A bit about the School

THE SCHOOL
Christ's Hospital (also popularly known as the Bluecoat School, and also known by the nicknames Housey and CH) is a full board boarding school located in the countryside just south of Horsham, West Sussex, England. The school was originally founded in the 16th century in Blackfriars, London and Hertford.

Christ's Hospital is unique for a British independent school in that it still educates a large portion of its students for free, this stems from its founding charter as a charitable school. School fees are paid on a means-tested basis, with substantial subsidies paid by the school so that students from all walks of life are able to have a comprehensive, high quality, public school education that would otherwise be beyond the means of their parents.


In 2005, just over 20% of parents paid nothing at all and about one third paid less than £250 per year per child. The entrance process uses exams and interviews and prefers to award school places to those who show academic potential that would benefit from the high quality enviroment that the school offers to those that would otherwise not be able to afford it. The number of pupils that pay the full fee (~£17,050) is limited to 6% of the School population.

HISTORY
Christ’s Hospital was the result of the vision of King Edward VI, assisted by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, and Sir Richard Dobbs, Lord Mayor of London. Its genesis was the earlier dissolution of the monasteries and the resultant overflow onto the streets of the poor and destitute. Encouraged by a sermon from Ridley, exhorting mercy to the poor, the King wrote to the Lord Mayor encouraging him to action. This he did via a committee of 30 merchants. Henry VIII had already granted the use of Greyfriars to the City for the relief of the poor and Edward granted The Palace of Bridewell, his lands of the Savoy and rents and other chattels to create three Royal Hospitals – Bridewell Hospital (now now King Edward's School at Witley, Surrey), St Thomas Hospital and Christs Hospital, which was for the education of poor children.

The first boys and girls entered the School in Newgate in 1552. The Royal Charter was granted and signed by its Founder, Edward VI, the following year.

The School occupied Newgate as its major site for 350 years, but from time to time children were housed in other parts of the country, especially after the Great Fire of London made parts of the School uninhabitable. Eventually, the girls settled at Hertford and the boys were relocated from Newgate to the purpose built site in Horsham in 1897. The Foundation stone was laid by Edward, Prince of Wales on 23 October 1897, on behalf of the Sovereign, the date being the anniversary of the birthday of the Founder.

Christ’s Hospital was bestowed with its second Royal Charter by Charles II in 1673. This Charter specifically created the Royal Mathematical School whose original purpose was to train mathematicians and navigators who would progress into careers as Naval officers or merchant seafarers. Samuel Pepys, Secretary to His Majesty’s Navy and later Vice President of Christ’s Hospital, featured strongly in his considerable contribution to Christ’s Hospital

Over the centuries Christ’s Hospital has continued to enjoy Royal patronage. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge started a tradition of Royal Presidents in 1854. In 1919 His Majesty George V became the first Royal Patron, followed by His Majesty George VI in 1937 and Her Majesty the Queen in 1953. The magnanimous support of the City of London Corporation and Livery companies of the City (some 20 actively support children in the School) remains uninterrupted. Christ’s Hospital remains true to its Founder’s principles of supporting disadvantaged children and by remaining a School for the public.

TRADITIONS
The school is best known for the Tudor uniform: long blue coat, knee-breeches and yellow socks, and bands at the neck for boys, and a complementary uniform was introduced for girls on re-unification of the schools – knee length pleated skirt, summer jacket, yellow socks (for the juniors), and grey socks or grey/black tights for seniors, as well as the long coat in winter, and the bands. The nickname "Blue-coat School" comes from the blue coats worn by the students – however the nickname used within the school community itself is "Housey" and the long coat is called a housey coat.

Links with the City and the Lord Mayor of London are maintained, with an annual parade through the City of London on St Matthew's Day and a regular place in the Lord Mayor's Show.

One of the Christ's Hospital traditions is marching into lunch each day with the band.