Silcoates School is a co-educational

independent school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...

in the village of

Wrenthorpe Wrenthorpe is a village north-west of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located in the Rhubarb Triangle. History Although earlier remains, such as Roman coins and pottery, have been found in the area, the current settlement dates f ...

near

Wakefield Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolit ...

, England.

History

The school was founded in 1820 as the Northern Congregational School at Silcoates House, for the board and education of the sons of Nonconformist clergy, and was situated close to

Ossett Ossett is a market town in the Wakefield district, in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated between Dewsbury, Horbury and Wakefield. At the 2021 census, the town had a po ...

and

Horbury Horbury is a town in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is situated north of the River Calder, West Yorkshire, River Calder about three miles (5 k ...

, each of which had unusually large Nonconformist populations. It was a boys' boarding school until 1995, receiving pupils from around the world. Girls were admitted into the sixth form from 1976, with female boarders accommodated in the Coach House. The school now exists as a co-educational day school with a campus on the border between the villages of

and

Alverthorpe Alverthorpe is a suburb of, and former village in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. History After the start of the Industrial Revolution woollen and worsted yarns were spun and woollen and worsted cloth woven in the mills and factories that ...

. Silcoates School is made up of three separate, but closely linked, sections: a Senior School for boys and girls aged 11 to 19 (Year 7 to the Upper Sixth Form); a Junior School for boys and girls aged 4 to 11 (Year 1 to Year 6); and Pre-School for boys and girls aged 2 to 4.School sections
Silcoates.org.uk

Motto

The school's motto is "Clarior ex Ignibus" (brighter through the flames), commemorating a fire of 1904 which caused the school to move into temporary exile in Saltburn, on the coast of North Yorkshire between

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It is on the Yorkshire Coast at the mouth of the River Esk, North Yorkshire, River Esk and has a maritime, mineral and tourist economy. From the Middle Ages, Whitby ...

and

Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ), colloquially known as Boro, is a port town in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Lying to the south of the River Tees, Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside Built up area, built-up area and the Tees Va ...

Houses

Silcoates School - Silcoates Lane - geograph

There are four houses representing significant headmasters: * Evans' (Yellow and green tie) * Spencer's (Blue and green tie) * Moore's (Light green and green tie) * Yonge's (Red and green tie)

Curriculum

The majority of pupils usually take a minimum of 9 GCSEs, and 4 AS and 3 A2-Levels in the Sixth Form, with many progressing on to degree level courses. There is a wide and varied selection of subjects to choose from at GCSE and A Level, including some specialist and vocational programmes.

Notable former staff and pupils

Imran Ahmad Khan Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (born 6 September 1973) is a British former politician and convicted sex offender. He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wakefield from the 2019 general election until 2022. Elected as a Conservative, Ahmad Khan h ...

(born 1973), Member of Parliament (MP) for Wakefield (December 2019-May 2022) *

Hugh Banton Hugh Robert Banton (born 25 April 1949) is a British musician and electronic Organ (music), organ builder, most widely known for playing organ and keyboards with the group Van der Graaf Generator. Career Banton was born in April 1949 in Yeovil, ...

(1949),

Progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

icon, member of

Van der Graaf Generator Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, Chris Judge Smith. They were the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much ...

Andrew Burt Andrew Thomas Hutchison Burt (23 May 1945 – 16 November 2018) was a British actor, voiceover artist, and counsellor. Early life and education Andrew Burt was born on 23 May 1945 in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, to Hutchison B ...

(1945–2018), Actor * George Entwistle (born 1962), Former Director General of the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

* J. S. Fletcher (1865–1935), historian, writer of historical and detective novels *

Josh Holling Joshua Brynmor Rusby Holling (born 15 February 1996) is an English former first-class cricketer. Holling was born at Barnsley in February 1996. He was educated at Silcoates School, before going up to Leeds Beckett University. While studying at ...

(born 1996), cricketer *

John Horam John Rhodes Horam, Baron Horam (born 7 March 1939) is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom. He has represented three parties in Parliament—originally a Labour MP, he defected to the SDP on its foundation in 1981, then to the Conser ...

(born 1939), Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Orpington *

Karim Ahmad Khan Karim Asad Ahmad Khan (born 30 March 1970) is a British lawyer who has served as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court since 2021. He specialises in international criminal law and international human rights law. After his appointme ...

(born 1970),

Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is the officer of the International Criminal Court whose duties include the investigation and prosecution of the crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, namely genocide ...

Richard O'Dwyer Richard O'Dwyer (born 5 May 1988) is a British entrepreneur & computer programmer who created the TVShack.net search engine while a student at Sheffield Hallam University. In May 2011, the U.S. Justice Department sought to extradite O'Dwyer f ...

(born 1988), Creator of TVShack.net * Sir William Peel (1875–1945), colonial governor of Hong Kong * Sir Henry Norman Rae (1860–1928)

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

MP for Shipley *

James Guinness Rogers James Guinness Rogers (29 December 1822 – 20 August 1911), was a British Nonconformist clergyman. Education Rogers was born at Enniskillen, Ireland in 1822, where his Cornish-born father Thomas Rogers (1796–1854) was an Irish Evangeli ...

(1822–1911), Nonconformist divine *

Oliver Rowland Oliver Eric Rowland (; born 10 August 1992) is a British racing driver, who competes in Formula E for Nissan Formula E Team, Nissan. Rowland has previously competed for Manor Motorsport in the 2018–19 FIA World Endurance Championship, 2018 W ...

(born 1992), British Racecar driver * Thomas Scales was chaplain and secretary at the school in 1850.Leeds White Chapel later Queen Street
Genuki, Retrieved 15 January 2016 *

William Thomas Stead William Thomas Stead (5 July 184915 April 1912) was an English newspaper editor who, as a pioneer of investigative journalism, became a controversial figure of the Victorian era. Stead published a series of hugely influential campaigns whilst e ...

(1849–1912), journalist, campaigner, victim of RMS ''Titanic'' disaster * David Stiff (born 1984), County Cricketer *

Tim Stimpson Timothy Richard George Stimpson (born 10 September 1973 in Liverpool) is a former rugby union international full back (and occasional wing). During his career he played for Wakefield, West Hartlepool, Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers, Perpi ...

(born 1973), International rugby player * Theodore Taylor (1850–1952), Businessman, Liberal politician, Profit-sharing pioneer *

Maurice Yonge Sir Charles Maurice Yonge, CBE, FRS FRSE (9 December 1899 – 17 March 1986) was an English marine zoologist. Life Charles Maurice Yonge was born in Silcoates School near Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1899 the son of John Arthur Yonge (1865–1 ...

(1899–1986), zoologist *

Edwin Lawrence Godkin Edwin Lawrence Godkin (2 October 183121 May 1902) was an American journalist and newspaper editor. He founded ''The Nation'' and was the editor-in-chief of the ''New York Evening Post'' from 1883 to 1899.Eric Fettman, "Godkin, E.L." in Stephen ...

(1831-1902), American journalist and newspaper editor

References

External links

Silcoates School
{{authority control Private schools in the City of Wakefield Educational institutions established in 1820 Schools in Wakefield