Jump to content

The Latymer School

Coordinates: 51°37′30″N 0°04′28″W / 51.6250°N 0.0744°W / 51.6250; -0.0744
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the independent school in Hammersmith, London, see Latymer Upper School.

The Latymer School
Address
Map
Haselbury Road

Edmonton
,
Greater London
,
N9 9TN

England
Coordinates51°37′30″N 0°04′28″W / 51.6250°N 0.0744°W / 51.6250; -0.0744
Information
TypeVoluntary aided grammar school
MottoLatin: Qui Patitur Vincit
("He who endures wins")
Established1624; 401 years ago (1624)
FounderEdward Latymer
Local authorityEnfield Council
Department for Education URN102055 Tables
OfstedReports
Chair of the Governing BoardStephen Way
HeadteacherJoseph Gilford
Staff141 (as of November 2016)
GenderCo-educational
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1,365 (2016–17 academic year)
Houses  Ashworth
  Dolbé
  Keats
  Lamb
  Latymer
  Wyatt
Colour(s)Royal and navy blue
   
Websitehttps://www.latymer.co.uk

The Latymer School is a selective, mixed grammar school in Edmonton, London, England, established in 1624 by Edward Latymer. The school has formal links with St John's College, Cambridge (Edward Latymer's College) and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (the College of Edward Latymer's father, William Latymer) which have endowments which may be used for the furtherance of the studies of former Latymer pupils at those colleges.

History

[edit]

Foundation and Early Development

[edit]

The Latymer School was established in 1624 on Church Street, Edmonton, by the will of Edward Latymer (1557–1627), a legal official at the Court of Wards and Liveries.[1] In his will, he left property in Hammersmith to fund clothing and education for eight poor boys of Edmonton and eight of Fulham, then including Hammersmith (now known as the Latymer Upper School). Each boy was to receive a doublet, breeches, a shirt, woollen stockings, and shoes on Ascension Day and All Saints’ Day, marked with a red cross on the left sleeve. They were to learn to read in English and be instructed in “God’s true religion” at local petty schools until the age of thirteen.[2]

Despite these instructions, Latymer’s relatives, Thomas and Bartrum Themilthorpe, contested the will in the Court of Chancery, leading to a legal dispute that delayed implementation until 1634.[3] The property was finally conveyed to the Edmonton trustees in 1628, and the first headmaster, Rev. John Brooke (1634–?), was appointed.[4] The school did not bear Latymer’s name for some centuries, as his will stated that the students would simply be known as "Latymer’s Poor Alms Boys".[2]

In 1662, John Wild of Edmonton made a bequest for the annual maintenance of a schoolmaster and a poor scholar at Cambridge. In 1697, Thomas Style extended the bequest to fund the education of "twenty poor boys ... Grammar and Latin tongue." Several similar benefactions produced about £550 per annum, which funded the instruction of more than one hundred boys, of which sixty were clothed.[5]

18th and 19th Century

[edit]

By the late 18th century, the school was under John Adams (1781–1802)[6] and later his son, John Adams II (1802–1826), who introduced a numbered medal system for ranking students by academic merit. In 1811, a new schoolroom was built using a £500 bequest from Ann Wyatt, a widow from Hackney who willed her husbands Navy Annuities.[7]

By 1848, under Charles Henry Adams (1826–1867), a vestry inquiry found Latin was no longer taught and clothing was inconsistently provided.[8] He and his son continued until Rev. Dr. Charles Vincent Dolbé (1867–1897) was appointed, under whom a new scheme diverted some foundation income to local elementary schools. During his tenure, the motto was Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat ('Let he who bears the palm (of honour) deserve it') was in use.[4]

In 1897, William Shearer (1897–1909) became headmaster. He faced inadequate facilities and opposition from Robert S. Gregory, Vicar of Edmonton, who proposed redirecting school funds to a Church of England elementary school. The lower school moved to Maldon Road in 1901, and land was acquired on Hazelbury Road for a new upper school. Before construction began, Shearer died in an accident in 1908.[5]

20th Century to the Present

[edit]

The upper school reopened on 24 September 1910[9] as a coeducational grammar school under Richard Ashworth (1910–1928).[1] That same year, the name Edmonton Latymer School was formally adopted and the motto changed to Qui Patitur Vincit ("He who endures wins"). The school expanded in 1924 and 1928, and by Ashworth's death, it had over 700 pupils.[10] During this expansion in this period, two additional houses were established: Keats and Lamb, named in honour of two of Edmonton's literary figures, John Keats and Charles Lamb.[4]

Victor Davis (1929–1957) led the school through the Great Depression and Second World War, during his tenure, the school was granted voluntary aided status in 1951.[4] He was succeeded by Dr. Trefor Jones (1957–1979), under whom the school adopted a comprehensive intake in 1967, following Circular 10/65, while retaining informal selection practices.[4]

The school later became a Grant-Maintained School under the Education Reform Act 1988, which allowed it to receive funding directly from central government and operate independently of the local education authority. Following the enactment of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the school reverted to voluntary aided status, returning to local authority coordination while retaining certain administrative and religious freedoms.[citation needed]

In 2024, The Latymer School celebrated its 400th anniversary with a series of events, including a concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London, featuring performances by current and former students to an audience of 2,300.[11]

Form and House System

[edit]

From Years 7 to 11, each year group consists of 192 students randomly divided into six Form Groups, aligned with the school's house system. These groups remain the same throughout the five years, with daily registration and occasional assemblies and extended form periods.

The school has six houses, each named after a historical figure associated with the school:

  • Ashworth – Richard Ashworth, Headmaster (1910-1928)
  • Dolbe – Rev. Dr. Charles Vincent Dolbe, Headmaster (1867-1897)
  • Keats – John Keats, poet educated in Enfield
  • Lamb – Charles Lamb, poet who lived in Edmonton
  • Latymer – Edward Latymer, the school’s founder
  • Wyatt – Ann Wyatt, a benefactor who supported the school's establishment in 1811

These house affiliations continue if students stay on for the Sixth Form. Houses compete in sports and arts events, earning points toward the Dormer Shield and Jones Cup, and also organise fundraising activities for selected charities.[12]

School site

[edit]
The Latymer School seen from Haselbury Road

Much of the north end of the school (principally the Small Hall and surrounding rooms) was built in 1910 after the Old Latymer Schoolhouse (Built mainly by Ann Wyatt and extended in the time of Charles Dolbé) in Church Street was abandoned. The buildings on the present site were provided by Middlesex County Council at a cost of £6,782, and accommodated 150 pupils. Twelve classrooms built in 1924 in the North Block allowed pupil capacity to triple.[4]

The Great Hall, science laboratories and South Block were opened in a ceremony in 1928 by the Duke and Duchess of York.[4][13] Fully equipped with stage and seating for over 1,000 people, the hall is used for school assemblies, concerts, drama productions and other major events. It is home to the Davis organ, which was repaired and upgraded in 2005.[14]

The gymnasia, art studios and technology block were opened in 1966 by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.[15] The 12 science laboratories and 6 technology rooms (including facilities for graphic design, product design, textiles and cookery) were re-equipped and modernised in the late 1990s.[citation needed]

Much of the school was modernised in the time of the headmaster, Dr. Trefor Jones (1957-1970). The balconies were altered in the Great Hall so that the pillars were not so obstructive to the view of the stage and the balustrade removed and replaced with panels of fluted light oak. Dark green tiles adorned the walls below the dado rail in much of the older parts of the school which were removed and the walls refinished.[4]

The sixth form common room was converted in 2000 from the Jones Lecture Theatre, which had itself been converted from a gymnasium to mark the retirement of Jones as headmaster in 1970. The sixth form study area was built as the common room in 1984 to mark the retirement of headmaster Edward Kelly. Upon the conversion of the Jones Lecture Theatre to the common room, the 1984 building was made into a space for the sixth form to study in their free periods and a connecting building was built between the two, housing offices for the Head of the Sixth Form and a servery for sixth form students.[citation needed]

In the spring of 2000, the Mills Building, named after former headmaster Geoffrey Mills (1983-1998), was opened as a performing arts complex to serve the Music, Drama, and Media Studies departments. Constructed in the 1990s on the site of the school's old dining huts, it now stands as the home for music and the performing arts[16]

The Ysgol centre

The school owns a residential outdoor pursuits centre in Snowdonia National Park, Wales. The centre, Ysgol Latymer, was established on the site of an old primary school situated in the small village of Cwm Penmachno (5 miles from Betws-y-Coed) in 1966, as a 'school away from school'. Since, the school has developed it into a residential centre, accommodating up to forty staff and pupils. It acts as a base of operations for week-long trips in the first year.[17][18]

The Seward Studio is a flexible performance and gallery space named after Dame Margaret Seward, a former head girl and Chair of Governors from 1983 to 1994. Opened in February 2010 as part of the school’s centenary celebrations, it was created by converting the old boys’ gym into a state-of-the-art venue for assemblies, performances, exhibitions, and cinema screenings. Designed by former BBC engineer Don McQuistan and installed by Robert Bruce of Fox Visual Systems, the studio seats up to 180 with removable seating, and features a dry acoustic with an adjustable reverb system for music, plus a Crestron control system for easy technical operation. On opening day, it hosted live drama and transformed into a high-definition surround-sound cinema, reflecting its wide-ranging potential.[9][14][19]

The school owns 12 acres (49,000 m2) of playing fields laid out for football, hockey, rugby union, cricket, rounders and athletics according to season.[citation needed]

The entrance to the Sports/Catering facility

A new Sports and Dining Complex was opened in a ceremony by Princess Anne on 18 May 2006.[20] The facility is a brownfield development, occupying only slightly more area than the previous catering facility from the 1940s. Various environmentally friendly measures are incorporated into its design, including solar panels providing hot water, sun pipes reducing the need for artificial lighting and wind catchers to provide ventilation.[21][14]

In September 2022 a new 3G all-weather football pitch was opened on the playing field, built with funding from the Football Foundation.[14][22]

Ofsted judgement and school ranking

[edit]

The school underwent its most recent Ofsted inspection on 24 March 2022, when it received an overall grade of 'Good', after having previously been graded 'Outstanding' on 25 January 2008. Its 6th form facilities remain graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.[23] In the 2025 'Parent Power' rankings, published by The Times newspaper, the school was ranked 17th in the UK. In 2024, 86% of GCSE examinations achieved A-grades (17th nationwide), and 68% of entries gained A-grades at A-level, while 87% obtained A or B grades (21st nationwide).[24]

Notable former pupils

[edit]
See also: Category:People educated at The Latymer School

In entertainment

In politics

In academia

In sport

In music

Other

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Our history". The Latymer School. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b Will of Edward Latymer, dated March 16th, 1624, Register 15 Skynner, preserved at Somerset House.
  3. ^ Wards Pleadings (Wards, 13), f. 122, Bartrum Themilthorpe v. Rose Pinckney and Thomas Themilthorpe; and Wards Order Books, 1627-8, 9/542, 543.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Morris, Joseph Acton (1975). A History of the Latymer School at Edmonton. The Latymer School.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^ a b "Schools: Latymer and Godolphin Schools | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  6. ^ Author of Mathematician's Companion (1796) and Extracts from a Meteorological Journal kept at Edmonton (1814).
  7. ^ "Latymer - Four Centuries of Giving". The Latymer Foundation. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  8. ^ Sturges, Schs. of Edmonton Hund. 27; Rep. Edmonton Char. Investigation Cttee. (1849), 28, 36.
  9. ^ a b "School kicks off centenary celebrations with new studio". Enfield Independent. Archived from the original on 29 April 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  10. ^ Sturges, Schs. of Edmonton Hund. 33-38; correspondence in Tottenham Herald, Sept. 1899-June 1900, 21 July 1933.
  11. ^ "The Latymer School Online Community". The Latymer School Online Community. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  12. ^ "House system". The Latymer School. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  13. ^ British Pathé (13 April 2014). Duke And Duchess Of York (1928). Retrieved 11 March 2025 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ a b c d "Hire facilities at The Latymer School - SchoolHire". schoolhire.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Queen Mother's Visit to Latymer School 1966 (Original)". London's Screen Archives. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Geoffrey Mills 1935-2022". The Latymer School. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  17. ^ "The Latymer School Online Community". The Latymer School Online Community. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  18. ^ "Year 7 trips to Cwm". The Latymer School. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  19. ^ "Latymer School, London". www.soundtech.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  20. ^ Seward, Margaret (2009). Open wide : memoir of the dental dame. Internet Archive. Durham [England] : Memoir Club. ISBN 978-1-84104-107-0.
  21. ^ "George Alagiah 1955-2023". The Latymer School. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  22. ^ "The Latymer School Online Community". The Latymer School Online Community. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  23. ^ "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". 6 October 2020.
  24. ^ "The Latymer School". The Times. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  25. ^ Mank, G.W. (2005). Women in Horror Films, 1940s. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7864-2335-4. Retrieved 22 March 2024. Latymer School in London, as well as the Golophyn School and the Tacchomo School of Music and Dramatic"
  26. ^ Davis, Anna (4 September 2006). "I'd rather study law says rising film star". London Evening Standard. ES London. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  27. ^ "EncycloCentral -". Archived from the original on 22 April 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  28. ^ Kennedy, Maev (22 December 2006). "He can sing, dance, make jokes, his timing is immaculate. He could match Sammy Davis Junior step for step". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  29. ^ timpope.tv : bio Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Barber, John. "Leslie Welch – The Memory Man". Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  31. ^ Coveney, Michael (14 May 2013). "Aubrey Woods obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  32. ^ Jackson, Benjamin (14 February 2024). "BAFTAs 2024 Who is Vivian Oparah, the "Rye Lane" actress nominated for the Best Actress award?". The National World. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  33. ^ "Jasmine Blackborow: Movies, TV, and Bio". 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  34. ^ Nasrullah, Harun (29 January 2021). "Former MEPs head for the House of Lords". The Muslim News. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  35. ^ "I couldn't paint golden angels – Chapter I". Retrieved 30 January 2017. As I didn't go to an upper-class school, though Latymer was reckoned so locally ... Kids were offered bright hopes in schools like the Latymer School, Edmonton, which was perhaps of the best of its kind, and taught hitherto middle class values to the sons and daughters of the working class
  36. ^ Spanner, Huw (2020). "Young, Gifted and Brown". High Profiles. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  37. ^ Wilkinson, F.L. (2020). The Territorial Air Force: The RAF's Voluntary Squadrons, 1926–1957. Pen & Sword Books. p. 213. ISBN 978-1-5267-5105-8. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  38. ^ "Janus: The Papers of Mark Abrams". University of Cambridge. Retrieved 18 March 2024. He was educated at the Latymer School in Edmonton
  39. ^ Obituaries, Telegraph (15 August 2021). "Dame Margaret Seward, trailblazing dentist who reached the heights of her profession and oversaw a transformation in the health of British teeth – obituary". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  40. ^ "History of the OU – John Horlock". Open University. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  41. ^ "Library Lives: Liz Jolly, British Library Boston Spa and St Pancras". 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  42. ^ "John Prebble". February 2001. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  43. ^ "Stephen Wheatcroft, aviation expert – obituary". The Telegraph. 9 May 2016.
  44. ^ "Stephen Wheatcroft | Register | The Times".
  45. ^ Maybury, Mark (1 January 2007). "Yorick Alexander Wilks: A Meaningful Journey". In Ahmad, Khurshid; Brewster, Christopher; Stevenson, Mark (eds.). Words and Intelligence II. Text, Speech and Language Technology. Vol. 36. Springer Netherlands. pp. 1–37. doi:10.1007/1-4020-5833-0_1. ISBN 978-1-4020-5832-5.
  46. ^ dave@kingserv.org. "The detailed history of trampolining from Nissen to Blake and still onwards". Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  47. ^ Gardner, J. (2017). Johnny Haynes. Pitch Publishing. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-78531-347-9. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  48. ^ Glanville, Brian (22 March 2001). "Les Medley". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  49. ^ "arthur sanders – fact file". Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  50. ^ Ralston, Gary (9 September 2016). "My old pal Mark Warburton's trying to make me a Rangers man but I'd LOVE a Celtic win says Frank McLintock". The Daily Record. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  51. ^ a b Bellotti, Alex. "Highly-strung sounds of success for Clean Bandit". Hampstead Highgate Express. Archived from the original on 29 December 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  52. ^ Fordham, John (24 September 2007). "Richard Cook". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  53. ^ "Kenny White on Barrie Wilson". Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  54. ^ "Nomination: Diocese of Salisbury". Prime Minister's Office. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  55. ^ Church of England (2011). The Church of England Year Book. Church Information Office [and] Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. ISBN 978-0-7151-1047-8. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Latymer School, Edmonton.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Latymer_School&oldid=1288952265"