St Michael's Prep School, Otford
 | |
| Motto | Perseverantia, Sapientia, Gratia |
|---|---|
| Established | 1872 |
| Type | Preparatory school (United Kingdom) |
| Headteacher | Jill Aisher |
| Chair of Governors | Paula Carter |
| Founder | Arthur Tooth |
| Location |
Otford Court Otford Kent TN14 5SA England  |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 2–13 |
| Houses | Dover, Leeds, Rochester, Windsor |
| Website |
www |
St Michael's Prep School is a coeducational preparatory school in Otford, located in a 90-acre (360,000 m2) site in the North Downs, Kent, England.
History
St Michael's was founded at Hatcham in 1872 by the Reverend Arthur Tooth as a school and home for the sons of the clergy, naval and military officers as well as professionals who had suffered bereavement or fallen on hard times. The school now has more than 460 pupils.
Abuse allegations
In 2005, actor John Hurt stated in an interview with the Independent on Sunday that when he was a pupil at the school he was abused by Donald Cormack, then Senior Master of the school and later became Head Teacher until his retirement in 1981.[1] According to Hurt, Cormack used to remove his two false front teeth and insert his tongue into boys' mouths. Hurt also said that Cormack used to rub the boys' faces with his stubble. Hurt said that the experience affected him "hugely". According to the interviewer, Sholto Byrnes, he and Hurt have a mutual friend who had earlier made the same allegations to Byrnes.[2]
Notable alumni
Teachers
Pupils
- John Hurt
- Roy Martin Haines
- Tom Bosworth - represented his country in race walking in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
- Lizzy Yarnold - silver medallist in the 2011 Bob Skeleton Junior World Championships[3] and 2014 winter Olympic gold medalist.
References
- Sally Maria Jones, St Michael's School, Otford: Recollections, Observations, and Celebrations. The Story of St Michael's School, Otford, Since its Foundation in Hatcham, New Cross, in 1872 (Sevenoaks: Amherst, 2004; 255pp., with illustrations and portraits; ISBN 1-903637-22-8)
External links
Coordinates: 51°18′46″N 0°12′27″E / 51.3127°N 0.2075°E
