Culford School is a co-educational private boarding and day school for pupils age 1–18 in the village of Culford, 4 mi north of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England. The head is traditionally a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Prep School head is a member of the IAPS.

History

The school was founded as the East Anglian School for Boys, incorporating an institution founded in 1873 by Congregationalist minister, Dr John H. L. Christien. It was one of a group of Methodist schools established in response to the growth of the middle class, the launching of the Woodard Schools and the 1867 Taunton Commission, which fuelled an expansion of secondary education in general and of non-conformist boarding schools in particular. The original school was in Northgate Street in Bury St Edmunds, but in 1886 it moved to Thingoe Hill in the town (a site later occupied by the East Anglian School for Girls). In 1935 the school moved to Culford Park. This is the former seat of the Earls Cornwallis, then the Benyon family and finally the Earls of Cadogan. The 7th Earl Cadogan sold the estate to the Methodist Independent Schools Trust in 1935, and thereafter the school became known as Culford School. It is at the centre of East Anglia, c.90 minutes from London, 60 from Norwich, 40 from Ipswich, and c.30 minutes from Cambridge. The school sits in 480 acre of Repton parkland with grazing, formal gardens, lake, and the 16th-19th Century Culford Hall. When the school first moved to Culford the Hall became dormitories and classrooms; the laundry the sanatorium; the forge the art and woodwork studios (now the Pringle Centre for Art and Design Technology); and the stables the Junior Department (now the Preparatory School). The first new building to be added by the school was Cadogan House, for junior boys, in 1937. The Leigh Memorial Swimming Pool was built in the same year. The school was one of the 'direct grant grammar schools' in the system that existed in England and Wales between 1945 and 1976. The system provided funds from central government for a number of pupils per year to be admitted from local education authority schools within the County of West Suffolk, selected primarily on the basis of their Eleven-plus exam results. The Skinner and Hastings buildings were added in the 1960s, followed during the 1970s-1990s by an auditorium, pre-prep school, medical centre and biology laboratories. Purpose-built boarding houses and the Ashby Dining Hall (named after the then Chairman of the Governors) were constructed in 1972. 1972 was the year in which Culford amalgamated with its sister school, the East Anglian School for Girls (EASG), becoming one of the first fully co-educational HMC schools. New Houses were formed as follows:

Coat of arms

The school today

Although Culford is a selective school, it accepts pupils of a broad ability range. More than half of the senior pupils are boarders. Three schools are housed within the Park: A library of historic volumes is located in an oak panelled room overlooking Culford Hall's south front, completed for the visit of King Edward VII in December 1904 and now the staff common room. A large contemporary collection of 10,000 books is housed in a free-standing modern building opened 2015,. The Centenary Hall, a facility containing a large hall/auditorium and Studio Theatre was opened in 2006 by HRH The Duke of Gloucester (twenty five years after his first visit for the school's centenary), and was constructed in what was previously a large courtyard enclosed on three sides by the main building. The Culford Foundation exists to raise funds for special projects that will benefit the pupils of the school and has raised funds for the Pre-Prep nursery and dining hall; an astro-turf sports field; the William Miller Science Centre (built following a £1m donation by an Old Culfordian); the restoration of Culford Hall, the new library and the Art and Design Centre. The Foundation also supports the Old Culfordians Association. The most recent inspection report of the Prep and Senior schools (February 2020) by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) concludes that the schools are “Excellent” in all areas.

Academia

The ISI 2020 inspection rates academics as Excellent and the Good Schools Guide say that the quality of the pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils are well educated, in accordance with the school's aims of providing an education that is challenging, enriching and fun. In 2019 79% of A-level grades were A*-C compared to 82% and 78% at the nearby County Upper School and King Edward VI School respectively. There is a Scholars Programme, plus many societies focused on subjects and areas of interest. Lecturers have included Sir Andrew Motion, Ann Widdecombe, George Alagiah and Henry Olonga. A Sixth Form Enrichment Programme offers Open University degree modules and pupils also compete in competitions such as the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. Like many independent schools, Culford teaches the IGCSE. Here are the latest academic results: GCSE Results (2023): A Level Results (2023):

Arts

The arts are overseen by specialist staff covering music, drama, art and dance. Music is also supported by heads of keyboard, strings and wind and brass and a team of instrumental tutors, covering all the orchestral instruments, drum kit, classical and electric guitar. Inter-house music competitions and termly concerts are held: recent concerts include Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah, and Benjamin Britten's Noye's Fludde at St Bartholomew's Church, Orford, where it had first been performed. The school has many musical ensembles and groups and also holds special days and assemblies. There is an extensive programme of concerts at all levels. 2009 saw the restoration of the west wing of Culford Hall to create the Beech Centre for Music and Performing Arts (part-funded by Old Culfordian David Beech). Two major dramatic productions are staged each year, one musical and one stage play. Smaller productions are staged more regularly, including during House drama competitions. The Studio Theatre, the Centenary Hall, and the Regency Theatre Royal are used as venues. Lamda qualifications are offered as are dance lessons.

Sport and activities

Culford offers high performance academies in Tennis and Golf alongside the major competitive sports of rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, athletics, cross-country and swimming. Regional honours are achieved whilst European and England players and champions in hockey, tennis, horse riding, karate, polo and rugby are on the school roll. Pupils compete in events such as the National Schools Rugby Sevens, and the Inter-Schools Hunter Trials. Numbered amongst current Old Culfordians are an Olympic horserider, a British modern pentathlon champion, a Welsh hockey international, and club rugby and cricket players for Richmond and Middlesex respectively. Previous generations of Old Culfordians have included several hockey players for England and one for Scotland, a captain of the Welsh team, and a Great British hockey Olympian; as well as an England badminton player. The school has also produced numerous Oxford and Cambridge Blues. In addition to the major sports, Culford offers a wide range of other sports and activities utilising its 480 acre of parkland and extensive facilities. A further lake at Lackford is used for Sailing, and nearby Thetford Forest is used for outdoor pursuits. Golf is played at a course in neighbouring Flempton. 1962 saw the school become one of the 16 founder members of The Public Schools Old Boys Golf Association, and it competes regularly in the Grafton Morrish Trophy. The school is linked to the LTA High Performance Centre in Cambridge, and 14 coaches offer a tennis scheme encompassing a junior Academy programme. The school also provides cricket coaching from former Italy international, Andrew Northcote. Culford play an MCC side annually. An Activities Programme offers over sixty pursuits including climbing, clay pigeon shooting, chess, critical thinking, Cub Scouts, debating, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, expeditions, fencing, horse riding, sub aqua and Young Enterprise. In addition, external organisations using Culford's facilities contribute to provision for pupils:

Combined Cadet Force

The CCF's Army section is associated with the Army Air Corps and the First Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment. The CCF is commanded by Captain Sarah Schofield. Weekly training activities include shooting, expeditions, combat manoeuvres, ambush and continuity drills, signals training, orienteering, climbing, kayaking, first aid and lifesaving. The CCF also play an important role in the School's annual Act of Remembrance on Armistice Day. The CCF Contingent was inspected in 2007 by General Sir John McColl, an Old Culfordian, Colonel of the Royal Anglians and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe. 2009's inspection was carried out by Air Vice Marshal Richard Garwood, parent of a Culfordian and Chief of Staff (Operations) at Headquarters Air Command; and 2011's by General the Lord Dannatt. The current CCF is the successor to several individual service cadet forces, established during the world wars and at other stages, as well as to Culford's Air Scouts troop which, in 1939, was amongst the first five nationally and which became the largest in eastern England prior to dwindling in the 1960s.

Headmasters and Heads

Notable alumni

Controversies

The Fifth Dinner Club

The name of the ‘Fifth Dinner Club’ (FDC) is derived from its foundation by five members of the Fifth Form - G G Hawes, R H Tuffs, Gaubert, Downs and Marley - to subvert the prefects. However the Fifth Formers eventually became prefects themselves and only prefects have been admitted ever since. It is separate from the school and is run by its members. The club is associated with a motto, abbreviated to D.V.P.M. It is also associated with Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub on London's Fleet Street, where members first dined in the 1930s and which they visit to this day.

Miscellanea