Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School is a co-educational
grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
in
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town and civil parish in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in eastern Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2021 it had a population of 42,027. Ramsgate' ...
,
Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, formed as a result of the merger of the boys-only
Chatham House Grammar School and girls-only Clarendon House Grammar School in September 2011.
Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School is based across three main sites. The Chatham House site is where Year 7, 8 and 9 students are based, whereas Year 10 and 11 are based at the Clarendon House site. The Sixth Form Centre is where the Sixth Form students are based, but regularly have lessons across all three sites.
History
Chatham House was officially founded in 1797 by William Humble along Chatham Street, although there is some evidence of existence prior to its formal establishment. Clarendon House was founded in 1905 on the first floor of the old police station.
Merger
The two Ramsgate schools, Clarendon House and Chatham House, had often partnered with each other for activities such as instrumental bands, choirs, an annual theatre production and field trips. Both were single sex until sixth form then allowed both boys and girls to enter in the sixth form. In the sixth form the two schools, actually within ten minutes' walk of each other, some AS and A level subjects were taught jointly by both schools, such as Music and Music Technology; or by one school. Drama that was taught at Clarendon but available to Chatham House students, while Sport Science was taught at Chatham House, but available to Clarendon House students. Clarendon House, however, was under-subscribed: Chatham House being over-subscribed. Chatham and Clarendon is thinking about changing their classes so boys and girls
are mixed.
The two schools federated in January 2011 to become a Converter Academy. bringing greater control over admissions, site & buildings, curriculum development and much-needed additional income.
[http://www.ccgrammarschool.co.uk/35/about-the-federation School's website: About the school] Then, in spring 2011, it was announced that the schools would work together as one school. Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils would be based at Chatham House and year 10 and 11 pupils would be based at the former Clarendon House. The sixth-form centre would be based on both sites with all lessons being split between them. In this intermediate stage, Year 9 was moved to the lower school while the decisions about the sites were being taken.
Academics
Virtually all maintained schools and academies follow the
National Curriculum A national curriculum is a common programme of study in schools that is designed to ensure nationwide uniformity of content and standards in education. It is usually legislated by the national government, possibly in consultation with state or othe ...
, and are inspected by Ofsted on how well they succeed in delivering a 'broad and balanced curriculum'.
Schools endeavour to get all students to achieve the
English Baccalaureate
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance indicator in England linked to the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results. It measures students' attainment by calculating an average score from specified subject grades. ...
(EBACC) qualification- this must include core subjects, a modern or ancient foreign language, and either History or Geography. Schools are obliged to publish the philosophy governing their curriculum on their website.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)
Key stage 3 is taught on the Chatham House site.
Within KS3, all students study in single sex classes with some ability setting in Mathematics and within the Year 9 Science syllabus.
All students study English, Mathematics, Science, Design & Food Technology, Geography, History, Art, Computer Science, Physical Education & Games, Religion and Philosophy, Music, Drama and PSHE. In Year 7 all students study French, and students in Year 8 and 9 study French and Spanish.
Key Stage 4 GCSE (Years 10-11)
This schools offers a variety of
GCSE
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of subjects taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, having been introduced in September 1986 and its first exams taken in 1988. State schools ...
-Level qualifications. All students take core subjects, whilst also selecting others from their preference with the requirement of taking at least one language and one humanity.
Core Subjects
Option Subjects
All students by default will take the Higher Tier option of their GCSE course, if applicable, but for struggling students the Foundation Tier option is made available to them.
When Students select their option subjects, they have four options (Language Option, Option 1, Option 2, and Option 3). The language option must be either French or Spanish, and there must be a humanity subject in Options 1 - 3 (Geography, History, or Religious Studies). Students are also able to take both French and Spanish if they wish, by indicating so in the Language Option and in one of Options 1 - 3.
Key Stage 5 (Years 12-13)
The
Sixth Form
In the education systems of Barbados, England, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepa ...
at this school offers a considerably large range of subjects, with 25 A-Level courses and 6 Vocational courses. Sixth Form students generally tend to study three courses, however do have the option to take more.
Entry requirements
In order for a student to study three or four Advanced Level subjects, they must achieve at least 5x Grade 6s at GCSE. In order for a student to study a double Level 3 Vocational course, and one or two Advanced Levels, they must achieve at least 3x Grade 5s and 2x Grade 6s a GCSE. Where relevant, a student will need a Grade 6 in a subject to study the same subject at the Sixth Form. Students are expected to continue their chosen subjects until the end of Year 13.
There are special rules or exceptions for subject options for students. Students must achieve a Grade 7 in Mathematics at GCSE to study it at Advanced Level, and a Grade 8 in Mathematics at GCSE to study Further Mathematics at Advanced Level.
Students studying Further Mathematics will normally undertake the Mathematics Advanced Level exams at the end of Year 12.
House system
As the two schools became one, the
house system
The house system is a traditional feature of schools in the United Kingdom. The practice has since spread to Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. The school is divided into units called "houses" and each student is allocated to on ...
s needed to change as Clarendon House had four houses for the entire school with Chatham having four different houses in the lower and upper school.
As a result of student voting, from September 2011, the new houses consisted of Thomas-Sharman (TS), Rothschild-Pearce (RP), Mann-Somerville (MS) and Knight-Heath (KH),
[http://www.ccgrammarschool.co.uk/158/introduction School's website: House system - Introduction] double-barrelled amalgamations of old Chatham and Clarendon house names. It was announced that the new house colours would be Red, Silver, Gold and Blue.
House Competitions
There is an annual House Competition within the school as the four different houses compete in competitions to increase their total score. The house with the greatest score at the end of each academic year is the winning house.
Note: KH - Knight-Health, MS - Mann-Sommerville, RP - Rothschild-Pearce, TS - Thomas-Sharman
Awards system
In both Schools, as a form of award, teachers may give out rewards known as Achievement Points or Commendations. Depending on the amount which a pupil has, there are various certificates which are given, and also a prize in the form of a pin badge, which students can wear on their uniform. Below are the awards which pupils may receive, and the higher the commendations needed, usually the harder it is to obtain the specific certificate.
Note that some houses repeat the commendation certificates for a second, third or possibly fourth round if pupils gain 100 commendations - which warrants a Red Certificate No. 2. However, not all houses do this and some just keep to the standard seven certificates.
Notable alumni
Alumni of Chatham House are known as Old Ruymians.
*
Iain Aitch - author and journalist
*
Herbert William Allingham, surgeon to the Household of
King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
, and surgeon in ordinary to the Prince of Wales (later
King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
George was born during the reign of his pa ...
)
*
Allan Butler,
Ambassador to Mongolia from 1984 to 1987
*
Patrick Crawford, Commandant from 1989 to 1993 of the
Royal Army Medical College
*
Jamie Davies - racing driver
*
Matt Dunn - romantic comedy novelist
*
Marc Gascoigne
Marc Gascoigne is a British author and editor. He is the editor, author or co-author of more than fifty books and gaming related titles, including '' Fighting Fantasy'' books, ''Shadowrun'' novels and adventures, '' Earthdawn'' novels and advent ...
- fantasy writer
*
Peter Gregory (academic), Director since 2005 of the
Scottish Crop Research Institute at
Invergowrie
Invergowrie () is a village on the northwest bank of the Firth of Tay to the west of Dundee. Historically part of Perthshire, it was formerly incorporated as part of the city of Dundee, but is now administered as part of Perth and Kinross.
H ...
near
Dundee
Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
, and Professor of Soil Science from 1994–2005 at the
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a public research university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as the University Extension College, Reading, an extension college of Christchurch College, Oxford, and became University College, ...
*
Geoffrey Colin Guy,
Governor of Saint Helena
The Governor of Saint Helena is the representative of the monarch in Saint Helena, a constituent part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice ...
from 1976 to 1981, and
Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1958 to 1959 and 1959–1965

*
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...
-
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...
from 1970 to 1974
*
Stewart Jackson -
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
MP for
Peterborough
Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...
from 2005 to 2017
*
Sean Kerly -
Olympic field hockey
Field hockey (or simply referred to as hockey in some countries where ice hockey is not popular) is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with 11 players in total, made up of 10 field players and a goalk ...
player
*
Claire Kohda - writer and violinist
*
Marc Lawrence
Marc Lawrence (born Max Goldsmith; February 17, 1910 – November 28, 2005) was an American character actor who specialized in underworld types. He has also been credited as F. A. Foss, Marc Laurence and Marc C. Lawrence.
Early life
Lawrence w ...
,
Sea King observer of
849 Naval Air Squadron, killed on
21 March 2003 in a crash in
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
*
Ali Marchant, radio DJ
*
John Marek
John Marek (born 24 December 1940) is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wrexham from 1983 to 2001, and the Member of the Welsh Assembly (AM) for Wrexham from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party until ...
Labour MP for
Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in the North East Wales, north-east of Wales. It lies between the Cambrian Mountains, Welsh mountains and the lower River Dee, Wales, Dee Valley, near the England–Wales border, borde ...
from 1983–2001
*
Frank Muir
Frank Herbert Muir (5 February 1920 – 2 January 1998) was an English comedy writer, radio and television personality, and raconteur. His writing and performing partnership with Denis Norden endured for most of their careers. Together they wr ...
- humourist
*
Edward Norman, gave the BBC
Reith Lecture in 1978
*
John Ovenden, Labour MP for
Gravesend
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Roche ...
from 1974 to 1979 and Leader of Kent County Council from 1994 to 1997
*
Geoff Parsons -
Olympic high jumper
*
Charles Robson (1859–1943),
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
and
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
wicket-keeper
In cricket, the wicket-keeper is the Cricket player, player on the fielding (cricket), fielding side who stands behind the wicket, ready to stop Delivery (cricket), deliveries that pass the batsman, and take a Caught, catch, Stumped, stump the ...
, and secretary (manager) of
Southampton Football Club
*
Robert Tavernor, emeritus professor of architecture and urban design at the London School of Economics (LSE)
*
Peter Terry, station commander from 1968 to 1970 of
RAF El Adem (in
Libya
Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
),
Governor of Gibraltar
The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territories, British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of ...
from 1985 to 1989, and targeted by
*
Nik Turner
Nicholas Robert Turner (26 August 1940 – 10 November 2022) was an English musician best known as a member of space rock pioneers Hawkwind. Turner played saxophone and flute, as well as being a vocalist and composer. While with Hawkwind, Tur ...
- founder of the
space rock
Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...
band
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...
*
Gregory James Venables
Gregory James Venables (born 6 December 1949) is an English Anglican bishop. He served as the Primate of the Southern Cone in South America (now called the Anglican Church of South America) from 2001 until 2010, and again from 2016 until 2020. ...
, Archbishop of South America since 2001
*
Bill Wratten -
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...
of
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007 when it merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air ...
during the first
Gulf War
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
, station commander from 1980 to 1982 of
RAF Coningsby
Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and h ...
References
External links
Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School Home Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School
Grammar schools in Kent
Ramsgate
1797 establishments in England
Educational institutions established in 1797
Grade II listed educational buildings
Grade II listed buildings in Kent
Academies in Kent