the choir. With no full-time organist, this practice has been discontinued. Indeed, all assemblies are now less formal and less religious than previously, with the aforementioned openings reserved for end-of-term communions only.
accessed from the corridor between the East and West Wings, opposite the great hall. The school Eucharist is said in the chapel every morning as is the Prayer For All Stopfordians. This is a special prayer for all those who have a connection with the school, living or dead.
was made from the remains of a church organ salvaged from Sandylands Methodist
Church in Morecambe
, Lancashire. Bought for £400, the organ is now insured for several hundreds of thousands of pounds. Two new manuals
and a new pedalboard were added during its installation, and additional pipes were bought and also built from wood. A new oaken enclosure was built and new wiring and electric bellows
bought. The motor for the blower was purchased from Trinity College of Music
. As with many cathedral organs, the dummy pipes at the front of the organ are purely decorative.
Several notable organists have given recitals on this instrument, including Carlo Curley
, Peter Hurford
, Stephen Darlington
, Thomas Trotter
, and John Scott
.
Since the organ was rebuilt, several pupils have learned how to play it, and from 2007 selected students from the Music Form have been given the opportunity to learn the organ through funding from 'Gifted and Talented' and 'Aim Higher'. The intention is for those students to perform during assemblies and other school events. This has proved a great success, with an organ version of Bob Marley
's Jamming
receiving a 10-minute standing ovation.
in the Diocese of London
, which was borrowed by the Oxford Movement
for use in the Royal Albert Hall
in its 150th anniversary celebrations. The Altar is covered by one of four different Altar cloth
s of appropriate colours for the Church year, made by various teachers and pupils of the school.
from Ware to Enfield Lock
. Sums raised have contributed substantially to the school foundation fund. In 2009 the route was blocked and the Pilgrimage was completed by proxy (as has always been stated on the sponsor forms) a fortnight later - in this case by Mr Chalmers and Mrs Kohler.
, a group of pupils went round the boundaries of the school whipping selected areas with special whips. This was based on the Anglo-Saxon
practice of beating the bounds
. This has since been modernised, but a special Ascension Day assembly is still held, remembering the practice.
A demerit is a subtraction for bad behaviour of a house point from a pupil's total.
A placet is equivalent to ten merits. In 2003-4, placets (from the Latin for "pleasing") were replaced with Commendations.
A commendation is when a subject teacher congratulates a pupil for his or her hard work and dedication to the subject; a certificate is awarded by the head teacher.
A praise card is when a card commending a pupils' work and behaviour is sent home to parents.
If a student obtained three placets, he or she was given a Public Commendation. This was abolished in 2004 as it was too similar to the new commendation which replaced the placet.
The placet involved some ceremony. A master who thought one of his pupils had completed work worthy of a placet would fill in a chit to be sent to the head master along with the work. If the work was in an exercise book a stamp was put in the book and the chit sent anyway. Then, during placet week all those who had received placets would go to the head master's study and receive a personal audience with him, during which the work would be discussed briefly, the pupil congratulated and handed a certificate. Traditionally there was one placet week per term; however, under the new commendation scheme no personal contact with the head is maintained, but the names are read out at the final assembly of the term.
A pupil who obtained three placets in any term was given a Public Commendation which involved the pupil's name being read out at the end of term triumvirate
house meeting. The abolition of the triumvirate house meetings at the same time as the Public Commendation meant no change to this procedure was needed.
With the introduction of the new merit system in 2003, Merits were no longer recorded by teachers but were given out by them in the form of blue stickers with the Bishop's crozier
logo on it. These stickers are stuck into the homework diary kept by all pupils. Then, termly, form tutors total the merits of each pupil and award bronze, silver or gold certificates depending on the number of Merits attained.
Late slips - are given when a pupil is more than 3 minutes late to lesson, ten minutes per late slip.
Departmental detention - issued by the head of department, can last for 45 minutes.
House detention - issued by head of house or form tutor, can last for 45 minutes.
School detention (signed) - issued by a senior member of staff. The letter is sent home for parental signature and must then be presented to the teacher overseeing the detention. Can last for 1 hour.
School detention (unsigned) - can last for an hour and a half.
Internal exclusion (isolation) - pupil can be placed in the headteacher's corridor or the UNIT on the ground floor of the jubilee wing.
Suspension - can range from 1 day to 45 days.
Expulsion - the pupil is not allowed to return to the school.
dies, his hat is hung in the Vatican
forever. This has been going on for over a thousand years, and some of the old hats are now disintegrating. At Bishop Stopford's the programmes of all School productions are pinned to the beam above the stage facing the great altar. They hang there until "like cardinals' hats they drop in dust" as the first Head Master would say.
, set to the tune Marienlyst by J.W.David.
The words to the school song are:
Captain of Israel's Host and guide,
of all who seek the land above,
beneath thy shadow we abide,
the cloud of thy protecting love,
thy strength, thy grace,
thy rule, thy word,
our end the glory of the Lord.
By thine unerring spirit led,
we shall not in the desert stray,
we shall not full direction need,
nor miss our providential way.
As far from danger, as from fear,
while love almighty love is near.
AMEN.
Some people are on the roll twice. This includes the second Head Master, Mr. Pickard, and all the Head Master's prefects, who sign the roll for a second time upon being elevated to that rank. Alongside Mrs Elizabeth Kohler, who signed the roll for a second time upon becoming Acting Headmistress.
At least two honorary Stopfordians are on the roll, Christoph Spital, who has run the exchange programme with Germany
since 1985, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
, who visited the school in October 2003.
The Head Master's Prefects are the guardians of the roll during their time in office and have to present the roll on Founders' Day
Peter Webb painted many portraits of staff on their retirement. His huge painting of Dr Roberts adorns the Great Hall, next to which now hangs a smaller portrait of Mr Pickard, the second Head Master. One of the most influential deputy headmistresses, Mrs Peploe, famous for her strictness, looks over the chapel corridor in art form. Webb also painted a very large The Denial Of Saint Peter, featuring a likeness of the then Chaplain Lowry in the role of the Disciple
Peter
, apparently in a drunken stupor. This painting was Webb's personal property and was removed from the School on his retirement. Mr Webb's most famous artwork, completed with the help of the sixth form, is the statue of Bishop Stopford himself, made out of Papier-mâché
on a galvanised chicken-wire frame, often wrongly thought to be of bronze.
'The Camomile; The more it is trodden on, the faster it grows'. The choice reflects the hardships the school endured in its early years.
and performing "forgiveness". A pupil who chose forgiveness was made to carry out arduous tasks or physical exercise for a period of approximately one hour, after which he was said to be 'forgiven'. To make the choice, the miscreant was presented with a cushion bearing a pair of blue and a pair of black shorts. If he opted to be caned, he would select the blue shorts; if he chose the black shorts he would receive forgiveness. The shorts were carried on the cushion in procession in House Assemblies. With the outlawing of corporal punishment in state schools in England in 1987, the "trial by shorts" procedure is now defunct. In recent years Forgiveness has become less and less common; however, it remains one of the strictest punishments in British schooling.
Although corporal punishment is no longer practised, the school displayed many canes in the Great Hall and the Head Master's study until very recently. These canes, along with special whips, are used in the beating of the bounds celebration.
The sign is an example of the so-called "instant traditions" of the first Head Master, Dr. Roberts. Indeed this remark was made by the Bishop of London
during an address at Speech Day. Although many of the traditions were instituted rather than evolved, they are an integral part of the life of the school.
were kept in the small garden, and honey was extracted and packed in jars to be later traded for charity money at the school fete.
, being the first of a number of pupils to return as staff.
Mr July, a very popular teacher and form tutor of 10G, died of lung cancer in 2006. A memorial service was held for him in the Great Hall.
On 16 July 2009 the school was informed that ICT, Business, BCS and Tourism teacher Mr Fashola had died. He was a much-loved teacher who will be missed by all. A memorial was held for him in October, over 800 Students attended, including ex pupils.
Other noteworthy teachers include Mrs Elizabeth Kohler, and Helen Michaels; a well remembered graphics teacher & Biology teacher Miss Kerr, who was fit as anything and drove a MG car!
Eddie Baily
taught PE at the school.
The lowest rank of prefect is the House Prefect. This is open to the boys and girls in the fifth form and they are chosen by their house master or house mistress. The next rank up is School Prefect. This rank comprises students from the lower and upper sixth forms and are selected by the Heads of Houses, the Head of the Sixth Form, the Head of the Upper School and the Head Master. Senior Prefects are the next rank up. This comprises house captains and former house captains. House captains are traditionally selected from the lower sixth form and serve for a year. In the upper sixth they retain all the rights and privileges but not the title. The next rank up is the Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl. These are chosen by a poll of the entire sixth form. Then comes the Head Boy and Head Girl, also chosen by poll. The Head Master's Prefects (still styled in this fashion even when there is a Head Mistress) are the most senior and most ancient rank of prefect and are chosen personally by the Head Master or Mistress upon consultation with the Head of Sixth Form and Head of Upper School.
The Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl, the Head Boy and Head Girl, and the Head Master's Prefects are collectively called the Senior Six or Senior VI. They wear special gowns, and represent the school on public and state functions. They also have considerable rights, powers and privileges as well as the ear of the senior staff of the school.
The Head Master asks the House Master or Mistress to stand and asks:
"Is there anyone in N house worthy of the rank of X prefect?"
To which the House Master or Mistress will respond, assuming there are:
"There are."
Head Master - "Have they been told of all their duties and all that will be expected of them?"
Housemaster - "They have."
Head Master - "Then I shall admit them."
The House Master then reads out the name and rank of each pupil to be invested. One by one they stand, and then have their gown placed on them. They then have to go to the Head Master and kneel before him. He then asks them some questions to which the prefect-to-be gives certain responses. A prefect's badge is then pressed into the hands of the pupil, who is now a prefect.
The investiture of members of the Senior Six is twofold. There is a private conference with the Head Master in which the pupil has to place his or her hands on a bible and promise to uphold the ten commandments and the dignity of the school amongst other things.
The public ceremony of investing the Senior Six takes place in all the house assemblies and involves the passing of the gowns from the old Senior Six to the new Senior Six. A prefect's term in the Senior Six lasts the entirety of their final year at the school.
award and is involved in the Healthy Schools Campaign.
However, some older Stopfordians regret the loss of old customs. For example, the last chaplain, Father Taylor, was a steadfast traditionalist and is said to be one of the many teachers who spoke against abolishing the houses when the idea was proposed by the former Head (Mrs Evans). His sermons in communion were often comical, and frequently had both staff and students in fits of laughter. However, when defending tradition he was very serious indeed. He had instituted some traditions of his own and is the only teacher other than Dr Roberts who had done this on a large scale. He is also responsible for the restoration of the procession and of the collegiate seating arrangement after both were abolished for a brief period during 2004. Many Stopfordians believe that on Fr. Taylor's departure the last bastion of the tradition of the Roberts and Pickard era has gone.
Bishop Stopford School
Bishop Stopford CofE School is an academy school in Kettering, England. It exists primarily to meet the needs of parents who wish their children to be educated by a system which encourages pupils to continue their understanding of life based on the Christian Faith as taught by the Church of...
.
Bishop Stopford's School at Enfield, commonly known as Bishop Stopford's or (locally) just Bishop's, is a voluntary aided co-educational secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
specialising in mathematics and computing, and engineering, with a sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
. The school has strong links with the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Worship is in a relatively High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
Anglo-Catholic tradition using the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
and the King James Bible
King James Version of the Bible
The Authorized Version, commonly known as the King James Version, King James Bible or KJV, is an English translation of the Christian Bible by the Church of England begun in 1604 and completed in 1611...
, although modern translations are mandated for study. It is in Brick Lane, Enfield
Enfield Town
Enfield Town is the historic town centre of Enfield, formerly in the county of Middlesex and now in the London Borough of Enfield. It is north north-east of Charing Cross...
, near Ponders End
Ponders End
Ponders End is a place in the London Borough of Enfield, North London located in an area generally known as the Lea Valley. It is roughly located in the area either side of Hertford Road between The Ride and the Boundary Public House and Wharf Road and the Southbury railway station/Kingsway...
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, England.
Overview
Bishop Stopford's has about 1079 pupils aged 11 to 19. In 2004 the school received an award for mathematics and computing, and in 2008 engineering specialist status.Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3 pupils follow the same subjects for years 7-9.Pupils in Top Set German take French (in Y7), and pupils in Sets 2a, 2b and 3 continue with German up to year 9.
GCSE
In Year 9 pupils can choose what subjects they wish to take for their GCSEs. All pupils take maths, science, English language and literature, religious education, physical education, engineering and ICT.Pupils choose from:
| B & S Bands: | STAR Project: |
Sixth form
Entry to the sixth form is subject to a satisfactory report from the Year 11 head of house and an interview with the head of the sixth form or other relevant teacher. In the sixth form, pupils again choose what they wish to study. There are two routes which they may take. Pupils may take a 1-year BTECBusiness And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
course in either OCR business studies or BTEC art and design, or AS/A2 levels. The conditions for taking AS/A2 Levels are:
- a minimum of 5 A* to C grades at GCSE level in a suitable combination of subjects, and C grades in English Language, Literature, and Maths; and
- a recommendation from the appropriate head of department.
Pupils can then choose from:
(*) Computing and accountancy are available at other schools as part of a collaboration programme.
History
After almost a century of attempts by the Church to found a church secondary school in Enfield, Bishop Stopford's was founded on St. Polycarp's Day 1967 and opened its doors to its first pupils on 7 September 1967. Its founder was the then Bishop Of LondonBishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
, the Very Reverend Robert Stopford
Robert Stopford
Robert Wright Stopford KCVO CBE PC was a British clergyman.-Early life and career:He was born in Garston, Liverpool and educated at Coatham School in Redcar and Liverpool College, where he was Head of House . He continued his education at Hertford College, Oxford, where he graduated with a Master...
. The school was founded to provide a Church school for the children of Enfield, who at that time had several Church primary schools but no Church secondary school. The school was established in the buildings of the old Suffolk's Secondary Modern School. The five heads of Bishop Stopford's have been the late Dr Geoffrey Roberts PhD, MA, BA, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(1967 to 1988), Brian Robin Pickard M.A. (1988 to 2001), and Mrs Bridget Sarah Evans (2001 to 2009). Mrs Evans resigned and Mrs E. Kohler became acting head (May 2008 - July 2009). Jim Owen is the current Head Master, he took up the role in September 2009.
Houses
Each pupil and member of staff belongs to one of the six 'houses': Coventry, Georges, King Alfred's, Temples, Waltham, and Trinity. The first three are known by the acronym CGK and the second TWY.The Four Foundation Houses
- The House of the Resurgent City and Cathedral Church of St. Michael and all AngelsCoventry CathedralCoventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
at CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although... - The House of Saint GeorgeSaint GeorgeSaint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
the MartyrMartyrA martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
, Glorious PatronPatron saintA patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... - The House of Alfred The GreatAlfred the GreatAlfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
, King of the West SaxonsWessexThe Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest... - The House of William TempleWilliam Temple (archbishop)William Temple was a priest in the Church of England. He served as Bishop of Manchester , Archbishop of York , and Archbishop of Canterbury ....
, Head Master, ArchbishopArchbishopAn archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
and Servant of GodGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
The Two New Houses
- The House of the Holy CrossEleanor crossThe Eleanor crosses were twelve originally wooden, but later lavishly decorated stone, monuments of which three survive intact in a line down part of the east of England. King Edward I had the crosses erected between 1291 and 1294 in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile, marking the nightly...
of our Saviour at WalthamWaltham CrossWaltham Cross is the most southeasterly town in Hertfordshire, England. It is 12 miles from the City of London and immediately north of the M25 motorway, forming part of the Greater London Urban Area and London commuter belt. Part of Waltham Cross is located within Greater London.-Geography:It is... - The House of the Holy, Blessed and Glorious TrinityTrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
It was the intention that the houses should reflect attitudes and ideals rather than being a collection of six different examples of one type of thing.
Each house has its own colour, which has little modern significance other than the socks which pupils wear for games (in an earlier era, a football shirt and shorts of the appropriate hue were also required). Coventry wear green; George's red; King Alfred's yellow; Temple's light blue; Waltham purple or white; and Trinity royal blue.
In September 2006 the new intake, year 7, had colours added to their tie. A yellow diagonal stripe denotes their year group; below this is a stripe in the house colours (for King Alfred's this is a shade of gold). Future years will have a year colour, with their house colour below it. The new tie also features the Bishop's Crosier symbol of the school. In September 2007 the new intake, year 7, had a blue stripe added to their tie.
House colours
- Coventry - Green
- St. Georges - Red
- King Alfreds - Gold
- Temples - Turquoise
- Waltham - White (boys)/Purple (girls)
- Trinity - Royal Blue
The champion house (until the end of the academic year ending in Summer 2010) is Trinity House.
Each house has a designated area of the school for registration. These are:
- Coventry - Orchard Wing (Downstairs)
- Georges - East Wing Extension - DT and English
- King Alfred's - Orchard Wing (Upstairs - Mathematics)
- Temples - West Wing (Downstairs - Languages)
- Waltham - East Wing (Divinity- E1-E4 and E19)
- Trinity - West Wing/Orchard Wing (Upstairs)
Formerly, it was forbidden for pupils to enter another house's area during break or lunch. A teacher and two house prefects would be on duty solely to enforce this rule. However, since 2005 it has not been enforced.
Choir Form
The Choir Form was founded in 1973 and takes boys and girls from all six houses from the second year to the sixth form. (First-year students may volunteer for the Junior Choir.) Whilst remaining members of their houses, pupils in the Choir Form attend registration together, and sing in assembly, hymn practice, choir practice and complineCompline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
together. They attend a residential singing week every year, which has been at Seasalter
Whitstable
Whitstable is a seaside town in Northeast Kent, Southeast England. It is approximately north of the city of Canterbury and approximately west of the seaside town of Herne Bay. It is part of the City of Canterbury district and has a population of about 30,000.Whitstable is famous for its oysters,...
, Walsingham
Walsingham
Walsingham is a village in the English county of Norfolk. The village is famed for its religious shrines in honour of the Virgin Mary and as a major pilgrimage centre...
, and Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
. In 2004-5 the Choir Form was renamed the Music Form to incorporate a wider range of musical abilities and the modernisation of school worship. The intention is to give young musicians an opportunity to practise for participation in worship.
Layout
The school has been fully modernised and now features automatic doors, lifts, ID card entry, electronic registration, smart boards in all classrooms, a 200-space parking lot, and two secure entrances.Bishop Stopford's is laid out differently from most modern schools. Because of its house structure and tradition, it is laid out with the following sections:
- East Wing; rooms E1 to E7
- East Wing Extension: rooms E8 to E21, (English & Technology building)
- West Wing: rooms W1 to W15
- South East Wing: rooms SE1 to SE4
- South West Wing (destroyed by fire): rooms SW1 to SW17
- Orchard Wing (Business, Maths and ICT block): rooms OW1 to OW25
- Jubilee Wing (Science Block): rooms JW1 to JW11
- Sports Hall
- West Wing Art Block: rooms W16 to W19
- West Wing 6th Form Building: rooms W20 to W30
- Canteen (old Suffolks Building has been demolished), temporarily in the area surrounded by the Sports Hall, Orchard Wing, Jubilee Wing and West Wing.
- Office and Administration Block (Has been completed): rooms O1 to O4.
The East and West Wings are joined by the forbidden Chapel Corridor. The West Wing is joined to the Orchard Wing via a bridge overlooking the yard. The East Wing is connected to the DT & English Building via a bridge overlooking Suffolks and the south east wing, and the Post-16 Building is connected to the West wing through what used to be called W14 or the Graphics Room. This means that the whole school is accessible indoors via intricate corridors and passageways.
Stopfordians usually enjoy lunch and break times in "the yard", in other words the playground.
Uniform
The school has recently been one of the few remaining schools in Britain where students as well as teachers might wear traditional gowns; however, this has declined in recent years. The uniform is a white shirt, navy blue tie, navy blue V-necked pullover and blazer bearing the school crest, with black trousers for boys and a blue pleated skirt or blue trousers for girls. The summer uniform substitutes a short-sleeved shirt. The uniform is widely available at retail outlets and hence affordable. Ties now also bear the house and year colours. In the past, pupils could also opt for shirt-sleeve order in the summer, with sleeves rolled up, pullover and tie removed, and top button undone. Now students are expected to wear the tie at all times, and may only undo the top button and remove pullovers or blazers with express permission. There are strict rules for the length of skirts and height of socks for girls.Unusually, teachers at Stopford's are also required to comply with a strict dress code, although it is not so strictly enforced since Mrs Evans took over as head. Prior to 2001 female members of staff were forbidden to wear trouser suits and had to wear skirts. Male members of staff were aksed to wear a suit. Some staff wore traditional black teaching gowns, which complemented the blue and grey gowns of the pupils. Until 2001 all staff were referred to as Masters or Mistresses rather than "teachers". As at a traditional grammar school, lessons were called "periods".
As at all traditional English schools in the past, Masters or Mistresses were always addressed as "Sir" or "Miss". However, in recent years the use of the teacher's surname preceded by his or her title has become acceptable. The use of teachers' first names is still forbidden.
Chaplain
Bishop Stopford's School has had three ChaplainChaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
s since 1967: James Lowry, the Revd. Stephen Taylor, and since May 2006 Father Antony Homer. All have chosen to take the salutation "father".
As well as presiding over school religious occasions, the Chaplain coordinates the pastoral side of the school, having frequent contact with the Senior Six, Heads of House and the Senior Leadership team of the School.
Fr Antony Homer left in February 2011 to join the Ordinariate within the Roman Catholic Church and so a Lay Chaplain has been appointed, Jonathan Seabrook, who has now assumed the role of Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Religion and Worship and continues as Head of Divinity.
Rule book
The Bishop Stopford's School rulebook contains the school rules, and also the Church and School calendar. When the school was founded it was decided to have as few rules as possible, with new rules being introduced as and when required. Thus the rule book gradually expanded during the School's first twenty-four years. Since 2001 the rules have been simplified and can be seen at the school's website.Assembly
All pupils must attend one assembly a week, normally with their houses; however, the sixth form has its own assembly on Fridays.Coventry and Georges - Tuesday
King Alfreds and Temples - Wednesday
Waltham and Trinity - Thursday
The assembly at Bishop Stopford's School differs from most other schools. It begins with organ music during which all pupils and staff present must stand. A house prefect from one of the houses whose assembly is being held then leads in the procession of all the prefects from the two houses. Following the prefects are the senior staff, normally the Deputy Head Master and the Deputy Headmistress. Behind the deputy heads come the Chaplain. He is then followed by the Head Master's prefects, who are followed by the Headmistress. (The Head Master's Prefects retain the male prefix even when there is a female head). The current Head Mistress no longer observes the tradition of previous head masters who have carried in their academic hat; however, gowns are still worn. It used to be customary for the Head Master's prefects to carry the school roll and the "forgiveness/caning shorts" (see below) resting on a velvet cushion. However, with the abolition of forgiveness and caning, and now that the roll consists of three quivers, this has been stopped.
Following the procession, the head used to instruct both sides of the great hall (one house on each side of the hall in collegiate fashion, similar to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
) to take their seats. This seating arrangement has been reviewed recently. The assembly then proceeds in customary fashion, with prayers and hymns. At the conclusion the organ is again played and the procession leads out in the same order as it came in.
Until Mrs Evans became head, every assembly began with the words, "We praise God who has brought us safely to the beginning of another day", and at the beginning of new school years or terms the lines "...and to the beginning of another year" or "...and to the beginning of another term" were added, respectively. At the end of term communions the opening, "We praise God who has brought us safely to the beginning of another day, and the end of another term" is used. This would be followed by the opening of the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
Morning Prayer Service lines sung by the Organ Master, with the responses sung by the choir. With no full-time organist, this practice has been discontinued. Indeed, all assemblies are now less formal and less religious than previously, with the aforementioned openings reserved for end-of-term communions only.
Patronal Festivals
The school observes six patronal festivals each year, one for each house. They are celebrated in the hall by the individual houses on days significant to their patron. The patronal festival includes the school Eucharist as well as performances in music and the arts by house pupils.The School Eucharist
The school Eucharist is said on many occasions throughout the year. Most pupils experience the Eucharist at the three Holy Communions at the end of each term and at their house's patronal festival. However, the school Eucharist is also said every morning before lessons in the chapel by the Chaplain. Local clergy regularly visit the school to celebrate Mass.The School Chapel
The school chapel was formerly a small room on the first floor of the West Wing of the school, but is now situated in a vestibuleVestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
accessed from the corridor between the East and West Wings, opposite the great hall. The school Eucharist is said in the chapel every morning as is the Prayer For All Stopfordians. This is a special prayer for all those who have a connection with the school, living or dead.
The Chapel Corridor
The corridor between the east and west wings of the school, the only way to access the chapel and the great hall, is strictly out of bounds for all students except the sixth form. It is one of the most strictly enforced traditions, and even today it is rare for a student in the school to go through the chapel corridor other than for assembly or Eucharist. This tradition is perhaps one of the least popular amongst pupils and most popular amongst staff, as it means pupils, on wet cold days, have to walk around outside to get to their lessons, whereas staff have a warm, dry and quiet passage to lessons. There have been occasions when students have managed to access the school corridor and vandalise it; this has generally been seen as an attack on the rule that keeps them out. This power struggle between staff and student was finally won by the staff when a keycode access system was installed.School Organ
The school's pipe organPipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was made from the remains of a church organ salvaged from Sandylands Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Church in Morecambe
Morecambe
Morecambe is a resort town and civil parish within the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. As of 2001 it has a resident population of 38,917. It faces into Morecambe Bay...
, Lancashire. Bought for £400, the organ is now insured for several hundreds of thousands of pounds. Two new manuals
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
and a new pedalboard were added during its installation, and additional pipes were bought and also built from wood. A new oaken enclosure was built and new wiring and electric bellows
Bellows
A bellows is a device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location.Basically, a bellows is a deformable container which has an outlet nozzle. When the volume of the bellows is decreased, the air escapes through the outlet...
bought. The motor for the blower was purchased from Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
. As with many cathedral organs, the dummy pipes at the front of the organ are purely decorative.
Several notable organists have given recitals on this instrument, including Carlo Curley
Carlo Curley
Carlo Curley is a flamboyant and popular classical concert organist. Self-dubbed "the Pavarotti of the Organ", he is one of only a few concert organists worldwide who support themselves exclusively by giving recitals, concerts and master classes, without any supplement from teaching or church...
, Peter Hurford
Peter Hurford
Peter Hurford OBE is a British organist, born St Cecilia's day 1930 in Minehead, Somerset.Educated at Blundell's School, he later studied both music and law at Jesus College, Cambridge, graduating with dual degrees, subsequently obtaining an enviable reputation for both musical scholarship and...
, Stephen Darlington
Stephen Darlington
Stephen Darlington is a British choral director and conductor, and president of the Royal College of Organists from 1999-2001.During the early 1970s Darlington was organ scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, studying under Simon Preston...
, Thomas Trotter
Thomas Trotter
Thomas Trotter is a British concert organist. He is Birmingham City Organist and organist of St. Margaret's, Westminster and visiting Professor of Organ at the Royal College of Music, London....
, and John Scott
John Scott (organist)
John Gavin Scott LVO is an English-born organist and choirmaster. He directed the Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral in London from 1990 to 2004. He now directs the Choir of Men and Boys of Saint Thomas Church on 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City...
.
Since the organ was rebuilt, several pupils have learned how to play it, and from 2007 selected students from the Music Form have been given the opportunity to learn the organ through funding from 'Gifted and Talented' and 'Aim Higher'. The intention is for those students to perform during assemblies and other school events. This has proved a great success, with an organ version of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's Jamming
Jamming (song)
"Jamming" is a song by the reggae band Bob Marley & the Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. The song also appears on the compilation album Legend....
receiving a 10-minute standing ovation.
The Great Altar
The stage contains the great altar, said to be the largest mobile altarAltar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
in the Diocese of London
Diocese of London
The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...
, which was borrowed by the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
for use in the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in its 150th anniversary celebrations. The Altar is covered by one of four different Altar cloth
Altar cloth
An ' is used by various religious groups to cover an altar. Christianity, ancient Judaism, and Buddhism are among the world religions that use altar cloths....
s of appropriate colours for the Church year, made by various teachers and pupils of the school.
Traditions
The school is famous for its traditions, many of which were instituted by its first head master.The School Pilgrimage
Every year pupils from Years 7 to 10 go on an eleven-mile (seventeen-kilometre) sponsored walk known as the School Pilgrimage along the canal tow-path of the River Lee (or Lea) NavigationRiver Lee Navigation
The Lee Navigation is a canalised river incorporating the River Lea . Its course runs from Hertford Castle Weir all the way to the River Thames at Bow Creek. The first lock of the navigation is Hertford Lock the last being Bow Locks....
from Ware to Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock
Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, North London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, to the River Lee Navigation, including the Enfield Island Village. The locality gains its name from the lock on the...
. Sums raised have contributed substantially to the school foundation fund. In 2009 the route was blocked and the Pilgrimage was completed by proxy (as has always been stated on the sponsor forms) a fortnight later - in this case by Mr Chalmers and Mrs Kohler.
The Beating Of The Bounds
Every year, on Ascension DayRogation days
Rogation days are, in the calendar of the Western Church, four days traditionally set apart for solemn processions to invoke God's mercy. They are April 25, the Major Rogation, coinciding with St...
, a group of pupils went round the boundaries of the school whipping selected areas with special whips. This was based on the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
practice of beating the bounds
Beating the bounds
Beating the bounds is an ancient custom still observed in some English and Welsh parishes. A group of old and young members of the community would walk the boundaries of the parish, usually led by the parish priest and church officials, to share the knowledge of where they lay, and to pray for...
. This has since been modernised, but a special Ascension Day assembly is still held, remembering the practice.
Merits and reward system
A merit is a house point awarded for good work or behaviour.A demerit is a subtraction for bad behaviour of a house point from a pupil's total.
A placet is equivalent to ten merits. In 2003-4, placets (from the Latin for "pleasing") were replaced with Commendations.
A commendation is when a subject teacher congratulates a pupil for his or her hard work and dedication to the subject; a certificate is awarded by the head teacher.
A praise card is when a card commending a pupils' work and behaviour is sent home to parents.
If a student obtained three placets, he or she was given a Public Commendation. This was abolished in 2004 as it was too similar to the new commendation which replaced the placet.
The placet involved some ceremony. A master who thought one of his pupils had completed work worthy of a placet would fill in a chit to be sent to the head master along with the work. If the work was in an exercise book a stamp was put in the book and the chit sent anyway. Then, during placet week all those who had received placets would go to the head master's study and receive a personal audience with him, during which the work would be discussed briefly, the pupil congratulated and handed a certificate. Traditionally there was one placet week per term; however, under the new commendation scheme no personal contact with the head is maintained, but the names are read out at the final assembly of the term.
A pupil who obtained three placets in any term was given a Public Commendation which involved the pupil's name being read out at the end of term triumvirate
Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
house meeting. The abolition of the triumvirate house meetings at the same time as the Public Commendation meant no change to this procedure was needed.
With the introduction of the new merit system in 2003, Merits were no longer recorded by teachers but were given out by them in the form of blue stickers with the Bishop's crozier
Crosier
A crosier is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran and Pentecostal prelates...
logo on it. These stickers are stuck into the homework diary kept by all pupils. Then, termly, form tutors total the merits of each pupil and award bronze, silver or gold certificates depending on the number of Merits attained.
Consequences
C1 to C5, with C5 being the most serious of all the sanctions.Late slips - are given when a pupil is more than 3 minutes late to lesson, ten minutes per late slip.
Departmental detention - issued by the head of department, can last for 45 minutes.
House detention - issued by head of house or form tutor, can last for 45 minutes.
School detention (signed) - issued by a senior member of staff. The letter is sent home for parental signature and must then be presented to the teacher overseeing the detention. Can last for 1 hour.
School detention (unsigned) - can last for an hour and a half.
Internal exclusion (isolation) - pupil can be placed in the headteacher's corridor or the UNIT on the ground floor of the jubilee wing.
Suspension - can range from 1 day to 45 days.
Expulsion - the pupil is not allowed to return to the school.
With My Duty
At the top of every piece of work, pupils are asked to write the date, the title, and the words 'With My Duty', or in German lessons "Meine beste arbeit" and French lessons "C'est mon devoir" to show their acknowledgment of their duty to themselves, their parents, the school, and to God.Cardinals' hats
This is a tradition of which some pupils may not be aware. When a cardinalCardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
dies, his hat is hung in the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
forever. This has been going on for over a thousand years, and some of the old hats are now disintegrating. At Bishop Stopford's the programmes of all School productions are pinned to the beam above the stage facing the great altar. They hang there until "like cardinals' hats they drop in dust" as the first Head Master would say.
The School Prayer
| Grant oh most glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, That as this School has been founded to Thy glory, So it may for ever flourish, To Thy perpetual praise. Who livest and reignest, Our Light and our Salvation, God ever blest, World without end,
|
The School Song
The school song is the hymn Captain Of Israel's Host and Guide by Charles WesleyCharles Wesley
Charles Wesley was an English leader of the Methodist movement, son of Anglican clergyman and poet Samuel Wesley, the younger brother of Anglican clergyman John Wesley and Anglican clergyman Samuel Wesley , and father of musician Samuel Wesley, and grandfather of musician Samuel Sebastian Wesley...
, set to the tune Marienlyst by J.W.David.
The words to the school song are:
Captain of Israel's Host and guide,
of all who seek the land above,
beneath thy shadow we abide,
the cloud of thy protecting love,
thy strength, thy grace,
thy rule, thy word,
our end the glory of the Lord.
By thine unerring spirit led,
we shall not in the desert stray,
we shall not full direction need,
nor miss our providential way.
As far from danger, as from fear,
while love almighty love is near.
AMEN.
The School Roll
Since the school was founded, every new pupil and teacher at the school has signed his name on the School Roll. Originally a single roll of paper, kept in a leather quiver, this has now had to have additional paper added to the first roll and two new separate rolls (and quivers) made to accommodate new names. The roll was carried in the procession every morning in Assembly, but as it now comprises three quivers this has been stopped. On special occasions one of the three quivers is carried to signify the roll's importance in the life of the school.Some people are on the roll twice. This includes the second Head Master, Mr. Pickard, and all the Head Master's prefects, who sign the roll for a second time upon being elevated to that rank. Alongside Mrs Elizabeth Kohler, who signed the roll for a second time upon becoming Acting Headmistress.
At least two honorary Stopfordians are on the roll, Christoph Spital, who has run the exchange programme with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
since 1985, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, who visited the school in October 2003.
The Head Master's Prefects are the guardians of the roll during their time in office and have to present the roll on Founders' Day
Stopfordian artwork
The school has a large collection of in-house art work, mostly created by the sixth forms through the years and by the long-time head of art, the recently retired Peter Webb. He was a highly regarded artist, and one of the most eccentric teachers in the school. He was famous for his round glasses, Beatle haircut and clothes.Peter Webb painted many portraits of staff on their retirement. His huge painting of Dr Roberts adorns the Great Hall, next to which now hangs a smaller portrait of Mr Pickard, the second Head Master. One of the most influential deputy headmistresses, Mrs Peploe, famous for her strictness, looks over the chapel corridor in art form. Webb also painted a very large The Denial Of Saint Peter, featuring a likeness of the then Chaplain Lowry in the role of the Disciple
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, apparently in a drunken stupor. This painting was Webb's personal property and was removed from the School on his retirement. Mr Webb's most famous artwork, completed with the help of the sixth form, is the statue of Bishop Stopford himself, made out of Papier-mâché
Papier-mâché
Papier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste....
on a galvanised chicken-wire frame, often wrongly thought to be of bronze.
The School Plant
The chamomile - or as it is also known anthemis nobilis - is the school plant. Also carried in processions, it represents the school's ability to thrive in adverse conditions. This is taken from the line in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1Henry IV, Part 1
Henry IV, Part 1 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. It is the second play in Shakespeare's tetralogy dealing with the successive reigns of Richard II, Henry IV , and Henry V...
'The Camomile; The more it is trodden on, the faster it grows'. The choice reflects the hardships the school endured in its early years.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness was an alternative to corporal punishment. An offending pupil was offered a choice between receiving a caningCaning
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks or hand . Application of a cane to the knuckles or the shoulders has been much less common...
and performing "forgiveness". A pupil who chose forgiveness was made to carry out arduous tasks or physical exercise for a period of approximately one hour, after which he was said to be 'forgiven'. To make the choice, the miscreant was presented with a cushion bearing a pair of blue and a pair of black shorts. If he opted to be caned, he would select the blue shorts; if he chose the black shorts he would receive forgiveness. The shorts were carried on the cushion in procession in House Assemblies. With the outlawing of corporal punishment in state schools in England in 1987, the "trial by shorts" procedure is now defunct. In recent years Forgiveness has become less and less common; however, it remains one of the strictest punishments in British schooling.
Although corporal punishment is no longer practised, the school displayed many canes in the Great Hall and the Head Master's study until very recently. These canes, along with special whips, are used in the beating of the bounds celebration.
Oak Up
Before the destruction of the South West wing due to fire, the Head Master had his study upstairs. When he did not want to be disturbed he would write on a blackboard the words, "OAK UP" to signify this. This came from the Cambridge tradition where those who did not wish to be disturbed would close the outer oak doors of their accommodation. This was known as 'sporting one's oak'. However, most Stopfordians did not know this so proceeded to walk straight past this sign.The sign is an example of the so-called "instant traditions" of the first Head Master, Dr. Roberts. Indeed this remark was made by the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
during an address at Speech Day. Although many of the traditions were instituted rather than evolved, they are an integral part of the life of the school.
Bees
The first Head Master was famous for keeping bees in the school. It was not uncommon to see the Head Master walking around the school in the full apparel of a beekeeper. Several bee hivesBeehive (beekeeping)
A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus Apis live and raise their young. Natural beehives are naturally occurring structures occupied by honeybee colonies, while domesticated honeybees live in man-made beehives, often in an apiary. These man-made...
were kept in the small garden, and honey was extracted and packed in jars to be later traded for charity money at the school fete.
Noteworthy teachers
The longest serving teacher currently is Mr Malcolm Chalmers, who has been at the school since a term after the founding, approximately 39 years. There are many other teachers who have been there over twenty years. These include: Mrs Hardcastle (Teacher of English Language, Literature and Media), Miss Batty (Teacher of ICT), Miss Leverington (House Mistress of Temple's House), Mrs Hannan (Head of the Lower School), Mr Geary (Head of Business and Economics), Mr Peutrill (Head of ICT), Miss A. Jones (previous head of Upper School), Miss S. Jones (Head of Science) and Mr Jones (Head of DT). Mr Leslie Pringle, who was a pupil at both the previous Suffolks Secondary Modern School and at Bishops', returned to teach divinityDivinity (academic discipline)
Divinity is the study of Christian and other theology and ministry at a school, divinity school, university, or seminary. The term is sometimes a synonym for theology as an academic, speculative pursuit, and sometimes is used for the study of applied theology and ministry to make a distinction...
, being the first of a number of pupils to return as staff.
Mr July, a very popular teacher and form tutor of 10G, died of lung cancer in 2006. A memorial service was held for him in the Great Hall.
On 16 July 2009 the school was informed that ICT, Business, BCS and Tourism teacher Mr Fashola had died. He was a much-loved teacher who will be missed by all. A memorial was held for him in October, over 800 Students attended, including ex pupils.
Other noteworthy teachers include Mrs Elizabeth Kohler, and Helen Michaels; a well remembered graphics teacher & Biology teacher Miss Kerr, who was fit as anything and drove a MG car!
Eddie Baily
Eddie Baily
Edward Francis Baily was a former England international footballer. He was a member of the 1950 FIFA World Cup squad. At club level, he played for Tottenham Hotspur from 1946–56, helping the club to both First and Second Division winning seasons. He also played for Port Vale, Nottingham Forest...
taught PE at the school.
Gowns
The school is notable as one of few educational institutions in Britain still to require its students to wear gowns (although this applies only to prefects). However, in 2003 the new Headmistress instituted blazers, with gowns now reserved for special occasions. The gowns vary in colour but all take the form of a long sleeveless robe. House Prefects wear grey gowns, School Prefects wear royal blue and Senior Prefects navy blue. House Captains also wear navy blue. The most senior rank of prefects, the Senior VI, wear navy blue Senior Prefect gowns with a coloured flashing to signify their rank. The Deputy Head Boy and Girl have a thin purple stripe and the Head Boy and Girl have thick purple stripe. The most senior and oldest rank of prefect, the Head Master's Prefects, have a thick red stripe on their gown. To wear a gown is considered a great privilege by the students.Prefects
Bishop Stopford's School has an unusually complex prefect system. It is generally regarded as a strength of the school.The lowest rank of prefect is the House Prefect. This is open to the boys and girls in the fifth form and they are chosen by their house master or house mistress. The next rank up is School Prefect. This rank comprises students from the lower and upper sixth forms and are selected by the Heads of Houses, the Head of the Sixth Form, the Head of the Upper School and the Head Master. Senior Prefects are the next rank up. This comprises house captains and former house captains. House captains are traditionally selected from the lower sixth form and serve for a year. In the upper sixth they retain all the rights and privileges but not the title. The next rank up is the Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl. These are chosen by a poll of the entire sixth form. Then comes the Head Boy and Head Girl, also chosen by poll. The Head Master's Prefects (still styled in this fashion even when there is a Head Mistress) are the most senior and most ancient rank of prefect and are chosen personally by the Head Master or Mistress upon consultation with the Head of Sixth Form and Head of Upper School.
The Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl, the Head Boy and Head Girl, and the Head Master's Prefects are collectively called the Senior Six or Senior VI. They wear special gowns, and represent the school on public and state functions. They also have considerable rights, powers and privileges as well as the ear of the senior staff of the school.
Prefects' Investiture
The investiture of prefects is one of the pastoral and ceremonial highlights of the school year. House, school and senior prefects are invested in their own house assembly.The Head Master asks the House Master or Mistress to stand and asks:
"Is there anyone in N house worthy of the rank of X prefect?"
To which the House Master or Mistress will respond, assuming there are:
"There are."
Head Master - "Have they been told of all their duties and all that will be expected of them?"
Housemaster - "They have."
Head Master - "Then I shall admit them."
The House Master then reads out the name and rank of each pupil to be invested. One by one they stand, and then have their gown placed on them. They then have to go to the Head Master and kneel before him. He then asks them some questions to which the prefect-to-be gives certain responses. A prefect's badge is then pressed into the hands of the pupil, who is now a prefect.
The investiture of members of the Senior Six is twofold. There is a private conference with the Head Master in which the pupil has to place his or her hands on a bible and promise to uphold the ten commandments and the dignity of the school amongst other things.
The public ceremony of investing the Senior Six takes place in all the house assemblies and involves the passing of the gowns from the old Senior Six to the new Senior Six. A prefect's term in the Senior Six lasts the entirety of their final year at the school.
Changing traditions
With the arrival of Mrs Evans as head, there was a drive to improve the school's academic performance. Bishop Stopford's now heads the league tables for non-selective mixed schools in Enfield. It also has an Investors in PeopleInvestors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
award and is involved in the Healthy Schools Campaign.
However, some older Stopfordians regret the loss of old customs. For example, the last chaplain, Father Taylor, was a steadfast traditionalist and is said to be one of the many teachers who spoke against abolishing the houses when the idea was proposed by the former Head (Mrs Evans). His sermons in communion were often comical, and frequently had both staff and students in fits of laughter. However, when defending tradition he was very serious indeed. He had instituted some traditions of his own and is the only teacher other than Dr Roberts who had done this on a large scale. He is also responsible for the restoration of the procession and of the collegiate seating arrangement after both were abolished for a brief period during 2004. Many Stopfordians believe that on Fr. Taylor's departure the last bastion of the tradition of the Roberts and Pickard era has gone.
Parents and friends
The parents and friends association (Charity 274591 - The Parents and Friends of the Bishop Stopford's School at Enfield) has run the annual School Fayre and raised much needed funds over the years.Selected Old Stopfordians
- Shy FXShy FXShy FX is the pseudonym of Andre Williams, an English DJ and Producer from London. He specializes in Drum and Bass and Jungle music.-Biography:...
is among the pioneers of jungle drum'n'bass, with earliest record "Jungle Love" released in 1992.
- Ruth SymesRuth SymesRuth Symes is the author of children's books and TV scripts including several episodes of The Hoobs and award winning animation show PicMe. One of her books Mondays at Monster School was read on the BBC by Jenny Seagrove as part of the bedtime story hour....
became a children's author, writing books such as Carnegie MedalCarnegie MedalThe Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
nominated The Master Of Secrets, Smelly Sock Soup, Little Tail, and Floppy Ears, and for the television programme The HoobsThe HoobsThe Hoobs is a BAFTA-winning children's television programme created and produced by The Jim Henson Company. It stars five creatures called Hoobs from the fictional Hoobland, and their interactions with Earth and the human race...
.
- Winston Marche became a professional musician, playing drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
for among others, Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
- Dr Andrew Wright became a senior lecturer in religious and theological education at King's College, London and is the co-ordinator of the Centre For Theology, Religion And Culture (CFTRAC)at that college.
- Anton Blackwood, Tottenham Hotspur FC footballer.
- Jonathan ObikaJonathan ObikaJonathan Chiedozie Obika is an English footballer who plays for Yeovil Town on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, as a striker.-Career:...
, Tottenham Hotspur FC foolball player and England FC under 21s team.
- Jason Banton, Arsenal FC Footballer.
- James Fountain (Year 12 2011), Grimethorpe Colliery BandGrimethorpe Colliery BandThe Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band...
Principal cornet player.