Frensham Heights School

Frensham Heights School
Frensham Heights School
Address
	Rowledge; Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4EA; England
Coordinates	51°10′38″N 0°48′41″W / 51.17714°N 0.81151°W
Information
Type	Private and Sixth form college; Day and Boarding
Motto	Think, Create, Explore
Established	1925
Founder	Edith Douglas-Hamilton
Local authority	Surrey
Department for Education URN	125338 Tables
Headmaster	Ben McCarey
Gender	Coeducational
Age	3 to 18
Enrolment	530~
Former pupils	Old Frenshamians
Website	https://www.frensham.org

Frensham Heights School is a private school with sixth form college located near Farnham, Surrey, England, run by the registered charity, Frensham Heights Educational Trust Ltd. It was founded in 1925 and formed as part of the movement for progressive education. Unlike many HMC member schools, it has been coeducational and took both day and boarding pupils since its foundation.

Foundation and location

The school was founded by Edith Douglas-Hamilton and established under joint headmistresses, Beatrice Ensor and Isabel King. It became firmly established under the headmastership of Paul Roberts (1928–1949^[1]) and was recognised as efficient by the Ministry of Education in 1935.^{[citation needed]}

Based at a mock-Tudor mansion, built by the brewer Charles Charrington in 1898, and in its estate, the school is on a hill 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from the centre of Farnham but is actually in the village of Frensham. Its grounds run into Rowledge.

The Head

Ben McCarey started as the full-time Head of Frensham Heights in September 2024.

Facilities

The school has a professional working theatre called the Aldridge Theatre, with a capacity of 300, which is used for both internal and external performances.^[2] It also has an independent sixth form centre, which is separated from the rest of the school, and a music centre.

Notable alumni

Ex-pupils (Old Frenshamians) include:

Nikki Amuka-Bird, actress^[3]
Edward Davenport, fraudster^[4]
Jack Dee, comedian^[5]
Will Hodgkinson, writer^[6]
Charlotte Hough (née Woodyadd), author and illustrator^[7]
Rufus Hound, comedian^[8]
James Irvine, designer^[9]
Tony Knowland, professor^[10]
Sir Thomas Legg, civil servant^[11]
Nick Mason CBE, drummer^[5]
Hattie Morahan, actor
Jon Pertwee, actor famous for Dr Who^[12]
Wolf Rilla, film director^[13]
Sam Roddick, businesswoman^[14]
Henry Smith,^[15] former Member of Parliament for Crawley

References

^ "Our Ethos - principles of child-centred learning and mutual respect". Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
^ "Aldridge Theatre, Frensham Heights". Farnham Literary Festival.
^ "Nikki Amuka-Bird: 'Mum was on the frontline of diversity, banging on doors'". the Guardian. 5 January 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
^ "Edward Davenport: The scandalous world of Britain's most sociable socialite". The Independent. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b Yorke, Harry (13 February 2013). "Headteacher sleeps rough in the woods in order to raise funds for new school in Malawi". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
^ Hodgkinson, Will (21 July 2006). "Spiritual suburbia". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
^ "Obituaries: Charlotte Hough: children's book illustrator". The Times. London. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
^ Mesure, Susie (10 February 2013). "Rufus Hound: One man, two monikers". The Independent. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
^ Morrison, Jasper (28 March 2013). "James Irvine obituary". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
^ Knowl, Isabel (8 January 2007). "Obituary: Tony Knowland". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
^ "Profile: Sir Thomas Legg". BBC News. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
^ "Jon Pertwee obituary (Daily Telegraph) - the Doctor Who Cuttings Archive".
^ Purser, Philip (25 October 2005). "Obituary: Wolf Rilla". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
^ Macalister, Terry (15 January 2005). "Interview: Sam Roddick, owner of Coco de Mer". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
^ MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN MAIDENBOWER, CRAWLEY, WEST SUSSEX Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Publisher: TheArgus.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2014.

External links

School Website
Profile on the ISC website

[1] "Our Ethos - principles of child-centred learning and mutual respect". Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.

[2] "Aldridge Theatre, Frensham Heights". Farnham Literary Festival.

[3] "Nikki Amuka-Bird: 'Mum was on the frontline of diversity, banging on doors'". the Guardian. 5 January 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

[4] "Edward Davenport: The scandalous world of Britain's most sociable socialite". The Independent. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

[Yorke_2017-5] Yorke, Harry (13 February 2013). "Headteacher sleeps rough in the woods in order to raise funds for new school in Malawi". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

[6] Hodgkinson, Will (21 July 2006). "Spiritual suburbia". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

[7] "Obituaries: Charlotte Hough: children's book illustrator". The Times. London. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

[8] Mesure, Susie (10 February 2013). "Rufus Hound: One man, two monikers". The Independent. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

[9] Morrison, Jasper (28 March 2013). "James Irvine obituary". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

[10] Knowl, Isabel (8 January 2007). "Obituary: Tony Knowland". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

[11] "Profile: Sir Thomas Legg". BBC News. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2023.

[12] "Jon Pertwee obituary (Daily Telegraph) - the Doctor Who Cuttings Archive".

[13] Purser, Philip (25 October 2005). "Obituary: Wolf Rilla". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

[14] Macalister, Terry (15 January 2005). "Interview: Sam Roddick, owner of Coco de Mer". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

[15] MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN MAIDENBOWER, CRAWLEY, WEST SUSSEX Archived 13 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Publisher: TheArgus.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2014.

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