Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School
Encyclopedia
Joseph Williamson (politician)
Sir Joseph Williamson, FRS was an English civil servant, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England variously between 1665 and 1701 and in the Irish House of Commons between 1692 and 1699....
, who left £5,000 to set up the school and another in Thetford
Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just south of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , has a population of 21,588.-History:...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. The school was called a mathematical school because it specialised in teaching navigation and mathematics to the sons of freemen of the city of Rochester, the Chatham Naval Dockyard being nearby.
History
The school was originally in Rochester High Street, spanning the city wall. The building was demolished in the late 1960s and the site is now a car park next to a nightclub. It is said that the local authority did not know part of the old city wall with a small tower ran through the school buildings, and as a result no further development of the site was allowed. The school's playing fields and swimming pool were originally by the River Medway off Rochester Esplanade; they are now off Maidstone Road, Rochester, next to the area known as Priestfields (not to be confused with Gillingham FC's ground, Priestfield). An annexe (now known as P block) was built at the Maidstone Road site in the 1950s, housing all the first forms, and two classes each from the second and third years. In autumn 1968, the whole school moved to a new building the site. Initially this featured a main block, hall, sports hall, gymnasium, 25-metre indoor swimming pool and science block. The school's music block was expanded in 2005 to include a new teaching room and several new practice rooms.In the 1990s a sixth-form centre was constructed and at the turn of the century a maths block was created upon the old staff car park. The sixth form centre houses a series of classrooms for the use of pupils throughout the school. There are still two sets of temporary classrooms. The school also has extensive sports facilities, including an artificial turf pitch for hockey, two cricket pitches, tennis courts, football and rugby pitches as well as the swimming pool, gym, and sports hall.
A mathematics centre opened in 2002, in line with the Math's status as a specialist school in maths and computing. The incorporation of a computing discipline contrasted markedly with the school's attitude towards computing as an educational discipline in the late 1980s, where it was stated that "there's no future in software".
The school scrapped its A-level computing course in 2005, despite having received specialist school funding to teach the subject, however, the course has been reintroduced this year {which year?} for the top percentile of students studying IT. Despite a six-year gap in teaching the subject the school's computing specialist school status was not rescinded. The Thetford School and the Rochester Grammar nearby have become sister schools to the Math.
In the 1990s, girls were admitted to the school for the first time, but only to pursue sixth-form education. The school was granted an "outstanding" status in its Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report in 2006 and then again in 2008, and was given specialist status for humanities — history and geography.
Several pupils have won the Medway Young Musician of the Year award. Peripatetic music teachers attend the school on a weekly basis.
Former pupils are known as Old Williamsonians, or more jocularly as "Old Willies." They, and present pupils also often refer to the school affectionately as "Joe Willy's".
Founder's Day is held on the first Saturday of July: pupils attend Rochester Cathedral for a morning service and in the afternoon return to the school for sports and other activities. The next Monday is a school holiday.
School Song
'All hail to the colours of dark and light blue,Which float in the flag of the School,
Where we, one and all, have a life-work to do,
Beneath its beneficent rule.
Long, long may it flourish and always appear,
The cradle of honour and truth;
So we through a life-time shall ever revere,
The shrine of our studies in youth.
All hail to the lad who in learning advances,
Yet heartily joins in our games,
In cricket or football our kudos enhances,
And ever at excellence aims.
May he and his fellows be long spared to see us,
Still marching triumphantly on;
With each Williamsonian youth as he leaves us,
"Hall-marked" as Britannia's son.
Then here's to the School, to our sports, to our work,
Success be with pen, bat, and ball!
May cowardice ne'er in our corridors lurk,
But kindliness reign over all.
May Providence e'er, as our efforts He blesses,
Preserve us from evil's decoys,
Let Rochester joy in the School she possesses,
And England be proud of our boys.
Partnership
In June 2009, in anticipation of an application to the Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
(DCSF) for trust status the school become partnered with the Hundred of Hoo School
Hundred of Hoo School
The Hundred of Hoo School is a comprehensive secondary school located in the Hoo Peninsula, in the village of Hoo in Kent, England.The school provides standard secondary education as well as offering advanced media facilities. The complex also includes a nursery, a conference centre and sports...
– as it was then called – a failing comprehensive rated as "inadequate" by Ofsted. Dr Gary Holden, head of the Math, became The Hundred of Hoo's executive principal and in October 2009 acting headteacher, Kevin Mahon was appointed head of school. {which school? Hoo or the Math?}
House system
The school has seven academic years, from ages 11 to 18, and each year group contains six houses: Bridge (green), Castle (red), Gordon (blue), Pitt (yellow), River (purple) and Thetford (light blue). River and Thetford were formed in the late 20th century as the school expanded: River house in 1993 and Thetford in 1996. Another house, Tower — named after Jezreel's towerJezreel's tower
Jezreel’s Tower was built in Gillingham, Kent, England, by a religious sect founded by James Jershom Jezreel in the 1880s. It was demolished in 1961.- The man who built it :...
in Gillingham and intended for boys from that borough — was disbanded between the wars. All compete for the Cock House competition, a scholastic and athletic annual contest.
Bridge – named after Rochester's Medway crossing – won the Cock House cup from 1999 to 2006. Castle, named after the city's medieval fortification, tied first place for the Cock House in 1999. Gordon, named in honour of General Charles Gordon
Charles George Gordon
Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB , known as "Chinese" Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British army officer and administrator....
has won more times than any other house. Pitt house, named after William Pitt
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
, the 1st Earl of Chatham, was founded in 1916. River, named after the Medway that runs nearby, was founded in 1993. Thetford, named after the Math's sister school in Norfolk, won Cock House in 2007.
Founder's Day
Founder's Day takes place on the Saturday closest to 7 July, to honour the founder and other school benefactors. Attendance is compulsory and the next Monday is taken as a lieu day. The day begins with a service in Rochester Cathedral, followed by inter-house sports in the afternoon.The Rochester Math School Association (RMSA) puts on a variety of stalls at the school and a cricket game is played between the schools first XI, and Old Williamsonians' first XI.
Prefects
Prefects are elected from Year 12 and hold office until the December of Year 13, when new prefects are elected by staff and Year 12 pupils. All prefects wear a plain navy blue tie with the school's crest below the knot. The prefect hierarchy has three main levels:- The Top Three: the school captainSchool CaptainSchool Captain is a student appointed or elected to represent the school.This student, usually in the senior year, in their final year of attending that school...
and the two deputy school captains; these pupils have overall control of the prefect system and act as liaison between the prefects and staff.
- Senior prefects: seven prefects are elected to ensure that junior prefects are doing the correct thing at the correct time.
- Prefects: these junior prefects are accountable to their relevant senior.
- Specialist prefects: a small number of pupils have been appointed subject prefects, so far, in mathematics, ICT, geography, history, music, languages and technology. There are also library prefects.
Notable former pupils
- Harry Arnold, war correspondent and royal reporter on a number of national newspapers, including the Daily Mirror and The SunThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
- Bob Bean (1935–87), Labour MP for Rochester and ChathamRochester and Chatham (UK Parliament constituency)Rochester and Chatham was a parliamentary constituency in Kent which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
from 1974-9 - The British educationist Frank Blackwell (1917/18-2008), project director (1970–1976) for the National Council for Educational Technology and chief of division (1976–1980) for the Bernard van Leer FoundationBernard van Leer FoundationThe Bernard van Leer Foundation funds and shares knowledge about work in early childhood development. The foundation was established in 1949 and is based in the Netherlands....
in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... - Bill EstersonBill EstersonWilliam Roffen "Bill" Esterson is a Labour MP for Sefton Central, first elected in 2010. Bill sits on the following Select Committees; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Education....
, Labour MP for Sefton Central - David GarrickDavid GarrickDavid Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
(1717–79), actor, playwright and theatre manager. Briefly a pupil, apparently under the headmaster's private tutelage - Tommy KnightTommy KnightThomas 'Tommy' Lawrence Knight is an English actor best known for playing Luke Smith in The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Personal life:...
, actor, Luke Smith in The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen... - Matt LetleyMatt LetleyMatt Letley is the drummer in the English rock band, Status Quo.- Career :Letley's first recording were with his brother Mark's progressive rock band Sindelfingen when he was only 12; a live track including him was added to a CD reissue of their rare LP entitled 'Odgipig...
, percussionist, drummer for Status Quo - Rear-AdmRear AdmiralRear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
David Macey CB - Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Alfred Monks CB - Nitin SawhneyNitin SawhneyNitin Sawhney is an Indian-British musician, producer and composer. His critically acclaimed work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of jazz and electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics and spirituality...
, musician, composer and disc jockey - Frank Smitherman MBE, ambassador to TogoTogoTogo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
and DahomeyDahomeyDahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
from 1970-73 - Chris SollyChris SollyChristopher James "Chris" Solly is an English football player, currently playing for Charlton Athletic. He plays as a defender.-Career:...
, footballer, Charlton Athletic FC Reserves and England national under-17 football teamEngland national under-17 football team-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round.... - James TaylorJames Taylor QuartetThe James Taylor Quartet are a British four-piece jazz funk band who have become renowned for their live performances. They were formed by Hammond organ player James Taylor following the break-up of his former band The Prisoners in the wake of Stiff Records' bankruptcy...
, musician, founder of the James Taylor Quartet - Neville Taylor CB, director-general of the Central Office of InformationCentral Office of InformationThe Central Office of Information is the UK government's marketing and communications agency. Its Chief Executive, currently Mark Lund, reports to the Minister for the Cabinet Office...
1985-88 - James H. WilkinsonJames H. WilkinsonJames Hardy Wilkinson was a prominent figure in the field of numerical analysis, a field at the boundary of applied mathematics and computer science particularly useful to physics and engineering.-Early life:...
, professor of computer science at the University of Stanford from 1977-86. The J. H. Wilkinson Prize for Numerical SoftwareJ. H. Wilkinson Prize for Numerical SoftwareThe J. H. Wilkinson Prize for Numerical Software is awarded every four years to honor outstanding contributions to the field of numerical software.- Overview :In honour of the outstanding contributions of James H...
is named in his honour