Read School, Drax
Encyclopedia
The Read School is a boarding
and day school operating under the British public school
(i.e. fee-paying) system based in the rural village of Drax
, near Selby
, North Yorkshire
. Formerly a boys' school, it became co-educational in 1996. As of 2010 it hosts approximately 350 boys and girls between the ages of 3-18, comprising a senior school of approximately 280 and a junior school of around 70 children.
was founded in 1667 by Charles Reade, who wanted boys from poor families to be able to "read, write and cast accounts" and to teach them "Latin
, Greek
and Hebrew and other languages as occasion should require".
With the national move to non-selective comprehensive education in the 1960s, the then-voluntary aided
grammar school converted to full independence in 1967.
. Originally from Darlton
in Nottinghamshire
, Reade's will also endowed grammar schools at Tuxford
, Notts and Corby Glen
, Lincolnshire
. Only the school at Drax survives into the present day, however the comprehensive school
in Corby Glen has carried the name Charles Read High School
since 1999.
The school prayer asks students to remember Charles Reade 'and all other our benefactors'.
None of the original 17th-century school buildings survive into the present day. Instead the core school buildings date from the grammar school era, built in 1853 and 1908. The memorial library was built in 1954 by the Drax Grammar School Old Boys’ Association in memory of those killed during World War II.
Building programmes since then have included the Moloney Hall, a creative arts centre, the Townend sports hall (refurbished in summer 2011), a swimming pool as well as a range of classroom buildings.
sections and pupils in Years 9 and 10 are members of one or the other. Although providing a taste of military life, the primary aim of the CCF is to promote and develop powers of leadership "by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance" and to this end provides access to a broad range of activities and experience including rock-climbing, campcraft, hill-walking, map reading, first aid, orienteering, shooting, and flying.
In 2010, the school was involved in the 150th anniversary celebrations of the formation of the cadet movement, and was the first school in the north of England to display a banner presented by the Queen in her capacity as Captain General of the CCF. A contingent from the school attended a parade at Buckingham Palace.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
and day school operating under the British public school
Public School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
(i.e. fee-paying) system based in the rural village of Drax
Drax
Drax is a large coal-fired power station in North Yorkshire, England, capable of co-firing biomass and petcoke. It is situated near the River Ouse between Selby and Goole, and its name comes from the nearby village of Drax...
, near Selby
Selby
Selby is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Situated south of the city of York, along the course of the River Ouse, Selby is the largest and, with a population of 13,012, most populous settlement of the wider Selby local government district.Historically a part of the West Riding...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. Formerly a boys' school, it became co-educational in 1996. As of 2010 it hosts approximately 350 boys and girls between the ages of 3-18, comprising a senior school of approximately 280 and a junior school of around 70 children.
Foundation
Drax grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
was founded in 1667 by Charles Reade, who wanted boys from poor families to be able to "read, write and cast accounts" and to teach them "Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Hebrew and other languages as occasion should require".
With the national move to non-selective comprehensive education in the 1960s, the then-voluntary aided
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
grammar school converted to full independence in 1967.
Charles Reade (1604-1669)
Reade was a shipping magnate based in the nearby port city of Kingston upon HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
. Originally from Darlton
Darlton
Darlton is a small village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. It is on the A57 road about north-east of Tuxford.The Church of England parish church of St Giles is 12th century and is in the Transitional style. In 1855 it was heavily restored by the architect T.C...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Reade's will also endowed grammar schools at Tuxford
Tuxford
-Geography:Tuxford is a village and a civil parish on the southern edge of the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England. It may also be considered a small town as it was historically a market town. Nearby larger towns are Retford and Newark-on-Trent. From Harvest Cottage, near the ECML, the...
, Notts and Corby Glen
Corby Glen
Corby Glen is a village in southwest Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:The village of Corby Glen is in South Kesteven District in Lincolnshire. It lies mainly to the north of the A151, a former toll road, and to the east of the West Glen River, near where the Glen flows through a small graben in...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. Only the school at Drax survives into the present day, however the comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in Corby Glen has carried the name Charles Read High School
Charles Read High School
The Charles Read High School is a comprehensive school in Corby Glen, Lincolnshire, England. It serves the villages between Stamford, Bourne and Grantham....
since 1999.
The school prayer asks students to remember Charles Reade 'and all other our benefactors'.
Present day
The school is currently arranged across two principal sites in Drax village; the main school site houses the lower junior, junior and senior schools and boys' boarding facilities, while the Adamson House site about a mile away houses the girls' boarding facilities.None of the original 17th-century school buildings survive into the present day. Instead the core school buildings date from the grammar school era, built in 1853 and 1908. The memorial library was built in 1954 by the Drax Grammar School Old Boys’ Association in memory of those killed during World War II.
Building programmes since then have included the Moloney Hall, a creative arts centre, the Townend sports hall (refurbished in summer 2011), a swimming pool as well as a range of classroom buildings.
Head teachers
The current head teacher is Dr John Sweetman, who was promoted to the post from his previous role as deputy head. Former head teachers include:- Mr Richard Hadfield M.A. (1996–2010)
- Mr Anthony Saddler M.A.(Cantab) (1985–1996)
Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
The school has Army and RAF cadetCombined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
sections and pupils in Years 9 and 10 are members of one or the other. Although providing a taste of military life, the primary aim of the CCF is to promote and develop powers of leadership "by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance" and to this end provides access to a broad range of activities and experience including rock-climbing, campcraft, hill-walking, map reading, first aid, orienteering, shooting, and flying.
In 2010, the school was involved in the 150th anniversary celebrations of the formation of the cadet movement, and was the first school in the north of England to display a banner presented by the Queen in her capacity as Captain General of the CCF. A contingent from the school attended a parade at Buckingham Palace.