Haberdashers' Adams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haberdashers' Adams Grammar School |
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Coat of arms of the Haberdashers' Company
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| Address | |
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High Street
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| Coordinates | 52°46′11″N 2°22′52″W / 52.7697°N 2.381°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Boarding school Academy |
| Mottoes |
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| Established | 1656 |
| Founder | William Adams |
| Department for Education URN | 137446 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Chief Executive | Brynley Evans |
| Headmaster | Gary Hickey |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1050 |
| Colour(s) | |
| Publication | The Novaportan; The Eighth-hour |
| Alumni | Old Novaportans ("ONs") |
| Deputy Head (incoming Head) | Daniel Biggins |
| Sponsor | The Haberdashers' Company |
| School Houses | Owen , Darwin , Talbot Webb , Sa'adu |
Haberdashers' Adams Grammar School is a special kind of public school in Newport, Shropshire, England. It's a selective state grammar school, which means students need to pass an exam to get in. The school is for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. Boys can also live at the school as boarders.
The school was started in 1656 by William Adams. He was a rich merchant from the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers. This is one of the oldest and most important trade groups in London. In 2018, the school changed its name from Adams' Grammar School to Haberdashers' Adams. In September 2024, the school welcomed girls into Year 7 for the first time, becoming fully co-educational.
Contents
History of the School
Haberdashers' Adams was founded in 1656 by Alderman William Adams. He was a wealthy merchant from the City of London who sold fabrics and clothes. William Adams was born in Newport and decided to use his money to start a school. He had no children of his own.
The school first opened on March 25, 1656. This was a time when England was going through big political changes. William Adams got permission from Oliver Cromwell to start the school. To make sure the school would last forever, he put the Haberdashers' Company in charge. They would be the school's governors.
Because the school was founded during a time of change, its rules were confirmed by a special law in 1660. This happened when the King returned to power. A copy of this old law is still kept in the school's records.
William Adams gave the school a large farm estate of about 900 acres. This land provided money for the school for many years. The school also received 1,400 books when it started. This was one of the biggest school libraries in England at the time. Today, only seven of these original books are still at the school. The others were sold when the school needed money.
The farm estate was sold off in parts over the years. The money from the last sale was used to buy Longford Hall. This building became a place for students to live at the school.
The school grew slowly at first. For a long time, it only had its original building, now called Big School. New buildings like Main School were added in the 1920s. Over the next 90 years, Adams' expanded a lot. It bought more buildings in Newport for students to live in. In the 1960s, a new science building was added. A new gymnasium was also built, which later became a theatre. It is now a common area for older students.
During the First World War, 362 former students served in the army. Sadly, 45 of them died. After the war, a memorial was set up to help the children of those who died. A plaque with the names of those who died was put up in 1921. Another plaque was added in 1948 for those who died in the Second World War. Both memorials are now in the School Library.
In recent times, the school's official status has changed a few times. In the 1990s, the school almost became a different type of school. But parents and governors worked hard to keep it as it was. The Haberdashers' Company has always helped the school with money for big building projects.
In 1993, girls were allowed to join the sixth form (the last two years of school) for the first time. This ended the school's long tradition of only teaching boys. The 1990s also saw new buildings for design technology and maths. The maths building is now used for English classes. In the early 2000s, the school raised money for a new sports hall and fitness centre. The Paddock Block was built in 2019. It has classrooms for Maths and Art, and a new hall.
In 2002, a history book about the school was written by a former headmaster, David Taylor, and his wife, Ruth.
Around 2006, the school celebrated its 350th birthday. A new science building was finished. The old gym became a performing arts centre, and then a Sixth Form Centre in 2013. A new music department was also opened in 2013.
In 2007, a group called Haberdashers' Adams' Federation Trust (HAFT) was created. This group linked Adams' Grammar School with another school. In 2011, Adams' Grammar School became an academy. This meant it got more freedom in how it was run. The trust was later renamed Haberdashers' West Midlands Academies Trust. In 2023, Castle House School joined this trust.
In 2014, some concerns were raised about the school's culture. The headmaster and many former students strongly disagreed with these claims.
In 2018, the headmaster, Gary Hickey, changed the school's name to Haberdashers' Adams. This was to show the school's strong connection to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers.
In 2023, it was decided that girls would be admitted into Year 7. In September 2024, the first group of Year 7 girls started at the school.
Admissions and Performance
Haberdashers' Adams is a selective school. This means students must pass an entrance exam to be accepted. The school has both students who live at home (day pupils) and students who live at the school (boarders).
Academic Performance
In 2022, the school's rating from Ofsted (a school inspection body) changed to "Good." Ofsted noted that the school needed to improve its leadership and how staff were supported. The school has been working on these areas. The school's academic results are considered average by the Department for Education.
School Life
As of November 2016, the headmaster is Gary Hickey. He used to be the deputy headmaster. The current Deputy Head for student welfare, Daniel Biggins, is set to become the new headmaster in September 2025.
House System
Haberdashers' Adams has a "house system." Students are put into different houses, which are like teams. These houses compete against each other in sports and other activities. The houses are named after famous people from Shropshire.
- Owen House: Named after the poet Wilfred Owen. It used to be called Clive House.
- Darwin House: Named after Charles Darwin, the famous scientist.
- Talbot House: Named after John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury.
- Webb House: Named after Captain Matthew Webb, a famous swimmer.
- Sa'adu House: Started in 2021, named after Alfa Sa'adu. He was an NHS worker and former student who died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
House events include music competitions, drama and public speaking contests, and many sports competitions like rugby, cross country, and swimming. There are also competitions for geography, history, poetry, and languages.
Boarding Houses and Student Leadership
The school has special buildings where students can live. The junior boarding house, Longford Hall, is near the school's sports fields, about a mile away. In 2017, the Haberdashers' Company helped the school buy and fix up Beaumaris Court. This building became the new senior boarding house, Beaumaris Hall. It replaced three older boarding houses that were in townhouses.
Longford Hall was built in 1785. It was designed by Joseph Bonomi.
The hall is on a small hill and looks out over farmland. It has formal gardens and a "Quad" area. Behind the hall are other buildings, including a dovecote.
When students join the school in Year 7, boarders live in dormitories. When they move to Beaumaris Court, they usually share double rooms or sometimes have single rooms.
Combined Cadet Force
The Haberdashers' Adams CCF is a group that students in Year 8 and above can join. It teaches students about military skills and leadership. Many students from the CCF go on to study at military academies like Sandhurst. The CCF also takes part in local events, like the parade on Remembrance Sunday.
The CCF has its own building for equipment and meetings. They sometimes have overnight exercises to practice battle skills. These are held at places like Longford Hall or military training areas. The CCF is inspected every two years by a senior officer from the Army or RAF.
Both the Army and RAF sections of the CCF have summer camps. They visit real military bases like RAF Cranwell. Students can also go to adventure training camps and leadership courses. They even get to attend special events like D-Day commemorations.
The CCF has made many improvements recently. In 2023, a new leadership role called "Senior Cadet" was created.
Sport
Haberdashers' Adams has a strong tradition in rugby. All boys in Years 7 and 8 play rugby during the autumn and spring terms. In Year 9, students can choose to keep playing rugby or switch to field hockey. Cricket and athletics are the main sports in the summer term. Older students in Year 11 and Sixth Form have more sports choices. Most sports training and events happen at the school's Longford Hall playing fields. Each year group has a special afternoon each week for sports at Longford.
Old Novaportans
Former students of Haberdashers' Adams are called "Old Novaportans" (or "ONs"). The school supports the Old Novaportans' Club. This club organizes reunions, dinners, and sports events for its members throughout the year.
Notable Former Students
Here are some well-known Old Novaportans:
Academia
- Donald Court (1912–1994) – A professor of Child Health.
- William Cureton (1808–1864) – An expert in ancient Eastern languages.
- Dave Goulson (born 1965) – A professor who studies bumblebees and started the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
- Thomas Hollis (1720–1774) – A supporter of Harvard University.
- Helmut Koenigsberger (1918–2014) – A history professor at King's College, London.
- Sir Oliver Lodge (1851–1940) – An inventor and the first head of Birmingham University.
- James E. Quibell (1867–1935) – A leading British archaeologist who studied ancient Egypt.
- Maurice Stacey (1907–94) – A scientist who helped create Vitamin C.
Clergy
- Silvester Horne (1865–1914) – A Member of Parliament and a church minister.
- Gerald Lander (1861–1934) – A Bishop in Hong Kong.
- Thomas Percy (1729–1811) – A Bishop who wrote Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.
Media and Arts
- M. J. Bassett – A film director and scriptwriter.
- Simon Bates (born 1946) – A radio disc jockey.
- Barrington J. Bayley (1937–2008) – A science fiction writer.
- Radzi Chinyanganya (born 1987) – A presenter for the TV show Blue Peter.
- Jerskin Fendrix (born 1995) – A musician who was nominated for an Academy Award.
- Ewen Henderson (1934–2000) – A sculptor.
- Eliot Higgins (born 1979) – An investigative journalist who founded Bellingcat.
- Shini Muthukrishnan (born 2002) – A presenter for the TV show Blue Peter since 2024.
Politics & Business
- Peter Butler (born 1951) – A former Member of Parliament.
- Jeremy Corbyn (born 1949) – A Member of Parliament and former leader of the Labour Party.
- Nick Jenkins (born 1967) – The chief executive of moonpig.com.
- John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower (1694–1754) – A powerful government official.
- Thomas Parker, Earl of Macclesfield (1666–1732) – A high-ranking judge and acting leader of Great Britain.
Military
- Captain Thomas Ashburnham (1855–1924) – The 6th Earl of Ashburnham.
- General George Colt Langley (1810–96) – A General in the Royal Marines.
- Major-General Francis Ventris (1857–1929) – A General Officer Commanding British Forces in China.
Sports
- Cedric Boyns (born 1954) – A cricket player.
- Thalia Holmes (born 2004) – A chess player.
- Graham Kitchener (born 1989) – A rugby player for England.
- Peter Ranells (born 1954) – A cricket player.
- Dan Redfern (born 1990) – A cricket player.
- Peter Short (born 1979) – A rugby player.
Former Staff
- Tom Collins (1841-1934) - A cricketer who later became headmaster.
- Donald Fear – A history teacher who won £1,000,000 on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?
- Ryan Palmer (born 1974) – A maths teacher and former Jamaican national chess champion.
- Agnes Miller Parker (1895–1980) – A former art teacher, engraver, and illustrator.
- Alec Peterson (1908–1988) – A former headmaster who started the International Baccalaureate.
See also
- Longford Hall – The junior boarding house and sports fields owned by the school.
- Grade II* listed buildings in Telford and Wrekin
- Listed buildings in Newport, Shropshire
