The Thomas Hardye School is a
secondary academy school in
Dorchester, Dorset, England. It is also part of the
DASP group.
History
Grammar school
The school is named after Thomas Hardye of
Melcombe Regis
Melcombe Regis is an area of Weymouth in Dorset, England.
Situated on the north shore of Weymouth Harbour and originally part of the waste of Radipole, it seems only to have developed as a significant settlement and seaport in the 13th centu ...
and later
Frampton. Hardye was a property owner who endowed the Dorchester "free" school in 1579, ten years after its completion by the town. He was an ancestor of novelist Thomas Hardy and Vice-Admiral
Sir Thomas Hardy His monument is on the south wall of St. Peter's Church. The Tudor grammar school offered free education to boys of the town and neighbourhood and flourished under the Puritan regime of Revd. John White. It survived the doldrums of the 18th century, though at times having very few scholars, and struggled through the first half of the 19th century. The Charity Commission eventually closed it whilst it was rebuilt, reopening in 1883.
It was known as Dorchester Grammar School until approximately 1952, when the name Hardye's School was adopted as a reminder of the 16th century founder and links to the Hardye family.
Though he had as a child attended Isaac Last's rival establishment in Durngate Street, the novelist Thomas Hardy laid one of the foundation stones for the school's new building on the out-of-town Fordington site in 1927. The land had previously belonged to the Duchy of Cornwall, and the new building was formally opened in 1928 by the Duke of Cornwall, the
then Prince of Wales, and remained the 'Hardye's' site until 1992. The Memorial Gates, dedicated in 1957, escaped demolition and were moved to the new Thomas Hardye School. Dorchester Grammar School for Girls was opened in around 1930, and Dorchester Modern School some time after the 1944 Education Act. These schools formed the basis of the Thomas Hardye School.
Comprehensive
In 1980, Dorchester's secondary schools changed from the
grammar school system (with three schools: separate boys’ and girls’ grammar schools and a mixed
secondary modern
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1944 until the 1970s under the Tripartite System. Schools of this type continue in Northern Ireland, where they are usuall ...
) to
comprehensive. Dorchester Grammar School for Girls combined with the female half of Dorchester Secondary Modern to form Castlefield School, based on the site of the Dorchester Secondary Modern School, while the boys of the Secondary Modern moved to the site of Hardye's School. The boys’ school had boarding facilities until 1982. The current school is a merger of the former Hardye's School (boys) and Castlefield School (girls) in 1990. The school moved to The Castlefield School site in 1992. The Hardye's School site was subsequently sold in 1995 and developed into housing.
On Friday 12 December 2008, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the school to officially open the newly constructed library and sports hall.
Academy
On 1 August 2011, the Thomas Hardye School officially gained
academy status under the UK Government scheme.
Removal of houses
In the school year starting 2022, the current
headteacher
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
Nick Rutherford, has installed a plan to remove the traditional
House system and instead replace it with a Year group based system. Houses up until this point had been advertised using coloured ties, like traditionally done, however this has adapted to the Year group system.
The reasons for this change include:
* Differentiating between year groups more easily
* Consistency of information - Rather than
assemblies for houses, assemblies will now be in year groups this means that only relevant information is given to the relevant year group. At the same time.
Headmasters
* Robert Cheke (1595- )
* Gabriel Reeves
* Samuel Crumwelholme, MA (1657)
* Henry Dolling, LLB (1657- )
* Conyers Place, MA
* Rev. William Thornton
* John Jacob, LLB
* Rev. Edward Cozens, MA
* Rev. Edward Lee
* Rev. John Henchman
* Rev. John Hubbock, MA (1749- )
* Rev. John Watson
* Rev. John Cutler
* Rev. Henry John Richman, BCL
* Rev. Evan Davies, AB (1814- )
* Ralph Hill 1927-55
* Anthony Hamilton 1955-74
* W M Thomas 1974-82
* P Close 1982-88
* Malin 1988-91
* A N Moore 1991-92
* Iain Melvin 1988-2010
[Dr Iain Melvin says farewell to Thomas Hardye School http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/localnews/8743449.Dr_Iain_Melvin_says_farewell_to_Thomas_Hardye_School/?ref=rss] (new site)
* Michael Foley 2011-2021
* Nick Rutherford 2021-
Admissions
The school provides government-funded education for children from Year 9 to Year 11, and takes them through
GCSE and
BTEC courses. It also has an integrated
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 ...
which takes pupils through
A-Levels and
AVCE
Vocational Certificate of Education, usually shortened to VCE or Vocational A-Level or AVCE, was a vocational qualification that used to be available in further education colleges and sixth forms in the United Kingdom.
Subjects and assessment
VCEs ...
s.
Sixth form
The school has the largest integrated
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 ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
which shares teachers, resources and facilities with the 'lower school'.
From 2008 to 2015 it offered the
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB D ...
(IB).
The school has a partnership with local land-based college
Kingston Maurward, offering practical alternatives to traditional A-levels.
Extracurricular activities
CCF
The school currently has a
CCF (Combined Cadet Force) that has been running for the last 100 years. The CCF has an
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
contingent as well as an
RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
section. They train regularly and compete on a national level. The Army contingent is cap-badged
the Rifles
The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerl ...
was formerly
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment (11th, 39th and 54th), usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments, the Devonshire Regiment and the Dorset ...
and prior to that the
Wessex Regiment
The Wessex Regiment was a Territorial Army infantry regiment of the British Army, in existence from 1967 to 1995. Initially consisting of a singular battalion, the regiment was later expanded to also have a second.
Formation
The regiment was fo ...
. Also attached is a Drum Corps that performs annually at the Remembrance day parade, and regularly at other events such as school music performances and many other external events.
Model United Nations
The Sixth Form's
Model United Nations
Model United Nations, also known as Model UN or MUN, is an educational simulation in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations. At a MUN conference, students work as the representative of a count ...
club regularly attend BISMUN (Bath) and BGSMUN (Bristol), as well as hosting its own in the summer. It has also sent delegates to MUNs abroad.
Debating club
The school has a Debating Society, which has represented the school in the National Finals of the
Oxford Union Debating Competition.
Performing arts
Thomas Hardye's has a music department and an orchestra. It has a variety of opportunities from Chapel Choir to Jazz Club. The school hosts termly concerts as well as its weekly 'Friday Live' performances. The music department works with dance and drama to put on shows across the continent.
International
UNESCO status
In 2010, the school was awarded the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
school status (one of just 54 in the UK) for the "global outlook of students" at the Hardye's.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
aims to promote quality education as well as international perspectives in schools and such values as human rights, mutual respect and cultural diversity. The Thomas Hardye School has also been declared a 'World School' by the
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB D ...
Organisation (IBO). Much of this recognition is thanks to a pupil who gained the title of UK Young Scientist of the Year.
BBC World Olympic Dreams
After Sports Voice submitted an entry into the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
.
The all-boys private school is one of India's oldest education institutions and was the school of India's first individual Olympic gold medalist
. The schools communicate regularly and are represented by a member of staff and pupil who arrange projects to exchange culture and prepare for the
.
Along with all the schools in Dorchester, Thomas Hardye has been part of the DASP Olympic Torch Relay in celebration of the Olympics.
, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, France, Russia and Germany. Other trips include; India, Kenya, Indonesia, China, Italy and Slovenia as well as frequent trips to UK-wide destinations for competitions and educational enrichment. The school's Music Department have performed in some of Europe's most prestigious destinations and its chapel choir have sung in the likes of
, London choir.
...