The Cedars School is an 11–18

boys A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man. Definition, etymology, and use According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is "a ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

private school Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

and

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

. It is located in the Upper Norwood area of the

London Borough of Croydon The London Borough of Croydon () is a London borough in south London, part of Outer London. It covers an area of . It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name; ...

in England. The current site is the former location of Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior School, a Roman Catholic

voluntary aided A voluntary aided school (VA school) is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust (usually a religious organisation), contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school. In m ...

secondary school for girls. The school site is also shared with The Laurels School for girls. Up until September 2021 the school was located in the Lloyd Park area of

Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...

. It was established in September 2013 by the PACT Educational Trust, in a Grade II listed building dating back to the 18th century. It is the first senior school in the country to be based on the ethos of Opus Dei and is located in the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Southvarcensis'') is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in England. It is headed by the Archbishop of Southwark. The archdiocese is part of the Metropolitan ...

History

The Cedars School was established in September 2013 as a

for

by the PACT Educational Trust, a parent-led charity group, with an initial intake of 46 and fees of £3,900 a

term Term may refer to: * Terminology, or term, a noun or compound word used in a specific context, in particular: **Technical term, part of the specialized vocabulary of a particular field, specifically: ***Scientific terminology, terms used by scient ...

. The trust had initially intended to open the school as a free school but was put off due to the "very restrictive" admissions policy that would have stopped them from reserving places for Catholics. It is the first senior school in the country to be based on the ethos of Opus Dei, which does not directly run the school but supported its opening and has links with the trust. The school opened in a

Grade II listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Ir ...

that was acquired by the trust, dates back to 1761 and was known as the Coombe House. Having gone through several owners and let to various tenants in the 1830s, it was owned by Frank Lloyd in the 1890s, a newspaper magnate and son of

Edward Lloyd Edward Lloyd may refer to: Politicians *Edward Lloyd (MP for Montgomery), Welsh lawyer and politician * Edward Lloyd (16th-century MP) (died 1547) for Buckingham *Edward Lloyd, 1st Baron Mostyn (1768–1854), British politician *Edward Lloyd (Colon ...

(owned the house before him), and lived there for 35 years until his death in 1927. The neighbouring Lloyd Park was created from land bequeathed by Lloyd and is named after him. By 1937, it became a

nursing home A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to i ...

for army officers and used as St Margaret's School for disabled children between 1946 and 1985. Two extensions were added during the 1950s, and the building was latterly owned by an

NHS trust An NHS trust is an organisational unit within the National Health Services of England and Wales, generally serving either a geographical area or a specialised function (such as an ambulance service). In any particular location there may be several ...

as Geoffrey Harris House, a

residential care Residential care refers to long-term care given to adults or children who stay in a residential setting rather than in their own home or family home. There are various residential care options available, depending on the needs of the individual. P ...

home for those with

mental health Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior. It likewise determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental hea ...

and learning difficulties. On 22 March 2017, the Real Madrid Foundation opened its first football school in the United Kingdom in partnership with the school; Football for Unity, a non-profit pro-football organisation; and the Kinetic Foundation, a local sports charity that was set up following the

2011 England riots The 2011 England riots, more widely known as the London riots, were a series of riots between 6 and 11 August 2011. Thousands of people rioted in cities and towns across England, which saw looting, arson, as well as mass deployment of police ...

. The Foundation already runs similar schools in other countries and said, "The aim of the project is to support children and young people by offering them activities to develop their skills, both in sports and relational and social integration." Officially opened by former player

Emilio Butragueño Emilio Butragueño Santos (; born 22 July 1963) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker. He was best known for his spell with Real Madrid. Nicknamed ''El Buitre'' (The Vulture), he was a member of the '' La Quinta del Buitre'' ...

, it involves free football sessions at the school that are led by coaches trained by Real Madrid. The school moved to its current site in Upper Norwood in September 2021. This site is shared with The Laurels School for girls, and both schools share a sports hall.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cedars School, The Opus Dei schools Roman Catholic private schools in the Archdiocese of Southwark Private schools in the London Borough of Croydon Private boys' schools in London Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Croydon Grade II listed educational buildings Educational institutions established in 2013 2013 establishments in England