Whitgift School was founded in 1596 by the Archbishop of CanterburyJohn Whitgift and opened in 1600 as part of the Whitgift Foundation which had the aim of building a hospital and school in Croydon for the "poor, needy and impotent people" from the parishes of Croydon and Lambeth. Originally located in North End, Croydon in 1931 it moved to its current site, Haling Park, which was once home to Lord Howard of Effingham, the Lord High Admiral of the Fleet sent against the Spanish Armada. The school was previously a grammar school and direct grant grammar school, but the school's headmaster is now a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Originally a day school, boarding was introduced in 1992, and a boarding house was opened for the 2013–14 school year. Between 1871 and 1946 the school was known as Whitgift Grammar School, after which it relinquished its direct grant and became a fully independent school known as 'Whitgift School'.
Grounds and buildings
Whitgift is located in a parkland site. The ship that features prominently on the top of the school hall is a reminder of the history of the site. Additions since the 400th anniversary of the school have been a maze in the founder's garden, an aviary, an enclosure for Prevost's squirrels, ponds and a sports complex. The original buildings have been supplemented by many additions and improvements including a Music School and Concert Hall, an integrated facility for science, technology, art and design together with library and resource centres, a separate Lower School building, and a major new Sports and Conference Centre which was opened in February 2005. A new Art Department, Performing Arts Centre and a new Sixth Form Centre were completed in the middle of 2011. Whitgift has a wide variety of animals, including peacocks on the grounds since the 1930s, and flamingos. In 2005 Sir David Attenborough visited the school to open the ponds, the enclosure of which also houses various waterfowl, including Hawaiian geese, which the zoo successfully bred.
Admissions
Most boys are admitted to the school at the ages of 10 or 11. Smaller numbers of boys enter the school at 12, 13, 14 and 16. Entry is based on performance in entrance exams and interviews, and an assessment of a boy's ability to contribute to wider school life and to benefit from the co-curricular activities offered. Scholarships are awarded, offering a remission of up to 50% of the school fees. Aside from academic scholarships, they may be awarded for particular talent in music, art, design technology or sport, or as an all-rounder. A substantial number of bursaries are also awarded up to the value of the full fees.
Education
In year 7, boys must choose three languages to study; one Romance, one inflected and one Oriental. In year 9, boys can drop a language, but can also take up either Italian or Ancient Greek which is studied off-timetable. In the Fifth Form, boys undertake a broad curriculum in a mixture of GCSE and IGCSE subjects. Since 2005, Whitgift has offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme to the Sixth Form as an optional alternative to A-Levels, as well as BTEC qualifications in sport and business studies.
Co-curricular activities
Whitgift School offers co-curricular activities within the school. This is reflected in the sporting facilities as well as an array of musical activities.
Combined Cadet Force
Whitgift has a combined cadet force. The school has partnerships with two local state schools St. Andrews C of E High School and Thomas More School, allowing their students to take part in CCF activities.
Sport
The school has a sporting tradition, and fields teams in a range of sports. Whitgift has a sports and conference centre which hosts competitions in a wide range of sports the Health & Fitness Centre, a 55 station gym and group exercise studio are open to students and their families. Whitgift has a number of former sporting professionals currently coaching at the school. The Women’s GB Handball team has trained on occasions at Whitgift School as has the England Korfball team. In hockey Whitgift won the National Indoor Hockey Championships at Under 15 and Under 18 levels in 2011. The school also become national Under 18 golf champions for the first time in 2014 at Carnoustie. The first recorded cricket match held on the school ground occurred in 1898 when the school played University College School. From 2003 to 2011 the school ground hosted 12 List-A matches for county club Surrey.
Headmasters
Notable alumni
Former pupils of Whitgift are known as "Old Whitgiftians".
The Southern RailwayV Class was known as the Schools Class because all 40 locomotives were named after public schools. "Whitgift", SR no. 916 and BR no. 30916, was built in 1934 and withdrawn in 1962. The Whitgift nameplate that was formerly mounted on the front driving wheel-splasher of the locomotive is now on display in the Raeburn Library in the school. Hornby Models created an OO gauge replica of the 916 Whitgift Schools Class locomotive. Whitgift has one on display in the Raeburn Library underneath the Whitgift nameplate from the 4–4–0 train.
