Verulam School

Verulam School is a state secondary school for boys with academy status in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, founded in 1938 as St Albans Boys' Modern School.[2] The name was changed in the 1940s to St Albans Grammar School for Boys and in 1975 to Verulam School.

Verulam School
Address
Brampton Road

St Albans
,
Hertfordshire
,
AL1 4PR

England
Coordinates51°45′20″N 0°18′58″W
Information
TypeAcademy
MottoFaire Mon Devoir (French: "To do my duty")
Established1938
FounderR.F Bradshaw
Local authorityHertfordshire
Department for Education URN137038 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherMr Paul Ramsey
GenderBoys (Girls in 6th form)
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1090[1]
HousesBrampton, Churchill, Hamilton, Jennings, Park, York
Colour(s)Blue and Yellow   
PublicationVerulam Voice, Top Button
Websitehttp://www.verulamschool.co.uk/

The school caters for boys between the ages of 11 and 19. Boys can stay on into the Sixth Form, which also welcomes male and female students from other schools.

The school works in partnership with two neighbouring schools, Sandringham School and Beaumont School, to enhance post-16 educational provision.

School performance

An Ofsted inspection in October 2017 judged the school to be Inadequate. However, a Herts for Learning review in January 2018 rated the school Good and highlighted improvements in the areas criticised by Ofsted. A further inspection by Ofsted in July 2018 reached the conclusion that Safeguarding is effective and noted that the school had responded to the October inspection "with great urgency".

In September 2018 the school joined the Alban Academy Trust. An Ofsted inspection in October 2018 judged the school to be Good. In a Kirkland Rowell independent survey of Parents in February 2020 89% of parents said they would recommend the school.

Houses

Prior to the school's turning comprehensive in 1975, there were four houses, named after the four streets forming a rectangle around the school site. These were Brampton, Hamilton, Jennings and Park. From 1975 onwards, with the increase in the yearly intake, two further houses were added, York and Churchill, also named after nearby roads.

Extra-curricular

The school participates in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, taking students through all of the phases from bronze to gold, with expeditions in places such as The Chilterns and The New Forest on Bronze, the South Downs and Dorset Coast on Silver, and Scotland, New Zealand and Morocco on the expeditions for the Gold award.

The school runs a student Jazz–Swing band, the Verulam Big Band. The latter have gone on a European tour.

Alumni
  • Colin Blunstone (b. 1945) Pop singer and songwriter, member of The Zombies pop group, together with Chris White, also an alumnus.[3]
  • Jeremy Butterworth (b. 1969) Playwright, film-script writer and film director.[4]
  • Mike Chaplin (b. 1943) Artist and resident art expert on Channel 4's Watercolour Challenge.
  • Andrew Daish (b. 1984) 1st XV Rugby Captain (2002-2003), playing professional rugby for London Welsh RFC, Pertemp Bees RFC, Old Albanians RFC and playing internationally for Sweden.
  • Simon Evans (b. 1965) Stand-up comedian.
  • Richard Fox (b. 1960) Slalom canoeist; three-times winner of the World Cup, four-times winner of the Euro Cup.
  • Ernest Gellner (1925–1995) Philosopher and social anthropologist.
  • Mark Handley FRS (b. 1967), Computer Scientist.
  • George Kalmus CBE, FRS (b. 1935), Particle physicist (brother of Peter Kalmus).
  • Peter Kalmus OBE (b. 1933), Particle physicist.
  • Mike Keirle (b. 1962), Anglican priest and Dean of Jersey
  • Photek (real name Rupert Parkes) (b. 1972) Record-producer and DJ.
  • Rou Reynolds (b. 1986) Member of Enter Shikari (lead singer), together with Chris Batten (bass player), also an alumnus.
  • Jim Rodford (b. 1941) Bass guitarist, played with The Zombies, The Kinks, The Swinging Blue Jeans and Argent.
  • John Sessions (real name John Gibb Marshall) (1953–2020) Actor, comedian and TV panellist.
  • Ben Sturnham (b. 1974) Professional rugby player for Saracens (1993–98), Bath (1998-2000) and Bristol (2000-2002).

References
  1. "Verulam School Ofsted Inspection Report". Verulam School. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2009.
  2. "A brief History of the School". Verulam School. Archived from the original on 18 November 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2009.
  3. https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/3166712.Rod_Argent_and_Colin_Blunstone_from_The_Zombies_play_hometown_gig/
  4. https://sites.google.com/site/playwrightencyclopedia/jeremy-jez-butterworth
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