Bristol Cathedral School

Bristol Cathedral Choir School
Established 1140
Type Academy
Headteacher Mr Neil Blundell
Location College Square
Bristol
England
Students c.470
Ages 11 to 18
Website Bristol Cathedral Choir School Website
Coordinates: 51°27′03″N 2°36′10″W / 51.4508, -2.6029
Bristol Cathedral Choir School

Bristol Cathedral Choir School (grid reference ST582726) is an Academy in Bristol, England. It is situated next to the Cathedral itself, just outside the centre of the city.

Contents

History

Originally founded in 1140 as part of what was then Bristol Abbey, it was refounded by Henry VIII in 1542 after he had dissolved the monastery. It began accepting girls into the sixth form in 1982 and became fully co-educational in 2005. The school site in undergoing a period of development: currently a new block is being constructed. The choristers at Bristol Cathedral are all educated at the school, which has a strong musical tradition. The school is a day school and has no boarders, though it nevertheless has a house system made up of four houses - Abbots, Canons, Deans and Priors. In April 2007, the school appointed a new headmaster, Mr Hugh Monro. In July of that year, the school moved towards ending a 30 year period as an independent, fee-paying institution, by applying to change its status to a publicly funded city academy with specialities in music and maths - the first choir school in the country to make such a move. The formal agreement clearing the way for the school to become an Academy in September 2008 was signed on Monday 3 March 2008. The school also changed its name to Bristol Cathedral Choir School.1

Future

In January 2009 Bristol Cathedral Choir School will have a new principal Mr Blundell who will take over from Mr Hugh Monro when he retires. It is likely that he will oversee the school’s £3.5 million new building in College Square – the first stage in an expansion of the School’s facilities that will enable pupil numbers to grow from 400 to over 700.

Buildings

The main school building is part of St Augustine's Abbey, which was founded in 1140. This contains the refectory and a 13th century right-hand archway, with upper walls from the early 16th century. It was extensively altered and partly refaced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building.2 The Abbey House,3 and Deanery4 are also II* listed.

Notable Old Cathedralians

It has been alleged that the influential pseudonymous graffiti artist Banksy, whose identity is a closely guarded secret, is, in fact, a former pupil of Bristol Cathedral School named Robin Gunningham6. Banksy himself has declined to either confirm or deny the allegation.

Former teachers

References

  1. ^ Cathedral school to convert to an academy The Times, July 28, 2007
  2. ^ "Cathedral School". Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
  3. ^ "Abbey House, Cathedral School". Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
  4. ^ " 379308 The Old Deanery, Cathedral School". Images of England. Retrieved on 2007-03-14.
  5. ^ http://www.rylandangel.com/
  6. ^ BBC News online Paper 'reveals Banksy's identity'

See also

External links

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  • This page was last modified on 1 January 2009, at 17:55.

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