Reading grammar school
 |
|
| Motto |
Floreat Redingensis (Latin: May Reading [School] flourish) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1125 1486 (refounding) |
| Type |
Grammar academy Day and boarding school |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Headmaster | A M Robson |
| Chaplain | G Cornelissen |
| Founder | Henry VII |
| Location |
Erleigh Road Reading Berkshire RG1 5LW United Kingdom |
| DfE number | 870/5401 |
| DfE URN | 136449 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports Pre-academy reports |
| Students | 867 |
| Gender | Boys |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Houses | School: (green) County: (magenta) East: (pink/cerise) West: (yellow/gold) Laud: (light blue) |
| Colours | Navy Blue, Silver |
| Publication | Floreat Redingensis |
| Former pupils | Old Redingensians |
| Website | www.reading-school.co.uk |
Reading School is a grammar school with academy status for boys in the English town of Reading, the county town of Berkshire. It traces its history back to the school of Reading Abbey, making it one of the oldest schools in England. There are no tuition fees for day pupils, and boarders only pay for food and lodging.
Reading School was founded as part of Reading Abbey. The date of the Abbey's charter, 29 March 1125, is taken as the foundation date, making it the 10th oldest school in England, although there are hints that there may have been a school running in Reading before this.
In 1486, the school was refounded as a "Free Grammar School" ("free" here meaning teaching the free, or liberal, arts, not that no fees were paid) by Henry VII on the urging of the then Abbot, John Thorne. From at least this time, the School was housed in the former Hospitium of St John. The main building of the hospitium still exists, but the refectory, which once housed the schoolroom, was demolished in 1785 and Reading Town Hall now stands on the site.
After the dissolution of Reading Abbey in 1539, the school fell under the control of the corporation of Reading, its status being confirmed by Letters Patent issued by Henry VIII in 1541. This was reconfirmed in the Royal Charter granted to the corporation of Reading by Elizabeth I in 1560, which made the corporation liable for the salary of the headmaster and gave them the power of appointing him.
There were interruptions to schooling in 1665, when Parliament, forced out of London by the Great Plague, took over the schoolhouse. The civil war also interrupted, with the school being used as a garrison by royalist forces. The school prospered at the start of the nineteenth century but by 1866 disagreements between the town and school, which had become increasingly exclusive, and problems with the lease on the school buildings had led to falling numbers and the school closed briefly when (according to legend), the inspectors, on asking to see the school, were told "He's runned [sic] away".
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Wikipedia