St Peter's School, York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's School, York |
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| Address | |
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St Peter's
, , YO30 6AB
England
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| Coordinates | 53°57′59″N 1°05′34″W / 53.966418°N 1.092850°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school Private day and boarding |
| Motto | Super Antiquas Vias ("Over ancient ways") |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Church of England |
| Established | AD 627 |
| Founder | St Paulinus of York |
| Local authority | City of York Council |
| Department for Education URN | 121724 Tables |
| Headmaster | Jeremy Walker |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 2 to 18 |
| Enrolment | c. 1,000 |
| Houses |
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| Colour(s) | Brown, Blue, White |
| Former pupils | Old Peterites |
| Website | https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk/ |
St Peter's School is a private school in York, England. It's for both boys and girls, and students can live there (boarding) or just attend classes during the day. The school has large grounds next to the River Ouse.
It was started by St Paulinus of York way back in 627 AD. This makes it one of the oldest schools in the world! St Peter's is part of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, a group of leading independent schools. The school welcomes students from age two up to eighteen.
Contents
- Discover the History of St Peter's School
- Explore the School Campus
- St Peter's 2–8: Early Years Learning
- St Peter's 8–13: Junior School Adventures
- Academic Life and Learning
- Sports and Activities at St Peter's
- Music and Arts Programs
- School Houses and Boarding Life
- Religion and Chapel Services
- The Special Connection with York Minster
- School Traditions
- Famous Former Students
- Images for kids
Discover the History of St Peter's School
St Peter's School was founded in York by St Paulinus of York in 627 AD. It was first located near York Minster. An early headmaster, Alcuin, later became an important advisor to Emperor Charlemagne. Alcuin even helped start some of the first schools in Europe!
The school moved several times over the centuries. During the English Civil War, its building was destroyed. It finally moved to its current location in 1844. For most of its history, St Peter's was only for boys. Girls joined the older classes (sixth form) in 1976, and by 1987, it became a school for both boys and girls.
Explore the School Campus
The school grounds are close to the centre of York and reach all the way to the River Ouse. The main part of the school, which is the oldest, faces Bootham road.
Some of the boarding houses are on the main campus. Others are across the road, connected by a footbridge. In the 2000s, the school grew to include a new lower campus. This area used to be Queen Anne's, another school that had closed.
St Peter's 2–8: Early Years Learning
St Peter's 2–8 is the school for the youngest children, from ages two to eight. It used to be called Clifton Pre-preparatory School. This school is located on the Upper Campus, right next to the main senior school buildings in York. The current Head of St Peter's 2–8 is Antonia Clarke.
This pre-prep school has won awards! In 2018 and 2021, it was named the best pre-prep school in the annual TES Independent School Awards.
St Peter's 8–13: Junior School Adventures
St Peter's 8–13 is the junior school for students aged eight to thirteen. It was formerly known as St Olave's School. This part of the school also has grounds along the River Ouse. Phil Hardy is the current Head of St Peter's 8–13.
St Olave's was founded in 1876 and joined St Peter's School in 1901. It was renamed St Peter's 8–13 in 2020. In 2001, St Olave's moved to the Queen Anne site, which is now the Lower Campus. This campus also houses the senior school's Biology and Art departments.
Academic Life and Learning
St Peter's School is known for its strong academic results across all age groups. Students learn a variety of subjects.
For example, Latin is a required subject for the first three years of study. Students can also choose to continue Latin for their GCSE and A Level exams. Religious Studies is another subject that all students must take for their GCSEs.
Sports and Activities at St Peter's
The school offers many different sports and activities. These include rugby, football, hockey, netball, tennis, cricket, rowing, and athletics. There are also sports like basketball, badminton, cross-country, climbing, squash, swimming, and water polo.
St Peter's has excellent sports facilities. These include fields, gyms, an indoor swimming pool, and tennis courts. They also have special Astroturf pitches and a boathouse for rowing.
The school's cricket team won a national T20 competition in 2024. The rugby teams have also had great success, winning national competitions in 2002 and 2019. The St Peter's School Boat Club, one of the oldest school rowing clubs, has seen many students compete at international levels.
The school also has a Combined Cadet Force (CCF), which helps students develop leadership and teamwork skills.
Music and Arts Programs
Music is a big part of life at St Peter's. The School Choir has over 150 members! There are also smaller, more advanced choirs like the Chapel Choir and Chamber Choir.
Choir highlights include singing at York Minster and other famous places like St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. The school also has many other music groups, including:
- Barbershop Quartets
- Brass Group
- Chamber Groups
- String Orchestras
- Swing Band
- Symphony Orchestra
Since 2019, St Peter's 8–13 has been the choir school for the York Minster Choristers. This means the Minster's choir students attend St Peter's.
School Houses and Boarding Life
St Peter's has ten different houses for students. Some are for students who live at school (boarding houses), and others are for students who go home each day (day houses). Each house has its own colour.
- Girls' Boarding Houses: Dronfield (pink) and The Rise (white).
- Boys' Boarding Houses: Linton (baby blue) and The Manor (gold).
- Day Houses: Clifton (yellow), The Grove (red), Queen's (purple), Temple (green), School (maroon), and Hope (orange).
The house system is a very old tradition at the school. It helps students feel part of a smaller community within the larger school. In 2007, the school's boarding facilities received an 'Outstanding' rating from Ofsted, which inspects schools in the UK.
Religion and Chapel Services
The school has its own Chapel, and students attend services three mornings a week. Special services are held for Christian festivals. On Remembrance Sunday, all students place poppies on a book that lists former students who died in conflicts. The school's Christmas Carol Service is held at York Minster.
Religious education is a required subject until the Sixth Form. It is taught by both teachers and the school's two Church of England clergy.
The Special Connection with York Minster
York Minster has a long and important connection with St Peter's School. The school's founder, St Paulinus of York, was an Archbishop of York. The school's name, St Peter's, is even similar to the Minster's official name, The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter.
At the end of each school year, a special service and prize-giving event are held at the Minster. The school choir often sings there, and the annual Christmas Carol Service is also held at the Minster. Since 2020, St Peter's School has been the home for the York Minster Choristers.
School Traditions
St Peter's School has many unique traditions that have been passed down through generations:
- Morning Prayers – All students attend chapel services on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
- Eucharist – A school-wide Eucharist service takes place once a term and during important Christian festivals.
- Uniform – Students wear a brown uniform with the "cross keys" symbol of St Peter. Older students in the Sixth Form wear dark suits.
- Gowns – Students wear special gowns for public events and services. The Head Boy and Head Girl wear brown gowns, while other prefects wear navy. Choir members wear red gowns. Teachers also wear gowns for formal events.
- Capping – This is a special award given to students for amazing achievements in sports at the end of each season.
- 5 November – On Guy Fawkes Night, the school does not burn a 'Guy' on a bonfire. This is because Guy Fawkes was a former student of St Peter's. However, there is a fireworks display for students who live at the school.
- Fagging – This old tradition, where younger students served older students, was stopped in 1977.
Famous Former Students
Many notable people have attended St Peter's School. Here are a few examples:
Sports Stars
- Jonny Bairstow – A professional cricketer who plays for England.
- Frank Mitchell – A famous cricketer.
- James Thompson (racing driver) – A professional auto racing driver.
- Norman Yardley – An English cricketer.
Academics and Thinkers
- Christopher Hill – A well-known historian.
- C. Northcote Parkinson – A naval historian and author, famous for Parkinson's Law.
- Harold Dennis Taylor – An inventor.
Artists and Media Personalities
- John Barry – A famous composer, known for writing music for many James Bond films.
- Katherine Downes – A television presenter who specializes in sports.
- Harry Gration – A popular broadcaster for the BBC.
- Greg Wise – An English actor.
Political Figures
- John Healey – A British politician.
- Alan Mak – A Member of Parliament.
- James Wharton, Baron Wharton of Yarm – A British politician.
Historical Figures
- Guy Fawkes – A conspirator in the Gunpowder Plot.
- Sir Thomas Herbert, 1st Baronet – A gentleman who served King Charles I.
- John and Christopher Wright – Also involved in the Gunpowder Plot.
Images for kids
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Pupils of St Peter’s School, York celebrating St Peter’s Day in 1911
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St Peter’s School Boathouse on the River Ouse
