Christ College, Brecon
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| Motto | "Possunt Quia Posse Videntur" ("They achieve because they think they can achieve") |
|---|---|
| Established | 1541 |
| Type | Independent day and boarding |
| Religion | Anglican |
| Headmistress | Emma Taylor |
| Deputy Headmaster | Simon Spencer |
| Founder | Henry VIII |
| Location |
Brecon Powys LD3 8AF Wales, United Kingdom Coordinates: 51°56′46″N 3°23′43″W / 51.9462°N 3.3954°W |
| Local authority | Powys |
| DfE URN | 401984 Tables |
| Staff | 40 approx. |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Ages | 7–18 |
| Houses | St. Nicholas (boys and girls aged 7–11) Alway (boys and girls aged 11–13) Donaldson's (including Bannau Annexe) (girls aged 13–18) Orchard (boys aged 13–18) St. David's (boys aged 13–18) School (boys aged 13–18) de Winton (girls aged 13–18) |
| Colours | Green and Gold |
| Publication | The Breconian |
| Former pupils | Old Breconians |
| Website | www |
Christ College, Brecon is a co-educational, boarding and day independent school, located in the market town of Brecon in mid-Wales. It currently caters for pupils aged 7–18 years.
Christ College was founded by Royal Charter in 1541 by King Henry VIII. The Chapel and dining hall date from the 13th century when the site was occupied by a Dominican order Priory.
The school has been ranked in the top three of all UK Independent Schools in terms of "Value for Money" by the Financial Times newspaper. In February 2011, HM's Inspectorate for Education & Training in Wales, Estyn, (equivalent to OFSTED in England) declared Christ College's performance to be "excellent" – the highest grade that can be awarded. In 2015, 92.4% of GCSE grades were A*-C, with 45% at A* or A grades. With the A-Levels, 55.7% of results were at A* or A grade, whilst the overall pass rate (A*-E grades) was at 99.5%.
There are seven houses in the school, consisting of three senior boys' houses: St David's, Orchard and School; two senior girls' houses: de Winton and Donaldson's (with a sixth form annexe, Bannau); and one Lower School house, Alway House, for boys and girls aged 11–13. In September 2014, St Nicholas House opened which welcomes boys and girls aged 7–11.
The history of Christ College falls into three periods. For three hundred years it was a Dominican friary; in 1541 Henry VIII established a school on the site and finally in 1855 the modern 'public' school was founded by Act of Parliament. The surviving buildings and architecture reflect each of the three periods. The Dominicans were friars who first came to Britain in 1221; they are first mentioned as being in Brecon, in 1269. Given that range of dates and the evidence of the surviving medieval buildings, it is likely that the friary was founded c.1250.
The chapel is an example of thirteenth century work, though like all the medieval buildings it was much restored by Gilbert Scott in the nineteenth century. More survivals are the two halls with their fifteenth century open timber roofs. Of the cloister, chapter house and other monastic buildings nothing remains but their position can be deduced from documents. In the 1530s momentous changes affected England and Wales. Henry VIII brought all of Wales under his control; this involved the creation of new Welsh counties, including Breconshire. At the same time the King made himself the Head of the Church and then dissolved the monasteries. This combination of events resulted in the foundation of 'the College of Christ of Brecknock' in 1541 to provide education in this area and thus would 'the Welsh rudeness soon be framed to English civility'.
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