Brentwood School (Essex)
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, established = , type = Public School
Independent day and boarding , religion = Church of England , head_label = Headmaster , head = M Bond , chair_label = Chairman of Governors , chair = Sir Michael Snyder , founder = Sir Antony Browne , address = Middleton Hall Lane , city = Brentwood , county =
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Gr ...
, country = England , postcode = CM15 8EE , dfeno = 881/6035 , urn = 115429 , staff = 137 , enrolment = 1,531 , capacity = 1570 , gender = Coeducational (Diamond Model) , lower_age = 3 , upper_age = 19 , houses = North
South
East
West
Weald
Mill Hill (female boarders)
Hough (male boarders) , colours = Blue , publication = The Brentwoodian (student produced)
Brentwood School Times
The Chronicle of the Society of Old Brentwoods , free_label_1 = Campus size , free_1 = , free_label_2 = School years , free_2 = Preparatory–sixth form , alumni = Old Brentwoods , website
Official website
Brentwood School is a selective,
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...
day A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two solar ...
and
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
in Brentwood,
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Gr ...
, England in the public school tradition. The school comprises a preparatory school, senior school and sixth form, as well as boarding provision for both boys and girls. The school is
coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
, and employs the "Diamond Model". The school is a member of the
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) is an association of the head teachers of 361 independent schools (both boarding schools and day schools), some traditionally described as public schools. 298 Members are based in the Unite ...
, the IAPS, and the AGBIS. Founded in 1557 and opened in 1558, the school has a Tudor schoolroom, a Victorian chapel and several Grade II listed buildings. Situated on Ingrave Road, astride Middleton Hall Lane and Shenfield Road, the school is set in over of land in the centre of Brentwood. The current headmaster is Michael Bond.


History


16th–18th century

The licence to found the school as ''The Grammar School of Antony Browne, Serjeant at the Law, in Brentwood'' was granted by
Queen Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, and as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain from January 1556 until her death in 1558. ...
to Sir Antony (or Anthony) Browne on 5 July 1558. The first schoolmaster, George Otway, was appointed on 28 July 1558. In 1568, a year after Browne's death, the school moved to a purpose-built schoolroom, which is extant. The commemoration stone was laid by Browne's stepdaughter, Dorothy Huddleston, and her husband Edward, Browne's marriage having been childless.''Historical Notes'' from ''Brentwood School, School Lists'' (AKA ''The Blue Book'') The school room is beside the site of the execution of nineteen-year-old William Hunter, who was burned at the stake for denying the doctrine of
transubstantiation Transubstantiation (Latin: ''transubstantiatio''; Greek: μετουσίωσις ''metousiosis'') is, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, "the change of the whole substance of bread into the substance of the Body of Christ and of the ...
. The ''Martyr's Elm'' grew, allegedly, on the spot of his immolation. It was Browne who, as a
Justice of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission (letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the same ...
under Queen Mary, had sentenced Hunter. Some believe the school was founded as Browne's
penance Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of Repentance (theology), repentance for Christian views on sin, sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic Church, Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox s ...
for Hunter's
martyrdom A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external ...
when
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...
came to the throne; however, the school was already in operation under Mary's licence when Elizabeth succeeded. Although Browne had drawn up statutes for the school, they were never legally adopted and so were re-drawn in 1622 by his descendants and
John Donne John Donne ( ; 22 January 1572 – 31 March 1631) was an English poet, scholar, soldier and secretary born into a recusant family, who later became a cleric in the Church of England. Under royal patronage, he was made Dean of St Paul's Cathed ...
,
Dean of St Paul's The dean of St Paul's is a member of, and chair of the Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral in London in the Church of England. The dean of St Paul's is also ''ex officio'' dean of the Order of the British Empire. The current dean is Andrew Tremlett ...
.


19th century

Brentwood School Combined Cadet Force (CCF) was founded in 1861 and so is one of the earliest CCFs in the country.


20th century

60 Old Brentwoods were killed on active service during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighti ...
and 173 during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Their names are listed in the school chapel, and commemorated by the Memorial Hall for the first war and the pavilion for the second. The school was a
direct grant grammar school A direct grant grammar school was a type of selective secondary school in the United Kingdom that existed between 1945 and 1976. One quarter of the places in these schools were directly funded by central government, while the remainder attracted ...
from the 1960s until the abolition of the scheme in 1977. Brentwood was originally a boys' school, but the Governors made the decision to allow a small number of girls to enter the
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- ...
in 1974. By the early 1980s there were 23 girls in the sixth form. Initially based in ''Newnum House'', the girls' school opened in 1988, admitting girls from ages 11 to 18.


21st century

In 2007, Brentwood School celebrated its 450th anniversary with a commemorative service in St Paul's Cathedral. The school's Combined Cadet Force (CCF) celebrated its 150th anniversary on 8 October 2011 by holding a special afternoon of events featuring a Guard of Honour by Lt General Brown CBE. The Royal British Legion Youth Band of Brentwood played at the start and end of the afternoon. In 2012, The Earl of Wessex visited the school to open the new sixth form centre, featuring a 400-seat auditorium, named ''The Wessex Auditorium'' in his honour. In 2016, work finished on a new academic centre in the heart of the School, named the ''Bean Academic Centre'' after former Headmaster Edwin Bean, quadrupling the size of the original library. In 2020, work finished on a major expansion and redevelopment of the Preparatory School facilities, to include a new hall and dining facilities, modernised administrative offices and a new classroom block with fully-equipped cooking and art studios, and a futures room.


School arms

The arms of Brentwood School are derived from those of the founder, Sir Antony Browne, and his wife. As part of the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the school's founding, a special variant of Sir Antony Browne's Coat of Arms was granted by the Honourable Sir George Rothe Bellew,
Garter Principal King of Arms The Garter Principal King of Arms (also Garter King of Arms or simply Garter) is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms, the heraldic authority with jurisdiction over England, Wales and Northern Ireland. T ...
and Sir John Dunamace Heaton-Armstrong,
Clarenceux King of Arms Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of Engl ...
on 19 July 1957. A red border was added to the arms to distinguish them as the school's, as opposed to those of Browne.


The school today


Academic

The school is separated into three sections: the preparatory school (ages 3 to 11), the senior school (ages 11 to 16) and the sixth form (ages 16 to 18). Brentwood operates in a '' diamond school'' format, in which the preparatory school and sixth form are co-educational while the senior school teaches boys and girls separately. Brentwood Preparatory School teaches children aged 3–11, from Nursery through to Year 6. Classes are usually small, with an average size of 20 per class. The prep school follows the National Curriculum but teaches some supplementary subjects such as French and Latin. There is also a broad extracurricular programme, which all pupils are encouraged to follow, featuring dance, drama and music, as well as sports such as hockey and golf. The senior school teaches pupils from the age of 11 until the end of
GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private s ...
courses at 16+. Many pupils move into the senior school from the preparatory school, but others are drawn from other local primary and preparatory schools; around 1/3 of pupils join the school from the maintained sector. Admission to the senior school is by
entrance examination An entrance examination is an examination that educational institutions conduct to select prospective students for admission. It may be held at any stage of education, from primary to tertiary, even though it is typically held at tertiary stage. ...
. In addition to core subjects (English, mathematics, sciences, MFL), pupils' GCSE and
IGCSE The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based examination similar to GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainme ...
options include computer science, drama, DT, food technology, geography,
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, history, Latin, music, RS The sixth form is for pupils aged 1618 who are studying for 'A' levels, 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 Dip ...
and BTec Extended Diploma in Sport or Business. There are currently c.300 pupils in the sixth form. 'A' level options include classics, computer science, DT, economics, English literature, history, mathematics and MFL.


Sport

Sports offered include Association football,
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
,
fencing Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, ...
,
gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, shoul ...
,
hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...
,
netball Netball is a ball sport played on a court by two teams of seven players. It is among a rare number of sports which have been created exclusively for female competitors. The sport is played on indoor and outdoor netball courts and is specifical ...
, rifle shooting,
Rugby football Rugby football is the collective name for the team sports of rugby union and rugby league. Canadian football and, to a lesser extent, American football were once considered forms of rugby football, but are seldom now referred to as such. The ...
,
squash Squash may refer to: Sports * Squash (sport), the high-speed racquet sport also known as squash racquets * Squash (professional wrestling), an extremely one-sided match in professional wrestling * Squash tennis, a game similar to squash but pla ...
,
swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
and
tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...
. School teams have met with some success over the years, for example winning the Essex Schools FA Cup three times in four seasons. In netball, the girls' U13 netball team won the 2015/6 national finals to be crowned National Champions. The school has a 25-metre indoor swimming-pool and learner pool, a fitness suite, 4 additional squash courts and an indoor rifle range. The school is set in of grounds and has two playing-fields; one is situated directly on the school site and another, ''The Heseltines'', adjacent to the school. These contain football, rugby, cricket and hockey pitches, an all-weather
AstroTurf AstroTurf is an American subsidiary of SportGroup that produces artificial turf for playing surfaces in sports. The original AstroTurf product was a short-pile synthetic turf invented in 1965 by Monsanto. Since the early 2000s, AstroTurf has m ...
pitch, tennis and netball courts, an athletics track and field, and woods used for cross-country runs. Ex-England test cricketer
Geraint Jones Geraint Owen Jones (born 14 July 1976) is a former cricketer who played for both England and Papua New Guinea. Born to Welsh parents in Papua New Guinea, between 2004 and 2006 he was the first-choice wicketkeeper for the England cricket team. ...
is the school's cricket coach.


Drama and music

The school hosts various theatrical performances and shows. In any academic year the theatrical line-up will include a winter/spring play/musical, a sixth-form comedy charity show and a dance show. Recent shows have included ''
My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...
'' and ''
Habeas Corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...
'', ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origina ...
'' and ''
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid-19 ...
'' and into the Woods also. Every year the school holds inter-house music and drama competitions, often with guest adjudicators. The school has a link with Brentwood (Roman Catholic) and
Chelmsford Chelmsford () is a city in the City of Chelmsford district in the county of Essex, England. It is the county town of Essex and one of three cities in the county, along with Southend-on-Sea and Colchester. It is located north-east of London at ...
(Anglican) cathedrals; a number of pupils and staff sing in the choir of each cathedral. The music department has 5 full-time teaching staff and 20 visiting teachers. A Sibelius suite is available in the school's music department for student and staff use. The School is one of only 14
Steinway Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth led to the opening of a ...
Schools in the country, meaning that all performance and practice pianos are Steinways. There is a symphony orchestra, brass and string ensembles, a junior choir, a choral society and a barbershop group. Recent choral performances have included ''Belshazzar's Feast'' (Walton), the Requiems of Mozart, Verdi and Fauré, and ''Gloria'' by Poulenc. The Brentwood School
Big Band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
, which is now in its 34th year, often performs concerts for charity outside school and tours European every other year. The Big Band has released a number of albums, most recently "Music to Drive By" in 2013.


Model United Nations

Since 2013, Brentwood has hosted an annual
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 ...
(BMUN) conference. In the past it has been a one-day conference, however in 2015 it lasted for two days (5 and 6 December). Students from schools across the south east attend and it has a capacity of approximately 200 students.


Sir Antony Browne Society (SABS)

SABS is a society that focuses on furthering the education of sixth formers through a series of guest speakers and debates. Junior SABS is available for the younger pupils. Regular meetings are held in Old Big School, at which students are able to experience lectures on societal issues or topics to concerning science, the arts and sport, or a members' debate. Old Brentwoods such as
Jack Straw John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretary ...
and
Griff Rhys Jones Griffith Rhys Jones (born 16 November 1953) is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter. He starred in a number of television series with his comedy partner, Mel Smith. Rhys Jones came to national attention in the 1980s for h ...
are regular speakers. Other speakers have been political figures, such as
George Galloway George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a British politician, broadcaster, and writer who is currently leader of the Workers Party of Britain, serving since 2019. Between 1987 and 2010, and then between 2012 and 2015, Galloway was a Member ...
and
Vicky Pryce Vasiliki "Vicky" Pryce (' Kourmouzi ( el, Βασιλική Κουρμούζη); born 15 July 1952) is a Greek-born British economist and a former Joint Head of the United Kingdom's Government Economic Service. She is currently the Chief Economi ...
, and the philosopher
A. C. Grayling Anthony Clifford Grayling (; born 3 April 1949) is a British philosopher and author. He was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and spent most of his childhood there and in Nyasaland (now Malawi). In 2011 he founded and became the first Mast ...
.


Royal visits and connections

The licence to found the school was granted by Queen Mary to Sir Antony Browne on 5 July 1558. Her Majesty The Queen visited the school in 1957 to open the new science department, now named ''The Queens Building'', the foundation stone of which had been laid by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Col. Sir Francis Whitmore. The
Earl of Wessex Earl of Wessex is a title that has been created twice in British history – once in the pre- Conquest Anglo-Saxon nobility of England, and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. In the 6th century AD the region of Wessex (the lands of the W ...
visited the school in 2011 for the opening ceremony of the new sixth form centre and the naming of the ''Wessex Auditorium'', and later to inspect a Combined Cadet Force Guard of Honour.
Princess Anne Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of Ki ...
visited the School in November 2012.


RIBA Award

In 2012, Brentwood School's sixth form centre was winner of the
Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...
(RIBA) East of England Award. The institute described the development as having drawn "inspiration from the existing Victorian vicarage" and that "the new design is expressed in a language that is both contextual and contemporary. The sculpting of the roofs creates non-standard, domestic-scaled classrooms filled with natural light, reminiscent of the gabled roofs of the Victorian vicarage, but with an added measure of playfulness."


Sexual abuse allegations

In 1997, Gareth Stafford-Bull, who taught fencing at the school (and was also an under-20s coach for the England fencing team), went missing and was sacked by the school in his absence following allegations that he had indecently assaulted pupils. The 41-year-old was later found dead in his car at
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
.


Notable former pupils

''Old Brentwoods'' are those who have attended the school (preparatory, senior school or sixth form) for any length of time. The logo used to represent Old Brentwoods and the Society of Old Brentwoods is the ''wing and claw'', derived from the arms of Sir Antony Browne. A crown was added to the logo in 1957 to celebrate The Queen's visit to the school. The colours of Old Brentwoods are dark blue, light blue and gold. Light blue and dark blue were traditionally featured as stripes on the blazers of Old Brentwoods and are still used today to represent the alumni community. The colours were carried across to the alumni logo, with the addition of gold on the inclusion of the crown in 1957.


Old Brentwoods

Also see the school's own list of Old Brentwoods. * David Acfield (born 1947), cricketer and Olympic fencer *
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' developed into a " ...
(1952–2001), author of ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it ...
'' * Keith Allen (born 1953), comedian, actor, singer and writer (father of the singer
Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Her music career began in 2005 when she made some of her vocal recordings publi ...
) * Peter Allen (born 1946), BBC broadcaster and journalist, * Sir Hardy Amies (1909–2003), Couturier and Dressmaker by Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen * Peter Barker (born 1983), squash player and influential member of winning English team in European Team Championships 2006 *
Charles Bean Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean (18 November 1879 – 30 August 1968), usually identified as C. E. W. Bean, was Australia's official war correspondent, subsequently its official war historian, who wrote six volumes and edited the remaining six of ...
(1879–1963), historian of Australian Forces in World War I. * Charlie Bean (born 1953), Executive Director and Chief Economist of the
Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and still one of the bankers for the Government o ...
* Lilian Bennett (1922-2013) businesswoman, and the chairman and chief executive of Manpower UK - attended whilst it was only a boys' school *
Guy Black, Baron Black of Brentwood Guy Vaughan Black, Baron Black of Brentwood (born 6 August 1964) was executive director of the Telegraph Media Group from 2005 to 2018 and since 2018 has been Deputy Chairman of the Group. He is a Conservative life peer member of the House of ...
(born 1964), former Press Secretary to Michael Howard, and Director of PCC * George Cansdale (1909–1993), zoologist and broadcaster *
Patrick Carter, Baron Carter of Coles Patrick Robert Carter, Baron Carter of Coles (born 9 February 1946) was chairman of the review panel examining the future of NHS pathology (reported in 2016). He reviewed the procurement of legal aid in England and Wales (reported in 2006), a ...
(born 1946), politician and
life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages A ...
* Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain (1856–1944), army officer, Inspector-General of the
Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ga, Constáblacht Ríoga na hÉireann; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the country was part of the United Kingdom. A separate ...
and inventor of
snooker Snooker (pronounced , ) is a cue sport played on a rectangular table covered with a green cloth called baize, with six pockets, one at each corner and one in the middle of each long side. First played by British Army officers stationed in Ind ...
* Captain John Chorley (born 1934), Concorde Captain * Roger Cowley (born 1939), professor of experimental philosophy at the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
* Sir Robin Day (1923–2000), broadcaster (attended the school 1934–1938) * George Dobson (born 1997), association footballer currently on loan at from
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the historic county of Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on the River Wear's mouth to the North Sea. The ri ...
at
AFC Wimbledon AFC Wimbledon is an English professional football club, based in Merton, London, that plays in the EFL League Two, after being relegated from the EFL League One following the 2021–22 season. The club's home stadium is Plough Lane. The cl ...
as of 2021 * Sir David Eady (born 1943), High Court Judge * David Eldridge (born 1973), playwright *
Noel Edmonds Noel Ernest Edmonds (born 22 December 1948) is an English television presenter, radio DJ, writer, producer, and businessman. Edmonds first became known as a disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg before moving to BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presente ...
(born 1948),
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...
and broadcaster *
Stephen Fleet Stephen George Fleet (28 September 1936 – 18 May 2006) was a Master of Downing College, Cambridge, the Cambridge University Registrary and a researcher in mineral sciences and crystallography. Stephen Fleet was educated at Brentwood School, ...
(1936–2006), Master of
Downing College, Cambridge Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge and currently has around 650 students. Founded in 1800, it was the only college to be added to Cambridge University between 1596 and 1869, and is often described as the olde ...
*
Howard Flight Howard Emerson Flight, Baron Flight (born 16 June 1948) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom and a member of the House of LordsRoderick Floud Sir Roderick Castle Floud FBA (born 1 April 1942) is a British economic historian and a leader in the field of anthropometric history. He has been provost of the London Guildhall University, vice-chancellor and president of the London Metropoli ...
(born 1942), academic, Vice-President of the European Universities Association *
Fabian Hamilton Fabian Uziell-Hamilton (born 12 April 1955) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds North East since 1997. He was appointed Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament in November 2016. Educati ...
(born 1955), Labour politician * Neil Harris (born 1977), association footballer * Edward "Eddie" Hearn (born 1979), sports promoter *
Keith Hopkins Morris Keith Hopkins, FBA (20 June 1934 – 8 March 2004) was a British historian and sociologist. He was professor of ancient history at the University of Cambridge from 1985 to 2000. Hopkins had a relatively unconventional route to the Cam ...
(1934–2004), influential historian and sociologist, Professor of Ancient History at the
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
*
David Irving David John Cawdell Irving (born 24 March 1938) is an English author and Holocaust denier who has written on the military and political history of World War II, with a focus on Nazi Germany. His works include '' The Destruction of Dresden'' (1 ...
(born 1938), writer and
Holocaust denier Holocaust denial is an antisemitic conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that the Nazi genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust, is a myth, fabrication, or exaggeration. Holocaust deniers make one or more of the following false statements: * ...
* Chris Jarvis (born 1969), television presenter * Paul Neil Milne Johnstone (1952–2004) poet and butt of
Douglas Adams Douglas Noel Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author and screenwriter, best known for ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' developed into a " ...
' jokes in ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it ...
'' *
Nic Jones Nic Jones (born Nicolas Paul Jones; 9 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Regarded as a prominent figure of the British folk revival, he has recorded five solo albums and collaborated with various musicians. Biography ...
(born 1947), musician * Frank Lampard OBE (born 1978), association footballer capped 106 times by England scoring 29 goals for his country and former manager of
Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. In 2022, it was announced that DCFC was acquired by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd, a Derbyshire-based property group. Founded in 1884 ...
and
Chelsea FC Chelsea Football Club is an English professional football club based in Fulham, West London. Founded in 1905, they play their home games at Stamford Bridge. The club competes in the Premier League, the top division of English football. Th ...
*
Andrew Lansley Andrew David Lansley, Baron Lansley, (born 11 December 1956) is a British Conservative politician who previously served as Secretary of State for Health and Leader of the House of Commons. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for South Cambridgeshi ...
(born 1956), Conservative politician, former
Leader of the House of Commons The leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons. The leader is generally a member or attendee of the cabinet of the ...
2012–2014 and former
Secretary of State for Health The secretary of state for health and social care, also referred to as the health secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, responsible for the work of the Department of Health and Social Care. The incumbent ...
, current member of the
House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in ...
* Elliot Lee (born 1994), association footballer * Olly Lee (born 1991), association footballer * Frank Godbould Lee (1903–1971), civil servant and Master of Corpus Christi College,
University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
*Sir
Ralph Murray Sir Francis Ralph Hay Murray (3 March 1908 – 11 September 1983) was a British journalist, radio broadcaster and diplomat. He was also once the head of the Information Research Department (IRD), a secret branch of the UK Foreign Office dedica ...
(1908–1983), diplomat *
Jodie Marsh Jodie Louise Marsh is an English media personality, model and bodybuilder. She has appeared on numerous reality television shows, such as ''Essex Wives'' (2002), ''Back to Reality'' (2004), '' Love on a Saturday Night'' (2004), ''Celebrity Big ...
(born 1978), glamour model * Ian Martin (born 1948), Special Representative of the Secretary General of the UN & Secretary-General of Amnesty International *
Derek Martinus Derek Martinus (born Derek Buitenhuis; 4 April 1931 – 27 March 2014)Michael Billington and Toby HadokObituary: Derek Martinus ''The Guardian'', 1 April 2014 was a British television and theatre director. Originally an actor, he directed episode ...
, TV director *
Jake Maskall Jake Maskall (born 1971 in England) is an English television, film and theatre actor. Career Jake has guest starred in ''Casualty'' as Paul Vessey and Scobie in ''Murder City''. Jake's most notable role came in the BBC television soap opera ...
(born 1971), actor * Robert Andrew Muter Macindoe Ogilvie (1853–1938), England international association footballer * Hal Ozsan (born 1976), actor * Nigel Paterson (musician) (born 1947), guitarist, educator, composer *
Michael Peppiatt Michael Henry Peppiatt (born 9 October 1941) is an English art historian, curator and writer. Biography Son of Edward George Peppiatt (died 1983), B.Sc, ARCS, of Silver Birches, Stocking Pelham, near Buntingford, Hertfordshire, technical and ...
(born 1941), writer and art historian * Eric Peters (born 1969), rugby player *
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Penny Rimbaud Penny Lapsang Rimbaud (born Jeremy John Ratter, 1943) is a writer, poet, philosopher, painter, musician and activist. He was a member of the performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and in 1972 was co-founder of the Stonehenge Free Fes ...
(born Jeremy Ratter 1943), drummer, poet and founder of punk band
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*
Griff Rhys Jones Griffith Rhys Jones (born 16 November 1953) is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, and television presenter. He starred in a number of television series with his comedy partner, Mel Smith. Rhys Jones came to national attention in the 1980s for h ...
(born 1953), comedian and actor *
Stewart Robson Stewart Ian Robson (born 6 November 1964) is an English former football player and TV and radio football pundit. He played for Arsenal, West Ham United where he was their player of the season in 1988, and Coventry City. After his footballing c ...
(born 1964), association footballer * Sir John Rogers (1928), Air Chief Marshal in the
Royal Air Force 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) an ...
and member of the
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*
Vivian Rosewarne ''An Airman's Letter to His Mother'' (1941) is a documentary-style British propaganda short film based on an actual letter from a British bomber pilot to his mother published in ''The Times'' in June 1940. Subsequently, the letter was published ...
(1917 – May 1940) Wellington bomber pilot memorialised in the 1941 film ''
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'' * Duncan Sanderson (born 1948), musician * Sir Nick Scheele (born 1944), former President of the Ford Motor Company *
Daryl Selby Daryl Selby (born 3 November 1982 in Harlow) is a former professional squash player who represented England. He reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 9 in April 2010. His sister is professional squash player Lauren Selby. He attende ...
(born 1982), professional squash player * Asad Shan model and actor * Bob Simpson (1944–2006), BBC journalist * Sir Peter Stothard (born 1951), former editor of ''
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'' *
Jack Straw John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946) is a British politician who served in the Cabinet from 1997 to 2010 under the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He held two of the traditional Great Offices of State, as Home Secretary ...
(born 1946), Labour politician,
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...
2007–2010 *
Charles Thomson Charles Thomson (November 29, 1729 – August 16, 1824) was an Irish-born Patriot leader in Philadelphia during the American Revolution and the secretary of the Continental Congress (1774–1789) throughout its existence. As secretary, Thomson ...
(born 1953), founder of the
Stuckists Stuckism () is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art.Michael Francis Tompsett Michael Tompsett (born 1939) is a British-born physicist, engineer, and inventor, and the founder director of the US software company TheraManager. He is a former researcher at the English Electric Valve Company, who later moved to Bell Labs in th ...
(born 1939), inventor of CCD imagers *
Paul Wickens Paul Wickens (born 27 March 1956) is an English musician, composer, and record producer, professionally known as Wix. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Wickens has worked with artists including Nik Kershaw, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bon J ...
(born 1956) musician, usually known as "Wix", for many years, Paul McCartney's musical director on tour. *
Teerathep Winothai Teeratep Winothai ( th, ธีรเทพ วิโนทัย, born 16 February 1985), simply known as Leesaw ( th, ลีซอ) is a Thai retired footballer playing as a forward. He previously spent his youth career with England's Crystal ...
(born 1985), Thai footballer * Sir Denis Wright (1911–2005) ambassador and author *
Stephen Yardley Stephen Yardley (born 24 March 1942) is an English actor. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1963, he became known for his many roles on UK television between 1964 and 2004. Career In the mid-1960s, Yardley was a perm ...
(born 1942), actor


References


External links


Official School Site

Old Brentwoods Official Alumni Portal

Society of Old Brentwoods

The Brentwood School Big Band
{{authority control Educational institutions established in the 1550s Independent schools in Essex Brentwood (Essex town) 1558 establishments in England Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference International Baccalaureate schools in England Boarding schools in Essex Diamond schools Schools with a royal charter