Pocklington School

Pocklington School
Motto Virtute et Veritate
Established 1514
Type Independent School
Headmaster Mark Ronan
Location West Green
Pocklington
East Riding of Yorkshire
YO42 2NJ
England
Coordinates: 53°55′45″N 0°46′57″W / 53.929040°N 0.782430°W / 53.929040; -0.782430
Ages 4–18
Website www.pocklingtonschool.com

Pocklington School is an independent school in Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1514 by John Dolman. The school is situated in 70 acres (28 ha) of land, on the outskirts of the small market town, 12 miles (19 km) from York and 26 miles (42 km) from Hull. It is an Anglican foundation and Friday morning church is compulsory for years 7-11, although pupils from all faiths are accepted. It is the 67th oldest school in the United Kingdom and celebrated its 500th birthday in 2014.

Introduction

Pupils sit entrance exams in order to join the senior school, years 711. After having taken GCSEs, pupils may enter the Pocklington School Sixth Form, providing they meet the required results (6 GCSEs grades - to include 4B and 2C). The main points of entry to the senior school are 11+, 13+ and 16+. Entry is subject to examination and references from the pupil’s current school. Academic and music scholarships are available at most entry levels including the sixth form. Pocklington School has a pre-prep and junior section, Pocklington Prep School, situated on the same grounds, accepting pupils of ages 411.

The current Headmaster is Mark Ronan, appointed from January 2008. He was previously Deputy Head at Trent College, having taught economics.

Pocklington, like many private schools in the United Kingdom, has a number of traditions, such as the year group naming convention (first form, second form, etc.). Its motto Virtute et Veritate is Latin for By truth and virtue.

There are four houses: Dolman (named after the school's founder John Dolman), Gruggen and Hutton (named after former headmasters Rev. Gruggen and Rev. Hutton) and Wilberforce (named after the 18th/19th century anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce who attended the school). Each student from a new family is entered into a house; all following siblings enter the same house.

The school has an armed forces centre, located on the edge of campus in the Annand VC Cadet Centre.[1] The Combined Cadet Force takes part in various competitions each year and cadets can attend camps around the country.

The school sports hall is housed in the train shed of the former Pocklington railway station, designed by George Townsend Andrews.[2]

Recent GCSE results

In 2012, 97.1% of GCSE candidates achieved 5 A*-C grades including Maths and English: 99.2% achieved 5 A* to C grades and 55.9% of all grades were A* or A. [3]

William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce was the school's most notable pupil. He attended Pocklington School from 177176 and is famous as the parliamentary campaigner who brought about the abolition of the slave trade and the emancipation of slaves.[4] A statue of a freed slave sculpted by Peter Tatham (198393) is in the centre of the St Nicholas Quadrangle. A bronze statue of Wilberforce as a boy, by York sculptress Sally Arnup, stands near the school foyer. Erected in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of slave emancipation, Dr John Sentamu unveiled the new statue in autumn 2007.[5] Pocklington School appeared in a television programme entitled In Search of Wilberforce, made by former BBC news presenter Moira Stuart, and first shown on BBC 2 on 16 March 2007.

Notable former pupils

References

  1. "New centre for cadets at Pocklington School". This is Hull and East Riding. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  2. Bairstow, Martin (1990). Railways In East Yorkshire. Martin Bairstow. ISBN 1-871944-03-1.
  3. "Pocklington School GCSE Results Summary 2010" (PDF). www.pocklingtonschool.com. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  4. "Pocklington History - William Wilberforce". www.pocklingtonhistory.com. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  5. "Statue unveiled - Pocklington Post". Pocklington Post. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  6. "Obituary". The Daily Telegraph (London). 18 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  7. "’Bitesize’ Project Archive 1514 – Lord Moran" (PDF). Pocklington 500. Pocklington School. Retrieved 6 June 2015.

External links

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