Wimbledon College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wimbledon College is a state-maintained voluntary-aided Roman Catholic (Jesuit) secondary school for boys aged 11 to 18. The school is based at Edge Hill, Wimbledon, London
It was founded in 1892 "for improvement in living and learning to the greater glory of God and the common good" and to bring up students as "men for others".
Contents |
[edit] Organisation
The school has a joint sixth form with the all-girls Ursuline High School, Wimbledon. That school is situated nearby, on Crescent Road.
Currently the Headmaster is Father Adrian Porter SJ, who took over from Father Michael J Holman SJ in 2004.
[edit] Developments
Father Holman's main contributions to the school, in the late '90s and early 21st century, include an entire renovation of the old gym and swimming pool into a new Sports Hall, Learning Resources Centre (LRC) and IT Suite. Shortly after leaving the post of headmaster at the College, Father Holman was appointed the Jesuit Provincial for Great Britain.
Since Father Porter's appointment as headmaster, the College has undergone further changes, including a new visitors' entrance; refurbished classrooms, the addition of an electronic registration system which is used in parallel with the traditional registration system, and the movement of the LRC and IT Department to the location of the Sixth Form Centre. The Center has been relocated to the former LRC/IT Department site.
[edit] Activities
The College specialises in football and rugby. A new music department was constructed in 2005.
The College is notable for its school productions. One or more have been produced and shown every year since 1972. A new revolving stage has been built in the auditorium.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Eugene Esmonde - WWII naval pilot, led attack on Bismarck, awarded the Victoria Cross after Channel Dash
- Christopher Hewett - late actor
- Sir John Keegan - English military historian
- Des Kelly - national newspaper journalist, columnist
- Sir Anthony Leggett - winner of 2003 Nobel Prize in Physics
- George Malcolm - musician
- Paul Merton - comedian, writer and TV presenter
- Gerald Robert O'Sullivan - Captain awarded the Victoria Cross in WWI
- John Patten, Baron Patten - politician
- Patrick Reid - Colditz Castle escaper, WWII, and author subsequently
