Worth School
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| Established | 1933 |
| School type | Catholic Independent boarding and day school |
| Ethos | Benedictine |
| Headmaster | Mr Peter Armstrong |
| Deputy Head | Dr Dominic Luckett |
| Chaplain | Fr Martin McGee, OSB |
| Location | Turners Hill |
| Enrolment | 450 Yrs 7-13 |
| School Colours | Blue and Gold |
| Website | www.worthschool.co.uk |
Worth School, near the village of Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, England, is a boarding and day school for students aged between 11-18 years. The school is located alongside Worth Abbey, a Benedictine monastery with which it has a close relationship, in 500 acres of the Sussex countryside. As of 2005 the school has some 305 boarders and 150 day students, from mostly Christian families and others who seek an education in the Catholic tradition.
Worth aims to provide a broad education and a balanced lifestyle that is rooted in the Benedictine tradition.
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[edit] History of Worth
Before Worth became a School in 1933, it was the country estate of Lord Cowdray. In that year, the estate, previously known as Paddockhurst, was purchased by the Benedictine monks of Downside Abbey (in Somerset), who founded a priory and a prep school for boys on the Worth campus.
In 1957, Worth Priory became an independent monastery as Worth Abbey. By 1959 the prep school had been closed, and the present school, Worth School, founded in its place. Like many boys' independent schools of that period, Worth was exclusively a boarding school. Today, Worth School retains a boarding tradition, while also admitting day students. The school is currently planning an expansion in its facilities to allow it to become fully co-educational. Girls will be able to join the school in 2008, starting in lower sixth.
[edit] Houses
There are currently seven houses: Austin, Butler, Chapman, Farwell, Gervase, Rutherford and St. Bedes. Chapman and Farwell are the Day houses, Austin is a junior house for all boys in years 7 and 8, (regardless of boarding/day), similarly Gervase is for Upper 6th Students only.
[edit] OFT Investigation
In May 2006, 50 independent schools agreed to pay nominal penalties, as a result of a 2005-2006 investigation by the Office of Fair Trading :
This situation came about as a result of a dispute between the UK Charity Commission, which regulates the behaviour of UK charities, and the Office of Fair Trading, responsible for profit-making businesses. While, on the one hand, UK Charities are required to share financial and other information among themselves, UK businesses are not allowed to do so. The Competition Act (1998), which regulates the behaviour of businesses, was altered in 2000 to place independent schools, which are charities, in the same category as businesses as far as exchange of financial information is concerned. It may be significant that this alteration to the act was neither notified to Parliament nor debated there. In 2004, UK independent schools (who, like Parliament, had not been advised that the law had changed) became aware that the Competition Act now applied to their regular exchange of information, and the practice ceased. The following year, the OFT began an investigation which lasted nearly two years, at a cost to the UK taxpayer which has not been disclosed.
Worth School was among the 50 schools affected by the OFT investigation.
[edit] Links With Girls Schools
The school currently has links to Burgess Hill School For Girls, Woldingham School, Mayfield School and Royal School(Haslemere) which are local independent girls schools, with pupils from each schools being involved in plays, socials and music concerts with Worth. The school is to accept girls in 2007.
[edit] Alumni
Alumni of Worth School include:
- Robert Bathurst (Comedy Actor)
- Sir David Bell (FT Group)
- Sir Peter Jonas (Musician)
- Timothy Radcliffe OP (Dominican Friar)
- Michael Spencer (ICAP Plc)
- Tony Tyler (CEE, Cathay Pacific)
