Ockbrook School

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Ockbrook School
Ockbrook School logo.jpg
Address
The Settlement

Derby
,
Derbyshire
,
DE72 3RJ

England
Coordinates52°55′16″N 1°22′34″W / 52.921°N 1.3761°W / 52.921; -1.3761Coordinates: 52°55′16″N 1°22′34″W / 52.921°N 1.3761°W / 52.921; -1.3761
Information
TypeIndependent day and boarding
MottoVicit Agnus Noster Eum Sequamer
("Our Lamb has conquered, let us follow Him")
In Christo omnia possum
("I can do all things through Christ", from Phil 4:13)
Religious affiliation(s)Moravian Church
Established1799; 222 years ago (1799)
ClosedJuly 2021
Local authorityDerbyshire
Department for Education URN113007 Tables
HeadmasterMr J M Shipway
Deputy HeadMrs K Moorhouse
GenderBoys and Girls
Age3 to 18
Enrolment300~
HousesCennick, Budowa and Comenius
Colour(s)Scarlet  
Websitehttp://www.ockbrooksch.co.uk/

Ockbrook School was an independent coeducational day and boarding school for children aged 3–18 years situated in rural Derbyshire between the cities of Nottingham and Derby. Boarding was for boys and girls from age 11–18 years. On Monday 7 June 2021 the school announced it was closing at the end of the summer term.[1]

Ockbrook was founded by the Moravian Church and its Christian heritage is evidenced by its school emblem, which features the Agnus Dei, and the school motto, which is also the motto of the Church.

History[]

An extension to the Ladies school in the 1880s.

Ockbrook was founded in 1799 by the Moravian Church and still maintains a Christian ethos. The school was originally a ladies' school and the boys' school did not open until 1813. It became a girls-only school in 1915. The primary section later became coeducational, although this is now being extended throughout the school.[2]

The Church is still responsible for the school but responsibility is now exercised largely through the school's local board of governors.

A history of the school was published in 2000 as part of the bicentenary celebrations (1799–1999).[3]

In March 2012 the board of governors announced the decision to extend the 11+ intake to boys beginning in September 2013 as a step towards coeducation.[4] The school was fully coeducational from September 2016


Buildings[]

The main building in the school, referred to as "main school" is used for most lessons and houses the English, Maths, Humanities and Languages departments, along with other smaller classrooms for 6th form use. The main school also provides form rooms for years 7–13.

The Grange is a primary building located near to the main school, next to the Birtill Hall (named after a previous Head Teacher.) The Mount is a further primary building, housing nursery and years 1, and 2. Pupils move over to The Grange for years 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The school also has a Sports Complex, Arts and Technology complex (named Mallalieu Centre), Music block, Lecture Theatre and Science complex (opened in 2003).

The school also operated 3 boarding houses: Mews, Liley House and Broadstairs located on the campus.

Closure[]

On 7th June 2021, the school announced to staff, students and parents that the school would close at the end of the summer term. On 8th of June the school announced that it remained "significantly loss-making", a situation made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic

The school has been criticised in the local media for announcing the closure towards the end of the term leaving students without places for the next term and staff without jobs.[5]

It remains uncertain what the future use of the schools campus and buildings will be.

Alumni[]

Alex Hamilton – BBC Presenter and weather presenter

Kate Oates – British television producer, known for her work on the soap operas The Archers, Emmerdale, and Coronation Street.

Squash Falconer – Adventurer, Mountaineer, Motivational Speaker and presenter

Emily Holyoake – Playwright, screenwriter, Actor and Dramaturg

Former pupils are entitled membership of the Ockbrook School Leavers' Association (OSLA).[6][7]

For more information and event about OSLA, please refer to http://www.ockbrooksch.co.uk/osla/

Notes and references[]

  1. ^ "Ockbrook School in pictures as it will close after 200 years". DerbyshireLive. 8 June 2021. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Pupils to be given new identity". Derby Telegraph. 28 June 2011.
  3. ^ Bold Shall I Stand, James Muckle, Ockbrook School, ISBN 0-9536600-0-1
  4. ^ "After nearly 100 years, school decides to open its doors to boys again". Derby Telegraph. 15 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Ockbrook School: One of the UK's oldest boarding schools to close". BBC News. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  6. ^ "School's old girls recall scary teachers and air raid sirens". Derby Telegraph. 6 July 2010.
  7. ^ "OSLA – Ockbrook School – Senior School". ockbrooksch.co.uk.

External links[]

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